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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Fairy Tales & Fantasy
- Subject: Character Based
- Published: 05/02/2015
Good Friends - Bad Enemies
Born 1965, M, from Te Awamutu, New ZealandGOOD FRIENDS – BAD ENEMIES
Someone is coming.
Someone important.
Someone unexpected.
On this day, and at this time, if you could look directly into the sunset you would be forgiven for thinking that the shimmer of the air was nothing but an effect caused by this hot summer evening. But if you shield your eyes against the glare you would start to make out, after a while, a shape that seems to form itself from nothing. As the figure grows closer all that can be made out is a tall young woman whose fiery red hair is enhanced only by the backdrop of several billion tons of exploding hydrogen nuclei dropping low in the horizon. Her clothing is a ballet of expert couture, consisting of nothing more than a black silk dress that hides the things she wants to show, whilst showing the things that she needs to hide. It gives the outside viewer the impression that she is completely naked whilst modestly covering everything and trails behind her, blown by a wind that had been to places, seen things, and was up to no good.
When she reaches the little bench at the edge of the duck pond, she places her hands on the small of her back and slides them down past her buttocks and to the underside of her thighs, smoothing her dress so as not to wrinkle it. She sits down and crosses her legs letting the dress fall away enough to reveal a secret that even Victoria would find hard to keep. She basks a little in the last rays of this warm mid-summer sun and enjoys the pleasant sensation of a calm caused by this cosmic storm.
There is a bag on the bench next to her.
The bag may not have there before the woman had sat down, some might argue that it had always been there, and she had friends that would have loved this philosophical way of thinking – they were not here now. However, someone else soon would be.
With her head tilted back and eyes closed, she lets the sounds of life wash over her whilst the cacophony of smells from flowers, trees and people swim around in her head. The hum and buzz of insects doing what insects do on a day like today adds to the song of life, and as she takes in her surroundings the wind blows again, only this time through her hair causing it to fall back behind her like curled red ribbon.
She shakes the top of her dress in an attempt to create some cool air, but when this does nothing she makes do with undoing a button instead in the hope that the previous wind would return and find a way in.
The sun starts to set lower in the horizon and so she fishes out the sunglasses that had been hooked into her cleavage via one of the arms, and turns her attention to the bag.
She reaches inside and draws out a single piece of bread.
She smiles, and starts to feed the ducks.
~
As she started to relax a little, and to enjoy the company of the ducks, a tall young man strolled over with a mellow, but purposeful stride, stopping only when he reached her side. His large muscular frame eclipsed the setting sun and when he spoke it was as if the wind that had caused so much mischief earlier, had found its voice.
‘Nice to see you again – lovely evening’
She looked at him over the top of her glasses.
‘Thank you for coming – you look well’
‘As do you’ replied the man, as he walked around to front of the bench. He sat himself down.
The ducks looked expectantly at him.
‘May I?’ he asked.
She looked at him, and then gestured with an open hand towards the bag.
‘Be my guest’.
He reached into the bag and removed a slice of bread.
She watched as he broke it into many pieces and then scattered the whole lot amongst the waiting ducks, who then ran in all directions in an attempt to indulge in this ‘free for all’ buffet.
‘We all have out different ways’ thought the woman to herself.
‘Are we expecting anyone else?’ enquired the man.
‘One more’
The man relaxed a little and decided to enjoy his surroundings before the ‘one more’ turned up. His smooth black skin seemed to absorb the heat and he smiled as he felt it sink in and warm his bones.
He looked around at the small duck pond and the surrounding trees.
Over in the distance there was a playground where two girls and a boy, brother and sisters maybe, played together. They were chasing one another, laughing and happy to be here on this warm August night, enjoying one another’s company – happy in their youth.
‘How is your boy these days?’
‘Very well, thank you’ came the reply. ‘He keeps himself busy – you know’
They both smiled at this.
‘Indeed I do, he still has quite a following – his work is still read by millions I see. You must be very proud’
He winced at this last remark.
‘Sorry - but you know what I mean’
The woman placed a hand on his knee.
‘Think nothing of it – I know what you meant’
She leant in a little closer to him.
