The Wally Hole (IQ Testing Book 3) Read online

  Hatch frowns. “What, test?”

  I giggle, walking to my flier. “Load on and follow me!”

  Buffo’s grandparents’ farm and the southern orange barrier wall

  I land on the orange dirt, removing my flier.

  Hatch and Jara land next to each other, stripping off the fliers.

  I walk to the barrier wall, saying. “On the opposite side of this orange wall is the golden barrier wall into Colfax. Now, the landscape of Burrville is surrounded by a yellow wall, a blue wall, and a gold wall. We have checked both the opposite sides of the colored blue and yellow barrier walls, seeing me-chees. I am not going to guess, here. Let’s squat and take a peek-a-boo.” I squat my kneecaps into the dirt, exhaling with nervousness.

  Hatch and Jara squat on each side of Ketona for a good view.

  I exhale, watching my hand shake. I slowly move the magnet towards the wall. The magnet sucks nicely into the wall.

  The opening reveals a standing leg of gold.

  I jerk the magnet from the wall, falling backwards on my legs. I exhale, panting with panic.

  Jara bursts into tears, hugging Hatch.

  Hatch frowns with worry, whispering. “They are after us. They are trying to locate us. They’re trying to trap us, here, inside Burrville.”

  I nod. “I don’t agree. They don’t know, where you are at. So, the Establishment has surrounded the orange barrier wall from the outside with a line of me-chees, hoping to find something. I can’t read the Establishment’s mind, either. And, me-chees are not programmed for fighting or warfare. This makes no sense to me. Okay. We are going to do something.”

  Jara sobs with tears. “There’s nothing to do. We must turn ourselves in, Hatch. I don’t…”

  “Naw!” I shake my curls, standing. “No. I completely disagree with that suggestion.”

  Jara walks, sobbing. “That’s the reason for the mayor’s visit to Burrville. They were looking for us.”

  I walk to my flier. “Naw, they were investigating the dents in the e-field, which is really stupid and a waste of time. An e-field can’t be harmed, but modified.”

  Jara stops, panting with tears. She views Ketona. “The Establishment is looking for you, Ketona. You modified, changed, or separated the e-field with the stupid magnets. They’re hunting for you, too. They’re hunting for us and then they’ll…”

  I laugh. “Naw. My theory, the Establishment thinks that you escaped through one of the transports from Dandine. You’re living as two fugitives, inside Colfax, or Montag, or Dandine, thus the standing and stationary me-chees. Else, they would have a lineup of me-chees, here, inside the orange barrier wall. They do not know, that you’re here, inside Burrville. So, let’s keep that secret from them. I got an idea, Hatch. Ya feel like some dirty work, tonight.”

  Jara stomps her foot, wiping the tears. “No. I will not be a part of this. I wanna go home, now. I’m scared and afraid and frightened of our future, Hatch.”

  Hatch cuddles her, nodding. “Go home, babe! I’ll been home, after we get some decorations for the birthday party. Okay!?”

  “Naw, not tonight, we will do that, tomorrow night.” I giggle, winking at Hatch. “Good home, Jara. We’re just planning for the party. Don’t worry!”

  Jara exhales, walking with Hatch to the flier. He kisses her then assists her with the flier.

  She lifts from the dirt, flying towards the house.

  Hatch watches her ascend into the orange dust.

  I slap him on the bicep. “We go back to the Dandine barrier wall. I got a great idea.”

  He nods, strapping on his flier.

  Buffo’s grandparents’ farm and the northeastern orange barrier wall

  I giggle, landing in the middle of the dirt. I place the flier on the ground then walk towards the barrier wall.

  Hatch stands next to Ketona.

  I say. “Here we are again, back in front of Dookie Town. Listen to this logic. The Establishment does not know, where ya’ll are hiding out. Okay?”

  “Okay!”

  “They have planted a row of me-chees around the outer barrier walls, just in case, one or both of you surface inside the city, for some silly reason. Then, they will capture you.”

  “Okay!”

  I grin. “However, you and Jara are inside Burrville, which is beyond their smarts.”

  “Okay!”

