the Siren's Call

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 17574

Astra shrugged. "The ways of magic users are mysterious." She might have elaborated, but by now they had reached the intersection. Suddenly the sound of a siren had reached their ears and a police car turned from out of a side street and stopped as close as it could to the scene of the accident.


Imagine, if you will, a whirlwind of motion within a milisecond of time.

The sound of the siren reminded Fred of a screachghost's wail and as his skin crawled with a feral fear fed from a lifetime of tales by the bonfires of midwinter he lept in the opposite direction of that wail and began to run for cover.

Within the context of residential Socorro this meant that he lept over a hedge of climbing roses and onto the lawn of one Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher. He fled down the cemented driveway which led past the yard between the Fletcher residence and that owned by Douglass Wright. He smashed into a few trash cans (scaring the bejeebers out of Felix, who just happened to be a cat) and found himself before a high wooden fence. There were more screeches and yells and banging doors. He climbed the fence as well as he could in his armor and jumped to the other side. He found himself in a grassy area and there was a gate to the left. Leaving yet another yard he found himself facing a line of metal monsters (he was actually facing Third Street which at this hour of the early evening was actually busy with traffic). He ran north up Third until he saw an area of grass and stone. He ran as fast as his legs could take him and bolted behind the largest boulder he saw (he was now in a public park, though he did not know it). He knew he was not safe, but he hoped with the onset of night that the darkness would shelter him from his enemies.

The sound of the siren reminded Astra of the mythic jabberwocky that was heard and not seen in the southern jungles of her native realm. The fright realized at the simple thought of this spectral nightmare caused Astra to shudder and flee. She tried to keep her head about her, she tried to run with Fred, but that horrible sound was too much for her senses, and she ran as fast as she could to safety.

Within the context of residential Socorro this meant that she ran across the street at a sharp diagonal, and jumped over a recycling bin and down an alleyway. She fled past the back doors of three apartments, a drycleaners, and a hair salon. She barely missed a stack of used tires and pile of rubbish and would've made it past the next street if Sammy hadn't been riding his bicycle down Turquoise Street. With a *SMASH* Astra found herself feet over head and arms entangled with metal and flesh. Sammy (only eight years old) began crying while Astra picked herself up and continued her run. She finally saw a simple building with an open door and -fearing that she would be sought after for injuring the child- she fled within (she was now inside a local butcher shop, though she did not know it). She knew she was not safe, but with the onset of night she hoped the darkness would hide her from her enemies.

Officer Malone, meanwhile, had his eyes trained on the accident - while deftly manipulating the jelly donut on his lap with his one free hand. He didn't see a thing (unless one counts the momentary blur of space he detected to the right of the yugo). He shook his head and swore off PBS 'ghost' specials, then he left his vehicle and began the investigation.

  1. At the scene of the accident(s) were George, Helena, the Crabitz's and the other neighbors...
  2. And so Fred.....
  3. And so Astra.....
  4. Meanwhile, Betty.....
  5. Meanwhile, the mailman (remember him?).....
  6. Suddenly with a *pop* something falls from out of the sky....

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11/5/2001 8:12:41 PM

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