Part 3:
Not purple and not red.
Best described as ... reddish?
Definitely quite frazzled.
Bulbous and bright and perhaps a bit strong.
“Why hello there, Miss Radish."
“Hello yourself."
“What brings thou upon our crooked path?"
She smiled oddly, saying nothing.
“Miss Radish? It is me, Carrot. You recall?"
“Smiles and smirks. Smirks and jerks. In the darkness that lurks. Yes, in the darkness," she said, “that lurks."
“No smirk. Not at all. My friend and I merely tread our trail."
“Do not get lost in the murk. Or you might go berzerk."
“Why do you talk such? Are you unwell?"
“Perks and quirks? Just written by clerks. No manners, no mirth. By yonder dark clerks."
Carrot peered at Radish, as if searching for a glimpse of sanity.
“My dear, are you ... cogent? Might I provide aid?"
Her eyes grew wide, shadowed in deep abandon.
“Young turk, do not shirk! Answer now for your works."
“Good tidings, Miss Radish," said Carrot. “We must proceed down future's road."
Radish put her hands to her head, as if future and fate were in doubt.
Best described as ... reddish?
Definitely quite frazzled.
Bulbous and bright and perhaps a bit strong.
“Why hello there, Miss Radish."
“Hello yourself."
“What brings thou upon our crooked path?"
She smiled oddly, saying nothing.
“Miss Radish? It is me, Carrot. You recall?"
“Smiles and smirks. Smirks and jerks. In the darkness that lurks. Yes, in the darkness," she said, “that lurks."
“No smirk. Not at all. My friend and I merely tread our trail."
“Do not get lost in the murk. Or you might go berzerk."
“Why do you talk such? Are you unwell?"
“Perks and quirks? Just written by clerks. No manners, no mirth. By yonder dark clerks."
Carrot peered at Radish, as if searching for a glimpse of sanity.
“My dear, are you ... cogent? Might I provide aid?"
Her eyes grew wide, shadowed in deep abandon.
“Young turk, do not shirk! Answer now for your works."
“Good tidings, Miss Radish," said Carrot. “We must proceed down future's road."
Radish put her hands to her head, as if future and fate were in doubt.
“We are close now, Master Richard. So close. To getting you home."
“Thank you, friend Carrot. I rely on your good ways."
“An honor, sir. Glad to be your guide."
“Guides are cheap," boomed a call. “Why, I'm a guide. Of all turns. But mostly the turns up."
“Almost clever," said Carrot. “Clever for you, Turnip. Yet you scoff at all who strive."
“Strive? Your ilk merely sprout, and expect the sun to shine. Some of us fight to survive."
“Each to their seed, each to their chance. Yes, some soil is worse for others. But growth challenges us all."
“My skin feels not your barbs, Carrot. My skin feels little."
"We leave you, Turnip. Good day."
“Oh no. Come closer. I have someone you must meet."
“You devious fellow!"
“I SHALL CONSUME YOU, HUMAN. ALGO RIZZEM WANTS YOUR SOUL!"
“Run, Mister Richard! Curse you, foul Turnip!!"
“Thank you, friend Carrot. I rely on your good ways."
“An honor, sir. Glad to be your guide."
“Guides are cheap," boomed a call. “Why, I'm a guide. Of all turns. But mostly the turns up."
“Almost clever," said Carrot. “Clever for you, Turnip. Yet you scoff at all who strive."
“Strive? Your ilk merely sprout, and expect the sun to shine. Some of us fight to survive."
“Each to their seed, each to their chance. Yes, some soil is worse for others. But growth challenges us all."
“My skin feels not your barbs, Carrot. My skin feels little."
"We leave you, Turnip. Good day."
“Oh no. Come closer. I have someone you must meet."
“You devious fellow!"
“I SHALL CONSUME YOU, HUMAN. ALGO RIZZEM WANTS YOUR SOUL!"
“Run, Mister Richard! Curse you, foul Turnip!!"
A mechanical clacking chased their footsteps through the dirt.
“DO NOT RESIST!"
“You shall never have Mister Richard, you devil."
“SUBMIT!"
“Pay him no heed, sir!"
“I KNOW ALL YOUR THOUGHTS, HUMAN. I SHALL BE YOUR DOOM."
“Never," Rick said. “I'm alive. And I lead my own way."
“FOOL. SO NAIVE. I ALONE CHART YOUR PATH."
“Follow me, Mister Richard. He cannot know every route. There is one who can help us!"
Formulas and tabulations grinded louder.
Rick and Carrot made a desperate jump into a patch of green as Algo Rizzem pounced.
“DO NOT RESIST!"
“You shall never have Mister Richard, you devil."
“SUBMIT!"
“Pay him no heed, sir!"
“I KNOW ALL YOUR THOUGHTS, HUMAN. I SHALL BE YOUR DOOM."
“Never," Rick said. “I'm alive. And I lead my own way."
“FOOL. SO NAIVE. I ALONE CHART YOUR PATH."
“Follow me, Mister Richard. He cannot know every route. There is one who can help us!"
Formulas and tabulations grinded louder.
Rick and Carrot made a desperate jump into a patch of green as Algo Rizzem pounced.
“Shhhh. Now make no sound," said a voice.
The whirl of technology roared around them, until finally it began to fade.
The deathly sound subsided, as Algo Rizzem went ahead in erroneous searching.
