Lovers of Babel Read Online Free PDF Page A

walked up to George.
    “Look, I’m glad you got to see that at least half of your hypothesis was correct, but now it’s time to throw in the towel. Focus on what you’re good at; space study.”
    “You wouldn’t patronize me if you knew what I could do now,” George stated matter-of-factly.
    “What!?” The scientist looked incredulous.
    “Should I repeat myself or should I show you?”
    “You’ve got to be kidding me. Look man, you serious nee-“
    “You need to stand back!” George interrupted.
    He closed his eyes and clinched his boney fists. The veins in his head were bulging and his jaw was locked. His friend Sally walked up to him and placed her pale hand on his shoulder.
    “George please just let it go. You did good. You really did.”
    “Hold on. J-just give me a minute.” He said through clenched teeth.
    The scientists started gathering their things to leave. The Australian gave George a stern slap on the back.
    “Well, maybe next time you can show me what you can do,” he said mockingly.
    Suddenly, there was a great commotion in the town square right outside the lab. Everyone ran outside to see what was happening. There, coming towards them in the bay, was a fifteen foot tall woolly mammoth.  Everybody frantically ran for cover, except for George who was smiling at his new creation. The Australian ran over to him in disbelief.
    “Is this some kind of trick you conjured up? Huh? This must be some kind of illusion that you created.”
    George was silent. The mammoth was still a ways off.
    “Look, you seriously need to stop. Look at all these scared people. You’ve created chaos in the streets over a stupid trick!” The Austrian yelled.
    The mammoth was picking up speed.
    “H-how did you make it look so real? H-how can it move like that?” The Australian was beginning to back away.
    The mammoth was only a few yards away and was charging at the beefy Australian.  George looked at the man.
    “You’d better run.”
    George’s creation was charging toward the beefy Australian at full speed. The Australian was in shock and unable to move. He was watching a twenty ton mammoth run toward him like a bull. Once the beast reached the shore the Australian knew he was lunchmeat. The mammoth was kicking up so much beach sand that the grains created a giant cloud of dust which made it hard to see the mammoth. Suddenly, he was only feet away from the panicked Australian who had turned into a statue. He closed his eyes as the mammoth lifted its two front legs into the air and in an instant the Australian was gone. George was dumbfounded. He looked around to see if the mammoth was standing on him or had swallowed him whole, but there was no blood or any evidence of the Australian. It was as if he had vanished into thin air. The mammoth was also confused and was getting increasingly angry that his dinner had disappeared right before his eyes. George created a giant cage to house the mammoth so that it could be used for testing.  He was still looking for the Australian when he heard a commotion going on back inside the lab. As he approached the lab door he heard a loud banging sound coming from inside the cabinet of the center lab table. He cautiously walked over to it, bent down and grabbed the silver handle. He tried to open it but realized it was locked. The key was hanging on a hook at the front of the room. As he went for the key the sounds from inside the desk grew louder and more distressed. George began to notice the sound of a man’s voice. Once he retrieved the key he unlocked the cabinet door and it immediately swung open. There, cramped in an upright fetal position, was the beefy Australian who was utterly perplexed at how he got there. George helped him out of his cramped hiding place.
    “How in the world did you get inside there and lock the door by yourself?” George asked as baffled as the Australian.
    “I seriously have no idea! At one moment I remember standing there watching the mammoth