Broken Knowledge

Chapter 17

     Mara had fallen asleep about 10 minutes into the flight because the painkillers made her drowsy. She had a black, dreamless sleep.

     She felt refreshed when she woke up. Mara turned her head and all the others had occupied themselves. Logan(the pilot had introduced himself a few minutes into the flight), was on Alan's laptop playing a game called "Fortnite". Pearl was asleep, her head on Marina's shoulder.

     Alan was on his phone, playing some game where some plants were shooting little projectiles at some people with green-gray skin, who were groaning,"Brains". He seemed super into it too. The plants were shooting non-stop, and the green-gray guys were so numerous on the right side of the screen, she couldn't even see the green grass. She chuckled to herself.

     You boys and your games. She thought. All the boys she knew were always got super into their games when they played.

     "Alan." She said. Alan jumped, startled and dropped the phone."Oh shit!" He exclaimed and quickly scooped the phone up and paused the game.

     "Sorry, you startled me." He said, smiling.

     
     "Tssuh. You boys and your games." Mara giggled.

     "Yeah, we get into it." Logan said.

     Sandy walked up to them."How are you feeling sweetheart?" She said.

     "I'm hurting a little bit, but I'm feeling allot better." Mara said.

     "That's great," Sandy said."Do you want more painkillers."

     "Nah, I'm good." Mara said.

     Sandy sat down in a chair beside Mara's bed, and sighed, happy to finally get off her feet after tending to several patients needs. 

     A little girl of about 6 walked up timidly.

     "What are you? Mommy says your not human." She says.

     The Inklings(and Octoling) chuckled.

     "No. We're not humans." Mara said.

     "We're Inklings." Logan said.

     "And I'm an Octoling." Marina said.

     The little girl cocked her head like a dog and said,"Huh?"

     Mara chuckled and said,"What's your name?"

    "Melody,"The young girl said."What's yours?"

    "I'm Mara." Mara said. Pearl, Marina, Callie, Marie, and Logan gave Mara confused looks. They never knew her by any other name except Agent 3, but they didn't question her.

     The others introduced themselves after Mara, Logan never even looked up from his game when he introduced himself. Mara looked at Alan and rolled her eyes, smiling.

     "Melody, stop bothering them!" A women called from across the room."Get back over here young lady!"

     "Yes mommy!" Melody said. She turned back to the group."I hope that I get to talk to you more soon!" She ran back to her mother.

     "They're so innocent," Alan said."They give this fucked up world a little light."

     The group nodded in agreement.

     Everyone went back to what they were doing, and Sandy left to do her rounds.

     "Hey Alan," Mara said."What's that game you're playing?"

     Alan explained that he was playing a game called "Plants vs. Zombies" and explained how it works and the story line of the game.(Zombies trying to get to your house to eat your brains, so your using a variety of plants to defend yourself from the stupid brain eating zombies.)

     Alan went back to playing, and Mara watched him.

    "No, no, no, no, no!" Alan exclaimed."Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, SHIT!"

     A zombie got through his defenses and entered the house. Mara heard a crunching and a man's voice screamed,"NOOOOOO." Then in green letters, it said on the screen,"The zombies ate your brains." Then Alan got the "Game Over, try again" screen.

     Alan sighed and turned the phone off. He looked to Mara and said,"I've been stuck on that level for WEEKS! I just can't beat it."

     "It's alright. You'll figure it out just like you figure everything else out," Mara said with a smile."Just a tip that I know from experience, if your stuck on something, think outside the box and change your strategy.

     Alan nodded and took her hand.

     "I'll try again later."

     Mara kissed Alan on the cheek and said,"I know you'll be able to do it. Just like you figured out how to help me."

     "Ohhhhhhhhhh," Pearl said teasingly."I knew it!"

     Alan and Mara rolled their eyes. They held each others hands contently and the flight continued it's journey to Beta 1 without any complications.

                                                                               :)