  “So, we make them think that you and Jara are still inside Dookie Town, like hiding or playing…”

  “Not okay!”

  I giggle. “We steal all the me-chees along the barrier wall and then make it look, like both you and Jara are still inside Dookie Town, just playing a game, or something silly. Then, the Establishment will withdraw all the other me-chees from the other barrier walls along Colfax and Montag.”

  Hatch frowns. “I understand, stealing the me-chees, using the magnets and pulling the robots inside the dirt. But, what does it matter, if there are me-chees, lining the barrier walls in Montag and Colfax?”

  I giggle. “I wanna drive the mayor bananas with my illogic. When we steal all these me-chees, here, she will replace them with more me-chees, here, lining the wall inside Dandine. Then, we steal the other set of me-chees along the barrier walls of Montag, instead, tomorrow night. The mayor will get really confused and befuddled and be gone, maybe…”

  Hatch exhales. “I don’t know Ketona. The mayor will get really mad and upset at me and Jara, being the real life fugitives, here, in this nightmare story tale.”

  “At whom, a set of fictional ghosts, living inside Dookie Town? Naw, the folks of Dandine will get mad then band her designer shoes from their fair city. Pookie dookie on the mayor.” I giggle and nod.

  Hatch exhales. “Someone might figure it all out! Then, they will come and find us…”

  I giggle. “Figure, what out? The barrier wall is alive and eats machines. The barrier wall splits then parts for some strange reason, allowing people to pass through into another dimension. Naw, that’s fantasy fiction for almost everyone, but me and you. Do ya wanna do this or not?”

  He nods, smiling. “Yeah, I do!”

  “Okay! You got the two magnet strips. I am going to start on the end. You start on the opposite side…”

  He says. “Naw. You start in the middle. I’ll start on the end. Then, we jump around from the middle to the end, and then towards the opposite end, and then back into the middle. We want the disappearance of the me-chees to look, like a tiger attack, or a lightning bolt strike. Lightning never strikes in the same place, twice.”

  “Yeah, that’s a great idea! Remember the kill switch locations for the female…”

  The left of everything, I got it!”

  I giggle, stepping into the wall.

  Hatch jogs towards the wall intersection of the golden barrier of Colfax and the yellow barrier wall of Dandine. He stabs the first and second magnets into the wall.

  The me-chee falls through the opening, landing into the dirt.

  Hatch hits the female, making her power off.

  I stab the first magnet then the second magnet into the wall.

  The me-chee falls almost on top of my boot.

  I slide left, out of the way, then kick him.

  The me-chee powers down.

  We split the barrier wall, dropping one after another me-chee into the orange dirt. All the me-chees land on their backs.

  Then, I squat and flip up the throat panel of the closest me-chee and then reprogram the machine for my voice recognition pattern, only, with my trusty screwdriver, ensuring their loyal, only to me. I say. “Me.”

  Thirteen minutes later

  I stand, after re-programming all the me-chees to my voice command. I smile and order. “Me-chees stand!”

  Every single me-chee stands, before me. I giggle, saying. “Follow behind me.”

  I load onto the flier then sail back to my house.

  My farm house. kitchen

  I giggle, leading the me-chees into the rear door. I spin around, or
dering. “Go and stay inside the fourth bedroom, upstairs, on the second floor, on the east side of the sun. Then, stand quietly for my next command. Go me-chee!”

  The me-chees walk around Jara.

  Jara greets Ketona with a sneer. “All the doors are missing.”

  I frown with puzzlement. “All the doors are missing.” I view the peeling wood of the rear door. “Where are the doors missing?”

  Jara fingers the ceiling. “Upstairs. All the bedroom and closet doors are missing, Ketona. Your me-chee ripped them off the door hinges, leaving the exposed nails.”

  I slap my forehead. “The doors are made of metal. Dang! Did you see the first me-chee do that act?”

  Jara frowns. “It ripped off the last door then left me behind, peeing on the toilet.”

  I giggle, covering my mouth then spin around. I exit the house, laughing with amusement.

  I load into my flier, still laughing, wiping the funny tears of humor.

