Six Months, Six Stories: February

FEBRUARY

Hasty clicks and clacks are the only sound in the dark room lit blue by the computer screen. Words streaming forth into a platform for all to see, a worldwide audience on the other end whose attention he had to compete for with millions of others, but he had, at least, carved out a small niche. He could guarantee someone would read the words he wrote, and he made sure that the words he typed were strong as he could muster...

But when the door was abruptly pushed open and the lights turned on, his words mattered little, and you could almost hear him try to adjust to the change in lighting.

"'Ey Gewjog!" the entry said, slamming his steam rifle down on the table near the door. "Get ya head out of dat machine! I got great news!" The entry laughed, slowly removing the many tools and weapons from his belt despite removing the belt seeming to be the easier option, if it had only been one. Gewjogfka (Goo-jog-fuh-ka) turned away from his computer, pushing the monitor away to hide his activities despite their relatively innocent nature. Gewjog squinted at his companion, not from the light anymore, but now from his usual demeanor when forced to engage with his unfortunate roommate.

"What is it Baofbawwig, (Bough-ff-bough-wig) I'm busy right now." He said, body still half-turned in his chair to face his roommate. The room was an odd mix of technologies, Gewjog's half unassuming in its modern comforts and accoutrements while Baofbawwig's echoed the bygone age of steam technology. Neither side was particularly clean, Bawwig's from the side effect of such old machines and Gewjog's more from his own slovenliness.

Baofbawwig laughed, bridging the unspoken gap between the two sections to place his hands on his companion's shoulders. "We got the doctor back Gewjog!" He laughed again, trying to spin his friend in his chair but finding Gewjog obstinately still. Gewjog's neck craned up, considering the news, and then turned back to his computer, fixing the monitor.

"Dat's great." He grumbled, no enthusiasm in his voice.

"...Dat's great? Dat's all ya got ta say bout it? Dis is fantastic news! It means we can go out again!" Bawwig said, his voice elevating to try and motivate his compatriot.

"Eh, I don't really want to go out. I'm pretty good in here, not really much I want to do outside." Gewjog said over his shoulder, trying to resume his typing.

"But ya need ta go out sometime right? It's good news even if ya do want to spend all ya time in front of dat box!" Bawwig added.

"...Eh. Not really. I mean, if I want to go out, it's not dat hard. I already look like a video game character, so I can just say it's cosplay and no one will botter me." Gewjogfka says, trying his hardest to say "bother" to no avail. Unlike his companion's problems with the "th" sound, when Gewjog failed to make the noise, he made an almost hissing noise rather than skipping the phoneme for a basic "t" sound.

Baofbawwig was briefly derailed by this comment. "A vidya game character? What do ya mean?"

"Well, I already kinda looked like one, so I just adjusted to look more like him!" Gewjog added, almost daring to be enthusiastic about it before he pulled himself back. "I'm not particularly fond of the character, he's a bit of a stereotype, but eh."

"Which one ya look like?" Baofbawwig asked, eyes scanning the tall shelves of Gewjog's collection as if the spines of the games would hold the answer.

"Ugh, you wouldn't even know if I told you." Gewjog said, eyes rolling behind his glasses.

"No no, I know games! Like, da Call of Duty, and da Halo, and dose Final Fantasy games. Why do dey call dem dat if dey gonna make so many!"Bawwig joked, only to hear a huge groan from Gewjog.

"UGH, how can you even BE so behind on dat joke. It doesn't matter, whatever, Yay! Doctor's back! Is dat what you want to hear?" Gewjog said, actually turning away from his computer to make the statement, waving his arms in faux glee.

"Even if it not good news for you, it good news for me. I got stuff out dere to do, and I need him to help. Tink about someone besides yourself. Dis is great for all of us, even if you don't need his help." Baofbawwig said, enthusiasm sucked out as he sat down on his bed.

Gewjog stared at Baofbawwig, anger in his throat from being called selfish, but he didn't care enough to continue the conversation. With a harumph, Gewjogfka turned back to his computer, channeling the anger into a post for his small circle of internet buddies to read.

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The sound of blade against bone is not a very pleasant noise. Neither object wishes to make contact with each other, and the screech made as they are forced together is stomach. Which made it all the stranger that, as blade dragged against bone, someone was making some rather pleased noises about it.

"Mmmmm," scrape "yes, listen to dat" scrape "Dat's it right dere" the voice continued on, punctuating each glide of the knife against the bone with a similar statement. A different voice growled, trying to make his annoyance known without having to say anything, but it was soon clear that such subtle means of expression would be lost on his companion.

"Can you stop dat? It's fucking creepy!" he growls, the bone scraping coming to a stop almost instantly. "I don't know what's more annoying, you or dat bone being scraped!"

"Now now now," the other voice began, "Don't be like dat! Bones is great! Bones are so weird! Dey in so many tings, but not us! We boneless! But peoples, and animals, dey need bones to stay up! To stay togetter! So funny, bones is."

