The Holiday Prt 10

Wizard: I’m a wizard!

Guy 1: You just said that!

Wizard: Yes well I am a Wizard you know.

Sally: What are you doing here Wizard?

Guy 1: You know the wizard?

Sally: Yeah. He’s a wizard.

Guy 1: That’s... that’s not a correlation!

Gary: (click)

Wizard: I was just out for a leisurely stroll when some squirrels offered me a shoe. I was suspicious of the squirrels at first but they tried to assure me it had obtained the shoe legitimately. You know me, I’m always a bit uncertain about accepting deals for footwear, especially ones with teeth marks, from woodland creatures so I declined his offer. Now I am here.

Sally: It’s a good thing you didn’t accept that offer from the squirrel Wizard, that shoe belongs to a friend of ours and that squirrel stole it from him.

Guy 1: Yes, and stealing is wrong.

Wizard: Where is your friend now?

Sally: He’s wandered off and now is lost in the woods.

Wizard: Then I shall help you find him! I’m a wizard you know.

Sally: Yes, yes I do.

Sally leads them the way that Gary had pointed out previously. The wizard trailed slightly behind far enough that Guy 1 could talk to Sally quietly without being heard.

Guy 1: You know the Wizard?

Sally: I already said yes.

Guy 1: Yes but... how?

Sally: Oh I just know him. He just pops up now and then.

Guy 1: Talking to woodland creatures? Can he really do that?

Sally: I don’t think so. But hey, some crazy people you just need to humour really. I don’t think he’s dangerous it’s just he probably will just keep talking about the squirrels until you agree with him. Just smile and nod. Oh, and whatever you do, when he says “I’m a wizard” don’t go “and I’m a troll!” or any other mythical creature. He goes crazy.

Guy 1: Does he turn green?

Sally: What? Oh, hahaha no. He’s not the hulk.

Guy 1: I was actually thinking Green Lantern but OK, good to know he also is not the hulk.

Sally: He is definitely not a famous comic book hero of any kind. Though one of my neighbour’s kids did have his own comic book series going for a while and did include the wizard in one issue.

Guy 1: How’d it go?

Sally: He’d just subdue everyone with lightning and then smoothly say “I’m a wizard” and all the girls would swoon for him.

Guy 1: If only that worked in real life.

Guy 1 looked off in the distance longingly, wishing that not only did it work but that he was a wizard as well. Oh the fun he’d have if only he had a foot long wand and a catchy catchphrase that turned on women. He randomly spoke midway through his thought.

Guy 1: It’d be so erotic.

Sally: It’d be what?

Guy 1: I said erotic.

Long pause.

Sally: What would?

Guy 1: Wands. In my... head... No I mean. I was thinking of... things. Wizardy things.

Wizard: (in the distance) I’m a wizard!

Guy 1: Thank you for informing me! Again!

Wizard: You’re very welcome!

Guy 1: I know I am. I am most welcome.

Wizard: I concur!

Sally: OK I can’t tell, is this a conversation entirely in sarcasm? Or are either both or either of you unable of understanding sarcasm so this is sincere? I’m not sure with you two.

Guy 1: I’m being sincere.

Wizard: So am I! I’m a wizard you know!

Guy 1: Not a correlation!

Gary: (click) (click!) (click!)

Gary banged his head against a nearby tree.

Gary: (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)

Sally: You’re right Gary; it’s soon to be dark. OK everyone lets pick up the pace! Hey, give me your phone.

Sally got hers out and adjusted the brightness setting. Guy 1 handed her his phone and did the same. She pointed them down at the ground.

Sally: Do those look like tracks to you?

The Wizard started climbing a tree. Gary and Guy 1 crowded round what Sally was pointing to.

Gary: (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)

Guy 1: I agree Gary; indeed they do look like tracks.

Sally: OK they’re not the best defined prints but they look human right?

Guy 1: Yeah.

