Further Into The Future!

Chapter 10

The Time Travelers lived on the top floor of a ninety-story green building. The entire front was used as an advertisement for a plant store.

"I can't wait for you to meet Molly. You'll love her," Susan said as she turned the key to open the door to their apartment. When I realized what awaited me on the other side of the door I ran behind them.

But when Susan opened the door wide enough the fog bolted through and came right to me, eager to greet the stranger. It was smaller than the fog I saw in the park and thus more bearable, but its half-human appearance still terrified me. It wore a red ribbon around its neck, the beauty of which contrasted with the ugliness of its hairless face.

It had the energy of a small dog. It ran in circles around me, yelling "hey" repeatedly. Its tail wagged so fast it was a blur.

"Oh no, not again," I yelled as I ran down the hall. It followed me, jumping so high it nipped at my fingers a few times.

When I reached the end of the dimly lit hallway and turned back to the apartment I saw that the band was laughing. Jack and Dan were in such hysterics they were rolling on the cement floor, grasping their bellies.

"He's afraid of Molly!" Jack said in between laughs.

The fog now had me cornered by the window outside their apartment. Susan grabbed her by the collar. As she dragged her away, the fog stopped yelling and tilted her head as she looked at me, confused.

Susan crouched one knee and ran her fingers through Molly's curly fur. "Aw, how could you be afraid of Molly, she's such a good fog," she said.

"Love you," the fog gurgled to Susan.

I was out of breath. I placed my hand over my heart and I could feel it beating rapidly. Jack and Dan walked into the apartment, still laughing.

"You don't like fogs?" Susan asked.

"No. We didn't have them in my time. We only had dogs."

"That's too bad. Fogs are so cute."

"I like dogs better," I said.

"Why? Fogs are smarter. They're superior to dogs."

"I've heard that before."

"Watch this," Susan said, and she stood up.

"Molly, what's six plus three?"

Molly hesitated for a second, then she said "nine" and smiled.

"Good! What's three times four?"

"Twelve!" she gurgled.

"See? Aren't you impressed?"

"I still like dogs better," I said.

As if searching for a new way to terrify me, the fog started laughing and rolled onto her back so Susan could scratch her belly. Its laugh sounded like a grunt.

"Belly rub," it gurgled. Susan scratched her belly obligingly, and Molly's laugh turned into more of a giggle.

"Tickle tickle," it said.

I walked away from the depraved mutant into the apartment.

The only furniture inside was a white couch, a glass coffee table, and a yellow ottoman with a pizza box resting on top. There was also a wooden table in the kitchen area to the right of the door.

Each of the apartment's four walls was painted a different color. One wall was yellow, another red, another blue, and the last was green. There were no decorations on the walls at all, which along with the sparse furniture made the tiny apartment seem more spacious.