Their Call, Calico: The Series
Part Fifteen
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Based on Original Published Work by Author
☯ Legend on reading Calico’s Life:
☴ Indicator for dialogue: “ ”
☶ Indicator for thought, and lyrics: Italic Font
☱ Indicator for action: Bold Font or wording with quotations.
☳ Poems and Songs [ are indicated ]
☷ Names : Bold Italics
☵ Setting set inside: Brackets: {SETTING}/{BOLD}
Kasawbo:
“ The plan is to leave tonight, is it not, Gammina? ”
Calico goes to Gammina and sniffs her ear, and the manner soothes Gammina’s state of worry. Her ear twitches.
Gammina:
“ It is, Kasawbo.”
Kasawbo:
“ Well my sitta, we cannot. ”
Calico, abruptly growls towards Kasawbo, and paces forward towards him.
Calico:
“ It is imminent that we depart from my mistake!”
Kasawbo:
“ Time has already accepted this course, and it cannot be corrected. For a puddle might be a given occurrence, but over time, its state becomes a body of water, and it acts as a source of nourishment and survival to the many who encounter it. The clannars will not accept a redirected path.
Once we attempt, or even so try to leave these premises, we, Calico, Gammina and my fellow sittas and brottos, will be hunted down. ”
Calico:
“ They will kill us, here, Kasawbo. ”
Kasawbo:
“ It may seem like that, but the clannars are occupied. They have a witness to their state of ruling. Without such attention, what then, do we become to them? ”
Gammina:
“ Prey.
It’s a loose state of existence. We don’t kill the avia kind, yet they know they are safe.”
Gibansa:
“ But is it stable, Gammina? Will our grubbies be safe? ”
Calico:
“ We…will need to take refuge somewhere in these walls. ”
Kasawbo:
“ In these walls? We are surrounded, and we have no homes to go to, Calico. ”
Calico:
“ Make up your mind, Kasawbo. Are we leaving or staying? ”
Gammina:
“ Calico, Kasawbo is helping us set a frame for our decisive action. He is right: we need to know what we’re up against if we proceed to move forward as a group. ”
Calico:
“ I am not used to this. ”
Kasawbo:
“ The first step of a decision, is to listen.”
Calico looks away from Kasawbo into Gammina’s eyes, and Lemur begins to wake up. Lemur is bedazzled in joy at the sight of Gammina standing up, and then looks around at all of the pure kind, and clannars frolicking amuck.
Gibansa goes and takes Lemur aside with her grubbies.
Gammina:
“ Thank you, Gibansa.”
Are secrets the solution?
Calico:
“ Kasawbo, do you know how… do you know how Rendemra called forth to the clannars or to other kinds? This idea I have, it’s not making any sense. But I think there is another method that Rendemra used.”
Kasawbo:
“ What do you mean, Calico? Do you believe that — that Rendemra had another way to communicate with the kinds outside the clannars?”
Gammina:
“ How would we be able to find that out? I knew my Rendemrabo was distant, and only found all of this recently. He could have been up to anything, clearly.
But if we ask the clannars, it will be taken as an insurrection. They know, we will be looking for a way out. The Palace Temple has been destroyed. ”
Calico:
“ The Forbidden Tower. ”
Kasawbo:
“ The tower of graves? ”
Calico:
“ The clannars know what’s inside of it, and will want to avoid it. Yes, it’s horrific beyond measure, but the area goes beyond these walls — yet is close enough to still accompany these grounds. I am sure there are other secrets to that area. There was another hut, close in distance. I am sure of it, and there was a large patch of bamboo. ”
Calico eyes around at the estimated forty remaining pure kind pandas and Lemur.
Calico:
“ It should be enough for a few days…at least a day-”
Gammina eyes Calico, and examines the pressure on his shoulders.
Gammina:
“ We can make it work. Any other ideas, before proceeding?”
Kasawbo:
“ And if the clannars respond in disagreement? ”
Calico has had just enough of Kasawbo, and begins to utter a growl.
Gammina:
“ Then, I will defend my Calico.”