Sally: OK. I can’t tell if whoever made these tracks was missing a shoe or how old they are so we’re just going to have to take a gamble and follow them anyway. Agree everyone?

Gary: (click)

Guy 1: (click)

Sally: Wizard? Hello? Where’s the Wizard?

Everyone looked around but couldn’t see him. Suddenly he dropped down right in front of them only inches away.

Wizard: Hi!

Guy 1: Agh!

Sally: What were you doing?

Wizard: I was climbing the tree to see further on, I thought if I wasn’t blocked by all the trunks of trees I could see more.

Sally: And what did you see at the top of the tree?

Wizard: Leaves. Lots of leaves... apparently there are a lot of them everywhere.

Sally: Yes, trees generally have leaves.

Wizard: Many. Many that block my view.

Sally: Yeah... OK so this way then.

Sally takes a step back from the Wizard before leading them in the direction of the tracks, yelling out in case Guy 2 heard them. As they ventured further they were painfully aware of the sun setting. It was getting increasingly dark and the party was getting very worried, except the wizard which seemed unaware of anything and just smiled obliviously. It was almost disconcerting for Guy 1 who still had thoughts about being killed lingering in the back of his head. And hey, was the Wizard glowing?

Guy 2: Ow!

Guy 1: Gasp! A bear has been injured!

Sally: OK I’ve known him for much less time and even I know that that’s your friend.

Guy 2: Ow again!

Sally: Hello! What’s happening? Where are you?

Guy 2: I bumped into a tree! Ow! I bumped into it again! I think I’m blind.

Sally: Stop walking around. It’s dark, you’re not blind.

Guy 2: No, I’m pretty sure I’m blind now. Walked into a branch and now I can’t open my eyes because it hurts too much.

Sally: OK well keep talking, we’re going to try and find you by the sound of your voice.

Guy 2: OK. What to say? What to say? OK well after Gary abandoned me-

Gary: (click) (click)!

Guy 2: So cruelly and harshly abandoned, and pretending to be disabled to get away with it too, I wandered around aimlessly in the hopes of eventually making it back home. Unfortunately this did not come to pass and now I am stuck standing in front of a tree I can’t see for multiple reasons, one, it’s quite dark and two-

Sally: OK you can stop talking now we’ve found you.

Guy 2: Oh good. Now what?

Sally: Well I can take a look at your eye for you.

Sally used her phone to see as she inspected Guy 2’s eye.

Sally: Yeah don’t worry, it looks fine. You haven’t scratched anything, you’ve just poked it. You’ll be fine in a while.

Guy 2: Good.

Guy 2 slowly opened his eyes, blinking a lot. Eventually he could open them all the way. While he was doing this Sally looked around. It was now completely dark and there was no hope of getting back home now.

Sally: Oh...

Guy 1: Oh?

Sally: It’s too dark to carry on, we’ll need to camp here for the night. Do any of you know how to make a good fire?

Guy 1: I d-

Guy 2: NO! No! No you are not going to make us a camp fire!

Sally: Why not? What’s so bad about him making fire?

Guy 2: Do you want to tell her why you’re never allowed to make fire again?

Guy 1 paused, opened his mouth and looked at Sally, who was illuminated in the eerie glow of a mobile phone screen, for a moment before speaking.

Guy 1: (meekly) No.

Guy 2: Tell her the story...

Guy 1: But I don’t want to!

Guy 2: Tell her about the fire story or I tell everyone about the time you used Botox on uncle’s baby!

Gary: (click) (click)?

Sally: You did wh-

Guy 1: So yes, fire story! I shall tell you... the fire story...

Gary: (click)?

Guy 1: NO BABIES! OK well it all started one summer when I decided it would be fun to play with matches. Soon I had made a detailed picture of his dog out of burnt matchsticks. I was quite impressed so I decided to show the picture off to the dog and he seemed quite interested so went to sniff it and one of the matches was still burning as an ember and then... well his snout caught on fire.

