Banished To Earth Book Two (14)

“Phastanar posed no threat,” Chase theorized aloud. “We need to go now.”

Pink tears welled up in Pry’s eyes when they saw Chase’s turn stern and stony…

A heavy quilt of silence lay over them as Chase’s truck weaved its’ way through the grey and green tunnel of thick foliage leading to Salter Path. But after a few moments Pry could not help but speak…

“The world is moving. Everything is sliding by. Everything is moving but us.”

Her words shattered his shell of silence. Chase glanced at her. His eyes smiled.

“Told you this would be fun.”

“Fun? Yes fun. How are we moving but not moving?”

“The truck has an engine, never mind. They didn’t have carts, ox carts, horses on Phastanar?”

“Horses?” She bowed her head. “No, horses. They were on TV. They are beautiful. No. But they are of earth, not Phastanar. That is a pity.”

“It is.” Chase said turning right as he headed toward Fort Macon Road. Chase felt like a father again when he saw Pry’s eyes brighten and smile at the sight of a flock of sea gulls gliding beneath the white flecked blue.

“The more I see the more I love,” She cooed.

Chase glanced away from the road, letting his eyes rest on her for a bit, “Yeah, me too…”

A short time later, he pulled into the Walmart parking lot.

“So many trucks.” Pry said watching Chase expertly maneuver his massive vehicle through the heavy traffic.

“Not all trucks, thank goodness. Think I’ll find us a spot farther away from the entrance. You don’t mind walking do you?”

“Oh no, so many people, all colors. So many, so dark. I have never seen people like that. Wonderful.  It is strange. But I like it. And men and women walking together. And no one is bleeding.”

“Pry the women are not Cry’chi.”

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   “Yes, don’t think I have ever seen that.”

   “You mean the only women you’ve ever seen are Cry’chi?”

    “Yes.”

   “Okay,” he said, pulling into an open parking space, flanked by more open spaces. “Just look down, as much as you can. Don’t want to spoil this for you, but we can’t get too close to people. And remember what I said about men and boys.”

   She nodded just before he climbed out, walked around and helped her down to the pavement.

   “And no fancy gymnastics either, no matter what you see, just trust me and do what I do. How’s your hair? Does it feel funny? That sounded dumb.”

  “No threat. It is good.”

   “Just keep it still, okay.” He admonished her just before he opened a big glass door, took her hand and led her inside.

    “A light cave,” she murmured, her head bouncing around as though she were a bobble head figure. She was like a child on Christmas morning as they made their way deeper into the huge white-walled building. Her eyes swelled with delight as they sauntered through canyons of brightly colored boxes, each bearing the smiling face of a happy child or delighted adult, toys and toiletries and the like, until finally, clothes.

  “Is it too bright?”

  “Oh no,” Pry answered as she tried to look in every direction at the same time.

    “Crap, we’re going to need a cart.” He tugged her back toward the bare concrete cart room, accidentally pulling her into the path of a tall skinny teenage girl, dressed in a red miniskirt, thick-soled black combat boots and faded denim jacket. Her face was pretty, but so full of silver studs and gold rings she would never get past a metal detector.

    She flung her long black hair around, slinging it across Pry’s face. “Hey girl, watch it!” She said through a nasty smirk as she eyed Pry up and down. “And where’d you git that ratty shirt, the goodwill reject bin.”

   “This is my husband’s shirt, a gift from his childhood. It is precious to me.”

“What! Girl you betta check your ‘tude.”

62

    Pry’s eyes narrowed and began to darken.

Chase stepped up in front of her. “Miss, let it go. Now!”

   The girl blinked as color drained from her face.

    “Yea, yes, yes, sir.” She turned quickly, walked away, and looked back at him, her features knotted in terror.

  “That was. Easy, too easy.” He said as he led Pry to the carts. He didn’t see her knowing smile… Pry, however, saw confusion and concern etched deep across his face. ‘he does not know…’ she thought…’ soon, he will..’

     “They were soon walking through aisles of bras and why bother see through panties.

 “What are these?” She asked.

“Women's underwear.”  

“Under what?”

  “Good question. Let’s go to the dresses, slacks and blouses, anything that goes over these things.”

   “Your face is red.”

   “I’m a guy, don’t have a sister, but I do have a brand-new wife, I kinda just met. This is all new to me.”

   “Yes, it is new to me too. I can wear this.” She said as she looked down at her shirt dress, “It will be enough.”

   “No Pry. My old shirt is not enough. It will never be enough for you. But I do need some help.” He took her hand and headed to the checkout counters at the front of the store and made a bee line to the first friendly female face he saw.

   “Ma’am,” he said as he jaunted up to a middle-aged woman dressed in a tan jumpsuit. Her ID tag read Meryl. She was a short woman, almost hidden by her glass-enclosed cash register. “I could really use your help.”

    “Yes, sir.” She looked up at him and smiled down at Pry.

“We need every kind of women’s clothes, and I do mean everything.”

“Yes, I am naked under this shirt. But it is all right in fact I am quite comfortable without…”

63

“Pry, let me…”

“Miss, did ya’ll have a fire, or somethin’?”

“Our driveway was on fire.” Pry piped.