Welcome to Part 2 of our Round Robin story, Gray’s Anatomy, where three writers concoct parts of a short tale. Last week’s contribution is included here in case you missed it. Then read on for Part 2. Rita Reali will bring it home next week, where you can read our story in its entirely.
Gray’s Anatomy
As a publications editor and graphic artist, award-winning author Dee Lynk has written copy and designed a wide range of projects from book covers to signboards. Along the way, she’s moved from illustrating and cartooning smaller projects to partnering with author Rita Reali to illustrate Rita’s two children’s picture books, The Purringest Kitty Finds His Home and The Purringest Kitty Misplaces His Purr. Recently retired, Dee and her husband Scott, reside in Crossville, Tennessee, where she’s working on her first adult novel as she continues to write and illustrate “all the good stuff.”
Part One by Dee Lynk
“You goin’ to the library, again?”
“Yep.”
“It’s Friday night, Josh. You’ve been there every night for the last two weeks. Don’t you need a break? A little time to unwind with your friends?”
“Can’t. I’ve got a huge research paper due this Monday. It’s worth 50% of my grade. I need to ace this if I’m gonna get into medical school.”
“Alright.” Boone shrugged. “But, I ain’t never seen you so worked up over a term paper. You sure there ain’t nothin’ else goin’ on?”
Uh oh. Boone was getting suspicious. I couldn’t blame him. I never ducked out on Friday night with the boys, let alone skipped back-to-back Fridays. And now, he was speaking hillbilly English, which meant he was upset and not thinking about his diction. He’d been working on his oration skills since freshman year, when his advisor told him, “If you’re going to be a successful trial attorney, you need to speak like one; so, lose the hillbilly.”
We’ve been roommates since day one and now, four years later, we’re best friends. As different as night and day, we’re Hillbilly meets Ivy league. He’s short and stocky and I’m lanky. Yet, for some reason, we click. Boone knows me better than anyone else, and if anyone can tell when I’m hiding something, it’s him.
“What else, Boone? I don’t have time for anything else. I don’t even have time to party with my friends.” I looked him in the eye, hoping to appear sincere. “Look man, I gotta bail.”
I didn’t give him time to respond. If I had to answer any more questions, he’d know for sure something was up. “You know how badly I want to get into medical school. This paper is huge and I need it to be perfect. I’m really sorry, Boone. Tell the guys I’ll be there next week. I promise.”
I flew out of the room before he could respond.
So glad you’ve stopped by for part two of the Round Robin from Yours Truly! Just an update: I’ve been encouraged by your positive responses to The Divine Meddler, and hope to complete the final draft of its sequel, The Divine Anvil, soon.
Part Two by Sue LeDoux
Something about Area 51 made Josh’s hair stand on end. He glanced at his father, one of America’s best-hidden quantum physicist/MDs in the Advanced Aerospace Weapons System Applications Program (AAWSAP). While Doctor Henderson punched in his code from the driver’s seat of the family’s nondescript Ford Escape, Josh confessed, “I think Boone is getting suspicious.”
Alvin Henderson shot his son a worried look. “How do you mean?”
“Haven’t been hangin’ around like I used to.” He sighed. “The library ploy is getting a bit thin.”
His father chuckled. “You never worked to your full capacity—until now. You don’t need extensive knowledge of human anatomy. These creatures, these four species, differ from us in every way. You’ll learn what science up to now never conceived. I’m training you to be part of our team in case I suddenly disappear.”
“Don’t talk like that, Dad.”
“And don’t be naïve. Keep up the pretense. Play the part of a fun-loving undergrad whenever you can. Meanwhile, you’re making headway communicating with Gray. How it survived the crash, I don’t know. We’ve autopsied the dead Nordic-looking one, the insectoid and the reptilian ones.”
Dr. Henderson stopped the car before imposing steel doors. Both climbed out, and ducked to position their retinas for the identification unit on the door. After parking, Josh continued while they walked to the building’s entrance.
“I think Gray is mourning his cohorts, but said he understood why we did the autopsies after they died in the crash. He thanks us for not killing him. But I wonder about his anatomy. He’s so tall with such skinny, well, I guess you’d call them legs. So many questions.”
Henderson snorted. “It’s a wonder what God had in mind when he created him. Humans tend to kill first and ask questions later. Josh, their spacecraft is so far beyond our knowledge of physics, I believe they could have taken out all of us if they wanted. I think we’re looking at a kinder, gentler, perhaps even a more ethical species of beings than we are. “
“But Dad, what happens to Gray after we’ve gotten everything out of him?”
“That’s a good question, son.”