"Dat don't explain shit, Uysnskow (Oo-sin-scow). We ain't gots lotsa tings, but you ain't dragging knives cross dose!" The angry voice continued. Despite his voice, Ugrsteh (Oo-grr-stay) actually got along quite well with Uysnskow, his anger balancing his ally's borderline insanity. They were told they were kin, although the word hardly meant much to them, but that was what kept them together even as they sit in the dimly lit warehouse.

Uysnskow laughed, "Dats cuz dey ain't as intersting! Bones show you what used to be dere before da creature died. Look at dis one! Dis was once a person's head!" Usynskow said, holding up a human skull for her companion to look at. Ugrsteh growled again, his growls making up most of his vocabulary these days, batting away the head to show his disinterest.

"Dat don't even make sense! Dat head has no nose but people have noses!"

"Noses don't got bones in people!" Uysnskow said. Her knowledge in many things was wanting, but she knew her craft. "Don't be so hard on bones! Bones is good for stuff besides fun! Look, I made you weapons!" Uysnskow said joyfully, holding up a twin pair of hand scythes whose handles were spines. Ugrsteh looked them over, recognizing the weapon's craftmanship with a begrudging glare, but he still daren't say anything positive about Usynskow's craft.

"Did dey have to be spines?"

Before the bone-carver could answer, a third voice chimed in, much happier and saner than the other two. It almost could pass for a regular joe's if not for the similar inability to say the "th" sound.

"Guys! Guys! I got amazing news! Me and da guys found da doctor! Da doctor is back!" This one was known as Moyusfuy, (Moo-yiss-fay) and just like Baofbawwig, his news was met with little joy from his allies.

"Doc is back? ...Ok. Great. Dat's great. We can go back to playing pretend." growled Ugrsteh, throwing his new weapons to the ground only for Uysnskow to dive to save them.

"Careful!" the bone-carver said, placing them gently to the side before talking to Moyusfuy. "Doctor is good news! Doctor knows lots about bones! I can show him new weapons I made!"

"Great," grumbled Ugrsteh, "Now you got Uysnskow being more of a creep."

"Would it hurt you to show some joy once in a while, Ugr?" Moyusfuy hissed, Ugrsteh flinching at his abbreviated name. Almost everything seemed to bother this grumbling grump, and he made sure to make it known.

"I'm tired of pretending to be someting I ain't, and I don't tink Uysnskow can pretend much longer. People gonna notice she's a creep some day, people gonna figure us all out one day! Way I see it, we gotta stay underground or else we end up in da ground. We can't live like dis forever, even if Doctor is back."

Moyusfuy was prepared to bring up a counterargument for Ugrsteh, he always had a few in the back of his mind for his ally's predictable objections, but Usysnskow broke the flow of thought by presenting a newly made weapon to Moyusfuy. "For you Moyus! Bone bolos! I made dem myself!" Usynskow says, as if their origin was in question. Moyus held the bolos up, looking at the skulls dangling at the end. He was no more pleased with Uysnskow's obsession than Ugrsteh, but Moyus did his best to encourage the bone-carver's only real passion.

"They are... great, Usynskow," Moyusfuy forces out along with a grin. Wind somewhat diverted from his sails, Moyusfuy managed to address Ugrsteh with a more even tone. "Listen, Ugrsteh, you came out knowing what was gonna happen and, well, I don't tink you want to go back anymore den I do. It's hard fitting in, but it's what we gotta do. Boss says so."

"I don't see why we listen to dat egghead anyway. Jisadjok's (Gee-sad-jock) got better ideas den him!" Ugrsteh counters.

"We listen to him because he's actually made it in dis world. He's one of da few who has, and he's definitely da most successful. Jisad's... got his ways, but dey only work because he is Jisad." Moysufuy notices Ugrsteh is no more convinced than before, so he walks over to sit next to him, trying to find some common ground between them, all while Uysnskow slinks along the ground in her usual way.

Moyus sighs, "I get it... its hard for you and Uysnskow... Look, I'll try to find someting dat fits you two better. Maybe Mark has something you two can do."

The mood immediately worsened. Ugrsteh was up, his growling turned into a downright snarl as he looked at Moyusfuy with eyes full of fire. Only their long history together kept Moyusfuy safe from being immediately attacked.

"MARK?" Ugrsteh said, his voice sounding uncharacteristically normal. In fact, it almost sounded like the "white man" voice a black comedian might use in their stand-up routine. The contrast in voice and mood was impossible for Moyusfuy not to pick up on. It almost seemed like someone else was saying the word for how much it differed from Ugrsteh's usually gruff and low voice.

"...Yeah... Mark. Do... I... Do you have a problem wit Mark?" Moyus asks, shrinking away.

"YEAH I DO. Dere is no MARK, dere will never be a MARK, I never want to meet a MARK, because dat is not his name!" Ugrsteh yells, his mouth right in Moyusfuy's face. Moyus was terrified, but he tried to keep his composure.

"I I I...You know what I meant. It's what he calls himself now!" Moyus stammers out.

"I don't care! I will never call him MARK because he will never be MARK! Do NOT forget who we are MOYUSFUY!" Ugrsteh roars, his new twin scythes from Usynskow now in his hands and ready to strike. Moyusfuy quickly disengaged, backing away, nearly ready to run away from Ugrsteh forever, but as he saw Usysnkow sitting on the ground, panicking but having no idea what to do, Moyus caught himself and calmed down.