‘Between you and I’ she whispered ‘I am a little jealous’
They both chuckled together – comfortable in each other’s confidence. Two old friends, enjoying the moment.
‘It will be our secret’ he said with a conspiritual wink.
After a while, the serenity and comfortable silence was broken when the man turned his head to the wind and said.
‘He’s here’
The woman removed her sunglasses and placed them on the top of her head.
‘I know – I can smell him from here’
‘What is that – some sort of aftershave, or body odour’?
‘Be nice’ came the chastisement.
The man smiled,
‘Only because you are here – but you know how I feel about him’
His words were shushed into silence as the third member of the party rounded the corner.
‘You two’ he laughed, ‘I should have guessed’
The woman looked up and smiled at her guest.
‘Thank you for coming, I know you are busy’
The new arrival looked around and out across the duck pond.
‘Did you design this one?’ he said, almost with a mocking tone.
‘It looks like one of yours’
With the smile never leaving her lips, the woman said,
‘Do you like it?’
‘Nice place for a carpark’ came his reply.
The woman looked towards her friend and raised her eyebrows.
‘Well I like it’ the man said ‘it has –character’
This was met with a sage nodding from his friend.
‘Yes – character, I would agree with that’
‘That’s because you are old and have no vision’ replied the new arrival
‘Ducks too’ added the woman, acknowledging her small friends.
‘Well, you have to have ducks’.
The sigh in annoyance brought the silliness to a close, as the two old friends adjusted their manner to a more professional level, in order to attend the situation in hand. But before they could begin, the newcomer said,
‘You know - you two need to step down and let us fresh minds run things for a while’
‘Funny you should say that’ said the woman, ‘because that’s why I have asked you here.’
The twilight had begun to herald in the night, and as the Sun sunk lower it began to set the sky alight with a red and orange flame.
‘Same colour as your hair’ observed the woman’s friend.
‘It took me ages to find a colour I liked – thank you for noticing’
‘Not at all – it suits you’
‘What about the dress – too much?’
The man gave a gentle laugh,
‘Subtle yet seductive’ he said.
This brought a warm smile to the woman’s lips.
‘Well we know all about that – don’t we?’
‘If you two have quite finished’ snapped the new arrival ‘some of us have work to do’
The woman sighed and turned her attention back to the newcomer.
‘We are not happy with the way you are running things at your end’ she said simply. The new arrival tilted his head to one side in question.
‘And I care because?' He said.
‘You see, that’s the problem. You seem to have little or no respect for either of us’.
She gestured her hand towards her friend as if to emphasise what the term ‘either of us’ meant.
The new arrival laughed.
‘Respect is earned, not demanded’ he said.
He addressed the next statement to the man, who seemed to be content with feeding his new-feathered friends. The ducks were happy to be fed, but if they were asked for their opinion on the events that had been unfolding over the past few minutes, they would say that, although the evening was nice, and the sunset quite beautiful (and the nice lady’s hair did suit her, it had to be said, but the dress, in their opinion, could do with a few more feathers), they would not mind a whole lot if the new arrival would keep the noise down. It spoilt the ambiance and shattered the peace somewhat – besides which, he was annoying, and alarmingly devoid of bread.
‘I would have thought that my actions were right up your ally’ he continued, ‘I mean, it was originally your idea.’
Without looking up, the man said,
‘So you acknowledge that these are my ideas that you are using’
‘Adapted from’ came the reply.
‘Adapted from my ideas’ said the woman.
The new arrival looked across at the children playing in the park.
‘Outdated as they are – yes, I did merge both your, let's call them philosophies shall we, and made them into something the people want’
‘What people?’ the woman hooted.
It came as some surprise, to the man feeding the ducks, that the last statement from their guest had caused a small burst of emotion from his friend.
She was not one to lose control.
He thought those days had gone forever, for the last time she had ‘lost it’, so to speak, a lot of people had a very bad day – he was one of them.
He interjected so as to give her time to cool down a little.
