The Wally Hole (IQ Testing Book 3) Read online

  “Don’t know!” The worker stirs the stick inside the cesspool.

  The mayor exhales, swinging and walking along the grass. She meets a table of workers, fingering the wall, sneering with fury. “I am the mayor of Colfax. Where is the row of the numerous me-chee machines, lining this portion of the yellow colored barrier wall? They were assigned, here, yesterday afternoon.”

  The first worker frowns at the mayor then looks at the wall. “Don’t know!”

  The second worker frowns at the wall then her lunch. “They left.”

  The mayor snorts. “They left. And, where, exactly, did they go?”

  The third worker smiles at the mayor then chews her food. “They walked away from that wall. I guess, they want home to Colfax. Right!? They come from Colfax, too, like you. Right!?” She eats her food.

  The mayor snarls. “Who is in charge, here, in Dandine?”

  The fourth worker chuckles and chews. “You are. You’re the mayor of everything. Right?”

  The mayor sneers. “Who is the authority figure over the city of Dandine?”

  The fifth worker smiles with food particles between the front teeth. “We don’t have an awful figure, like you. We rule ourselves. We paid ourselves. We take care of ourselves. Period!”

  The mayor snarls. “I rule, here. And, I will prove it.” She spins around, walking towards the car then yells. “Interns, please, get inside the car. We’re traveling back to my office, immediately.”

  8:46 am

  Colfax

  map room

  Marsilla stands in the middle of the platform, being too afraid to travel across the bridge, a second time, this morning.

  The mayor leads into the room with the interns giggling and elbowing behind her fanny.

  Marsilla pouts, saying. “What did you discover at the sight in Burrville? Did Rincon tell…”

  The mayor struts into the middle of the room, fingering the wall of maps. She stands beside Marsilla, saying. “We did not visit Burrville. There is nothing, or no body, inside the farmlands. However, there is something, or someone, inside Dandine. I have ordered and doubled the number of me-chees around that portion of the yellow colored barrier walls. These dang dookie workers are not going to beat me, either. Duchie, what is wrong with your people, there?”

  Duchie sits on top of her desk, wiggling her boot, frowning with annoyance. “Nothin’.”

  Marsilla frowns with annoyance. “The answer is located inside Burrville, not Dandine. The black circles were created within the dirt of the farmlands, not outside the cesspools of the sewer plants. And, I have told ya that Rincon knows the…”

  The mayor says. “I am not concerned about the black circles, Marsilla, anymore. We have indentified and confirmed that the black circles, which are pings, come from the various metal equipment modules, throughout the colored barrier walls. If I could stop the pinging on the walls, I would. However, I have a most serious situation. I am missing a wall of me-chees, inside Dandine. Where are the me-chee machines, Duchie?”

  Duchie frowns with annoyance. “Don’t know. Don’t live there, anymore.”

  Marsilla gasps. “The me-chees are missing from Dandine barrier wall. I know. They are located inside Burrville. Tell the mayor, Rincon, how this is all possible?”

  The mayor frowns. “Did the workers destroy the me-chees, Duchie?”

  Duchie frowns. “Don’t know!”

  Rincon asks. “Were the me-chees reprogrammed to come back home to Colfax, at a specific time, this morning?”

  Nephella frowns. “No, it would require the travel truck to penetrate and then pick up all the machines. No truck has been scheduled, today, or last night, or tomorrow, either.”

  The mayor nods and smiles at her daughter. “Very good point, daughter. Did the workers kidnap the me-chees, Duchie?”

  Duchie frowns. “Don’t know.”

  Marsilla walks around the room. “So, if the me-chee machines are not destroyed, or not captured, or not back home, then they must be located on another portion of the barrier wall, inside Dandine, by mistake or something.”

  The mayor gasps, “Excellent observation, Marsilla! The me-chee machines are positioned upon the opposite side of the assigned barrier wall spot.”

  Rincon frowns. “Are the robots tracked or traced by the computer?”

  Nephella says. “Naw. The dumb machines are only dumb machines. They follow commands, without question.”

