Strandline

Strandline - Episode 9: Gollum

Craig glared at Bryce, who leaned against Petra for support. “Who are you calling a thing?!” Although his voice bounced off the hospital room’s walls, it wasn’t enough to wake up Naveen. His friend was out cold thanks to Petra’s psychic suggestion.

“Him,” Bryce snarled, nodding at Naveen’s prone form on the bed. The witch shrugged off his white doctor’s coat, wrapping one arm of it around his bleeding hand. Without the coat, Bryce looked like an ordinary, if skinny, white guy.

Angry enough to ignore the fact that he wore only a hospital gown, Craig strode over to the terrorist. “Look,” he said, scowling down at Bryce, “I’m grateful that you healed me, really. And my friend, who is not a thing. You–”

Bryce easily met his gaze. “How long have you known him?”

“What does it matter?” Craig shot back.

“Bryce,” Petra warned, “don’t.”

“How long?”

Craig ignored Petra’s admonishment as well. “A year, I guess. So what?” He glanced over his shoulder at Naveen, who was still asleep. Kristen sat beside him, eyeing Bryce warily. Hey, ‘Veen, Craig called. Wake up, man.

“What do you really know about him?” Bryce continued. “Not much, I bet.”

Craig heard Naveen mutter something as he turned to face Bryce. He was about to tell the terrorist where he could shove his stupid, paranoid questions when Kristen spoke up. “If Naveen’s not a sapien or a nict, what is he?” She gave Craig an apologetic look. “For argument’s sake.”

“He’s a golem.”

Craig frowned at him. “A what?”

Petra gave Bryce a sour look. “A creature from Jewish folklore,” she explained. “Sometime in the 1600s, a rabbi supposedly made a man-like creature out of clay to defend his people.”

Naveen propped himself up on one elbow, blinking sleep away. “I’m an atheist,” he mumbled.

Bryce barked a laugh. “You’re whatever your creator wanted you to be.” Craig lowered his mental shields for a moment, and caught a hint of fear from the witch.

Naveen hauled himself to a sitting position. “What the hell are you talking…” He frowned at his healed, unbandaged arm and broke into a grin. “It worked!” Then he looked at Bryce, and his expression darkened. “What was with all the dramatics?”

Bryce sniffed. “It wasn’t dramatics.” He slowly and shakily got to his feet. “Petra, would you take me to the basement?”

“What are you going to do?” Naveen snarked. “Blow it up?”

Ignoring the barb, Bryce said to Petra, “I had other plans for getting out of here, but Golem Boy ruined that.”

Naveen’s puzzled expression would have been comical if not for the tension in the room. “‘Golem Boy?’”

“Later,” Petra said gently but firmly. “I’ll, ah, see Bryce out.” Light flashed, and they were gone.

Naveen looked from Kristin to Craig. “Why was he calling me the creepy little dude from The Lord of the Rings?”

Kristen giggled. “That wasn’t what he meant. But don’t worry. He’s nuts. He must be to be a terrorist.”

“Yeah,” Naveen agreed. Then he grinned at Craig. “Let’s get outta here. Can you, like, Jedi mind-trick your doc so you can leave?”