A New Arrival
Pacen, Magua, and Osiris are tuning up, when a figure staggers round the corner. It is vaguely mudokon-shaped, but its skin is a pure white, and its eyes glow with inner light.
"Help! They are c-"
It breaks off, its back arching as if it had been stabbed in the back. It collapses onto the ground before the musicians. The musicians back off, but move forward when the figure does not move. Pacen crouches beside it. Osiris runs to the corner.
"Nothing."
Pacen indicates the stranger's back. "Nothing hit him."
"Who is he?"
Pacen hesitates. "I don't... I don't know."
Magua speaks up. "Help him?"
Osiris agrees. "Let's get him to a house. We can look after him there. Magua, go and fetch Jal, will you?"
Magua hops off, while Osiris and Pacen lift the stranger onto their shoulders. His skin is cold, but they can feel his heart beating. He weighs less than a child.
When they have got him to the nearest hut, Magua arrives with Jal. As they walk into the room, the stranger convulses again, then his eyes fly open. His head turns to Jal, his eyes glowing white.
"You...!"
Jal's lips move, and it is Jal's voice that issues from them, but it is not Jal who speaks.
"Leave us."
Pacen looks whitely at Jal and the stranger, who are staring into each other's eyes. "Come on," he says, and he and Magua exit. Osiris gives one last look at Jal, who is weilding his stick like a shield, then leaves.
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Guns don't kill people, People kill people! Using Guns.
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