Episode 11 - Jerry

“Jerry?” Fogwat asked as we followed Derrick yet again.  “Jerry hurting.  Fogwat wants to help.”

“Thanks buddy,” I replied feeling the depth of the cut under my rib.  It didn’t seem too deep but it probably could use a spray of sealant.  I didn’t want to stop and do it even though my rib was hurting like hell because if I did I sincerely doubted that Derrick would wait for me.  “I’ve got it Fogwat.  As soon as we get out of here, I’ll doctor up myself and  be fine.”

“Ok Jerry.  Fogwat love friend Jerry.  Fogwat want live in friend Jerry home.”

“Uh…great,” I muttered and stopped for a moment to lean against the side of the tube.  Then, I coughed which sent my sore ribs into a spasm.  “You can’t, Fogwat,” I gasped when I could find my breath again.  “I’m not going home.  I’m heading to a ship on the other side of the galaxy.”

“Fogwat know about that,” Fogwat insisted.  “Fogwat come to live on starship too. Fogwat bring wife, Fogwut, and four little Fogweet children.”

“What the hell is taking you guys so long?”  Derrick yelled from somewhere around the corner.  ”Hurry up or I’m leaving this place without you.”

“Coming,” I called and wiped at whatever was dripping down my face.  I noticed a trickle of blood on my hand as well as a lot of sweat.  ”Listen Fogwat,” I continued.  “You can bring your whole family.  I don’t care.  First we have to get out of this blasted tube.”  The trickle turned into a stream.  In fact, it was looking more like a river.   I was either bleeding to death or sweating like a whole drove of pigs.  I was dying, I surmised, in a stupid elevator tube, underground somewhere on the ridiculous planet of Mars.

“Jerry getting a shower,” Fogwat laughed.  “Jerry need to have a clean face otherwise Fogwut and the Fogweets will think Jerry very strange.”

“If I’m strange, what does that make you?” I snapped and then noted Fogwat’s sad frown and disappointed expression.  “Sorry buddy, no harm intended.  I’m just getting a little tired as I’m dying here.  In fact, my eyesight is dimming and I can’t hear much anymore due to the roar of blood rushing out of my brain.”  It occurred to me then, in one of my last cogent thoughts, to wonder where in fact this shower was coming from.  I looked up at the ceiling of the tube and discovered a giant hole in the roof from which water was pouring down right on top of me.  ”Up there!”  I gasped as I realized that’s where the noise was coming from as well.  I wasn’t dying or at least not yet although there was still the possibility that Derrick might kill me.  “Derrick, here’s the way to get out of this tube!”

Derrick returned from wherever he had been and scanned the overhead conduit with his torch.  ”Cool, there’s a ladder in there which we can climb.  Good job, Jerry.”

“But how do we get up there?” I asked.  ”The bottom of that conduit has got to be at least eight feet high.”

“Jump!” Fogwat yelled and leapt up into the air.  He flew straight into that conduit and then waved “Come on” with his stumpy arm.

“Fogwat,” I sighed.  “I can’t jump way up there.”

“Here friend Jerry.”  Fogwat extended a skinny leg.  It came all the way down to where I was standing so I grabbed my kit and hung on.  He pulled me up to the ladder and then he extended his leg for Derrick too.

“Big heads are also related to the species Cephalopoda Mollusca and can extend their siphon appendages quite long as you can see.  Grab ahold, Derrick.  We may finally get out of here.”

“Do I have to?” Derrick muttered and winced when he touched Fogwat’s slimey skin.