We went on for quite some time under a sterile silence, going along the River for quite some time.
"Where are we headed, anyway?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"Wondering when you'd ask," Stranger replied, "The silence was killing me. Well, we're headed to see an old friend of mine...most connected guy in all of Oddworld, as far as I'm concerned. Living encyclopedia."
"Why we headed there?" Munch asked, hopping along.
"finding out where we need to go," Stranger said, "Don't worry, we're almost there, just a few more minutes."
Sure enough, we turned a bend on the river, we saw a very odd site...
it was a small wood shack. looking normal except one little thing.
all the wires.
out of every single possible orifice of the shack came a wire...blending in and out of the natural landscape surrounding.
"Mind you, this guy is...rather unorthodox..." Stranger said as we walked up.
"Don't worry about me," I said, "I've come to expect it." He laughed.
As we walked toward the door, I heard a definite buzz of electricity, I could smell the current...and feel it.
Stranger opened the door, the smell was...different...it was strong...but not bad while at the same time not good. It took a bit for my eyes to adjust...but what I saw, I was not at all prepared for.
It was a glukkon...The first I had seen since my being in Oddworld. But he was different, not like other's I've seen.
his arms and legs were reverse than normal glukkons, the huge arms were in the center, and they were arranged more like normal legs. and his legs...which on normal glukkons are small, limp, and useless...he had them more like regular arms...which was a sight to behold.
"Ahh! Stranger! My all time favorite Steef! and I should know, I've seen every single one!" He walked over to Stranger and gave him a hug with his modified legs.
"Doin good, Frank," He said. "Frank here was the guy who told me about Doc...," he looked at me.
"Yeah, Doc," Frank said, "Great guy, rest his soul, he was the one who set me up with the swip swap and muscle graft, making me the great biped I is today" he said with a bow.
That's when I noticed. A huge bundle of wires going straight into the back of his head. Matrix style.
"Say, how did you do that fancy wire get-up?" I asked.
"Oh, this little thing?" he said, feeling it with his hand, "I had a group of Vykkers Doc recommended...Smart beings, them Vykkers."
"Sure, whatever," Munch said with a tint of hatred in his voice.
"I can unplug myself whenever...but I hate feeling disconnected." He said.
"Yeah...well," Stranger said, "I'm not sure if you can help...but I'm wondering about some stuff on an apocalyptic scale."
"end of the world? No can d...wait..." he stopped to think, his eyes grew big.
"Nope, just rumors...nothing concrete." He said quickly, and he started acting nervous.
"You sure?" Stranger asked?
"Yes, yes, nothing at all."
"Okay, that's all I was wondering," Stranger said, "let's go."
"Stranger! wait!" Frank said, "I mean, I need to give you something." He scuttled around his little shack, rummaging through piles of junk. When he pulled something out.
"A book?" Stranger asked, "Didn't know you were so primitive."
"No, not the book," he opened the book and pulled out a small little object. He handed it to Stranger, clasping his hand.
"Take this..." he said, with a look of desperation in his eyes.
"Now get out!" he said, shoving us through the door.
"What's his problem?" Abe asked, as we left the building.
"I dunno," Stranger said, he looked down at his hand, and opened it , holding what Frank had given him. It was a small metal object, octagon shaped, with a phrase written on it.
"The End is near, No details."
We heard an explosion...
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