‘One or the other is fine. In fact I love the idea that you are inspired by my work, and I actively encourage anyone to make my ‘philosophies’ as you call them, their own’
‘That’s true’ said the woman with a smile. She had recognised that her friend was giving her a bit of breathing space and was willing to sit back for a while as he tried to show this newcomer the error of his ways.
‘But what you must understand, my friend’ continued the man, ‘is that without our beautiful friend here, none of our ideas, or philosophies as you will’ he added as to give credit to the newcomers fresh outlook, and to give the impression that they were all friend here – for the time being, could have any platform to work from.’
The woman blew him a kiss as a reward for his ‘beautiful’ comment, which had the effect of turning his eyes back to the pale blue they had been before his last statement. She had seen his anger burn before, and did not wish to see it again.
He winked at her. She knew him so well.
The newcomer sneered at the pair of them, and walked around to face his accusers.
‘Look at you’ he said, addressing the woman first,
You are so old and set in your ways that you can’t see that the world is changing around you. You seem more concerned that your hair matches the sky than what the people want – and you’ this time to the man, who still did not look up from the ducks, ‘you once shone with new ideas. What happened to you man? You were such a Bad-ass.’
The woman leant over once again and said,
‘What’s a ‘Bad-ass?’
‘Someone who is a bit naughty’ the man said, ‘I think it’s a compliment’
‘Oh, I see. Well he is right – you can be a little naughty when you want to be’.
They both giggled at this seemingly ‘in-joke’
‘Oh get a room’ said the newcomer with disgust in his voice.
The woman controlled her giggling a little and set her face into a more ‘business like’ look. She stood up in order to face this new up-start, this ideas man that had formulated a plot that would use everything she had created and all the work she had done – tainting them with greed. Targeting the lost and lonely with promises of purpose and a better way of living. Something he simply could not, and was not willing to provide.
‘Clear lines’ she said simply.
At this the man stood also.
‘You give them one choice or the other my friend. Build on the plan if needed, but the end result must be the same. Clear lines’ he repeated.
The newcomer looked at them both. He went to open his mouth, but was interrupted before he spoke.
‘And this means’ said the woman, ‘NEVER using the faith they have in their God to hurt one another – that’s just mean’
‘If you want to kill and maim, then that’s your right to do so – free will and all that’ said the man, seemingly to the ducks
‘There are consequences of course – me for a start’.
‘And if you want to be nice to people’ continued the woman,
‘Do good things, and encourage others to do the same – great, go for it.
But killing people in the name of good – not my idea of fair play.’
‘Can you hear yourselves?’ responded the newcomer, ‘Can you see yourselves? You are so out of touch that even your look is an outdated cliché’
The woman looked back with a quizzical look and was met with a shrugging of the shoulders from the man, who had just started to dust the breadcrumbs from his hands.
She looked back at the newcomer.
‘I’m sorry, I have no idea what you mean’
‘Really?’ came the sarcastic reply.
‘Enlighten me’
‘Evil represented by a bald black guy, and the pretty little red-head as the good one – come on’
The woman smiled.
‘You think I’m pretty? – How sweet of you to say’
‘We all think you are pretty’ said the man, who had now found that his nice new black suit was dotted by white breadcrumbs. He seemed a little peeved at this as he busied himself with brushing himself down.
‘This was a brand new suit’ he said.
‘Pride?’ said the woman.
He smirked a little,
‘Eh!’ he said in a non-committal tone.
She turned back to the newcomer.
‘Oh my dear – what on earth, or anywhere else for that matter, makes you think that I am anything other than evil’
‘You see’ said the man, whose suit still bore traces of duck food, ‘you must of heard of the ‘old fashioned’ saying, ‘The Devils greatest trick was to convince everyone that he, or in this case ‘she’, doesn’t exist’
‘Hello’ said the woman with a small wave and an apologetic shrug.
The ducks were now looking at the newcomer with interest, so much so that he was compelled to take some bread from the bag in order to stop them staring at him.
‘And that’s the other thing’ said the woman.
‘What?’ snapped the newcomer’
‘Ask before you help yourself to my stuff’
On instinct the newcomer went to remove his hand from the bag and found that something held him there.
The man pointed to himself.
