Sky Pirates

Chapter 17

The dwarfs led Parker Greene on a circuitous route past countless doors of various shapes and styles. At the end of a particularly long hallway, a door was opened by several of the little hands that were conveying him, and unceremoniously shoved him into the out of doors. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight; once they did, he looked around to discover he'd been deposited into a cage with about a dozen other men. All of them were scraggly, thin wearing shreds of clothing. For a moment, he worried for his life, but realized that these men were too weak to approach, let alone harm him.

As his eyes adjusted further, the horrendous smell of human life ending assaulted him. These wretches were sitting and lying in their own filth. Flies and bugs accosted them, yet none of those present attempted to swipe the pests away. In their thin frames, their eyes looked huge and they grotesquely followed Parker as he slowly began to move from one to the next. He kept a distance he felt safe, yet, he moved among them, looked deep and hard at each one.

He was relieved not to recognize any of the men, yet he felt a wave of emotions as he contemplated that this might be his fate.

Parker stopped near one of the men. "What is your crime?"

The man said something, but Parker couldn't discern the raspy sound that came from his lips.

"We..."

It was the man behind him who spoke. Parker turned to observe.

"...we refused to answer."

"Answer what?"

With great difficulty the man continued. "The Admiral's question."

"What was the question?" Parker asked.

The man was silent for a very long time. Parker watched as a fly moved across his face, stopped on the eye, and then it walked along the glossy surface. Parker Greene shuddered at the vision before him, at the thought of becoming like these men. He looked among his companions, beseechingly. None spoke, yet none looked away.

One specimen of humanity, off in the furthest corner, seemed to summon him with only the lift of a fingertip. This man, with a bald head and long moustache and scraggly beard, smiled when Parker Greene moved to him. His lips moved, but no sound came. Parker moved closer.

Finally, after what seemed a great effort, a slew of words poured from the man: "You must answer the question. Give the correct answer, you'll live well, Lord Greene. Give the wrong answer, you'll be sent away. Don't know where. Give no answer, you end up here. Once here, you never get to answer again." The man reached for Parker, but before he gained contact, his hand dropped into his lap. The glassy stare went dull. He was dead.

Parker stood, walked to the door he'd been tossed through, knocked. With what sounded like some effort, the door opened.

Parker Greene offered into the interior darkness: "I understand." 

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