  Buffo’s grandparents’ farm and row of barns

  I land the flier outside the barn dirt, cutting the air fan. The barn is quiet, no sound. I remove the flier, laying the precious transportation carefully on the dirt.

  I slowly walk towards the door. The soldering equipment lies beside the closed door. I slowly open the door.

  The me-chee stands in the middle of the floor. The floor is smoothly built made of steel metal in an assortment of light tans, beiges, black, and green metals.

  I walk over the smooth floor, not feeling any bumps or holes. I nod, smiling with excitement. “Good job, me-chee! Pick up the soldering equipment. Walk back 4.5 miles. Then, enter the rear door. Then, climb the steps and park inside the fourth door, on the second floor, on the east side of the sun then stand quiet for my next command. Go, me-chee!”

  The me-chee walks forward then exits the barn.

  I giggle, scanning the barn. The walls, the ceiling, and the floor are shiny in dull ugly colored metal. “It is looking better.” I clap then exit the barn for home.

  I yawn, lifting the flier onto my back. I strap in then lift from the ground, flying home.

  Chapter 13

  Colfax

  8:02 am. map room

  sunny. warm. no clouds. no rain. 2 mph winds. 77°F

  Rincon cuddles with Duchie, walking across the balcony. They slowly pace across the open bridge, feeling the light wind slap their faces at a height of over hundred stories of nothingness. Rincon pulls her closer into his chest, whispering into her eardrum.

  She giggles.

  They exit onto the opposite side of the bridge, slowly padding and cuddling towards the closed door of the map room.

  “Rincon,” the voice carries from the opposite side of the bridge.

  Rincon halts, exhaling. He and Duchie spin around.

  Marsilla stands away from the bridge lip on the other side of the balcony, in front of the mayor’s office windows. She waves her hand, frowning with fury. “Rincon, you promised to escort me across the bridge, every morning. Did you forget, this morning? It is extremely windy, today.”

  Rincon frowns with fury. “No.”

  Marsilla drops her mouth. “Rincon, I can’t cross the bridge, by myself. I need your assistance, please.”

  “No.” Rincon frowns with fury.

  Marsilla drops her mouth, slapping both hands to her legs. “Rincon, get back over here, now. I need your assistance, crossing the bridge. I’m afraid of heights…”

  Rincon chuckles. “Ask Nephella for assistance in crossing the bridge, Marsilla.” He hugs Duchie, spinning around towards the closed door of the map room. He and Duchie enter then close the door, like ordered by the mayor.

  The door slams shut.

  Marsilla gasps then spins to Nephella.

  Nephella squats, burning the bird pookie with her cigar. The smell annoys Marsilla, which makes Nephella happy. She stands, waving the cigar in the air. The smell, also, annoys Marsilla, making Nephella more happy.

  Marsilla smiles, swaying side to side, moves away from the smelly cigar. “Nephella, can you escort me over the bridge? Rincon was gonna do it, but he had already crossed, today…”

  Nephella stomps towards the bridge lip, slapping her foot onto the first tile. “No!”

  Marsilla drops her mouth, exhaling with fear. She is seriously afraid of heights, including this open bridge, without hand railings. If she doesn’t attend, every morning, the map room lecture, then she will lose her good job, as a legal technician, or get something worse, among the five dream jobs, like the administrator technician. She swings around, scanning the balcony of the mayor’s office for another person.

  No one is present.

  The mayor doesn’t have any staff members, so no one is every present, inside the mayor’s office. And, the mayor is not present, either.

  She gasps with fear.

  The mayor is inside the map room, without Marsilla.

  Marsilla swings towards the bridge, exhaling and inhaling with deep breaths of fear. “You can do this. Take one step at a time.” She slowly walks to the edge of the bridge, staring down at the small trees from the 104th floor of the flat open balcony of the tall building. She back steps, panting. “Do not look down.”

  She walks toward the first tile of the bridge, staring at the closed door on the opposite side of the balcony, exhaling. She slowly steps forward, landing her foot on the first tile. She lands her other foot on the second tile. She smiles.

  The wind blows from her left side with a great mighty force.