‘Rock’ he said simply.
‘Hard place’ said the woman continuing his sentence.
She curtsied by way of an introduction, ‘and you appear to be stuck’
The newcomer looked franticly around, and moreover, toward the ducks. They looked a little less like the small, bread obsessed birds, whose endless demanding quacks for food seemed to fill the air. Maybe it was their red eyes that glowed with evil intent, or maybe it was the razor sharp teeth that snapped with the lust for a soul that had just been dammed.
‘Can’t we come to some agreement’ he said, trying to keep the panic from his voice.
‘We did’ said the woman with a smile, ‘It’s just that you were not included in that discussion’
She looked over at the man and said,
‘It was lovely to see you again, send my regards to that wonderful boy of yours’
The man smiled back and said,
‘I will – and you take care’
As he walked away he stopped and turned back.
‘Are you free for dinner next week?’
The woman smiled,
‘I thought you would never ask’
~
As the sounds of ducks quacking, flesh ripping, and a soul being devoured, filled the air on this warm summer evening, two gentlemen watched with interest from the other side of the pond. They watched with interest the unfolding events play out across the pond - events that the others members of the public could not see.
And would not want to see.
The smaller of them, a rotund Asian man, looked at his friend and said,
‘Another one bites the dust’
The other was a younger man, who gave the impression that he was in his early thirties, turned to his colleague and said,
‘Dum, Dum, Dum – Another one bites the dust’
He smiled at his own joke, which faded when it became apparent that he was the only one who got it.
‘Queen?’ he said.
The smaller man stood up and shook his head.
‘Two thousand years, and that’s the best joke you have?
His friend faked an affronted look of shock, and said,
‘Well it was better than your one’
‘Which one?’
He cleared his throat,
‘What sort of pizza does Buddha have?’
The small man smiled,
‘Oh yes – one with everything. Now that’s a joke’
They both stood up,
‘Come on old man, let’s get you home’
The two men walked a short way, laughing together and enjoying the last of the warmth that the day had to offer. Then, after shaking hands, they went their separate ways – always aware that there had to be clear lines drawn and observed, in any war.
THE END
Good Friends - Bad Enemies(Iain Cambridge)
GOOD FRIENDS – BAD ENEMIES
Someone is coming.
Someone important.
Someone unexpected.
On this day, and at this time, if you could look directly into the sunset you would be forgiven for thinking that the shimmer of the air was nothing but an effect caused by this hot summer evening. But if you shield your eyes against the glare you would start to make out, after a while, a shape that seems to form itself from nothing. As the figure grows closer all that can be made out is a tall young woman whose fiery red hair is enhanced only by the backdrop of several billion tons of exploding hydrogen nuclei dropping low in the horizon. Her clothing is a ballet of expert couture, consisting of nothing more than a black silk dress that hides the things she wants to show, whilst showing the things that she needs to hide. It gives the outside viewer the impression that she is completely naked whilst modestly covering everything and trails behind her, blown by a wind that had been to places, seen things, and was up to no good.
When she reaches the little bench at the edge of the duck pond, she places her hands on the small of her back and slides them down past her buttocks and to the underside of her thighs, smoothing her dress so as not to wrinkle it. She sits down and crosses her legs letting the dress fall away enough to reveal a secret that even Victoria would find hard to keep. She basks a little in the last rays of this warm mid-summer sun and enjoys the pleasant sensation of a calm caused by this cosmic storm.
There is a bag on the bench next to her.
The bag may not have there before the woman had sat down, some might argue that it had always been there, and she had friends that would have loved this philosophical way of thinking – they were not here now. However, someone else soon would be.
With her head tilted back and eyes closed, she lets the sounds of life wash over her whilst the cacophony of smells from flowers, trees and people swim around in her head. The hum and buzz of insects doing what insects do on a day like today adds to the song of life, and as she takes in her surroundings the wind blows again, only this time through her hair causing it to fall back behind her like curled red ribbon.
She shakes the top of her dress in an attempt to create some cool air, but when this does nothing she makes do with undoing a button instead in the hope that the previous wind would return and find a way in.