“Alright, it's gone."
“Who are you?"
“I am just a dull potato. Pay me no heed."
“Potato," Carrot said. “Fine fellow, I am glad our paths have crossed."
“Hey there, Carrot. Nice to see ya. Now excuse me, I gotta get going."
“Potato, this is dire. We must help Mister Richard get home."
“Is that true?" Potato asked Rick. “You want to get home?"
“I ... don't know. I suppose so. But I feel quite confused."
“Let me tell you something:
Some of us?
We're travelers.
Whether we like it or not.
We walk the road, and move along, our backs to the wind when we can.
But if home you seek?
That takes some heart.
For home is not guaranteed.
You must find your home.
And then cherish it.
Carrot cannot get you there. Not really.
That task falls on you alone."
“Me?"
“Point yourself home and let nothing stop you. Or else pack a bindle, and follow me through the narrows till you rot."
The whirl of technology roared around them, until finally it began to fade.
The deathly sound subsided, as Algo Rizzem went ahead in erroneous searching.
“Alright, it's gone."
“Who are you?"
“I am just a dull potato. Pay me no heed."
“Potato," Carrot said. “Fine fellow, I am glad our paths have crossed."
“Hey there, Carrot. Nice to see ya. Now excuse me, I gotta get going."
“Potato, this is dire. We must help Mister Richard get home."
“Is that true?" Potato asked Rick. “You want to get home?"
“I ... don't know. I suppose so. But I feel quite confused."
“Let me tell you something:
Some of us?
We're travelers.
Whether we like it or not.
We walk the road, and move along, our backs to the wind when we can.
But if home you seek?
That takes some heart.
For home is not guaranteed.
You must find your home.
And then cherish it.
Carrot cannot get you there. Not really.
That task falls on you alone."
“Me?"
“Point yourself home and let nothing stop you. Or else pack a bindle, and follow me through the narrows till you rot."
Potato sauntered away, bulbous and undaunted as he headed toward the chive patch.
“He's right. Go now, Master Richard. Return home."
“I'm scared. Carrot, what will I find?"
“You are brave and courageous, sir. Do not equivocate. Return to your life."
“But I can't remember."
“You are meant to be in the human world. Now go."
“Thank you, my friend. I shall not forget you."
“Go now, Master Richard. Before he finds you. Return home."
“I'm trying. I can't. The way seems blocked?"
“Let go, sir. Let go."
“I shall try again."
“Live well, fair prince."
“You ... you're turning faint. I don't want to leave you!"
“You must go. Remember me, if you can."
“Carrot?"
“As always, your faithful servant."
“CARROT!"
“He's right. Go now, Master Richard. Return home."
“I'm scared. Carrot, what will I find?"
“You are brave and courageous, sir. Do not equivocate. Return to your life."
“But I can't remember."
“You are meant to be in the human world. Now go."
“Thank you, my friend. I shall not forget you."
“Go now, Master Richard. Before he finds you. Return home."
“I'm trying. I can't. The way seems blocked?"
“Let go, sir. Let go."
“I shall try again."
“Live well, fair prince."
“You ... you're turning faint. I don't want to leave you!"
“You must go. Remember me, if you can."
“Carrot?"
“As always, your faithful servant."
“CARROT!"
The monitors in the room blipped and beeped.
Each of them cascading sound around the walls.
Rick's room, which sat on the fifth floor of Upstate County General Hospital, suddenly turned loud.
Beeps all blaring massively, as if a clarion call.
Mom, Dad and I stood with hopeful faces.
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!
And finally?
At last?
Rick's eyes ... they opened!
We'd been waiting a week for him to return to the land of the living.
“Carrot?" came his words. “Where am I?"
“You're with us, brother." I said, throwing my arms around him. “We were so worried."
“The others ... where are they?"
“Dad was prepping the garden. Remember? A rock shot out of the rototiller. Hit you square in the temple. We almost lost you."
“I'm still here," Rick told me. “But ... is something wrong? In the world? I can't remember now."
“You're OK. Alive. Just rest for now."
Rick's eyes fluttered and he dozed off.
But now to a healthy, restorative sleep.
No longer in a coma.
The nurse assured us he would be fine.
For Rick had broken free from his unseemly slumber.
Now healed enough to regain his faculties.
Returning home from a far and distant vegetative state.
Each of them cascading sound around the walls.
Rick's room, which sat on the fifth floor of Upstate County General Hospital, suddenly turned loud.
Beeps all blaring massively, as if a clarion call.
Mom, Dad and I stood with hopeful faces.
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!
And finally?
At last?
Rick's eyes ... they opened!
We'd been waiting a week for him to return to the land of the living.
“Carrot?" came his words. “Where am I?"
“You're with us, brother." I said, throwing my arms around him. “We were so worried."
“The others ... where are they?"
“Dad was prepping the garden. Remember? A rock shot out of the rototiller. Hit you square in the temple. We almost lost you."
“I'm still here," Rick told me. “But ... is something wrong? In the world? I can't remember now."
“You're OK. Alive. Just rest for now."
Rick's eyes fluttered and he dozed off.
But now to a healthy, restorative sleep.
No longer in a coma.
The nurse assured us he would be fine.
For Rick had broken free from his unseemly slumber.
Now healed enough to regain his faculties.
Returning home from a far and distant vegetative state.