NICKELS' DREAM

"we’re going to need to shove this spike into your head."

"What?"

"no time to argue. just sit back."

"Wait! Wait!! Let go of me!"

The group of tan labcoatmen surround Nickels and forcibly hold him in the chair as one of them brandishes a seven inch, metal spike. It’s attached to a long, black hose that snakes behind the chair.

"Please! Don’t do this!!"

"you’re not going to feel anything. i promise."

With that, the spike penetrates Nickels’ forehead. It slides in clean. His hands grip the chair’s armrests, then loosen.

"see? what did we tell you? now, let’s boogie."

Two tan labcoatmen pull Nickels out of the chair and strap a backpack to him, which houses the other end of the long, black hose. One of the tan labcoatmen slaps Nickels. His eyes flip open.

"come on, buttercup. we need you frosty here."

Nickels glances around to see the tan labcoatmen running off into the inner recesses of the cave. Three streams of blood seep slowly from the end of the spike in his head. He feels woozy, but apart from a throbbing headache and a hot patch on his face where the tan labcoatman slapped him, he feels alright. He races after them, hugging the curves of the cave as fast as he can. The screams of many labcoatmen echo ahead of him as he rounds a corner and sees hundred of giant, heavily-armored turtle creatures tearing into them. Most of the labcoatmen try to fight back, but they are no match for these walking tanks.

"nickels! now!"

Nickels concentrates on the mass of crazed, slow-moving turtles. He feels fire searing from his eyes.

"And here I thought the spike would be the worst part," he says.




-SLL