The sun starts to set lower in the horizon and so she fishes out the sunglasses that had been hooked into her cleavage via one of the arms, and turns her attention to the bag.
She reaches inside and draws out a single piece of bread.
She smiles, and starts to feed the ducks.
~
As she started to relax a little, and to enjoy the company of the ducks, a tall young man strolled over with a mellow, but purposeful stride, stopping only when he reached her side. His large muscular frame eclipsed the setting sun and when he spoke it was as if the wind that had caused so much mischief earlier, had found its voice.
‘Nice to see you again – lovely evening’
She looked at him over the top of her glasses.
‘Thank you for coming – you look well’
‘As do you’ replied the man, as he walked around to front of the bench. He sat himself down.
The ducks looked expectantly at him.
‘May I?’ he asked.
She looked at him, and then gestured with an open hand towards the bag.
‘Be my guest’.
He reached into the bag and removed a slice of bread.
She watched as he broke it into many pieces and then scattered the whole lot amongst the waiting ducks, who then ran in all directions in an attempt to indulge in this ‘free for all’ buffet.
‘We all have out different ways’ thought the woman to herself.
‘Are we expecting anyone else?’ enquired the man.
‘One more’
The man relaxed a little and decided to enjoy his surroundings before the ‘one more’ turned up. His smooth black skin seemed to absorb the heat and he smiled as he felt it sink in and warm his bones.
He looked around at the small duck pond and the surrounding trees.
Over in the distance there was a playground where two girls and a boy, brother and sisters maybe, played together. They were chasing one another, laughing and happy to be here on this warm August night, enjoying one another’s company – happy in their youth.
‘How is your boy these days?’
‘Very well, thank you’ came the reply. ‘He keeps himself busy – you know’
They both smiled at this.
‘Indeed I do, he still has quite a following – his work is still read by millions I see. You must be very proud’
He winced at this last remark.
‘Sorry - but you know what I mean’
The woman placed a hand on his knee.
‘Think nothing of it – I know what you meant’
She leant in a little closer to him.
‘Between you and I’ she whispered ‘I am a little jealous’
They both chuckled together – comfortable in each other’s confidence. Two old friends, enjoying the moment.
‘It will be our secret’ he said with a conspiritual wink.
After a while, the serenity and comfortable silence was broken when the man turned his head to the wind and said.
‘He’s here’
The woman removed her sunglasses and placed them on the top of her head.
‘I know – I can smell him from here’
‘What is that – some sort of aftershave, or body odour’?
‘Be nice’ came the chastisement.
The man smiled,
‘Only because you are here – but you know how I feel about him’
His words were shushed into silence as the third member of the party rounded the corner.
‘You two’ he laughed, ‘I should have guessed’
The woman looked up and smiled at her guest.
‘Thank you for coming, I know you are busy’
The new arrival looked around and out across the duck pond.
‘Did you design this one?’ he said, almost with a mocking tone.
‘It looks like one of yours’
With the smile never leaving her lips, the woman said,
‘Do you like it?’
‘Nice place for a carpark’ came his reply.
The woman looked towards her friend and raised her eyebrows.
‘Well I like it’ the man said ‘it has –character’
This was met with a sage nodding from his friend.
‘Yes – character, I would agree with that’
‘That’s because you are old and have no vision’ replied the new arrival
‘Ducks too’ added the woman, acknowledging her small friends.
‘Well, you have to have ducks’.
The sigh in annoyance brought the silliness to a close, as the two old friends adjusted their manner to a more professional level, in order to attend the situation in hand. But before they could begin, the newcomer said,
‘You know - you two need to step down and let us fresh minds run things for a while’
‘Funny you should say that’ said the woman, ‘because that’s why I have asked you here.’
The twilight had begun to herald in the night, and as the Sun sunk lower it began to set the sky alight with a red and orange flame.
‘Same colour as your hair’ observed the woman’s friend.
‘It took me ages to find a colour I liked – thank you for noticing’
‘Not at all – it suits you’
‘What about the dress – too much?’
The man gave a gentle laugh,
‘Subtle yet seductive’ he said.
