The End of the Very Beginning

Bad Guys Need Flowers - Pt. 5
********************

“Hey, Midnight.” Rog shouted as he walked back, either ignoring or forgetting about Cal. “I’m back, and I think my note’s a little different.

“I found a new friend, too.”

“Another one?” thought Cal.

Rog stepped out of the hallway and into view, where he bent down to release the final arriver. She stepped forward, looked around a bit, and announced her arrival.

“Mew.”

A calico cat sat, without a hat, her tail gently swaying in greeting.

Cal (to Rog): “You brought your cat?”

Rog: “No, no. The cat was outside the door, pawing to get in. She’s probably a stray who lives here and eats rats.”

Midnight (bending down to greet the cat): “A stray with a collar and a name, eh?”

Rog (embarrassed): “What? Oh, she must have just put her collar on. I don’t usually miss things like that.”

Eyes rolled all around - cat included.

Midnight (bending down to read the cat’s collar): “Hello… Sally.”

Cal: “Whoa. She’s got a more human name than you.”

Midnight (standing up, angry): “Is that supposed to be a joke?”

Cal: “Maybe. Do you not like jokes?”

Midnight: “I like jokes that aren’t ignorant.”

Cal erupted, for some reason he wasn’t yet sure of: “And how is a joke about your name ignorant? Did God don you with that name after you saved a small village? Or are all jokes that you don’t like ignorant?”

Rog (defending his queen): “I didn’t like the joke, either. I thought it was crass, racist…”

Midnight (to Rog): “You need to shut up, too, before my ass erodes from your kissing.”

Rog: “I would never do anything to damage your perfect ass, my dearest, unless you compelled me to.”

Midnight “ugh”ed and relocated her attention on the cat. “Looks like Sally is gonna be my only friend here, aren’t you Sally?”

Sally looked up at her, holding one of the notes in her mouth.

“Aww. Isn’t that cute? She wants to be as confused as we are.”

Rog: “I think that’s my note. It has a coffee stain on it, because, you know, I drink coffee.” Again he winked at Midnight. Is coffee supposed to be impressive?

Midnight (reading the note): “Well if it is yours, then it’s the same as mine and that other guy’s.” Apparently Cal was in time-out, where he wasn’t allowed the pleasure of hearing his own name.

Rog: “Whoops. I guess I can be wrong… Hold on, maybe not. My note is still in my pocket.”

Cal: “So I guess the cat drinks coffee, too.” The joke got no reaction. Cal was disappointed, as this was his best line so far.

Rog (confusedly looking at the note he just drew out): “I don’t get it. This one is completely different.”

Cal: “Well, that’s how you said it would be.”

Rog: “No. I mean completely different. I haven’t seen this one before.”

Cal: “What does it say?”

Rog (quoting the note): “Enjoy the scorpions.”

Cal: “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Looking to Midnight, Cal realized he was out of time-out, but probably not for a good reason. Midnight was giving him that uncertain look again. “I don’t know, but I have it, too.” She was holding another copy of the new note.

Cal touched his pocket. Something crinkled.

Then something high above them crinkled, in a metallic way, followed by a sound similar to sand being dumped out of a bag. Hissssssssssss.

The sound wasn’t sand. Obviously.