Somewhere
(previous installment)
Falling Through the Cracks, continued

Preedle Ansi's day is not going particularly well, even by his standards (which are lower than yours, esteemed reader); unfortunately for him, this does not mean it cannot get any worse. As Preedle looks up, he discovers that the toe is connected to the foot of a woman that Preedle is certain he knows from somewhere, but it is not until he notices the slightly damp fish dangling from her hand that he recognises her.

"You really are very stupid, aren't you." The woman's voice is as humourless as ever. Preedle gets to his feet and retreats, not daring to take his eyes off the woman, all the while being terrified that she will think it terribly forward of him to be staring so openly. "You probably don't even remember last night," she says.

"Actually," Preedle says as his back comes up against a wall, "I am fairly certain I maybe... do remember, something, perhaps. It mostly involves you hitting me with a dangerous weapon - much like that fish in your hand - and me being in a lot of pain."

"I did you a favour - and you went ahead and forgot all about it. How very convenient."

"You know I think I remember the important parts... like the pain..."

"This is the last time I will aid you, Preedle Ansi. Remember that. You certainly don't deserve it."

"Aid me? But you didn't... I mean... does this mean you know where I can find my wallet?"

Once again, the world goes black for Preedle Ansi, courtesy of a hefty swing with a fish.

***

"...With the apes causing ever-so-much confusion below, although I am glad to see you again, please remember. Just don't stay away for so long next time, please? You know how I hate it when you do that."

Preedle shakes his head and opens his eyes. The voice sounds familiar, a sensation that sends a bolt of panic through his brain, bouncing around his cortex until it arrives at a location in his head recovering slightly faster than the rest of him, which informs the panicked side of his conscisousness that even though this is the voice of a woman that he knows somehow, he does not know this woman because of certain mullet-carrying tendencies. The brief moment of raw fear has done its job, though - Preedle is now wide awake.

continued tomorrow... (really this time, honest)