Catching Z's

 It was late in the summer.  The day was hot and humid and heavy, like living in an old oven.  Even Martin’s Bs were quiet.  There was nothing to do.

 

Martin was bored.

 

He closed all his curtains to keep out some of the heat.  It made his house warm and dim.  Then we wandered out the front door and down the lane to the house of his friend Rubber the E Raiser.

 

Rubber’s house was very quiet.  Martin tapped softly on the door.  There was no answer.  He padded quietly around the back and peeked into the living room.  Rubber and his wife Tahoma were fast asleep in their chairs.

 

Martin left them to their snoozing and headed up the trail by the river.  Just outside the town, Martin tapped on the door of a small cottage.  There was no answer.  Peering through the kitchen window, Martin spied Onyx, the owner’s black cat, sleeping in a shadowy corner of the kitchen floor.

 

No-one else was home.

 

Martin sighed and decided to walk home across Rubber’s fields of Es, which were not far away.

 

Along the way Martin passed a huge shady tree.  There was a figure lying on the cool green grass in the tree’s vast shade.  Martin wandered curiously over the see who it might be.  The figure turned out to be a girl with long red hair, lying on her back, hands clasped over her stomach, her eyes closed.  Martin knew that when they were open, they were of the deepest blue.  He wondered briefly if anyone in the world looked so pretty.

 

The girl opened her eyes.  “Oh, hello Martin.” She said sleepily.  “I was just catching some Z’s.”

 

“Hello Rebecca.” Said Martin.  “I told you this was a fine place to catch them!”

 

“Mmm, yes.  You were right.”

 

“May I catch some Z’s with you?” Martin asked.

 

“Certainly you may.” Rebecca said, patting the grass next to her.  “There are plenty to go ‘round!”

 

Martin lay down next to Rebecca and closed his eyes.  He folded his hands over his stomach.  His shoulder touched hers.  It was lovely and warm.

 

“What do you do with the Z’s after you catch them?” Martin asked eventually.

 

“I put them in jars for my friends in the City.”  Rebecca answered, her eyes closed again.  “They never have enough time to catch their own.  Their TSMs never allow it.”

 

“Their Time Sharing Machines?” said Martin.  “I know what they are.  The little machines that tell the City people what they must do and when they must do it.”

 

“Sometimes they are called Organisers.” Rebecca added.  “When I came up here I threw mine away.  It did not like that at all.”

 

“I have never had an Organiser.” Said Martin.

 

“You are very lucky.” Rebecca informed him.

 

The two new friends lay on the warm grass under the shade of the huge tree and spent a lazy afternoon, eyes closed, hands folded over their stomachs and shoulders touching (for this is the best way for catching Z’s).