This brought a warm smile to the woman’s lips.
‘Well we know all about that – don’t we?’
‘If you two have quite finished’ snapped the new arrival ‘some of us have work to do’
The woman sighed and turned her attention back to the newcomer.
‘We are not happy with the way you are running things at your end’ she said simply. The new arrival tilted his head to one side in question.
‘And I care because?' He said.
‘You see, that’s the problem. You seem to have little or no respect for either of us’.
She gestured her hand towards her friend as if to emphasise what the term ‘either of us’ meant.
The new arrival laughed.
‘Respect is earned, not demanded’ he said.
He addressed the next statement to the man, who seemed to be content with feeding his new-feathered friends. The ducks were happy to be fed, but if they were asked for their opinion on the events that had been unfolding over the past few minutes, they would say that, although the evening was nice, and the sunset quite beautiful (and the nice lady’s hair did suit her, it had to be said, but the dress, in their opinion, could do with a few more feathers), they would not mind a whole lot if the new arrival would keep the noise down. It spoilt the ambiance and shattered the peace somewhat – besides which, he was annoying, and alarmingly devoid of bread.
‘I would have thought that my actions were right up your ally’ he continued, ‘I mean, it was originally your idea.’
Without looking up, the man said,
‘So you acknowledge that these are my ideas that you are using’
‘Adapted from’ came the reply.
‘Adapted from my ideas’ said the woman.
The new arrival looked across at the children playing in the park.
‘Outdated as they are – yes, I did merge both your, let's call them philosophies shall we, and made them into something the people want’
‘What people?’ the woman hooted.
It came as some surprise, to the man feeding the ducks, that the last statement from their guest had caused a small burst of emotion from his friend.
She was not one to lose control.
He thought those days had gone forever, for the last time she had ‘lost it’, so to speak, a lot of people had a very bad day – he was one of them.
He interjected so as to give her time to cool down a little.
‘One or the other is fine. In fact I love the idea that you are inspired by my work, and I actively encourage anyone to make my ‘philosophies’ as you call them, their own’
‘That’s true’ said the woman with a smile. She had recognised that her friend was giving her a bit of breathing space and was willing to sit back for a while as he tried to show this newcomer the error of his ways.
‘But what you must understand, my friend’ continued the man, ‘is that without our beautiful friend here, none of our ideas, or philosophies as you will’ he added as to give credit to the newcomers fresh outlook, and to give the impression that they were all friend here – for the time being, could have any platform to work from.’
The woman blew him a kiss as a reward for his ‘beautiful’ comment, which had the effect of turning his eyes back to the pale blue they had been before his last statement. She had seen his anger burn before, and did not wish to see it again.
He winked at her. She knew him so well.
The newcomer sneered at the pair of them, and walked around to face his accusers.
‘Look at you’ he said, addressing the woman first,
You are so old and set in your ways that you can’t see that the world is changing around you. You seem more concerned that your hair matches the sky than what the people want – and you’ this time to the man, who still did not look up from the ducks, ‘you once shone with new ideas. What happened to you man? You were such a Bad-ass.’
The woman leant over once again and said,
‘What’s a ‘Bad-ass?’
‘Someone who is a bit naughty’ the man said, ‘I think it’s a compliment’
‘Oh, I see. Well he is right – you can be a little naughty when you want to be’.
They both giggled at this seemingly ‘in-joke’
‘Oh get a room’ said the newcomer with disgust in his voice.
The woman controlled her giggling a little and set her face into a more ‘business like’ look. She stood up in order to face this new up-start, this ideas man that had formulated a plot that would use everything she had created and all the work she had done – tainting them with greed. Targeting the lost and lonely with promises of purpose and a better way of living. Something he simply could not, and was not willing to provide.
‘Clear lines’ she said simply.
At this the man stood also.
‘You give them one choice or the other my friend. Build on the plan if needed, but the end result must be the same. Clear lines’ he repeated.
The newcomer looked at them both. He went to open his mouth, but was interrupted before he spoke.
