Descending Road - HE OPENED HIS MOUTH TO LAUGH by Dana W. Paxson

HE OPENED HIS MOUTH TO LAUGH

2407 CE

They sat down side by side at Trin‘s low table in the main room. The walls shouted with prints, posters, scrawled notes, incomplete manifestoes, rude sketches, and collages of printer images. Some of the sheets were livepaper, fed by lamplight; words crawled across them like insects marching in formation: GENE HEAVEN, GENE KELLY, EUGENE IX.

“You really want to try this?” Trin said. A flood of protective feeling surged up in him; he wanted to stop this experiment and be sure Mina would safe, but the vial of clear thick crystalline liquid pulled him onward.

“Just a tiny bit, you and me, huh?” She always had this mix of pulling forward and pulling back at the same time, like she was this great rebel, but she needed his help.

“How will we know if we’re okay?” He paused, his fingers on the stopper, not opening the vial he held. He hated admitting to her that he was as afraid as he felt. What was this stuff, anyway? Why did he always end up trying out all this shit, was he just trying to screw himself up? He pushed these thoughts from his mind, and said, “I guess my roommates will be back in a couple of days. We can write a note, and if they see it, they’ll know something’s wrong. Look, Mina, just let me try this, and you watch me. Then if something’s wrong, you can call the hospital.”

“But what if you disappear or something?”

“Oh, come on. If Ludko knew that had happened, he’d never tell us. How about it, will you wait while I test it first?”

“Only if you promise we can do it together if it works for you.”

“Okay.” He pulled the stopper, sniffed the vial again, inhaling the floral scent. “Smells nice.” He dipped the stopper back in the vial, brought out one small drop on the stopper’s tip, and looked at the drop. “Okay, here I go.” He touched the tip of his tongue to the drop, and tasted the sweetness of sugar. He put the stopper back in the vial, and handed it to Mina.

“Are you okay?” She studied his face as if he was growing zits.

“I feel fine,” he said. “Get me a pillow and I’ll lean back and rest my head.”

Nothing happened. They waited; he giggled, and then Mina did too. Her grin always made him smile. He opened his mouth to laugh, and then her face was an inch in front of his, and she was crying.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	HE OPENED HIS MOUTH TO LAUGH 2407 CE They sat down side by side at Trin‘s low table in the main room. The walls shouted with prints, posters, scrawled notes, incomplete manifestoes, rude sketches, and collages of printer images. Some of the sheets were livepaper, fed by lamplight; words crawled across them like insects marching in formation: GENE HEAVEN, GENE KELLY, EUGENE IX. “You really want to try this?” Trin said. A flood of protective feeling surged up in him; he wanted to stop this experiment and be sure Mina would safe, but the vial of clear thick crystalline liquid pulled him onward. “Just a tiny bit, you and me, huh?” She always had this mix of pulling forward and pulling back at the same time, like she was this great rebel, but she needed his help. “How will we know if we’re okay?” He paused, his fingers on the stopper, not opening the vial he held. He hated admitting to her that he was as afraid as he felt. What was this stuff, anyway? Why did he always end up trying out all this shit, was he just trying to screw himself up? He pushed these thoughts from his mind, and said, “I guess my roommates will be back in a couple of days. We can write a note, and if they see it, they’ll know something’s wrong. Look, Mina, just let me try this, and you watch me. Then if something’s wrong, you can call the hospital.” “But what if you disappear or something?” “Oh, come on. If Ludko knew that had happened, he’d never tell us. How about it, will you wait while I test it first?” “Only if you promise we can do it together if it works for you.” “Okay.” He pulled the stopper, sniffed the vial again, inhaling the floral scent. “Smells nice.” He dipped the stopper back in the vial, brought out one small drop on the stopper’s tip, and looked at the drop. “Okay, here I go.” He touched the tip of his tongue to the drop, and tasted the sweetness of sugar. He put the stopper back in the vial, and handed it to Mina. “Are you okay?” She studied his face as if he was growing zits. “I feel fine,” he said. “Get me a pillow and I’ll lean back and rest my head.” Nothing happened. They waited; he giggled, and then Mina did too. Her grin always made him smile. He opened his mouth to laugh, and then her face was an inch in front of his, and she was crying.