Redtooth

by Brian Rathbone

sudden drop in blood pressure. Take a deep breath and you'll be fine."

  Bob pushed himself upright and squinted, "Will someone please tell me what's going on?"

  "Congratulations Mr. Hanks. You've won free lifetime service with Redtooth for participating in our beta test. You have Mr. Chin and your wife to thank for volunteering you."

  Bob tried to imagine how he could ever repay them. The thought made his head throb, and a thunderous snick was followed by the sensation of cool air on his newly exposed ear canal. The tiny Redtooth headset dropped to the pavement with a dull click. Bob winced, half-expecting it to explode, but it just sat there silently mocking him.

  "Unfortunately, your Redtooth headset has rejected you. It's nothing personal, I assure you."

  Bob just continued to stare at the Redtooth headset, unsure if he should be relieved or offended.

  Carol Ann bent down and retrieved the headset with a gleaming pair of long, slender tweezers; she used great care when inserting it into a clear sleeve. "You didn't really think it was a nuclear bomb, did you?" she asked.

  Bob looked up. "Uh, I don't know. Maybe?"

  Carol Ann just shook her head.

  "Idiot," the thick-fingered man said.

  For Bob, it felt like an appropriate ending to a surreal day. He watched the cars drive away, and the sight of the blood-red helicopter disappearing into the clouds mesmerized him. Suddenly it seemed as if none of them had ever existed, yet Carol Ann's voice echoed in his mind: "Please hold…" Closing his eyes, he let Sheila drive him home, and he didn't complain when she sent him straight to bed. Hours later, as he tried to convince himself that his world had returned to normal, he noticed something in Sheila's ear: A dull, red glow throbbed like a beating heart.

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