Guy 2: And then what?

Guy 1: And then he ran over near your precious collection of dried grass and then it too set on fire...

Sally: “Your precious collection of dried grass”?

Guy 2: It was a different time... Don’t judge me.

Guy 1: So then his dog is on fire, and so is his grass and then suddenly I realised my right hand has caught alight and then he comes home and sees all this happening.

Guy 2: I get angry. Really angry.

Guy 1: So he’s beating me with a cricket bat and yelling profanities while his dog is running around on fire and then the cricket bat sets on fire.

Sally: OK I think I get the picture. So how’d it get resolved?

Guy 1: Neighbour was too lazy to call the fire department so they turned on a hose and sprayed it over the fence.

Guy 2: And not with specific intent or aim either, she just slung it over the fence so it was just spraying a bit over. We had to chase the dog towards the hose and then put out his hand.

Sally: Not the other way round? Aww you poor man!

Sally grabbed Guy 1’s right hand and looked at it.

Sally: There are no scars or healed burn marks on this hand! Only one scar in the middle?

Guy 2: He’s like some kind of weird freak who has a natural immunity to fire or something. You can set part of him on fire and it’ll burn for a while without hurting him. I have no idea where those two scars on his hands come from.

Guy 1: It does hurt me. It’s hot and hotness hurts.

Guy 2: Not quite what I meant.

Sally looked at Guy 1’s left hand and there was an identical scar also in the middle. She looked up at him with a look of disbelief that their story was true.

Sally: Immunity to fire? That’s just absurd.

Guy 2: Well in case you haven’t noticed he’s a very absurd person. Now, I’m going to help us get a campfire going and not burn down the entire woods!

Five minutes later:

Sally: OK now as long as you don’t touch anything like dirt or trees then it shouldn’t get infected.

Guy 2: Ow.

Guy 2 clutched his hand that was now slightly burnt.

Gary: (click) (click) (click)

Guy 2: Shut up! I have no idea what you just said but I’m sure you were mocking me.

Gary: (click)

Sally: Oh he doesn’t mean that. I’m sure he wants you to get well soon. Don’t worry; it’s not a major burn so not all of the skin on your hand will peel off. Sorry but I don’t have any bandages to wrap your hand in with me.

Guy 2: I feel so reassured.

Guy 2 looked at the back and front of his hand. It looked incredibly red and orange actually. It took him a moment to realise that the orange was because of the flickering light coming from a few feet from him. He looked over and saw that Guy 1 had successfully made a camp fire while Sally was tending to his wounds. Sally had noticed this too.

Sally: Oh how pretty! Good job! See? We should’ve let him make fire after all!

Guy 2 was completely delusional that he still had a chance with Sally as he was unaware of that near kiss that happened between Guy 1 and her. He was feeling quite jealous of Sally’s constant affection for Guy 1 and annoyed at his constant injury. It just didn’t seem right that Guy 1 would be getting more attention than him for things that weren’t obscene in public.

Sally: It’s a good thing you got this fire going or we would’ve had to snuggle together for warmth.

It was almost audible the sound of the realisation of an opportunity missed in Guy 1 and 2’s head. They just froze as they imagined what could’ve occurred out here in the woods all starting with Sally saying “Gee it’s cold tonight.”

Guy 1 and 2: We... still... could.

They glanced at each other realising that their thoughts were on the same track. It somewhat disturbed Guy 2 to think that his thoughts were exactly the same as Guy 1’s even down to the timing. Sally laughed.

Sally: Let’s sit down.

They all sat down in a circle around the fire.

Sally: Well it’s dark but it’s too early to sleep so let’s all tell each other a story. Gary, you’re first.

Gary: (click) (click) (click)? (click) (click)?

Sally: No we don’t mind if it’s a really long one. In fact, the longer the better. And yes, it can be a horror story.

Gary: (click)!

