Dell (part 3 of 3)

Dell

“You sick, sick, boy. I never knew you would go this far,"

Oblivion head of the Newtopian World Worshipers

“You have a good point, Dell,” John yielded.  “Many of us have argued the very same thing for years.  But now is not a time for that debate. We should get going.” They both stood and followed John to an aluminum door that was just off of the main, domed hall.  He opened it for them and let them pass so that he could lock it behind them.

Fifteen feet in front of them metal iron stairs spiraled tightly up.  When they got there Dell and Mara looked back.  John motioned with a flick of his wrist to go up the pitch black iron stairs.  When the upstairs hallway stopped at a door Mara, who was in front, push and push. When she looked back both males said, “Pull.”  Their unison startled her and she hurriedly pulled it open.  This made her take two steps back which cause a chain reaction sending the other two back on their heels.  Dell and Mara laughed.  John cursed under his breath. 

When they entered Dell saw the most impressive piece of technology he had ever seen, and he had seen iPhones.  It first looked like a wall of water.  But the layer of flowing water was thin and he could see that it was concealing a gray door.  John pushed ahead of the two and began moving his fingers against the surface.  It seemed like he was spelling or drawing something with invisible ink from his index finger.  The complicated path with his finger concluded with a small ‘x’.  The peaked frame above the concealed threshold protruded suddenly and blocked the thin flow of water.  This automatic feature revealed a grey metal door.  John pushed the door open and lightly pushed each of the two in. Dell saw John pull something out from beneath his robe.

Sudden stinging and blindness made being shoved onto a table and crashing though it seem like a pleasant distraction.  Dell kept rubbing his head in order to sooth the searing pain in the hopes of relieving the dizziness and partial blindness.  He started to realize people were shouting. John was roaring.  When Dell looked towards the shouting he saw nothing and his head hurt again and more.  What is going on?

“John, let’s just talk about this in my office like we used to.  We talked about so many things that brought our families together.”

“Oblivion, you and your daughter, were like family.  But you treated me like dirt,” John said.

“John, we gave your family unlimited financial support and invited you to our home.”

“We didn’t want your money and we didn’t want to be invited to the “Great Oblivion’s” home.  We wanted a place in the chamber, here.  The future of the Worshipers isn’t down here old man.  It’s up there. But you wouldn’t listen to us.  Even the one you’re replacing me with knows the world is above us not down here,” John said coldly.  Dell saw in pulses that John was holding a gun at a group of people in front of him.

“What do you mean? What do you think we’re doing in Sam’s Town? These things take time.  We are not welcomed just yet.  But the government agencies look like the bad guys now because of the Sam’s Town massacre. Public opinion is-“

“Public opinion is like giving birth to a century; it takes time and is unpredictable. If you had promoted my dad up to Merol or Clarence’s level you would know that because he says brilliant things like that all the time! But you never gave my father a seat here,” John said dismissively. “And you give me the job of ‘errand boy’. And now him,” John pointed the gun at Dell. Dell feebly protected his face with his hands. “And now you’re inviting him to a council meeting?” John said in a high pitch, incredulous accusation. And then he turned the gun to someone else that Dell could not see. 

“You sick, sick, boy. I never knew you would go this far. I’m sorry. I was worried about public opinion when I should have been worried about your opinion,” Oblivion conceded. The items in the room and the gunman himself were clearly in disarray yet intimately connected.  There was a large silver gauntlet just out of reach but in the next few seconds was scheduled to roll right into Dell’s hand. Oblivion must have said something right because John lowered the gun briefly. The cup reached Dell’s hand and he grabbed the cool metal gauntlet.  Still dazed Dell threw it as hard as he could and missed by at least a foot.  Dell opened his eyes enough to see John point the gun at him.

“And you!” John said bitterly.  Oblivion took one large step forward which brought him easily within arm’s length of John.  The big man swung his fist around and down at the slightly lower head of John.  Dell collapsed in relief when Oblivion grunted, John screamed, and the rest of the group cheered.

"Doorknob To Yesterday" by Steve Roll at steverollart.com