Walking Dollar Bills

Chapter 27: The 3 Amigos

"And that's everything I know up to this point. Your turn, Zala" says Earl.

Zala takes a huge breath and exhales. Earl and Gumbo sit across from her eagerly waiting for her to begin. The night finally ends after a peaceful rest and as opposed to bed time stories, the three decide to tell wake-up stories with the goal of getting everyone on the same page.

"So after you left, Granny taught me how to make the queen's nectar on my own. She also told me that her son left because the books he read changed him" says Zala.

She reaches into her messenger bag and pulls out the sanguine pamphlet.

"This book has all of the dictator's principles and teachings inside of it. I've been trying to understand what makes it so popular, but it's really confusing" finishes Zala.

Zala passes the book to Gumbo, who scrunches his eyes at the pamphlet.

"A book this thin can't be that persuasive" says Gumbo.

"What else happened?" asks Earl.

"Oh yeah. Well, this giant bald-headed guy with big muscles tried to kidnap me, but Granny wouldn't let him! Then, you remember Winston right?" asks Zala.

"The farmer?"

"Yup! He tried to protect me and Granny, but he and the other Grandpas failed. That's when this Viper, Toure, showed up! He killed the big bald guy, but then he killed Granny and kidnapped me" says Zala taking a deep breath,

"Anyway, he tied me to a tree and said he was going to chase after you... I'm glad you're okay, Earl" finishes Zala with tears gliding down her cheeks.

Zala runs into Earl's arms. He scoops her up and squeezes her tight. Gumbo drops the sanguine pamphlet to the ground and holds his head.

"Where are we?" he asks.

Earl and Zala pause and observe their friend.

"And what book is this?" says Gumbo lifting the sanguine pamphlet into the air.

"I just explained it. But, I guess I'll start over" says Zala running over to Gumbo.

As Zala retells the story to Gumbo, Earl carefully examines his friend. At first, Earl thought that Gumbo's questions were the after effects of returning from the dead, but now he couldn't be sure. There is an aloofness to Gumbo.

Zala rubs Gumbo's head and frowns,

"I guess I'll repeat the story for a third time, but maybe I should get you a pen and paper."

"I'm sorry. For some reason everything feels so new to me" says Gumbo.

Earl begins to wonder if he's overlooking something about the pills. The positive effects of the pills obviously work as a powerfully persuasive force, but don't all medicines have their side effects? If so, what side effects came from the pills?

Earl thought about the way Amara questioned him about never thinking for himself. Originally, he didn't pay her critique any mind, but now he feared that he literally had no mind to pay. His thoughts frequently dance, but not around his head—inside and outside of it.

The ability to transplant his mind into nature is unquestionably an advantageous ability, but is he always in control of when his mind begins to shift? Looking at Gumbo clutch his head with an empty look in his eyes frightens Earl. Maybe his friend isn't back at all. Maybe Gumbo got lost along the way on the road back to the living.

"You're probably just hungry. When was the last time you ate?" asks Zala.

Gumbo looks to the sky and blinks.

"I can't remember."

"Well you better remember Yoko!" says Zala.

Gumbo grabs Zala's shoulders and stares into her eyes.

"Zala! Where have you been this whole time?! You look so much older" says Gumbo pulling her into her chest.

"Okay, Gumbo. You're really starting to scare me" says Zala.

Zala free herself and grabs the sanguine pamphlet. She shakes dirt off of the book and tucks it back into her messenger bag. Gumbo takes a long look at Zala,

"Do you know where Amara might be?"

Furrowing his brow, Earl continues to meditate on Gumbo. Once again, the mentioning of Yoko's name seems to snap him back to his former self. Why is that? What is it about these pills that make him absent minded and Gumbo doubled mined?

"We should head back for her," says Gumbo.

Zala smiles and looks at Earl,

"You have a plan, don't you!"

"Yes I do!" affirms Gumbo grabbing a nearby stick.

Gumbo begins to scribble in the mud between the three. He sticks his tongue to the side as he makes strokes and slashes in the earth. Zala and Earl watch him create his master plan.

Flipping the stick to the side, Gumbo points to the image in the dirt,

"There! This is the mission"

The image displays three circles on the left and then a long arrow that runs into large rectangular shapes. Behind the rectangles are a giant X and a fourth circle. A second arrow starts from the fourth circle and stops at the word "HOME" written in large letters.

"The circles represent all four of us. These three circles are us three, and the fourth circle is Amara. This giant X is the dictator! We're going to break into the first ring of the Benevolent district, grab Amara, and go home... at last" says Gumbo.

Zala wildly applauds as Gumbo takes a mini-bow.

"Also, Amara still has the last divinity pill, so we can pay our debt too," says Earl.

The three gather what little items they have and prepare to start their expedition. Zala taps Earl on the back. He turns around,

"Yup?"

"Isn't it weird how you started out searching for Gumbo, but now we're searching for Amara?" asks Zala.

"It's more than weird. It's a warning that we three need to stay together. Otherwise, we'll end up looking for you next or you all will end up looking for me" says Earl dropping to a knee, "from this point on, no more splitting up."