Gary smiled as he shuffled slightly closer to the fire. He leaned forward so the fire would light his face in an eerie glow, shadows were cast across his face. He slowly looked at everyone around the fire before taking a deep breath as he readied his story.

Gary: (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) .......... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click).... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click).... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click).... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click).... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)................ (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)........ (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click).... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)........................................................................................................... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)! (click)! (click)! (click)! (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)!!! (CLICK)!!!

Sally, The Wizard and Guy 1 sat there captivated by Gary’s story. Guy 1 was even trembling and Sally would gasp whenever Gary clicked in exclamation. Guy 2 just sat there bored as hell as he still couldn’t understand a single word Gary said. It was just repetitive clicking to him. Gary continued his story.

Gary: (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)! (click)! (click)! (click)! .............. (click) (click) (click)!!! (click) (click)!!.................................................................................... (click)

Guy 1 and Sally flinched at the end before applauding. Wizard screamed.

Sally: That was best and scariest story I have ever heard! How did you tell it so masterfully Gary? The suspense, the detail!

Guy 1: That was so dirty.

Sally: I did not expect that ending.

Guy 1: I didn’t either. I was just... blown away!

Sally: I was too!

Wizard: It was more suspenseful than Hitchcock, was more macabre than Poe himself and even King would be freaked by your storytelling. I give it 5 out of 4 stars.

Gary: (click) (click)!

Sally: What did you think of it? Wasn’t it just the scariest story ever?

Guy 2: Um... sure.

Sally: And very original too. The ways those people died!

Guy 2: It was definitely like nothing I had ever experienced.

Guy 1: I will forever be scared of salad due to that. I really will have to check through the entire thing before I eat a single bite.

Guy 2 was uncertain if they were just messing with him or if that was really part of the story. Just in case, he didn’t want to admit absolute ignorance by asking what salad had to do with anything or why The Wizard was looking around wildly in all directions with his fists up ready to fight. Maybe that was due to the story maybe because The Wizard seemed to be permanently on some kind of acid trip, Guy 2 really couldn’t tell.

Guy 1: I don’t think I can sleep tonight after that.

Sally: Well I guess that means you get to tend to the fire to make sure it doesn’t go out!

Guy 1: Stay up with me. I’m scared.

Sally: Don’t worry; I won’t let the story come true, especially not the part involving the eggs and the tractor.

Guy 1: Oh good. That was the scariest part!

Sally: It was indeed.

Sally held Guy 1 jokingly to comfort him. Just then, there was a blood curdling animalistic howl from far off in the dark woods. Everyone screamed.

To be continued...

The Holiday Prt 9

You know the drill

Sally: Wow! Business is really picking up!

Woman: Thanks. Here you go kids.

The woman hands cups to her two children and walks off.

Guy 1: Three people! That’s a, uh... three!

Sally: I love how you count. It’s cute.

Guy 1: Well maybe we can count down from 10 together sometime.

Sally: Did you just wink?

Guy 1: No!

Guy 1 blushes.

Sally: Are you blushing?

Guy 1: Definitely!....

Sally: Wha-

Guy 1: Not. Not I mean not.

Sally: I just don’t get it. This business should be booming! Do you think the woman with kids will tell her friends about us?

Guy 1: Women with kids are generally very social and outgoing.

Sally: I’m not entirely sure that’s an accurate portrayal of early motherhood but OK. Hey, let’s take a break from this busy schedule of pizza juice selling and go somewhere nice together.

Sally smiles and moves slightly closer to Guy 1.

Guy 1: (Thoughts) Oh no! She’s plotting to kill me! What am I going to do next to get out of this?

Guy 1: Sure! Let’s go!

Sally grabbed his hand and led him on down the street. They walked together down the simple suburban streets with trees growing on every curb in a fashion that appeared to make a green tunnel of leaves to anyone looking down the road. Guy 1 would’ve been fascinated by how green this place was compared to where he was from in Australia but his mind was predisposed with wondering where Sally was taking him and “hey wow this is what a girls hand feels like”. After a while of brisk walking they jumped a fence and were no longer amongst houses. A large field filled with long grass lay before them. Sally walked onwards towards the centre with Guy 1 following. They lie down in a flattened patch of grass and look up at the late afternoon sky.

