In case you’ve missed them, all my A To Z Challenge writings are gathered and streamlined for reading convenience.
Rushing right along, here’s K. I might not even have time for tomorrow’s. L may be late and lame or completely left out. I have to go out of town for a ridiculously rushed, busy weekend. Only time will tell if I have time. I already rushed through this one. The potential typos will haunt me.
Kip
The heart monitor flatlined. The patient stopped responding. It was over. There was nothing left to do.
Kip curled up on Kip’s cot trying not to wet the bed. Yortian tears are serious business.
I hate to strip down a species to a few attributes, but for comprehension purposes, I should explain that Yortians are eyeballs with arms and legs. That is a ridiculously simplified explanation. I know how bereft humans are of their knowledge of other people and cultures, especially Yortians.
Captain Grek knew something was amiss. Kip was the best shot in all of R.A.D. Kip was a quick learner and excelled at Kip’s medical training. For some reason, when the other Yortians were around, Kip’s accuracy suffered. Kip’s abilities as a medic seemed to disappear. Captain Grek didn’t know what to do about it. Kip was incredibly skilled but was heading for the squad reserved for the worst performers.
Another day of training had ended badly for Kip. Kip only hit 54% of Kip’s targets and let a medical training dummy die. Kip was the subject of subtle mockery from the other Yortians. The optic capabilities of the Yortians allowed them to mock Kip without any other refugee noticing. Kip was a light iris, which, based on an archaic superstition, was inferior to darker irises. Kip was a refugee among refugees, an outcast among outcasts.
The next morning, Kip was awakened by a tap on the door.
“Hey, Kip. I’m Hitch. You’re with me today.”
“What?”
“Captain Grek broke us into squads. You’re on my squad.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
“There’s no time for that feeling sorry for yourself bullcheese.”
“What’s bullcheese?”
“You don’t want to know. Let’s go. I’ll meet you out there.”
“Are you sure you want me on your squad?”
“I don’t have a choice.”
“Oh.”
“Captain Grek gave me the outcasts, the misfits. You’ll fit right in.”
“I don’t fit in anywhere.”
“You’ll fit in here. The rest of Rad already gave up on us. They don’t expect anything from us. You’re part of something special, now. We’ll show them. We’ll show them all.”
That day, Kip hit every target and saved three dying dummies. It was the first time Kip felt at home since Kip left Yort.
