Hoopte Gobbledygook by Sebastian Livaracci - HTML preview

PLEASE NOTE: This is an HTML preview only and some elements such as links or page numbers may be incorrect.
Download the book in PDF, ePub, Kindle for a complete version.

Chapter 20

 

 

THE NEW SWINGTON ESTATE

0255HRS

 

CAIN MISON

Yeah! That is more like it. Fuckers! You are lucky I didn’t have to come

down there. [touches his temples]

Oh god, the headache…

 

* * *

 

ERIC KAPALDI

I guess they heard our pleas.

 

LEAH KAPALDI

Thank god. Now we can sleep in peace. We will still have to lodge a

complaint with the Mayor’s office. I told you it would have been better if

we have gotten a house further away from the road.

 

ERICK KAPALDI

I guess.

 

* * *

 

JAMES HORACE

That is enough excitement for one day don’t you think?

 

MARION HORACE

Sure, it is. It is good to have a bit of excitement. The ‘serene

neighbourhood’ can be very pedestrian sometimes.

 

JAMES HORACE

[coughs]

I guess this is our cue to go back in. Too bad we couldn’t decipher what it

was they were saying. It was odd too how they went silent. Just like that.

[Rubs his thumb and index finger and makes a clicking sound]

 

MARION HORACE

Maybe they are spies you know. They must have been sending an

encrypted message. Maybe they finished sending it.

[chuckles]

 

JAMES HORACE

I have been thinking. It could be aliens sending out interplanetary

messages.

 

MARION HORACE

[playfully punches James on the back]

Silly

 

* * *

 

JOJI KOJIMA

 

HOOPTE GOBBLEDYGOOK

No. No. No. No. No. Dammit!

[flings the controller onto the pouch across]

One more round and then I sleep.

[goes to pick it up]

Work tomorrow be damned. I need to finish this mission.

 

* * *

 

SARAH DJIMON

That is it for me. I will leave this place. I am done. This is not what the

realtor promised. ‘Serene neighbourhood’ my ass.

 

* * *

 

JOHN KNOWS

These are the side effects of a free country prescription. There is bound

to be a disturbance of the peace through misinterpretation of the laws

of the land. People will always want to do things that are beneficial to

the self. The shortcomings of a democratic society are well documented.

 

SIMON SENECA

True.

[rises up]

Well, John this calls for a good night. We still need to look into solutions

to this problem.

 

JOHN KNOWS

And we will. In due time. All in due time. Good night Simon.

 

* * *

 

DAK RUNDY

What do you know? They have stopped with the bullshit. The fun is

over? This calls for a celebration and much possible shuteye.

[refills tumbler]

Why would they come to Swington to cause trouble?

I piss on you Motleys.

[takes a swig]

 

* * *

 

JOE SMOCKER

[looking at Lenny, who is carrying various paraphernalia with evil

intent]

I can’t believe you roped me into this Lenny. You are bad for my health.

You really are the evil twin.

 

LENNY SMOCKER

No I am not.

 

JOE SMOCKER

You are a bad influence Lenny, father was right about you. I think you

need help.

 

LENNY SMOCKER

You mean we? I know you enjoy it. In your own quiet way.

 

JOE SMOCKER

Enjoy it? Being an arsonist, you mean, burning up shit. It is antisocial

Lenny. I am tired and retired.

 

LENNY SMOCKER

 

HOOPTE GOBBLEDYGOOK

We are not arsonists. We are pyromaniacs Joe.

 

JOE SMOCKER

I am not. I will not, be a pyromaniac. You are the pyromaniac.

 

LENNY SMOCKER

Not me. We are pyromaniacs. You and me.

 

JOE SMOCKER

You are sick.

 

LENNY SMOCKER

Indeed. It is a medical condition. They just did not diagnose it earlier.

They would have placed us on medication. If they did so we probably

wouldn’t be here carrying jerrycans of gasoline and a box of matches at

3 AM in the morning.

 

JOE SMOCKER

5 years was not enough medicine for you Lenny? I mean, we just got out

3 weeks ago! And how the fuck is it you got gasoline so bloody quickly

Lenny? And what the fuck is it with the explosives? Who stores

explosives around? What kind are they anyway? And where are they?

What if they explode? You know what? Never mind.

 

LENNY SMOCKER

One must always be prepared. What was it that Sun Tzu said? Know

thyself, know thy weakness. I didn’t know when the hunger would

strike. I needed to be prepared in case.

The capacity to be ready for opportunity.

The capacity to be ready for serendipity.

The capacity to be ready for magnanimity.

 

JOE SMOCKER

I didn’t know you had been hitting the prison library Lenny.

[puts on a mask]

 

LENNY SMOCKER

[Opens the tailgate to the van and loads the stuff in]

It is was eye opening that Library. The things I learnt. For example did

you know that Nero-

 

JOE SMOCKER

Whatever. And what about the curfew Lenny?

 

LENNY SMOCKER

What about it?

 

JOE SMOCKER

You are aware there is a curfew in effect?

 

LENNY SMOCKER

So?

 

JOE SMOCKER

So!

 

LENNY SMOCKER

Don’t be a defeatist.

Listen, the settlement is not being guarded and the patrols are not due

for another one hour or so.

 

JOE SMOCKER

How do you know all about this Lenny?

 

HOOPTE GOBBLEDYGOOK

 

LENNY SMOCKER

Listen, the important thing is-

[Lenny’s thoughts are cut short by the ‘Weuw weuw weuw’ that sings

from a distance.]

 

JOE SMOCKER

You were saying. The important thing…

* * *