Sally: Isn’t this fun?

Guy 1: The sky is blank.

Sally: I know.

Guy 1: The sky is always blank where I come from.

Sally: Yes but the big wide blueness... it’s nice.

Guy 1 looks up at the big wide blueness in silence. It was definitely nicer than the big blue wetness also known as the ocean. He looked over at Sally. She was lying there completely distracted by staring at the sky. Her light green tank top blended nicely with the fading green colour of the grass. At a quick glance it could look as if she was just a head sitting there and smiling up at the sky. At first Guy 1 thought that was somewhat pleasant but then soon realised that no, a head just sitting there is quite horrific even if it was a very nice head. Sally indeed had a very nice head. Guy 1 thought her head was very nice. If anyone else was around to notice the niceness of her head they would definitely agree with Guy 1 on how nice it was, which was very. Guy 1 realised his thoughts were becoming very repetitive. Very repetitive indeed. They just kept repeating themselves. He needed a way out of this repetition of the same thing again and again. What to say though? Maybe he could comment on the shade of blue that the sky was-

Guy 1: You’re very pretty.

There was a pause as Sally didn’t move before her head (which was very nice) turned to look at Guy 1.

Guy 1: (Thoughts) WHY DID YOU SAY THAT!? I know you talk without thinking but surely ME, the mind, has SOME influence over you what with control over motor functions and all! Agh! She’s looking at me! She’s looking at me! What do I do!? Oh let’s hope she reacts well. Please don’t laugh. Please don’t laugh. Please don’t laugh.

Sally: (Pause) Hahahahahahaha!

Guy 1: (Thoughts) Please don’t laugh. Please don’t- awww...

Sally: Aww. You’re sweet.

Guy 1: (Thoughts) I don’t remember her licking me...

Sally touched Guy 1’s face and smiled.

Sally: What are you thinking?

Guy 1: I don’t remember you licking me.

Sally: Wha-? Oh! Hahahaha no not that kind of sweet silly! Oh you’re classic you are.

Guy 1 smiled.

Sally: Hey are your cheeks sunburnt or something? We haven’t been out here that long...

Guy 1: I’m not sunburnt.

Sally: Ahhh! Hahahaha.

Sally shuffled closer to Guy 1.

Sally: So you’re pretty shy aren’t you?

Guy 1’s head moves back as Sally’s gets closer.

Guy 1: (Meekly) No. What makes you think that?

Sally laughs.

Sally: Oh nothing.

Sally moves even closer to Guy 1. Her body was now touching his.

Sally: Your mouth is shaking.

Guy 1: N-no i-it’s n-not.

Sally laughed again.

Sally: You’re so funny!

Sally’s face moved closer to Guy 1’s. His head hit the ground and he realised he was trapped. It’s important to point out that he is still having random thoughts of her having led him here to kill him. Sally’s approaching smiling face and her arm moving it’s way around him didn’t help these thoughts. She looked like she was about to kill him by blocking off his mouth with hers thus robbing him of oxygen. Then it hit him. This was not a very slow arduous build up to a murder he couldn’t possibly fathom. She was trying to kiss him.

He was feeling very stupid right now for completely misinterpreting that!
Sally took his smile and increased blushing as encouragement to continue and go through with the kiss. She moved in and Guy 1 lifted his head towards hers. They closed their eyes and open their mouths slightly. He could feel her warm breathe as they were just about to make contact.

Guy 1: (Thoughts) Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Guy 1’s phone rings. Sally jumps up in shock at the loud ringing. Guy 1 jumped downwards and hit his head on the ground.

Guy 1: Ow! Damn it!

Sally: You OK? Haha that scared me for a moment!