{ Calico is completely frozen in time on hearing that. His growling stops.}
If only we were alone in the Hall of Fountains, and there were no rules, no quests for power, if it was just her and I…
Gammina goes and nibbles Calico’s shoulder.
Calico:
“ It is settled. Lemur, stay with Gibansa. Kasawbo and Gammina will approach with me. ”
{ Calico, Kasawbo and Gammina leave the pure kind huddle, and proceed to navigate into the stripes and circumstance. Several clannar grubbies begin to encroach their path with paint on their paws giggling. The three have to find a way to go around them, and proceed through the soiled sand garden.
The afternoon sun is beginning to set. Armistice’s body is covered in clannar feces and a freeway of antwons. Another diverging trail has drawn circles around the headless Buddha statue.
Joukostos has been mounted by one of the Behemoths and is laughing, and crying as this is her third “time” already in the hours of this clannar rise.
She eyes Calico, and a sense of relief comes her way. She growls at the Behemoth. The Behemoth growls at her and carefully moves back, and goes to look for another clannar to partake in his bidding.
Joukostos, begins to clean her vagina and her stomach area as Calico, Kasawbo, and Gammina stop by. }
Joukostos:
“ See something you like, Calico? ”
{ Zajtra carefully glides around Gammina, and catches her glance. Zajtra’s tail flickers before her eye, and Gammina restrains herself from clamping her mouth on it to break it off. }
Zajtra:
“ You’re finally awake, Gammina. Feeling a little lost, a little fatta-less? And you haven’t even completed the acts. Considered having intercourse with a clannar? It would be complimentary-”
Calico:
“ We need to see Mornona. ”
Zajtra:
“ I’ve always wanted to try a live pure kind. ”
Kasawbo:
“ As opposed to a dead…? Oh, you’re into quite the range, tigress. ”
{ Zajtra goes just ahead of Kasawbo and urinates in the middle of their path. Kasawbo is disgusted, but looks to Calico.
Calico is still, and resists to be triggered by this vile action. He has witnessed worse.}
Calico:
“ I want to see Mornona, this instant! ”
Joukostos:
“ Was that an order, bear? ”
Gammina eyes Calico.
Calico:
“ Who knows, maybe my tongue flares in desire towards… (he looks into Gammina’s eyes) tasting her sweetness. ”
Zajtra:
“ I don’t know what is more arousing? A former ruling pure kind’s lust for Mornona’s anatomy, or the face Calico will make when…”
Zajtra and Joukostos walk up ahead into the swarm of tigresses.
Calico’s eyes are beginning to drip with tears as he looks into Gammina’s.
Gammina whispers:
“ Stay strong, Calico; don’t vomit, now. ”
{ To Calico’s, Gammina’s and Kasawbo’s surprise, Zajtra and Joukostos do not retrieve Mornona. They, instead, bring back Neomumanhi’s mistress, Leobeubang. }
Leobeubang motions Zajtra and Joukostos to thoroughly inspect Calico.
Zajtra:
“ Gammina and Kasawbo, step aside. ”
Zajtra and Joukostos run their noses alongside Calico. Suddenly, Joukostos pushes Calico on his back and the tigresses run their noses all over Calico.
Calico’s tears leak onto the path, as do Gammina’s. Kasawbo tries to comfort Gammina.
Zajtra and Joukostos, eye each other and whisper into Leobeubang’s ears, and they proceed to disappear into the clannar hoard.
Leobeubang:
“ Calico, Calico, Calico. You are clearly not well-endowed to mount our kind. What inclined your desire, because there is clearly nothing going on down there? ”
{ Calico has been molested in front of his love, and her unculla. He rolls back over, and his tears leak off. }
Calico:
“ We want to live in the Forbidden Tower for the time being. ”
Leobeubang:
“ Those bodies…(her eyes light up)Necrophilia. Something, certain clannars have in common.”
