World's End by Jake Halpern Read Free Book Online

destitute. But clearly these worries were unfounded.
    "Come on," said Bilblox. "Let's have some grub! I think you'll dig my plane."
    Alfonso followed Bilblox into the Twin Otter and watched as his friend expertly navigated the plane's cabin, which featured plush, oversize leather chairs, Persian carpets, and a gas fireplace. Bilblox led Alfonso to a wooden table bolted into the floor. It was set with fine china, silk napkins, and several different dishes: a savory meatloaf Alfonso remembered from Fort Krasnik, piping hot sourdough bread, a bacon and spinach quiche, rhubarb pie, and tall glasses of lemonade. The sight and smell of the food made Alfonso weak at the knees.
    "Dig in," commanded Bilblox. "Your mother's burstin' over with nervousness about you, and it won't do for her to see ya famished."
    Through a mouthful of meatloaf, Alfonso managed to respond. "My mom sent you?"
    "Who else?" asked Bilblox. "She called ol' Dusty Magrewski in Fort Krasnik and he gave 'er my mobile number. I got the call from Judy last night. She was out of 'er head with worry. She kept sayin', 'Alfonso is a good boy. He always calls. Some-thin' terrible has happened.' Lucky fer you, I was just across the way in Athens, on business. I got a gal there who sells me third-century antiquities—real nice vases. They'll fetch top dollar in Hong Kong. It's all strictly hush-hush, of course. Anyway, I flew over right quick on my Twin Otter. Got her secondhand from the Manitoba Forest Service and added a bunch of new goodies." Bilblox smacked the solid steel hull of the plane. "She'll go anywhere, land anywhere, and take off from anywhere!"
    "This is yours?" asked Alfonso. "How about the Rolls-Royce? And Snej Duhamel?"
    "Snej is a fine woman and an even better pilot," said Bilblox. "She's worth every penny I pay her."
    "How can you afford all this?" said Alfonso. "It's incredible!"
    "I'm sorry to say that the money comes with sad tidings," said Bilblox with a frown. "I don't suppose ya heard? Nope. I been meanin' to write. Never was good with letter writin'. Vice Admiral Purcheezie, may her soul rest easy, passed away about a year ago. She died the way she would have liked to go—her heart gave way while she was cussin' out a customs official. Since I'd been her right-hand man in the smugglin' business—ever since I returned from Somnos and couldn't find work as a longshoreman—she saw to it that I'd take over her business. I got tired a bouncin' around the
Success Story.
We've upgraded the business with this Twin Otter, and as you can see, I'm doin' very well. Very well indeed. Got offices in Fort Krasnik, Barsh-yin-Binder, and Hong Kong."
    Bilblox took off his glasses and seemed to stare at Alfonso. His eyes were still entirely white.
    "How is your eyesight?" asked Alfonso. "Are you still blind?"
    "Blind as a bat," said Bilblox with a rather sad smile. "But I'm still pretty nimble." He laughed heartily. "I got myself a seein' eye dog of sorts. Her name is Kõrgushüpe, but I call her Kõrgu for short. She's nappin' in 'er kennel now. You'll meet 'er later. Ya know, I don't mind the blindness so much, but once in a while I get these wicked headaches. Sometimes they lay me out for days at a time. I suspect it has somethin' to do with that purple ash I put in my eyes. But I ain't complainin'."
    He leaned over and passed his fingers across Alfonso's face, examining the contours of his chin, cheeks, and mouth. He whistled.
    "You've grown a lot in the last three years, haven't ya?" asked Bilblox. "You're practically a man by now. Dusty and the other longshoremen would love t'see you now! Maybe you'll stop by for a visit in Fort Krasnik on the way home to Minnesota."
    Alfonso looked down at his plate, but said nothing.
    "What is it?" asked Bilblox. "Don't get all quiet on a blind man—it makes me jumpy."
    "I can't go back to Minnesota," said Alfonso. "At least, not right now."
    "Oh fer cryin' out loud," said Bilblox. "Why in the heck