Guy 1: Damn it...

Guy 1 sighed before he answered his phone.

Guy 1: Hello?

Guy 2: Hey! Help me!

Guy 1: What’s wrong?

Sally: Who is it?

Guy 1: My friend.

Guy 2: Gary and I went walking into the woods and then we got lost! –(static)- bunch of woodland creatures chasing me and –(static)- to eat my skin! Oh no they found me! Agh! AGGGHHH!! SWEET-(static)- Oh that’s not for eating! Agh! Gghsdgsioerhuribvsiubso!

Guy 1: I think he wants to talk to you.

Guy 1 hands Sally the phone.

Guy 2: GOaGGHH!!! AGHYOORR –(static)- RTARRR!!!!! Hi Sally. Agghhh!!! He’s got my shoe! My shoooo –(static)- oooeeee!!! I need that for protecting my feet! Agh! They’re eating my unprotected feet!

Sally: You have really bad reception. Do you know which direction you were heading before you got lost? Stay where you are I’ll come find you. Is Gary there? Put him on!

Guy 2: Hey dude she wants to speak to you.

Guy 2’s screams continued in the background as Gary picked up the phone.

Gary: (click)

Sally: Where was the last place you remember knowing where you were?

Gary: (click) (click) (click)

Sally: Good. I’ll be right there. Try to survive OK?

Gary: (click) (click) (click)

Sally: Seriously? The woodland creatures are only attacking him not you?

Gary: (click)

Sally: Interesting. I’ll be right there.

Sally hung up the phone.

Sally: Come on.

Guy 1: What? Shouldn’t they call the police or something to help find them? And we can stay here and... continue... stuff.

Sally: We have this tradition in our family to help one another no matter what.

Guy 1: But... woods... furry creatures... nibbling on feet.

Sally: How did you hear that? He said that to me.

Guy 1: He was yelling pretty loud. Yelling makes me want to not go to where he is.

Sally: Well then if he continues to yell loudly in pain then it’ll be easier to find and rescue him.

Guy 1: But... but... (sighs) fine. I’ll help.

Sally: Good! Now we need to hurry because the sun is going to start setting any moment now and we need to find him before it gets too dark.

Sally starts to jog towards the woods.

Guy 1: Ugh... dark? (sighs)

Guy 1 follows.

Cut to: Guy 2 and Gary sitting on a log.

Gary: (click)

Guy 2: That was pretty brave how you fought off those squirrels.

Gary: (click)

Guy 2: I still don’t understand a thing you say to me. Can’t you click in Morse Code instead?

Gary shakes his head.

Guy 2: What? You don’t know how?

Gary nods.

Guy 2: You’re a man who communicates in clicking and you don’t know Morse Code? Damn. Well not that it matters because I don’t know it either. But it would’ve been more familiar to me than your system of clicks. Seriously how did you create a language system if you can’t communicate any other way?

Gary decided against pointing out that he wasn’t illiterate and could simply write things down. He felt that if he demonstrated this then Guy 2 would just constantly ask him to scribble in the dirt whenever he had a question.

Guy 2: I lost my shoe... one of the woodland creatures took it. Remember that? Now I have to walk without a shoe. My foot hurts... partly because a stick is poking it and partly because it’s covered in bite marks. I don’t like being bitten. You know in Australia if you get bitten you die. I wonder if I’m going to die of rabies. Do squirrels have rabies? I hope they don’t. I do not want rabies. There’s a hospital in Charleston right? Sorry it’s just I’m used to being in a city of a million instead of 20 000. How does it make you feel being in a small town? It makes my foot hurt.

Gary: (click) (click)

Guy 2: That could either mean “quite sad” in response to my question or “shut up” in response to the sound of my voice. I’m going to choose the former because I haven’t finished complaining about rabies. Rabies rhymes with babies which I am not fond of either. They just whinge and cry a lot. I can’t stand it when they just keep whinging and trying to get all the attention. Don’t you hate that too? I hate it. I’m hungry.

