Haveil Havalim: The Derezzing, Part 3

[Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 | Epilogue]

Explosions erupted in the hallway, pitching the three of us to the plasma. The air was thick with laser fire. Between the blinding flashes and smoke, I couldn't see my own gloves. Meanwhile, Steve was yelling, "Run! Run!"

"Run where?" I yelled back.

I still held the girl's hand in mine. She yelled back, "Fiery Spirited Zionist! Saluting Israeli scientists. Israeli doctors still save Palestinian lives."

She began pulling me, so I followed in her direction, which I hoped was also the direction Steve was running.

The next seconds were a haze of stumbling and confusion. I tripped over rubble and my own feet while trying to keep up with the hand leading me and the faint steps of Steve ahead.

Suddenly we heard a high-pitched wail and a scream. Steve. Steve!

Emerging from a cloud of smoke, I saw Steve, his shoulder a bloody mess, slowly collapse and topple over.

"Steve!"

Letting go of the girl, I raced forward as fast as I could, sliding onto my knees as I reached him.

"Steve!" He was hurt bad. His arm was off. Dying. I turned around as the girl arrived.

"Quick!" I yelled. "The body-wrap!"

"Israellycool," she said, unwrapping herself with her left hand and handing me the wrap. "The Syrian Who Admires Israel. Farid Ghadry, President of the Reform Party of Syria."

"Yeah, Honey. I'll admire you later." As quickly as possible, I began wrapping Steve's shoulder with the wrap. I dropped my strap-on and tossed it to her. "Find me a blocker! Quick!"

"Muqata. More Only in Israel... a transportation story."

The wrap wasn't doing it. Steve was still leaking blood. Damn it, where was that blocker?

I turned my head. "Where the hell is that ..." and stopped.

The girl was standing over me, holding my piece. The business end was pointed at my head, steady as a rock.

"Our Children are the Guarantors. Hello, Life-Chooser. Jews and the Daily Kos."

For a moment, I only gaped. Then I knew.

"I see. The other block. Ain't that irony."

She looked on the verge of tears, again. "Israeli Satire Laboratory. Peres Stuns Israel, Says: 'I am Willing To Become Prime Minister'."

"That's why I couldn't fix you. Kylie's got you rigged as a trap. I knew he would find something equally devious and depraved. Damn, I'm a fool."

"Cosmic X. Motorcycle Accident Near Tel Aviv. The MDA responds." She began to shake. I could see she was fighting it.

I heard a buzzing in my wi. I sat back on the plamsa. "You can fight it, you know. If you have the strength, you can fight the control."

"Rob's Blog. The Alligator Shoes. A joke."

I sat up. The noise in my wi was getting louder, and I could almost hear my name being called. "It's not a joke. Reach inside for the strength! Fight! You are not Kylie's puppet!"

The hand holding the gun began to waver. Tears were now streaming down her face. "Israeli Tikkun. Genesis, Creationism and What Was Really Born 6000 Years Ago."

Her finger tightened on the trigger, a shot rang out, and I knew no more.

Continued