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Date Posted: 16:43:04 10/31/01 Wed
Author: Rowan Silvertree
Subject: Anyone fluent in Zombie?
In reply to: Marz 's message, "Going for a snack" on 10:33:08 10/31/01 Wed

Rowan wasn’t too sure about Tia’s reasons for running out of the room after he’d kissed her, but he guessed he’d let it fly for now. Besides, the only reason she would be lying would be if she hadn’t liked the kiss, and well, obviously that was just crazy! Rowan would’ve been downright insulted to be told he was a bad kisser. So as fishy as this whole privy story seemed, he really couldn’t think of any other explanation. Hey, when you had to go, you had to go.

Yeah, but why’d she have to go just then?” he wondered, still feeling a little confused. He blinked and grinned when she tweaked his nose, apparently back to being her old perky self. Seeing her looking so thoughtful all alone in her room had kind of worried him a bit, but now he realized it must have all been in his head. Tia was always happy and full of life! That’s what he loved about her, right? Just like his old friends back home; the type of person to toss you a grin and drag you off to yet another adventure without even asking.

“Tia, why does such a cool girl like you hang out with a guy like me?” he asked, laughing as she did exactly that, leading him out the room, down the stairway, and out the door. They made their way amidst the ruins, both in good spirits, stopping when they came to a library that was in the process of being cleaned and restored by zombies.

Rowan stuck his tongue out at the zombies, chuckling when they only gave him blank stares before returning mindlessly to their work. “What’s that?” he asked, nodding at Tia as she scooped up an old tome, shaking the dust from its cover before flipping it open.

“Looks like mumbo-jumbo to me,” she said, thumbing through the ancient pages, some of which were starting to crumble already, “That's probably because I can't read this language.” She smiled and he grinned back at her, moving a little closer so he could read the ominous looking text.

“Sama bin la-dhal,” he read, “Es talia cor ad sal.” He cast her a cheeky grin. “I think it must be Nerombian for, Rowan is the best looking guy I’ve ever met. What do you think?” His smile faded as well when he saw that her expression had changed, as she stared off across the room at one of the zombies.

“Undead don't need food or water,” she said softly, in a voice that put him immediately on his guard. “Yet, I just saw one of the zombies drinking from a flask. Explain that to me, Rowan.”

“They don’t?” he asked, giving the zombie in question a double take. “I mean…yeah, of course they don’t!’ He pulled thoughtfully on one of the feathers braided into his hair. Now why would a zombie that didn’t need to be drinking water…um…well, drink water?

This is where you say something really super clever to impress her, Silvertree! he told himself. He perked up excitedly, but alas, nothing would come. Damn.

“Well, then we’ll just have to ask him,” he said, giving her a quick wink. “C’mon.” They both walked up to the zombie whom Tia had seen drink from the flask. The thing didn’t even pause in its work to take notice of them, so Rowan simply leaned over and tapped it on the shoulder.

“Hi!” he said, waving at the undead, as it slowly set the box down it was carrying and stared dumbly at him. “Hello, there. I’m…uh, Rowan, and this is my friend, Tia,” he gestured to the pretty thief at his side, “And what might be your name, sir?”

The zombie opened its mouth, but nothing came out save a slow, wheezing sound, though it didn't smell as bad as he thought it might.

“I see,” Rowan mused, placing a finger over his mouth in contemplation. “Okay, Mr…” he looked at Tia, who shrugged, “Mr….Zombie? Can I call you that?” No response. He nodded. “Mr. Zombie, sir, if I may, my friend here,” he pointed to Tia again, “Happened to spot you taking a drink from a flask of what we presume to be water.”

A somewhat sentient gleam began to reflect out of the zombie’s eyes, as though it understood what he was saying.

“Ah!” Rowan said, smiling enthusiastically, “So you comprehend what I’m saying, here, then?”

A long pause, then a slow, ponderous shaking of the head.

“Oh.” He sighed; this wasn’t going very well. “Okay, just answer, nod or shake. You’re a zombie, correct?”

Nod.

“So you’re dead, right?”

Nod.

“So you don’t drink water?”

Nod.

“Because you’re dead.”

Another nod.

“But of course, the dead can’t think, so these question don’t really mean anything to you.” Rowan scratched at his head, missing the confused nod, which turned into a shake, then a nod again.

“Forget it,” he sighed, reaching over to pat the zombie on the shoulder, then thinking better of it when he realized just what he was touching. Kind of weird that this zombie didn’t smell as bad as the others. Must have just been…ahh, zombified, he guessed was the term. “You’re a good fellow. Thanks for your time, and, uh, go ahead and get back to…lifting boxes or whatever.”

The zombie nodded and Rowan turned away, pulling at his hair again. “Well, that was weird,” he said, grinning at Tia, “Should have known better than to try and speak to one of those. I guess we’ll never find out the truth now, unless we ask Kazabet.” He was thoughtful for a few more seconds before his musings were interrupted by a low growl in his stomach. “Hey, must be dinner time,” he said, taking Tia’s hand in his own and pulling her back in the direction of the palace. “Let’s go eat!”

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Replies:

  • Monkey see....monkey..... -- Corum & Yorik, 19:44:02 10/31/01 Wed
  • Eat...eat the monkey...I need food.... -- Tristan, 00:53:31 11/01/01 Thu
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