"Ok, ok... I won't do it again... But... I will talk to him. Even if you don't want to fit in, you can't just sit in here forever." Moyusfuy turns away from the two, speed-walking away as fast as he can to avoid any further conflict.

"Better dan being called MARK!" Ugrsteh yells, the name bouncing off the walls of the suddenly silent warehouse. Uysnskow crawled back to where she had been earlier, wrapping herself around her personal bone weapon, to afraid to even continue her work carving the weapons. Ugrsteh saw her worry and scoffed at it, walking away to simultaneously cool down and allow Uysnskow to resume her bone-carving without worrying about angering him further.

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The news of the Doctor's returns had nearly made its way to everyone who cared, or at least, everyone who should care. Most of those who hadn't participated in the raid on the hospital had been informed, but there still remained one within the group who hadn't heard, and for good reason.

Akljadlk (Ack-ull-jad-ulk) sat beneath the surface of the still pond, mind focused on the thoughts that swirled around in her own head like a riptide. Others dismissed her as too pensive, praising her ferocity in battle but bemoaning her need to consider every motion outside of the battlefield. It made her usual choice of company quite odd, but she knew she needed the counterbalance Jirunbuf (Gee-roon-buff) could provide, and she only wish he would more often chose to reside near clearer waters for her to rest beneath. Her enjoyment of California's far cleaner waters made her all too willing to ignore the ripples in the surface of the pond, and her meditation was quickly broken as her bulky companion reached his arms into the water and yanked her out with ease.

Jirunbuf's big dopey grin almost told the news story in itself, but Akljadlk was still surprised to hear the words straight from his mouth: "Yee hee hee! Ya'll will never believe dis! Doc is back! We got da doc back!" Jirun twirled Akljadlk in the air, her response still hidden in the safety of her mind as she slowly adjusted herself to walking on dry land despite her overenthusiastic partner constantly buffeting her in his excitement.

"Oooooo weeee! Ain't dis da greatest Akl? We can go back to Louisiana soon! Oh my stars I can't get going on how dry and boring dis place is! Hoooo doggie it's gonna be good to go back!" Jirun continued, slapping himself as much as Akl in his jubilance.

Akl couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "You are quite happy about dis. You must really like da life you lead in Louisiana."

"Well sheeeyoooot, you know I do! Heck, I hardly need da doc much anyway, most people don't come out to da swamp, but I gots to be presentable if johnny law comes round, boss says. He he, don't need it much rest a da time! When I dive in to wrassle dem gators, I love da look at dem faces when dey see me da way da cops never do!" Jirunbuf continued to laugh and bounce around, but Akljadlk was incredibly still, her only movement being a hand pensively touching her chin.

"I am happy dat you are happy Jirun." Jirunbuf was used to Akljadlk's reserved nature, but curiosity and little inhibition forced his tongue anyway.

"Well... uh, ain't you happy too?"

Akljadlk was slow to respond, "I suppose I should be. Dis is news we have all been anticipating. But I cannot help but wonder... is dis da life we really wish to lead?"

Jirunbuf's face scrunched up, his thought process more visible on his features. "Well, I know I don't want to live da old way! I can't do nearly as much fun stuff! I'm large and in charge now, and doc keeps me fresh when I needs it. I guess'n you don't needs it as much as me, do's ya?"

Akljadlk smiled, it might have looked sweet and motherly on a different pair of lips. "If dis is how you want to live, den I am happy, for you and de rest. We should all live as we wish to live."

"Ha ha! Dat's more like it! Yeeeeee dawgy, I can't wait to see Jisadjok's face when I go'n tell him!" Jirunbuf yells happily, turning to leave Akljadlk back to her meditation. One of her arm quickly juts out to catch him though.

"You are telling Jisadjok?" She asks, worry in her voice despite her trying to hide it.

"Well shoot, he got a right to know, don't he? Maybe he'll stop playing it up big and come back ta us if he knows Doc is back!" Jirunbuf says jovially. Much in the way Uysnskow and Ugrsteh were kin, Jirunbuf and Jisadjok were known kin as well, and it seemed these days that Jirunbuf was the only person Jisadjok would even listen to from the group. Akljadlk turned Jirunbuf's optimism over in her mind a few times before finally releasing his shoulder, answering his own grin with one of hers.

"Be on your way den. See if you can convince him to bring back da girls at least," she adds diplomatically, her words coming echoing a higher-up's sentiment rather than her own.

"Ha ha! Like he'd ever let dem girls outta his sight! Ah'll tell him you miss him!" Jirunbuf says before waddling away, Akljadlk trying to call after him not to even mention her name, but her voice was too soft to carry.

The affairs continued to dance in her head as she returned to the pond and submerged herself, moving to the bottom to think on what few words had been exchanged to weave a tapestry of doubt and worry despite the seemingly good news.

Only time would show what would happen to this strange disharmonious group, and time seemed like a luxury to a group who had for so long existed in the shadows. But time has a funny way of changing things, and the winds of change were blowing towards America's west coast...