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| (visual by Abel Briquet via this license) |
dispatch ten
Mule Factory
by Steve Goerger
debuted 15 August 2009 | kept 1143 times | click to keep
It is in the highlands that Shaito proves his real worth to Florian. Handy with both fire and water, Shaito keeps camp while Florian explores his mind with Rudolpho's gifted drugs. Florian lays the pills and pot on the ground. He points to them, then to his eyes, then to the sky. He hooks his thumbs and flaps his hands like bird’s wings. Points to the drugs again–Shaito seems confused. "Don?" Florian asks; Shaito needs no further explanation. He goes about gathering scrub brush for heat, drilling cacti for water.
Dan and Don wordlessly declare a truce, though Dan is hopeful Don has told Inez it was he who punched him, so Inez might wonder. Any press being good press. But Don never says anything to Inez. Only hums.
The birthing season hits stride and Dan midwives, alone, flawlessly. A large inventory accrues. Dan and Rico wonder why Rudolpho doesn't sell any. "The economy is in such shape that probably no one can even afford a mule anymore," Rico says, keeping to himself suspicions that Rudolpho is simply incompetent. Meanwhile, the corral nearly overflows with sexless animals, standing around, just staring at one another.
Inez answers the phone. Sometimes she tries to explain herself fully, in Portuguese. But she can only try.
"Hello, Inez," a voice says. "I love you. I wish you’d stop crying."
"Que?"
"Of course, things won’t stay the same forever. Someday you’ll stop crying. I wonder if I’ll still love you then."
"Papa?"
"However, Rico says what we are we will always be. Somehow, you will cry, and I will love you forever."
"Don?"
"Dan! Do you understand? Dan. See, I’ve been hurt so much. I don’t know much else. I had a girl I called Joey, Inez, but her real name was Joan."
"Shaito?"
"Don!" Florian screams, waking Shaito from a comfortable sleep near the fire. "Ich weiss jetzt! Er ist Don!"