{ Mornona eyes her in the distance as she approaches.}
Leobeubang:
“ I’ll tell you what, since you asked so thoughtfully, your herd or group, or whatever you pandas are called, can live there. But don’t ask us for anything else. Don’t send a mantis to request for anything else. This is the last time, we ever serve- (Leobeubang gives an intimidating glance at Mornona) ”
Leobeubang abruptly turns around in front of Calico, and lifts her tail.
Leobeubang:
“ Calico, rub your nose all over my tunnel. I just want to get to know you better. ”
{ Mornona pounces by Gammina, and immediately growls at Leobeubang. }
Mornona:
“ The intercourse invitation was for me, now beat it, Leobeubang. Neomu’s calling. ”
Leobeubang:
“ An absolute whiff, Mornona. That was the shortest mounting my Neomumanhi ever had.”
Mornona:
“ It’s your turn, he’s getting impatient. ”
{ Leobeubang’s tail shuts closed, and she raises her posture, and confidentally walks away towards the hoard.
Mornona turns to Calico.}
Mornona:
“ No, I clearly would never toy with her Neomu. No matter how much he wants to impregnate me.
I overheard. Yes, you can live there, but don’t reenter the gate or Leobeubang and the others will line up to devour each of you.
This is my gift to you until the warthog die in the vicinity, and you are all on your own. It is our last gift. Just leave before nightfall.
And when you pass beyond the tower, you’re free game! Our partnership has ended.
Calico, Kasawbo, Gammina.”
{ Mornona turns around and brushes against Kasawbo to sweep his nose one more time with her tail. She enters a nearby hut. }
{ Calico wobbles away, and Gammina goes in to comfort him. }
Calico:
“ Please stay away, Gammina. We- ”
Gammina:
“ My love, I- ”
Calico:
“ I don’t want to talk about it, let’s go back. ”
Calico pushes Gammina to prevent her head moving onto his neck.
Gammina:
“ You were so strong. ”
{ The three return to the pure kind group to find a horrific turn of events has played out during their errand of request.
One of Gibansa’s grubbies Fawsamto, has his neck in Nyeraz’s jaw. There are eight other clannars circling the group, and additionally, Tibaraa has Lemur’s head pinned against a burnt tree stump.
Gibansa has been injured as blood is gushing from a claw’s path into her side. }
Kasawbo:
“ Gibansa! Fawsamto! Arima! ”
Tibaraa:
“ And so comes to claim the village, the pure kind who chooses not to reign. Let us demonstrate your power now, and what you really mean to us.”
Gibansa:
“ My grubby! Calico, someone kill her! ”
Calico charges, and Kasawbo goes to assist Gibansa and Arima (Gibansa’s other grubby) who is also injured.
{ A brittle Crack echoes in silence as Nyeraz drops the now, dying Fawsamto back onto the brother planet. }
Kasawbo:
“ Noooooo! You monsters! He was so young, our Fawsa, our Fawsa! My Gibansa’s grubby! ”
Gibansa shrieks in pain and wails.
Gammina:
“ We will kill you, clannars. That is certain.”
Nyeraz:
“ I almost felt something. Tsk. You have until nightfall to leave, or you all will be slaughtered. And bring that corpse with you. ”
Calico is at a loss for words.
Calico:
“ We have to leave… to go to…”
Gibansa screams out loud as the clannars depart. The other pure kinds begin to weep.
Gibansa:
“ You did this, Calico. You killed my grubby! You destroyed us! ”
Kasawbo embraces Gibansa, and begins weeping and shaking.
Gammina:
“ Calico.”
Calico roars in agony.
Calico:
“ We must leave this instant, otherwise we won’t get there…to the Forbidden Tower.”
Gibansa:
“ To our graves!? ”
Gammina:
“ It has been decided. We have to move forward, or we will all perish. I am so sorry, Gibansa. I will carry your Fawsamto with you, as you helped me. ”
Gibansa pushes aside Kasawbo, and goes to Fawsamto and lays her head on his corpse.
Gibansa:
“ Leave, all of you. Kasawbo take care of Arima, and Lemur. Today, I will be with Fawsamto where there is no light and darkness. ”
Arima:
“ Maffa! ”
Gibansa looks up.