  Marsilla gasp, clapping. “See, someone told the machines to walk to the other side of the barrier wall. Well, I guess, Rincon can go and get them for you, Ms. Mayor.”

  The mayor frowns, studying her cell. “No need for anymore traveling through walls, today. I have doubled the number of me-chees, along the yellow colored barrier wall in Dandine, where we have found both the silly writing and the strange cold spot indentations. This should permanently stop any additional annoying mischievous teens from whacking at the barrier wall. And, the original set of me-chees is guarding the opposite side, along the parallel barrier wall, inside Dandine. Yes. I believe I have solved the issue for the day and the rest of my days. Now, we will move along with the next session of character building, respect…”

  Marsilla says. “Ms. Mayor, is the row of me-chees still lining the barrier wall, inside Montag, by chance, or luck, or either?” She giggles.

  The mayor exhales, studying her cell. “Yes.”

  Marsilla says. “Ms. Mayor, you should take more precaution and double the line of me-chees, along the blue colored barrier wall, inside Montag. The teens have struck with one crime. They are very bold. They will strike, again, maybe, tonight, too. Ya know, thieves like to strike more than once for fun…”

  The mayor frowns, smashing her nose bridge into ugliness on her distorted face. “I do not believe the cookie crime, in Montag, is seriously related to the whacking indentations on the barrier wall, inside Dandine. Thank you for your advice, intern Marsilla. The rows of numerous me-chees are all in position, now, for safe-guarding the walls and the Colfaxians, too. For the third character building session…”

  Nephella wiggles side to side inside her chair. “Mama, out of curiosity, what are the other character building sessions?”

  The mayor swings to her daughter, smiling and nodding. “Pride and sacrifice…”

  Chapter 14

  Burrville

  6:45 pm. home of Buffo’s grandparents

  sunset. red sky. pink clouds. hot. 98% humidity. no rain. 102°F.

  Buffo’s grandmother stands, exhaling. She lifts her plate, carrying into the kitchen.

  I exhale, standing and following the standard evening ritual, assisting in washing the evening dirty platters, too.

  We, in silence and swiftness, finish, dry, and stack the plates and dishes into the cabinets.

  I swing towards the rear door.

  Buffo grabs Ketona by the arm, cuddling her, whispers. “Honey, I’m going to bed, feeling overworked and stuffed, like a piglet from the good food.” He kisses her hair roots. “Good night, Ketona, darling! See ya’ll for breakfast. Okay!?”

  I hug him, smiling. “Okay, sweetheart, at breakfast,” I pull from him then exit the house.

  My farm house. kitchen

  I stomp up the steps, opening the door, meeting both Jara and Hatch.

  They smile and cuddle with each other.

  I giggle at the love couple, exhaling and clapping. “We go to Montag, tonight, and collect the all the party decorations. Everyone’s pooped inside the house, as well. They won’t be a bother to me and my precious party plans…”

  “Buffo!? Is he coming, too?” Hatch nods and smiles.

  I shake my curls. “Nope. He’s tired from farming. Ya know the men-folk do more of heavy lifting with both their muscles and arms. Since, Buffo is buff, too. He has bunches of work with his muscles and arms, from sunup to sundown.” I view the window inside the kitchen. “And, the sun is asleep. Let’s get moving, ya’ll. We got all night to shop and spend chips, too.” I giggle
and smile.

  Hatch frowns. “I should be helping out there, on the farmland, too. I’m strong and healthy, too.”

  I pat his arm. “You will. We decorate the barn for the party and then slowly introduce you and Jara around to the elderly people. They get used to seeing your face. Then, you and Jara can be adopted, here, in Burrville, too. And, then, you will start working on the farm, getting tired, like Buffo and going to bed at seven at night.” I swing towards the rear door.

  I exit the house.

  We load into our individual fliers.

  I lift from the ground, grabbing the single rope, pulling the e-field cart for the new purchased supplies for the birthday party.

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

  I land on the dirt, gently dropping the flier onto the dirt. The e-field cart hovers in place.

  I walk to the wall then squat. I stab the first magnet into the wall.

