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Nervous Habit Part Three By Kael Yakuza Kael’s eyes opened groggily, and she found herself wrapped in a bundle of old blankets, lying on a metal bench. The dripping sound of rain outside gave her the chills, but she was glad she was safe inside now. That thing that brought her in… what was it? The world around her came into focus, and she saw the creature over to the side of the room, cooking something in a pot over a small flame. Kael attempted to sit up, but in the great mass of blankets she was trapped in, she fell off the bench and grunted. The other being lifted up his head and looked over to her. He took a spoonful of the substance he was cooking and brought it over to her. She lifted up her head and drank some of the stew. It’s taste was foreign to her, but she figured it would be better than nothing. Mumbling a thanks in her own language, the male Nikitak realized she definitely wasn’t from around here. He pointed to himself and said, "Radjer." Someone bumped into Kael, differing her gaze from the monitor she had been viewing. Everyone was shouting now, very loudly. She even found her own throat sore. The chaos of it all made her mixed blood beat faster through her body. Through a loudspeaker, an announcement roared, "Final lap!". Every hair on her stood on end. Go, Jet! Now! Do it! Engines hummed rather noisily, adding to the havoc. Come on, come on… "In the lead is Vylar, followed by Baron, Yuk, and Jet..", was announced as the hunks of junk mingled in deadly dance through the caves. "Radjer?", Kael said uneasily. She pointed to herself and indicated that she was Kael. Radjer smiled and fed her some more of the stew. So it went… the two of them learned more from each other in a few short years than they could’ve done alone. He taught her basic, she told him of the land outside the city. Kael never did go back to visit Morsk, but she thought of him often. The races had been closed that year, due to repair needed on the starting area of the track, but it was very busy from then on. She eventually found her own place to stay, but only with help of Radjer teaching her some street sense. Oh yes, that was definitely needed in the city. "Aaaaand crossing the finish line in first place, it’s… Yuk!", roared the announcer. Yuk? Yuk?! Kael slumped down onto the bench behind her. All she could feel was numbness. Why… how… "In second is Baron, followed by Vylar, Jet, Srego…" The loudspeaker was drowned out by the screaming that was going on in her head. No! No… it can’t be true… How could I have lost? The thought that Jet was still alive never passed through her mind. That didn’t matter. If he just dropped dead after he won, she wouldn’t care. His safety was not her priority anymore Of course, she didn’t know the odds for his coming out alive were 50:1, and he had beat the odds. In his own way, Jet did win. Kael gathered up her meager belongings and found her way out. No, the way in which he won mocked her entire existence; she played the odds, and lost. (C) 2000 Dann Erikson AKA Kael |