‘And this means’ said the woman, ‘NEVER using the faith they have in their God to hurt one another – that’s just mean’
‘If you want to kill and maim, then that’s your right to do so – free will and all that’ said the man, seemingly to the ducks
‘There are consequences of course – me for a start’.
‘And if you want to be nice to people’ continued the woman,
‘Do good things, and encourage others to do the same – great, go for it.
But killing people in the name of good – not my idea of fair play.’
‘Can you hear yourselves?’ responded the newcomer, ‘Can you see yourselves? You are so out of touch that even your look is an outdated cliché’
The woman looked back with a quizzical look and was met with a shrugging of the shoulders from the man, who had just started to dust the breadcrumbs from his hands.
She looked back at the newcomer.
‘I’m sorry, I have no idea what you mean’
‘Really?’ came the sarcastic reply.
‘Enlighten me’
‘Evil represented by a bald black guy, and the pretty little red-head as the good one – come on’
The woman smiled.
‘You think I’m pretty? – How sweet of you to say’
‘We all think you are pretty’ said the man, who had now found that his nice new black suit was dotted by white breadcrumbs. He seemed a little peeved at this as he busied himself with brushing himself down.
‘This was a brand new suit’ he said.
‘Pride?’ said the woman.
He smirked a little,
‘Eh!’ he said in a non-committal tone.
She turned back to the newcomer.
‘Oh my dear – what on earth, or anywhere else for that matter, makes you think that I am anything other than evil’
‘You see’ said the man, whose suit still bore traces of duck food, ‘you must of heard of the ‘old fashioned’ saying, ‘The Devils greatest trick was to convince everyone that he, or in this case ‘she’, doesn’t exist’
‘Hello’ said the woman with a small wave and an apologetic shrug.
The ducks were now looking at the newcomer with interest, so much so that he was compelled to take some bread from the bag in order to stop them staring at him.
‘And that’s the other thing’ said the woman.
‘What?’ snapped the newcomer’
‘Ask before you help yourself to my stuff’
On instinct the newcomer went to remove his hand from the bag and found that something held him there.
The man pointed to himself.
‘Rock’ he said simply.
‘Hard place’ said the woman continuing his sentence.
She curtsied by way of an introduction, ‘and you appear to be stuck’
The newcomer looked franticly around, and moreover, toward the ducks. They looked a little less like the small, bread obsessed birds, whose endless demanding quacks for food seemed to fill the air. Maybe it was their red eyes that glowed with evil intent, or maybe it was the razor sharp teeth that snapped with the lust for a soul that had just been dammed.
‘Can’t we come to some agreement’ he said, trying to keep the panic from his voice.
‘We did’ said the woman with a smile, ‘It’s just that you were not included in that discussion’
She looked over at the man and said,
‘It was lovely to see you again, send my regards to that wonderful boy of yours’
The man smiled back and said,
‘I will – and you take care’
As he walked away he stopped and turned back.
‘Are you free for dinner next week?’
The woman smiled,
‘I thought you would never ask’
~
As the sounds of ducks quacking, flesh ripping, and a soul being devoured, filled the air on this warm summer evening, two gentlemen watched with interest from the other side of the pond. They watched with interest the unfolding events play out across the pond - events that the others members of the public could not see.
And would not want to see.
The smaller of them, a rotund Asian man, looked at his friend and said,
‘Another one bites the dust’
The other was a younger man, who gave the impression that he was in his early thirties, turned to his colleague and said,
‘Dum, Dum, Dum – Another one bites the dust’
He smiled at his own joke, which faded when it became apparent that he was the only one who got it.
‘Queen?’ he said.
The smaller man stood up and shook his head.
‘Two thousand years, and that’s the best joke you have?
His friend faked an affronted look of shock, and said,
‘Well it was better than your one’
‘Which one?’
He cleared his throat,
‘What sort of pizza does Buddha have?’
The small man smiled,
‘Oh yes – one with everything. Now that’s a joke’
They both stood up,
‘Come on old man, let’s get you home’
The two men walked a short way, laughing together and enjoying the last of the warmth that the day had to offer. Then, after shaking hands, they went their separate ways – always aware that there had to be clear lines drawn and observed, in any war.
THE END
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