A Man too Old for a Place too Far by Sasse Mark W

Author:Sasse, Mark W
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-12-18T00:00:00+00:00

18. The Bee-Line Express

Frick shifted violently to his left and scraped his body against cold metal. He shook awake and opened his eyes to confirm the fact that he sat in a passenger train car. Pitch blackness hung to the outside of the glass as if the chain of cars traveled through a tunnel, but he could tell that wasn't the case. A trail of cold air swirled in from under the door next to him, and its briskness startled Frick, forcing him to button up his jacket. The carriage was nearly empty, only two other men sitting at the front. Frick leaned his head out into the aisle and could make out the heads of nearly a dozen other passengers in the car in front of him through the glass door windows.

"Where is everyone?" he mumbled, feeling his pockets for anything to eat. He sat back in his chair and exhaled. "Bee. Where are you?"

"Right here," came the instant reply, levitating in the seat facing Frick.

"Ahhhh!"

"Did I startle you?"

The two men in the front of the car turned around briefly to look at the old man who talked to himself.

"That's a nice uniform, Francis. Where did you get it?"

"What do you mean 'Where did I get it'? You gave it to me."

"I didn't give you anything."

"What about the pomegranates?"

"Except pomegranates. Peels mainly."

"Well, your people, Ash, he's one of you, isn't he?"

"One of whom? Aren't you hungry?"

"You know. One of those invisible flying fairies. And yes, I am hungry."

"Hunger is a good sign, isn't it? You don't get hungry in dreams, do you?"

"You're saying this is a dream?"

Bee pulled a pomegranate out of her robe and threw it at Frick, hitting him in the face. She laughed with glee and jumped to the ceiling, spinning around several times, engulfed by rollicking laughter.

"Hey, that hit me. Why did you do that? That hurt!" yelled Frick, picking the pomegranate off the floor and throwing it at Bee. It was an accurate throw and would have hit her solidly in the chest if it hadn't disappeared inside her robe and took its place in her reserve pouch. She took out another one and threw it at him again. It ricocheted off his forehead and landed under the seat in front of him.

"Stop that! Why are they hitting me? They usually pass right through me."

"Yes, yes. Lots of things pass through you and come out the other side." She laughed and rolled in the air. "Have you ever hit anyone in the face, Francis?"

"No!"

"What about young Ulrich? I heard you hit him in the face."

"How did you know about that if you didn't send me here?"

"Romania is full of spies and secret organizations." She laughed again, flipping down and re-seating herself across from him.

Frick lunged forward and tried to swat Bee with his hand, but with a simple tilt of the head, she whisked inches away from her attacker. It delighted her so. Frick sat down in his surliness and puffed a few vacant words Bee's way like a petulant child might mock his mother.

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