Universe Twister - Keith Laumer [191]
"Tazlo—what's the matter?"
"I told you I couldn't walk through walls!"
"But—but, Tazlo—you have to be able to!"
"Facts are facts, Sisli."
"But—if you can't walk through the wall . . ." Her expression was frightened.
"Then I guess I'll have to chop my way out. Can you get me an axe?"
"An axe?"
He described an axe.
"There's nothing like that in Thallathlone. And if there were—how long would it take you to cut through six feet of solid kreewood? It's harder than iron!"
Lafayette sank down on the bed. "Great. I'm trapped here. But—how did they get me inside—"
Before Sisli could answer, Vugli—the younger brother—stepped through the wall.
"I've just had a chat with Wizner Hiz," he said. "Now don't get upset with me," he added as Sisli whirled on him. "He sought me out, asked me how Haz was. I told him he was all right. So . . . he wants to see him."
"Vugli—how could you?" Sisli wailed.
"He'll have to face him sooner or later. And the sooner the better. If Haz does anything to rouse the old devil's suspicions—well, you know how Wizner is."
"How . . . how soon does he want to see him?"
"He said right now; tonight."
"No!"
"But I stalled him off—until tomorrow morning. I said he had a headache." Vugli gave Lafayette a sour look. "I didn't tell him his headache is nothing compared with the headache I've got."
After Vugli had left, Sisli looked at Lafayette with wide, fearful eyes.
"Tazlo—what can we do?"
"I don't know, kid," Lafayette said grimly. "But we'd better get busy doing it."
Chapter Five
1
"Let's start at the beginning and see if we can make some sense out of this," Lafayette said in a calm, reasonable tone. "Now, I was safe at home, perfectly contented, when I got the note from the Red Bull—"
"Wrong," Sisli said with a shake of her head that made the violet plumes wave adorably. "You were off on one of your hunting expeditions, determined to bring home a pair of gold-crested wiwi-birds to be our hearth-companions after we've set up our nest."
"Very well—if you say so. So I dreamed I was in Artesia, getting a note from the Red Bull. And on impulse I did as he asked; went out alone, in the middle of the night, for a mysterious rendezvous at the Axe and Dragon."
"If you were so content—in this dream," Sisli said, "why did you do anything as silly as that?"
Lafayette sighed. "I guess I've always had a romantic streak," he confessed. "Just when everything is at its best, I get this restless urge to adventure. And I suppose the idea of going back to the Axe and Dragon had something to do with it. That's where it all started, you know—"
"No—I don't know. Tell me."
"Well—where should I begin? Back in Colby Corners, USA, I suppose. I was a draftsman. I worked at the foundry. It wasn't very challenging work. But I used to do a lot of reading. I read up on hypnotism. One evening I was trying out a few of the techniques I'd picked up from Professor Shimmerkopf's book, and . . . well, there I was, in Artesia, walking down a cobbled street in the twilight, with the smell of roast goose and stout ale coming from this tavern—the Axe and Dragon."
"In other words—you admit Artesia was imaginary!" Sisli said triumphantly.
"Well . . . I suppose in terms of Colby Corners and the foundry and Mrs. McGlint's Clean Rooms and Board it was a dream—but once I was there, it was as real as Colby Corner had ever been—realer! I was having adventures, doing all the things I'd always dreamed of doing, having the kind of adventures I'd always wanted—"
"Wish-fulfillment—"
"Please—stop saying 'wish-fulfillment.' I can't remember wishing I was accused of kidnapping the Princess and thrown in jail—or lost in the desert—or locked in a torture cage by Lod."
"But you escaped from all these dilemmas?"
"Well—certainly. If I hadn't, I wouldn't be here. In fact, I'm not sure I am here. How can I be sure? A dream seems real while you're dreaming it. You can pinch yourself—but you can dream you pinched yourself