  The tiny opening reveals a single leg of blue. The me-chee is stationary, wearing a blue jumpsuit.

  I present a thumbs up signal to Hatch, indicating that I have located a line-up of me-chees machines on the far side of the barrier wall.

  The me-chees are posed along the wall, watching for the fugitives of Hatch and Jara to appear.

  He and Jara are positioned down on the opposite side of Ketona. He returns the thumbs up signal, too, indicating another line-up of me-chees machines in front of his face.

  I exhale, nodding.

  I stab the second magnet into the wall, when the wall splits then parts.

  The me-chee falls into the dirt.

  I kick the male between the legs.

  The me-chee powers down.

  Thirty minutes later

  Hatch and I have successful parted the barrier wall, revealing twenty more me-chee machines. We both have kicked and punched the vital metal parts, making the machine power down.

  Hatch, Jara, and I stand over the last me-chee. I say. “Okay. The hillside is cleaned, or cleared, or concentrated with unseen me-chees.”

  Jara frowns, staring at the wall. “Don’t scare me!”

  Hatch cuddles her, laughing. “I protect ya, doll!”

  I exhale. “Ya’ll take the e-field cart and buy the decorations and whatever ya’ll want. We are not going to visit any of the shops of Montag, until next week, so the Establishment forgets about ya’ll and concentrates on something else new. I will re-program each me-chee…”

  Hatch says. “The two bedrooms are getting really crowded with the machines. It’s standing room, only.” He laughs, when Jara tickles his chest. He giggles then sours. “What are you going to do with all the me-chees, Ketona? If you’re caught, housing them, here?”

  I nod. “I know that, too. My programming is only temporary. Then, I’ll un-program them and place them back, inside Montag and Dandine, along the appropriate portions of the colored barrier walls.” I giggle. “That’d really confuse, the mayor. I really don’t like her. Get going, before the shops close. I’m going to march these bad boys and girls to the barn. I got some black and silver paint cans. They can be painting the floor, walls, and ceiling, while ya’ll shop. Come back to the barn and unload! Then, we’ll finish our party decorations, tomorrow.” I nod and smile. “O! I got two of the magnet strips. Gimme your two magnets. I will open the hole with the three magnets then leave it open for ya’ll. You stroll inside then jerk the three magnets from the opening. We shouldn’t take any chance that there really are some more dense stationary me-chees further down the barrier wall. Good luck!”

  Hatch hands Ketona the two magnets strips and smiles, dragging Jara to the flier. He assists her into the flier then walks to his flier. He loads it onto his back, grabbing the rope of the e-field cart.

  I walk to the wall, stabbing the first magnet into the smooth surface. Then, I stab the second magnet near my foot. I stab the third magnet above my head on the right.

  The wall falls into a perfect 90 degree right angle, exposing the purple sunset of Montag.

  Hatch guides smoothly through the wide opening on his flier, towing the single e-field cart. Jara flies behind him. Hatch parks his flier then trots to back the opening. He winks at Ketona then jerks the three magnets out.

  The wall collapses into a solid form, again.

  I exhale, nodding and staring at the wall. I swing around, pulling out my handy screwdriver. The me-chees nicely dropped onto their back metal part, making my programming job really quick and easy with five pounds of solid lead.

  I walk to the first me-chee, flipping up the throat panel then tap with the tip of the screwdriver the program code for the machine. I say in my natural soprano. “Me…”

  I giggle and stand, walking to the next me-chee, repeating my procedure and pondering the fate of Hatch and Jara.

  Buffo was so depressed, after we landed in Burrville, missing his neighbor childhood friends. Then, he was so happy, when we rescued Hatch and Jara from Dookie Town.

  I’m shocked that someone actually has noticed that both Hatch and Jara are missing from Dookie Town.

  Jara secretly confessed, during one of our late night chats that she didn’t work one precious minute on her dookie job. She walked off the travel truck transport from the barrier wall then into the tiniest house, within Dandine, where she stayed and cried, every day and hour.

