Chapter thirty-three

The false sun had waned, giving way to an artificial sunset. Dion had been surfing for a good long while, and I held the book at my side, wondering how I could keep my conflicting promises. Neddy believed now that I was intent on reading the book; Dion knew that I was less-than-reticent to peer into the future that the text held. Dion was now paddling back in, for he saw that it would soon be too dark to enjoy himself out there (Night-surfing was not really an option here). I met him at the edge of the ship, where the ladder led to the deck.

“Catch any good ones?” I asked, hoping he was in a brighter mood than before. The robot had produced a dry towel from someplace and, curiously keeping silent now, Neddy handed the cloth to Dion as he clambered aboard.

“A few,” he said, catching his breath, “enough.” He was shivering a little too; in this particular outing, he didn’t have the luxury of an iron wetsuit to keep him warm.

“Did you get any great ideas while you were out there?” I said, halfway-hoping he caught a good one of those too.

“Nope, only bad ones,” Dion said, unhesitant. “I know you want to read it, Lester.” He paused, indicating the book that was still in my left hand. He continued toweling himself off a little, if only to re-adjust to the differing temperature. “I thought about it, and I think you should go ahead and do it. I mean, if that’s our only plan – plan Z – then I’m all for it.” He didn’t sound much like he was “all for it.”

“I was planning to read it tonight,” I said, realizing in that moment that I had brought upon the dusk with my very words. It was all a dream – All of it! – and yet I continued to go through that false dimension under the assumption that all of it was occurring in real life. Hindsight is always a perfect picture, though.

“I’m really okay with it, Lester,” Dion said. “Sure, it could mess up the outcome as I fear, but as long as I never read the ending in that book, I suppose I will never know. It won’t matter much for me.” Interesting take on things, I thought to myself.

“So you really don’t care if I read it, Dion?”

“I can’t stop you man,” he said. “Wouldn’t want to anyway – we’re brothers now. I stand by your plan.” I didn’t have to read his mind to know that he was with me, even if he was still a little reluctant.

“Well, I have a different plan in mind for tonight,” I said, changing the subject. I began to concentrate on a couple of pleasurable ideas and, fitting them carefully into Dion’s delicate consciousness, Dion started to concentrate too. Soon I wasn’t compelling him anymore: Dion presaged where my thoughts were headed and, not-too-suddenly, our chimerae began to fall from the sky.

Dion smiled at me, saying, “You are a pirate at heart, Lester.” First a carton of cigarettes fell, along with a big box of matches. Next fell a gigantic bag of burlap. Besides the sawdust shavings, the contents of the burlap sack included: a bottle of rum, a few chunks of good cheese, and bunches of varietal fruits, mostly plums and peaches. Finally, a deck of cards landed near the bot. These were not trinkets or simple objects of pleasure; in that moment they were items of necessity. It was very possible that the following day would be full of fury – full of bloodshed. The way I saw it: If I were to go headlong into a battle I could never win, I should at least treasure a hero’s feast before I die.