HURT FEET OR NOT

© Dana W. Paxson 2005

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HURT FEET OR NOT

1563 4D

Jeddin finally found a Rumchi turnoff. “No checkpoint discernible so far,” the car said. “You shouldn’t have broken the master clock.”

“When I want your opinion on that I’ll ask for it,” Jeddin said crisply. Marra and Deen covered their mouths, hiding smiles. He rounded the turnoff, caroming the car twice off the curbs, and looked ahead into a long tunnel without lights. The car’s own lights flared on.

Wonderful. This would make their arrival very well-announced. They might as well call the police and ask to be arrested. He slowed the car and strained to see ahead. “Car? Anything up there?”

“There’s been a power failure in this and other nearby sectors. No obstructions, no checkpoints. Looks clear.”

A power failure; that would simplify matters a little. Jeddin spotted a parking bay. “We’ll take our chances here,” he said firmly, cutting in and jerking the car to a stop.

“But—" Deen began.

Jeddin‘s face turned warm. He hadn’t asked for this, no. Human women masquerading as andros, with him driving them in a stolen police car. He shook his head slowly. “Get out before the corpos are on top of us. Hurry.” He clambered out.

“But our feet. We need shoes if we’re gonna run.” Deen started to raise her foot to point to it; she recoiled from Jeddin‘s face and scrambled to get out.

“I’ll get you shoes, I’ll get you clothes, just damn MOVE!”

“You’ll do that for us? Really?” How she had gotten there so fast, Jeddin didn’t know, but Marra stood beside him looking up at him. Deen arrived right behind her, adjusting her wrap again.

“Come on. Ho, it’s dark here.” Jeddin squinted into the pitch-black passage leading from the parking bay. Even with his spectrum extensions, only a single lamp glowed far ahead. He turned back to the car. “Car?”

“Yes?”

“Unlock for my voice only, and the word ‘Monopole'.”

“Verify password?”

Monopole.”

“Verified.” The car’s apertures closed over, and its windows darkened.

Jeddin grabbed Deen‘s hand and began to move forward into the passageway. “Time to go shopping in the dark,” he said.

“Shopping?” Deen resisted.

“In the dark?” Marra chimed in.

“Look, I’ll get you things to wear if you’ll just come with me right now,” Jeddin explained, slowing his words until they came out separately. “Right now.”

“Ouch. Ooh.”

“Ow! Ouch.”

“All right, here.” Might as well stoop a little further. Jeddin stooped. “Each of you sit on one of my shoulders, and out on my upper arm. Yes. I can carry you this way for a little, until we get to the real streets. Then you’ll have to walk, hurt feet or not.”

They sat on his shoulders and raised arms, and he strained and stood, letting them use his upraised forearms as anchors. Each of the women weighed as much as he did, but his strength allowed him to walk forward with them. “Watch your heads, now.” He moved along, wobbling a little, his knees and ankles complaining with mild shots of pain at each step. By the time he reached the end of the passageway a hundred fast strides later, facing a steel door with a small lamp glowing in a recess above it, he had had enough. “This is it. We’re at the upper edge of Rumchi.” He set them down.

“Thanks,” Deen said. “Is this a street, past the door?”

“I don’t know. Let’s listen.” A rhythmic drum pulse, assisted by many voices, came to him. He turned to Marra and Deen, whose faces registered puzzlement and then recognition.

“It’s the Run,” Marra said, “It’s Corsang Run! They’re celebrating, just like we used to do years ago. They do it here and in Sobi.”

“Wonderful!” Deen pressed her ear to the door. “What a perfect time to come home. Let’s go, Jeddin.”

“I don’t get into these things,” he said, looking back down the passage to the dim opening to the parking bay. Where were the corpos, or the militia? They should have noticed this vehicle coming in as soon as it hit the City outskirts. That is, unless the insurgents were really keeping them busy. And a street celebration, next door to a battle? Maybe this was a good idea after all. “All right, never mind,” he said, and opened the door.

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