Babble Fish

 

A story by Thelma Mary Caroline

 

 

It was a strange world.  A strange place.  But I knew we'd find him here.

 

"Howdy, Ma'am.  They need any help this pretty fine day?"

 

I stared at the man.  This couldn't be happening ...  Okay, so it was a strange world.  Fine.  I could live with that.  But couldn't the people speak English?

 

"Yeah, I'm looking for a guy.  A fugitive.  His name is John French."

 

"If I give a description of the man."

 

"Uh ... he has brown eyes and jet black hair.  He wears a long black jacket.  Have you seen him around?"

 

"This to be the kind of strange question, but why it could speak you so strange?"

 

"That's top secret, actually.  I just need to find this man."

 

"Thus you are not around here? Do you come from the lost lakes?"

 

"Sure, if it helps me find this man."

 

"I am afflicted, but it asked me not to say to no matter whom who it remains with the stable in bottom of the street. It said that it would live as the Jesus baby until it was sure. But he said to me that not to say, thus I cannot."

 

"No, of course not.  Not under those circumstances.  Have a nice day."

 

"You too."

 

 

I headed down the street, until I came to a stable.  The world was indeed strange.  They kept cattle in a tiny little house.  A real house, not a stable, with a white picket fence.

 

"I know you're here.  Give yourself up and no harm will come to your family.  That's right, we've got your family under custody right now.  We found them in your little hidey hole.  But you still have a way to save them!  Give yourself up now!"

 

"Do devil make you? To speak with the cows? You are strange."  The man from the street was behind me.

 

"I'm strange?  Listen here, buddy.  This guy I'm trying to catch, he'd kill you with a single look.  He'll kill you before you know you're dead.  Now tell me where he is!"

 

"I said to you that, I cannot say to you that it is under the hay in the corner. I if I could but I am sworn with the secrecy. I cannot betray my honor!"

 

"No, I guess not.  But I bet I can guess where he's hiding.  I was very good at hide and seek when I was a girl.  Marco!"

 

"Polo."

 

The voice is tinney.  So he has given himself up at last.  I kick at the hay.

 

The man stands up, almost looking ashamed.  Brown eyes, black hair.  He's mine!  I've finally caught the fugitive.

 

"But the joke's on you!  I'm his twin brother!"

 

"What?  How?" I glare at the townsman.

 

"I said to you, I cannot say to you that were it is! Ha ha ha!"

 

"Oh ha ha."

 

Another ten years I'll spend looking.  He'll kill a thousand more times.  And everyone thinks it's a joke.

 

 

 

Ellie Jay pulled off her mask.  "I really like these new interactive video games," she said to her friend Owen.

 

"Yeah, but next time let's not play avanced hide and seek.  That weird townsperson -- I think he was there to help little kids."

 

"He sounded like his text has been run through bable fish a few times."

 

"Let's go get a game that not rate P G."

 

"Like that new shoot 'em up game on the commercial!" Ellie Jay cried.

 

"What?  That one that takes place in a train station?  That's P G.  There's no blood or guts or even guns.  It's all pretend."

 

"I know, but that's what makes it cool!"

 

"Okay, but let's play Hide and Seek one more time.  I think I've come up with a way to trick the townsperson."