  Hatch wore the silly yellow colored helmet, matching accessories of gloves, scarf, and jumpsuit, matching with the rest of the yellow colored dookie workers. He didn’t receive any introduction to the other workers or training for his new job. He stood at one of the many cesspools, stirring the stick device into the black water, checking for growing toxins on the gauge.

  He went home and ate lunch with Jara. He went back to work and then went home at the end of his shift.

  I shake my curls, slamming the throat panel down on the twelfth me-chee shut, after programming my secret code. I stand, walking to number thirteen…(yeah, I counted)…and rubbing my fanny.

  The tractor ride jolts and jerks your body side to side in the uncomfortable seat. My fanny gets a good workout, along with my lean teen arms. I’m building up some good muscles, too.

  Based on Hatch and Jara’s story, the dookie folks do not know or do not care, if they leave Dookie Town. And, the Establishment does not maintain a consensus log of the current population of infants, children, teens, adults and elderly, either. Since, the Cubby Hole determines the teen’s fate, or find, or failure.

  My pondering question bombarding my smart neurons, how did the Establishment know about Hatch and Jara escaping from Dookie Town?

  After the birthday party, I’ll announce to the Buffo’s extended family members, that Hatch and Jara are permanently living with me, inside the house. Then, Hatch and Jara will get to stay and work on the farm.

  I stand, walking toward the fifteen me-chee. I exhale, viewing the me-chee machine then the open crop field.

  This is my life, a farmer on a farm. This is the bestest moment of my arrival, so far, since I landed on the farm, in Burrville.

  Buffo is really no fun, anymore. He eats, works, baths, sleeps, and then rinses and repeats, the next day.

  I whisper. “Yeah, this is my life for the rest of my breathing days and lonely nights, a farmer. Then, I will become a farmer’s wife of more lonely nights.” I giggle and smile. “When Rincon visited the farm, he said something about the mayor needing to fill the fifth dream job. Now, which dream job would that be, inside Colfax?” I squat, flipping up the throat panel, tapping out the programming code. I say. “Me.”

  I slam the throat panel. “I wonder, if I can train the me-chee to farm the field, or drive a tractor. It isn’t hard. I wonder, if they are already pre-programmed to do that domestic task. I can’t mess with the original master programming code, here, in the dirt. Maybe, I can look at its programming code, inside the house, tonight. Yeah, then, the me-chee can take my place, tomorrow morning, while I sleep in, later passed sunrise. And, I
wonder, if the me-chee technician dream job is available for someone smart, talented, and brilliant. Ah! Rincon used these words, too. He wants me to showcase my talents, also. Nephella is going to be the administrator technician. I wouldn’t take that job for one billion chips. Rincon claimed the medical technician from me. Marsilla will be the legal technician. I don’t want that tough job, either. And, Duchie wanted the me-chee designer dream job. Yeah, there’s an empty slot, readying and waiting. And, yeah, I can program a me-chee, good.” I giggle then stand, back stepping away from the row of shiny silver metal, wearing the blue jumpsuits.

  The particular batch of me-chees have fake blond hair. The females have fake blonde ponytails.

  I giggle, rising my arms towards the sky. “I command you to rise and obey me, me-chee...”

  All the me-chees shift side to side then stand and face Ketona. The program voice activation code recognized her soprano timber.

  I giggle. “I command you to follow me to the barn, me-chee.” I swing around, running to my flier.

  All the silver colored me-chees run in a perfect straight line right behind Ketona.

  I load the flier onto my back then lift from the dirt. I giggle, flying at the maximum air fan speed of ten miles per hour.

  The me-chees run in a perfect straight line right behind Ketona.

  Chapter 15

  Thursday

  Burrville

  5:55 am. moonlight. night. dark. bright stars. no rain. no clouds. hot. 98% humidity. 88°F.

  Beep. Beep.

  I slam the alarm clock to death with my hand. I moan with early death, too. I blink open my eyelashes into the darkness of death.

  I exhale, rolling to my left then drag the linen sheets off the bed for work. I rustle with the linen sheets, winning. Then, I enter the bathroom, missing the door. I giggle, doing my biological functions, still giggling with amusement.