Gibansa:
“ Chlorestigon, we have been found. Take me as you do my grubby. Let me be found! ”
While Gibansa moans, Calico and Gammina rush to help other families gather their grubbies into a formation.
Lemur dizzily gets back to her paws, and shuffles to Gibansa. Lemur gravitates her head onto Fawsamto’s back.
Lemur:
“ I am sorry, I failed you, Gibansa.
I will stay and die with you. Rendemra killed my whole family. The least I can do is die with yours.
If Calico did not go to the Forbidden Tower, he would never have gave me a chance to live.
You go there, maybe you have a chance to live. Don’t worry, I will stay here. I know what it is like to be alone, and to know no one will come back. ”
{ A mother’s instinct collects at a time of survival while holding the weight of a great loss. Gibansa appoints in reason that her mothership is still necessary for Arima. She must not be alone in such a cruel world. }
Gibansa:
“ Arima, I have Arima. Gammina! ”
Calico runs to Lemur.
Calico:
“ And you are not dying, because you are my grubby, Lemur! ”
Gammina:
“ She is our grubby, my love. Gibansa, and Lemur, help me put Fawsamto on my back. ”
Gibansa:
“ You will be careful with him, will you? ”
Gammina:
“ I will do-”
Calico:
“ We will do our best. All of us. We are all family. ”
Kasawbo:
“ So young, so much loss, but the memories will keep us. We need to follow, Calico, now.
Chlorestigon ( he pats Fawsamto’s head with his nose, on Gammina’s back )…Fawsamto… you have been found.
To the valley, and beyond the mountain. A loss of many, I will keep forever.
If I am to continue (Kasawbo falls down panting, and turns back towards Gibansa), they must live on… they will live on, my grubby!
…And we will be their vessels of time… Each breath, our words, faults, and fears… we will continue to be at risk. A risk called life, and I will continue for them. Will you? ”
Kasawbo calls out to Gammina.
Kasawbo:
“ You carry Lassuria’s heart, and now you carry our kind. ”
{ They begin to pass by the huts, and Gibansa breaks down into moans. Lemur goes beside Gibansa to help her up.
The sound of mattresses being torn apart coils into the mortifying growls reverberating and rumbling through a shifting sea of grass and ash sifting through their paws.
Suddenly, a clannar pounces and attacks the Pure Kind who attempted to lick Calico first and drags him across into a hut.
}
Pure Kind who Licked Calico:
“ Go, leave me, take care my…”
{ His grubby, Kanzoko shrieks. Kanzoko is the youngest of the grubbies.}
Kanzoko:
“ Fatta! Fatta! ”
Kasawbo runs beside Kanzoko, and grabs him by the back of his neck.
{ The roaring and growling intensifies. Suddenly, a glass lantern is kicked out of one of the huts, and shatters nearby as they continue at their pace.
Kanzoko wails, Gibansa screams and looks at Kanzoko. Calico’s burden intensifies.
They bid their farewell to the village as the yells of the Pure Kind Who Licked Calico radiate into the distance.
Minutes feel like hours, as they get across the Great Bonsai, to discover some of the clannars pouring paint all over it, and the stone bridge. }
One Clannar in the Bonsai Tree:
“ Their beauty is ours! We are pure and they are just bears! Be gone, Calico. ”
{ Up ahead are bodies of the clannars gunned down and stabbed by Yurry. The Antwons have their work punctured out for them.
They keep walking. Gibansa lets out another scream. Kanzoko closes his eyes while in Kasawbo’s mouth.
Calico’s cuffs and chains rest in the field. He still wears them. Flies are streaming against them to get to the fallen and destroyed.
The gate is up ahead.
Calico parts ahead of them, unable to look back at the villagers to just open the gate. He goes ahead of them, holds the gate open and peers into a boundless emergence of suffering in an apathetic wild. }
Calico:
“ We may have left the village, but a cavern lies ahead. For the grubbies who have not bathed in the Hall of Fountains, you will need to ride on an aged pure kind. Lemur, have you swam? ”
Lemur:
“ I have not, but I will learn. Let me follow you, not push you below. I have gotten this far. ”
Calico:
“ Distance can only take you as far as time permits. Lemur, I have walked a path, a path nowhere near as long as Kasawbo’s, but a path I can only know from experience over time. Lemur, do you feel ready? ”
Gammina:
“ I believe she is, Calico. Why do you doubt our grubby?”
