The (in)Human Adventure is Just Beginning

"I dunno, but if I were you," he says sotto voce Murray, Sara and Jasper, "But I'd probably see if I could find a safe place to put him." He jerks his head a couple of times towards Josh, who is a few yards away staring raptly at a small beetle on a leaf. Josh is nodding and staring intently, as if listening to the otherwise normal insect relating something fascinating. "He's...okay, he's NOT really a nice guy, but...yeah, he's not really safe. This last one was a pretty hairy fix. I'd think about maybe getting him some help, maybe a nice, quiet room in a hospital somewhere."

"Yeah, we tried that a few times," says Sara. "They kept letting him out and he keeps finding us again. Even when we encased him in concrete that time. He sort of keeps turning up, you know?"

Help nods. "Yeah, one thing about him--he sort of makes life interesting, doesn't he?" he says, with a wry grin.

"Oh, you have NO idea," says Murray.

Jasper says nothing in reply, as he's too busy trying to calm down Josh, who is apparently now highly offended by something the beetle said to him. "Look, I'm sure it's a cultural thing," he says, trying to pull the agitated man away from the shrub. "You don't need to avenge your honor. Besides, I'm sure he'll be dead in a few months anyway, since most insects don't live very long." Help sighs. He knows that it's likely only a matter of time before he's called to try to fix a broken idiot again. With that, he departs.

The eastern horizon is growing lighter, night giving ground to the pale gray of an overcast morning as the four of them get out of the car in the parking lot of a Waffle House (they'd found the car sitting, conveniently abandoned, on the side of the highway a mile or so from the convenience store). Somewhere not far away, they hear the sound of waves--apparently they're close to a seashore or beach. As none of them have eaten in the past day or so, a plate of hash browns (scattered all the way) is sounding more than a little good right now.

1. The Waffle House is normal.
2. The Waffle House is normal...for a certain value of the word "normal."
3. The Waffle House is disgusting.
4. The Waffle House is struck by a tsunami.
5. ...in Iowa.

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