The Greatest Adventure

CHAPTER 4: GETTING READY TO GO... MAYBE

Andrew is still angry, even as he leaves the town and walks the road back to his home. He'd hoped seeing his Pa would have cooled his temper some, it only made him angrier. But what did he expect, visiting an unconscious man still being scrubbed of his own blood?

Old Elric is not far behind the boy, as he maintains a respectful distance. He can just hear the angry words the boy spits from his mouth, while he clenches his fists so hard that they turn stark white.

"So," the old man speaks up, looking for a reaction. "You going to kill the thing or not?"

Andrew is not listening or, more to the point, is incapable of listening, at this time.

"Oh come on," Old Elric prods, as he closes the gap between them. "Say something."

More fuming and fretting, but no response.

"Fine then if you won't talk, then I'll just have to hold a conversation with myself," Old Elric informs the boy, after which he pauses for effect, but the boy does not bite. So, he's forced to carry on with his threat. "Well now, how are you doing today, myself?" he asks, as he leaned to the left.

"Who me?" he asks, in a slightly different voice, as he leans to the right.

"Yes you," he returns to his normal voice. "Who else would I be talking to?"

"Well." he replies in his different voice. "You needn't be so rude about it."

"I am most certainly not being rude," the normal voice insists.

"Yes, you are," the other voice throws back.

"No, I am not!" the normal voice further insists with a raised voice.

"You most certainly are," the other voice counters. "Why else would you raise your voice?"

"I'm raising my voice because you are being childish and difficult!" the normal voice counters the counter.

"Well, if I'm being childish, then maybe I should just shut up!" the other voice snaps back. "Then maybe you'll be happy."

"Oh, come on now," the normal voice tries to console its counterpart. "Don't be that way."

"I can't hear you," the other voice responds. "You haven't apologized."

"Fine," the normal voice concedes. "I apologize."

"That's better," the other voice returns. "Now, what do you want?"

"What do you think is up with this kid?" the normal voice asks.

"Him?" the other voice replies. "I haven't the foggiest."

"Well, what good are you then?" the normal voice demands in a soft spoken fashion.

"Better than you, apparently," the other voice observes.

"You are not," the normal voice counters.

"I am so," the other voice insists.

"Are not," the normal voice insists right back.

"You most certainly are," the other voice shoots back. "And we are now, on no talking terms."

"Fine!" the normal voice fires back. "I didn't want to talk to you anyway."

"Oh really?" the other voice comes back. "Even though you were the one who initiated the conversation?"

"Well, I... That is I..." the normal voice trips over its words.

"Oh, it seems you've run out of words," the other voice points out.