“You boys
looking for a good time tonight,” a woman asks as we pass by.
“We’re
brothers, we don’t need to be Eskimo brothers too, but call me later,” Edan
yells back her.
We’re out
in the warm night moving along a walking path near the lake. He told me the
name of the lake earlier, but I’ve been drinking too much. The best way to
combat all the liquor is food, and that’s where we going. A real meal, between
us, brothers. I just wish we could get there sometime soon. We finally get to
the magical noodle place, and it’s a minivan with some stools and tables sat
around out from that were clearly loaded on a trailer earlier.
“Here we
are, the best food truck in all of Invicta,” Edan throws both hands in the air
presenting the run down truck.
“I think
dad was right.”
“About
what?”
“We are
sick, because you say this place is the best, but it looks like something that
truck looks like it should have been scrapped and recycled three different
times now. But all I can think is that it smells great.”
“Trust me
on this one,” he places a hand on my shoulder.
Edan talks
about all the wonderful food in the city as we stand in line. I try to get a
peak at what is going on inside the truck but the actual cooking area is hidden
from view. If I’ve learned anything that means the food is either going to send
me to the hospital or it’s going to be amazing. Either way, it definitely won’t
pass food safety guidelines. If Edan is still living after eating here so often,
I should be fine. Then again, I have no idea what he’s been eating for the last
few years. He could be turning me into a cannibal tonight, and I wouldn’t even
care until the next morning.
“Hey, Kaz,
give us two of the specials,” Edan says at the counter.
“Of course,
extra sauce,” the man taking orders greets Edan.
“You know
it,” Edan smiles. “Got me down to a science.”
“I have to
know my best customers,” Kaz responds with a shrug as if it’s nothing.
“How are
the kids down in the valley?”
“They’re
doing alright, surviving.”
“Surviving,
but the youth need to thrive if the future is to succeed.”
“You’re a
little philosopher,” the man laughs and I can’t help but join.
“Kaz, this
is my big brother Efrem. Efrem, this is Kaz, he cooks, but he’s a crook too.”
“Nice to
meet you,” I offer a handshake.
“I might be
a crook, but I wouldn’t steal that old wrist comp,” Kaz laughs as he shakes my
hand.
“Same price
as usual,” Edan asks.
“Same as
usual.”
“Sweet,
I’ll throw in some extra for you to drop a few meals off for the kids out
hustling tonight.”
“Trying to
show off in front of your kin,” Kaz laughs.
“Of
course.”
We take a
seat and wait for the food, still plenty drunk from our drinking earlier. Our
joking and excitement might be whatever the opposite of contagious is because
we’ve drawn the attention of two Ghuk who keep shooting us dirty looks. Edan doesn’t
seem to notice, but their hushed whispers are basically calling for attention. It’s
not even that I’m super attentive, anybody less drunk than Edan would notice.
Well, anyone but Kaz who brings us a bottle of carbonated wine he makes
himself. More drinks, I’m not complaining. Edan isn’t a fan, but drinks it
because he likes Kaz. I’m a fan of the slightly sour taste.
“Look at
how the humans cater to each other, as if we weren’t here first,” one of the
Ghuk nearly shouts, wanting us to hear.
“How about
you guys join us for a drink? We can’t finish this whole bottle ourselves,” I
try to calm the situation.
“We don’t
need your pity human. Never forget it was our species who stumbled upon you
infants trying to escape your home world after nearly destroying it. Never pity
us,” the loud Ghuk speaks, standing to show how he’s nearly a foot taller than
either of us.
Ghuk’s
aren’t pretty. They remind me of rhinos in the zoo. The old ones before they
evolved to be smaller and faster. If those rhinos walked on two feet and had
three fingers on each hand, they could be cousins. The horns are scary, Ghuk
are bigger than almost every human, and strong enough to make a body builder
weep. One little problem, they’ve got thick skin, but it isn’t armor, it takes
a lot to pierce, but they still bleed. They’ll bleed a lot, and it’ll be hard
to treat. If we have to fight them, we might stand a chance if we can avoid
getting hit. They’re not good fighters, which is why they love guns. They’re
too slow to be good fighters. Dodge their punches and try to make them bleed,
yeah that’s a good plan. I might be drunker than I thought.
“Brother,
we should just eat. Our food has arrived,” the quieter Ghuk speaks, another
cool head.
“Listen to
your brother,” Edan smiles setting off the louder Ghuk.
After a
string of profanity, I can’t piece together even with my translator he says
something I can understand, “duel.”
Ghuk’s like
duels. Usually their duels involve two people running through a designated area
shooting each other. If they’re feeling extra wronged, a bullet isn’t good
enough; no weapon is. They fight to the death with just their fists. Duels are
outlawed almost everywhere, including Ghuk planets. A human wouldn’t stand a
chance in a duel of fists. I’m not about to let this happen. We’ll just eat
somewhere else.
“Foods
ready,” Kaz makes the save.
“Let’s just
all eat our food, and go home,” I offer the Ghuk.
“Sounds
good to me,” The quieter Ghuk pulls the other away, “I apologize for my
brother.”
“I
apologize for mine,” I smile and wave.
I punch
Edan in the shoulder when I catch him making eyes at the Ghuk. The food is
great, some kind of local fish that fills the lake. I sense the night coming to
an end, even after the Ghuk leave. The night is ruined now, but it was still a
great night. Edan senses this, and orders more wine, trying to keep me drunk. I
drink, I think our family has a problem. We have to drink to talk to each other
like an actual family. I wonder what mom would be like when she’s drunk.
“I think
it’s time for me to head back to my hotel,” I stand. “Thanks for a great
night.”
“Nah, stay
at my place. I wouldn’t feel good about sending you out alone.”
“I can take
care of myself, better than you. You almost pissed on yourself when that Ghuk
said duel,” I laugh.
“I didn’t
see you jump up to fight Mr. Let’s Share a Drink,” he shoots back.
“You’re
silly, I’m going.”
“Nope, I
already called us a cab,” Edan gives me a big smile. “We’re having a
sleepover.”
[Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] [Twitter] [Next Chapter]