  Marsilla screams then back steps from the bridge. “That was too close.” She exhales, holding her arms outstretched to balance her petite body. She stomps onto the first tile, waving her arms up and down for balance, again. Then, she stomps onto the second tile, waving her arms for more balance.

  The wind blows from her left side with a great mighty force.

  She closes her eyelashes, grinding her molars. She opens her eyelashes then stomps the next foot over the bridge. She picks up the pace, stomping one foot after another over the bridge.

  She lands on the other side, exhaling and inhaling with deep breathes. She wipes the sweat from her face then pads towards the door.

  Marsilla enters the map room.

  Duchie sits on top of her chair, as usual, giggling at Marsilla. Rincon and Nephella join the laughter.

  The mayor stands in the middle of the platform, clapping and smiling. “Good job, Marsilla. You have finally conquered your fear of heights.”

  Marsilla frowns, walking to her assigned glass desk. “Sorta,” she sits, fiddling with her necklace cell.

  The mayor smiles and says. “Good morning, interns. Welcome to another day of my personal character building session. Today, we will focus on the characteristic from every single person, respect.”

  “Before, we continue with our morning’s lecture, Ms. Mayor. I would like to point out that there was some late night activity upon the barrier wall.” Marsilla says and fiddles with her cell.

  The map of Colfax and the surrounding townships appear on the wall.

  Marsilla fingers the wall. “There are more than twenty new black circles, kissing the barrier wall, inside the outer township of Burrville, last night. See the map! And, I do believe that Rincon can easily explain the disturbances…”

  Rincon chuckles. “Actually, I can. It is the stationary farming blades of the tractors, banging against the barrier wall. We visited, inspected, and confirmed that business activity, on Monday morning, after sunrise, this week, intern Marsilla. How many times am I required to explain these non-threatening phenomena, idiot Marsilla?” Duchie and Nephella giggle.

  Marsilla sneers. “The same number of times that you promised to…”

  The mayor frowns with confusion, smashing her nose bridge piercing into ugliness. “I accept the tractor explanation, the banging action against the barrier wall, inside Burrville. However, I am, just, now receiving reports, too, that all the me-chees are missing from the barrier wall, inside Dandine. Wh
y would that be so, Duchie?”

  Duchie gasps then drops her mouth. “Don’t know.”

  Marsilla smirks, nodding to Duchie. “We should, immediately, investigate, Ms. Mayor. This is serious matter, within Dookie Town. The populous is rebelling against the Establishment…”

  Nephella stands, frowning at Marsilla. “We gotta cross the bridge to access the travel car, Marsilla. Ya betta get moving, now. Or, the last one doesn’t fit into the car to tour Dandine, a second time.” She giggles, walking towards the door.

  Rincon and Duchie laugh, standing and walking toward the door, too.

  Marsilla drops her mouth then slams her face into the desk.

  The mayor giggles, walking towards the closed door. “Marsilla, please, hurry along. I do not have all day, dear…”

  8:18 am.

  Dandine

  yellow barrier wall

  blue sky. white clouds. cool. 4 mph winds. no rain. 35% humidity. 71°F.

  The travel car halts inside the manicured grass, a second time.

  The mayor slides from the bench, walking towards the barrier wall. She gasps. “The wall is empty. Where are the me-chees?” She spins around, talking to the interns. “I want each one of you to examine every square inch of the barrier wall. Report to me, the tiniest indentations. I am getting to the bottom of this mystery, my way or another way.”

  Rincon, Duchie, and Nephella look at each other then shrug. They, causally, separate then slowly walk towards the barrier wall. They slowly rub away the yellow dust, examining for any indentations.

  The mayor spins from the interns, walking to the first worker. The worker stands in front of the cesspool, stirring the stick into the water, dressed in the yellow dookie gear: jumpsuit, helmet, scarf, gloves, and non-standard sunglasses. The mayor snarls with fury. “What has happened to the row of gleaming silver colored me-chees, standing along this portion of the yellow coloring barrier wall, here, in Dandine?”

  The worker stirs the devise into the cesspool, without looking at the mayor. “Don’t know!”

  The mayor sneers. “I am the mayor of Colfax. Where is the row of the numerous me-chee machines, lining this portion of the barrier wall?”