Fragments - Flash Anthology

Twelve

"等々この忌々しい罠から出られるみたいだ。"

"What? Hello?" I look toward the source of the continued gibberish, searching for the speaker. "Where are you? Hello?" The voice becomes more angry-sounding. I pull out my phone and shine its light to see better.

At the back of the deep walk-in closet is a wall-spanning set of cheap, dusty white open squares filled with books and other strange things. I step closer while the voice keeps talking in a seemingly calmer tone. Wait, those aren't books! What were they called, again?

"やい！ここだよここ、早う拾えよアホ！"

That must be where the voice is coming from, that thin white plastic box in down there in the corner square. I kneel and inspect the gold letters surrounded in a red band.

"FALIMYCOMTUPERTM" "NINTENDOⓇ"

Wait. I blink slowly, clearing my vision as I hold my phone above and look carefully. Ah, Nintendo, of course! I didn't know they had a family computer, though. What is this thing? I grab the computer only to be greeted with a shock. I instinctively drop it and fall back on my ass.

"Ah! Kid! Yes, this is your language, I presume? Of course you had no clue what it was that I was saying!"

I swing my head about, but there's no one around. "Um. Hello? Where are you? Who are you?"

"Down here, idiot! The NES!"

"The what?"

"Oh for fuck's--the Fami-Con! The white and red thing you just picked up, you dumbass!"

I creep back up to the device, eyeing it carefully. "What -are- you? A talking computer?" Hold on, I could sell this thing! Finally! Goodbye dry ramen and stealing food from my roommates! Maybe I could afford a car? Oh man, after twenty years I'm finally getting a break!

"Ey! Kid! What are you doing muttering to yourself and clenching your fist? Cut that out, it's creepy as fuck, man!"

"Oh. Um, sorry? Anyway, I hope you keep talking for a while. It was totally worth listening to my stupid parents. Here I thought I'd be stuck cleaning my grandparent's ghost-house all summer just to pay rent."

"SHUT UP!"

I recoil back, then I sit up and put my hands in my lap. "Sorry."

"It's fine! I'm not a talking computer, not really. I'm a powerful mage that's been trapped in this -thing- for decades. I just need you to hold onto this object with your bare hands and read the runes that will appear. Don't worry, it will be in your language's letters."

I pick up the talking computer, flinching at the shock but not letting go this time. "Like this?"

"Yes, perfect. Give it a few seconds, kid. It'll take a little bit of your mana to appear. Just make sure when you read the runes that you don't screw it up."

"What?" But then, I see blue-white letters form on the surface, glowing softly, calling out to me in some way like my brain can't focus on anything else. "Hold on, computer. I--I can't think--I'm just--I'm going to read." I clear my throat and blink my eyes slowly. "Hal Alha Ha Ohius Hala U--"

"You motherfu--" the voice was cut off and the letters faded. The computer went silent.

"Computer? Talking computer?!" I shake the white plastic computer, but still nothing. Then, suddenly, my sight blurs, and my back gives. What-- I hit the ground next to my still shining cellphone and wonder how I could sleep with such a bright light next to my face.