Calico:
“ I…We can approach the stream together. ”
Gammina:
“ Calico? ”
Calico starts clawing into the ground, and begins digging.
Gammina:
“ Our leader needs space. Now is the time to release or dine on bamboo. The bamboo…(Gammina realizes she is outside the walls, and loses her balance)…there are trees beyond…
Kasawbo:
“ We will go to the edge of the cavern, is it that way? When you’re both ready, I suggest you meet us there. ”
Kasawbo notions to Gibansa and the others to redirect to the cavern.
Gibansa:
“ Bring my Fawsa, you promised. ”
Gammina nods, and Gibansa proceeds to join the others.
Gammina:
“ Calico, I carry the weight of the dead, and you without weight, carry all of us. Don’t hide. ”
Calico keeps digging, and begins to mutter to himself about Martackadong and Komiak. He stops as he breaks one of his front paw nails against a rocky layer in the dirt.
Gammina:
“ Calico, I am frightened…I feel I don’t belong here, but I can’t turn around. ”
Calico, stops but doesn’t look up. Instead, he goes to the side of Gammina and starts digging all over again.
Gammina starts crying, but Calico continues to dig.
Gammina:
“ Calico, I need you, and I can’t go home. You’re my home, please don’t be Rendemra, don’t ignore me. I need you.
Calico. ”
Calico keeps digging and starts to bite into a rock, hoping to break his teeth. He crushes off two of his molars.
Gammina roars, but keeps her body stable with Gibansa’s grubby.
Blood runs down Calico’s mouth as he keeps muttering to himself.
Gammina:
“ I will go back, now, Calico. That home is all I know. They will tear me apart. I don’t want to see you suffer anymore, I want you to be happy… happy like you were before all this… just a bear in the zoo… ”
She starts to head to the gate, and watches as Calico keeps digging.
Gammina:
“ When you… if you learn to paint… one day… I hope you do… I will be there with you, and we will make it work one brush stroke at a time.
My love, Calico. ”
Gammina eyes back to frantic Calico, digging to maintain whatever identity he has left, and walks through the gate.
Gammina:
“ Knuck Pzark, Calico (she says in the wind). ”
{ The sound of the gate startles Kasawbo, who has come back. He sees Calico digging dripping with blood down his mouth. }
Kasawbo:
“ Calico, I did this when Lassuria died. Oh Cholesto! Oh, Cholesto! You are in no state. I will go get her.
What have I done? ”
{ Kasawbo goes through the gate, sees Gammina trembling as the clannars near the Great Bonsai are eying and moving towards her in the distance. }
Kasawbo:
“ I did this, Gammina! I should have helped you, not as just an unculla, but as a friend. I was as vicious as your Rendemrabo, and I abandoned you. I hid with the brottos, and I lost myself.
I put too much faith into Calico, and it’s killing the both of you. Come back. ”
Gammina:
“ But Gibansa needs you, Kasawbo! It is too late for me, I was never meant to be rescued during the flames. ”
Kasawbo:
“ You are young, and Calico, younger. ”
Gammina:
“ I heard that! ”
Kasawbo:
“ You have a life worth living, now, beyond these walls.
Look, I will help you…I will help you with Calico.
I went through this, and it’s painful, I know. Just come back.
I will hold the gate. Walk to me, Gammina. You are home with your Kasawbo.
I have wanted to say that for far too long. ”
{ The sun begins to descend, as Gammina takes each step back like the edged indents captured by a second’s hand in an ever-present clock that beats with our hearts. }
END OF PART FIFTEEN
Including Content from the original story published in the author’s work
The Trails To Attrition © 2007, Wasteland Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 9781600471520© 2024, Their Call, Calico: the Series
Wasteland PressAdam Mullin (a.k.a. Good Day, Adam)
