Page 42 of Cozy Prisons
“Human Nataly, do not cry,” Decard-Falkilm sang, behind him, while Cassius used a strange instrument she’d never seen before to make a purring sound. It was surprisingly realistic.“I only intend to help you and make sure you don’t die.”
Nataly stifled a giggle at the poor rhymes and overacting.
Riff-Nataly stepped back with a dramatic flair.“No, keep your claws off meeeee!”
As Decard-Falkilm moved closer, Cassius stayed close behind and kept the purring going.“Now stay still as a good human should. This is for your own good.”
The style of music and the way they were singing made Nataly think of the dramatic musicals of Old Earth.
Decard-Falkilm stood tall, raised a hand, and repeated the last line, but in a deeper key.“This is for your own good.”
“I don’t want to go with you and talk about my emotions!”Riff-Nataly sang.
Sima, Illea, and Kamie, wearing matching light blue wrap garments, all rushed up to stand behind Riff-Nataly and Decard-Falkilm.
Standing in a row and moving their arms in rhythm with the music, they all sang together.“No one likes talking about their emotions! Especially Nataly. Especially Nataly. Especially Natalyyyyy!”
“Hey!” Nataly exclaimed with a laugh. “No one but Sima likes to talk about that stuff!”
It was almost as if they’d expected her outburst because Sima, Illea, and Kamie all waved a finger at her as they sang the line again.“Especially Nataly!”
The band increased the beat, and the three did a little shuffle step back and forth. Sima was the least coordinated of the three, so she was a little off and bumped Illea. It didn’t stop anyone.
The three-person chorus continued.“She’s there for us. Helps without a fuss. We love Natalllly!”
Everyone, including the band and the people standing outside the “stage,” all sang together, “We love Natally,” making her jump a little.
Ula gave a little cheer, then turned to face Nataly. “My part is coming, so I have to go. You’ll stay here, right?”
Nataly nodded, and Ula rushed off and disappeared behind the band. The band never stopped playing as Ula emerged from the other side holding a big circle painted to look like a giant orb.
Moving the circle up and down as if the orb was floating, Ula skipped to Riff-Nataly.“I’ve arrived!”she sang.“Press my button to go live!”
Everyone cheered as Ula danced the orb around Riff-Nataly. It was so darn adorable that both Decard and Riff had to struggle to stay in character.
After the third time she circled Riff-Nataly, Decard snorted. “Ula, you’ve got to stop so Riff can try to press you.”
“Oh, right!” Ula said, and rushed to kneel in front of Riff-Nataly, holding the orb over her head.
Riff-Nataly made a big show of reaching her hand out to the orb. She paused her palm over one of the lopsided, pained buttons and sang.“This all ends! Don’t forget, I have many friends!”
She was still singing the last word when Daxus burst out from behind a digger and lunged into the scene.
“You don’t need the orb, I’m here to intercede!”His words weren’t sung, it was more like he was chanting.“I will see Nataly freed!”
He picked Ula up and carried the giggling girl to the edge of the stage. The moment Daxus appeared, Cassius stopped playing the purring instrument and rushed off the stage behind Daxus and Ula.
After setting Ula down near the band, he moved to stand between Decard-Falkilm and Riff-Nataly.
“You betrayed me once,”Riff-Nataly sang, her voice high and angry. Nataly was impressed with Riff’s range. She was throwing everything into this!“My trust is broken, I’m not a dunce.”
Daxus moved his gaze from Riff to meet Nataly’s eyes.“I was wrong.”
After he chanted those words, everyone sang together.“He was wrooooooong!”
The chorus did their little shuffle step again as they sang.“Bad Daxus! You disappointed us!”
Daxus put one hand to his heart and chanted, never breaking eye contact with her.“I acted bad. I made you mad. Now I'm sad.”