Gary gave into the need to demonstrate his ability to write. He picked up a stick and wrote in the dirt.

Guy 2: What are you writing? (Pause) “Shut your noisy face hole.” Oh... sorry.

Gary: (click)

Guy 2: So what now?

Gary: (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)... (click) (click) (click) (click)... (click)

Guy 2: Uh huh... I suppose that was meant to be very in depth and intelligent speech about survival and getting home safely wasn’t it?

Gary: (click)

Guy 2: I’m not enjoying this holiday...

Gary secretly agreed even though he was not on holidays either. Guy 2 got up and was about to move but Gary stopped him. Gary holds both hands up then points and him then Guy 2 before pointing to the ground in an attempt to communicate that they should stay where they are.

Guy 2: You want me to help you dig a hole? I don’t see how that’s productive.

Gary sighed. He sat down and pointed to his bent knees then pointed to Guy 2 and motioned downwards once again.

Guy 2: You’re pretending to be disabled and so can’t do labour and want me to dig the hole for you?

Gary hits his palm to his face.

Gary: (click) (click!)

Guy 2: Now just because you are disabled doesn’t mean you can boss me around. I’m leaving.

Gary gave up and let Guy 2 walk away. Guy 2 disappeared into the woods. Gary sat there for quite some time. He slowly started to feel guilty about letting Guy 2 walk off to almost certain doom. For the first time in his life he was starting to feel like he really was disabled.

Gary: (Thoughts) No, just because I can’t talk doesn’t mean I’m any less of a person... It may have just cost a man his life though. No! He’ll be alright! I know he will!

Gary felt a sudden urge to be lying on a couch back in town clicking on about his worries to his therapist. Yes, his therapist understood him. They let him write, click, draw or any other way he could imagine to communicate.

Gary: (click)...

Guy 1: I know how you feel.

Gary looked to his left.

Guy 1: Hey.

Gary: (click)

Guy 1: So... what up?

Sally: Gary!

Gary: (click!)

Guy 1: Me!

Sally: Thank goodness you’re alright! You know you shouldn’t have strayed from the normal path! Where’s his friend?

Gary: (click) (click) (click) (click) (click!)

Gary pointed in the direction that Guy 2 had walked off.

Sally: Ugh! Why didn’t you tell him not to walk off? How else are we going to find him?

Gary gave her an unimpressed look.

Guy 1: I’m surprised we even found you. We’re pretty far into the woods.

Sally: Do you think you can call him?

Guy 1 looked at his phone.

Guy 1: No sorry no reception.

Sally: Typical. Just when you need to venture deep into the middle of nowhere your phone reception gets cut off.

Guy 1: Cradle Mountain is one pain in the neck.

Sally: Where?

Guy 1: Just some place in Australia. It has nice lakes.

Sally: That sounds interesting. We should go there some time.

Guy 1: It’s in Tasmania. You’d like there it’s very green and natural.

Sally: Cool.

Gary: (click) (click) (click?)

Guy 1: Oh yeah my friend is still missing! Thanks for reminding me there Gary. Hey when’s your birthday?

Gary: (click?)

Sally: Now’s not the time. We need to find your friend and it’s starting to get dark.

Guy 1: What happens when things get dark?

Sally: Weird, strange, UNHOLY things happen!

Guy 1: Really?

Sally: No. It’s just nearly impossible to navigate in the dark and so we’ll get even more lost so we can’t found our way out the next day. That is assuming we don’t freeze to death in the cold.

Guy 1: So by cold you mean what? 20 degrees? Celsius?

Sally: That’s... 68 Fahrenheit. No think more like in the negatives.

Guy 1: I don’t like the negatives.

Sally: Negative numbers are indeed bad. So let’s go quickly now before anything bad or unexpected happens.

Wizard: I’m a wizard!

Guy 1: What the hell?

To be continued...