Talitha Koum

Chapter 07

TALITHA KOUM

CHAPTER 07

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Back in the lab, they were finishing off the last of the ribs.

“Is this good or what?” Mr. Fong wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

“You’re just saying that because you made it.” Tom spoke in between chews.

“So don’t eat it then. More for me.” Mr. Fong grinned from ear to ear.

With the Fong restaurant, the owner not only delivered the food on occasion. More than often, he would cook it too. The aroma of sweet and sour sauce and sautéed vegetables suffused the storage spaces of Lab Area B.

~~~

They had climbed back into the lab and closed the window. They watched for the animals they had seen but none of them came close.

Once they were out of immediate danger, the three got to talking and tried to decide what to do next. All agreed it was too dangerous to try to go out again in the night. Anything they wanted to do, they would have to wait until the morning to do it. But what could they do in the morning?

Mr. Fong said, it was too bad they couldn’t drive and go look for some help, since the battery was dead which made the car useless. No, said Julie, it was not. The car was not useless. It was possible, she said, to start up the car with power from the solar panels, which they just happened to have a bunch of right there in the lab. Now that she thought about it, it might even be possible to charge up the batteries for the cell phones in the same way.

It would have been exciting to get started on the work right then, but even Tom knew you couldn’t use solar panels in the dark. So again, it was nothing but waiting until the morning came. And presumably, by then, the animals outside will have gone away for good as well. Another problem solved.

Having the main decisions made, the three realized they were hungry and so began eating what Mr. Fong had delivered.

~~~

“Anyone want last chicken ball?” asked Mr. Fong.

“Not me.” Julie set her paper plate aside and rested her hand on her tummy. She sighed.

“You know,” Tom said to Mr. Fong, “technically, you should give me back one third of the money I gave you.”

Mr. Fong shook his head. “Sorry. Don’t know what you say. Too much English.” Mr. Fong turned his back to him and went to work on his chicken ball.

The trio lapsed into silence. The cold of the night seeped through the pores of the brick walls all around them, but they didn’t complain. There was plenty of heat radiating out from the simmering furnaces glowing within their sated bellies.

Mr. Fong let out a two-second burp. Julie grimaced and then moved further away. Three dim-witted dragons lazed on their hoards of gold, peering out over the world with half-lidded eyes, with smoke tracing out of their nostrils at every exhalation.

Tom scooted over to where Julie was sitting. “Can we start discussing a few things or is that still a no-no?” He set his plate off to one side.

Julie rolled her eyes. “What?”

Tom smiled. “I think I know what happened.” He wiped his mouth off with a napkin.

“You do? Brilliant.” Deadpan. “I’m so excited. Please tell me.”

Tom nudged in closer. “I think it had something to do with DaNI.”

Julie started to shake her head. “No, Tom…”