Running on Sunday

Bone and a List

Ont is bidding an exiting member goodbye after handing over an analysis of the customer's bike repairs. His face doesn't dim and is as bright greeting Robert as it might be with any other congenial patron entering his shop, "How are you Robert?" Robert clears his throat glancing about the empty shop and he speaks carefully,

"I'm alright Ont." He nods towards Ont as though indicating a deeper inquiry behind his nod and tone of response, "How are you?" Ont clears his throat and motions with a wave of his hand for Robert to follow him into his repair room. Ont extends his left hand toward a bike in the repair room licking his lips and nodding slowly toward Robert blinking at Ont incredulously. "Ont...No..." Ont's tongue branches from his left inner cheek to the front of his smacking lips as he makes an introduction,

"Robert--Bone." Robert looks with an inquisitively-squeamish face at Ont raising his hands and continues speaking a bit defensively, "Made of hardened-pure-polished bone. None finer and a rare present opportunity." Robert nods slowly as though mid-contemplation and misunderstanding as he responds as unsure as his nod,

"Ont, that's great." Robert clears his throat then continues even slower, "Where's Clyde?" Ont clears his throat again then motions for Robert to follow him towards the front of his shop then answers Robert,

"I need you to return to Clyde's apartment. He has a few items I need you to retrieve. I have the cauldron. If we do not retrieve these items, there will be much more to deal with than is necessary." Robert steps away from Clyde shaking his head cautiously-slowly and his voice follows suit,

"Ont... I... I don't... What do you mean?" Robert continues as though in surprise at his own willingness, "Wai-what do you even mean Ont?" After lifting his face to the ceiling then sighing facing the floor, Ont responds,

"There's really no time. Here is a list. You have been to Clyde's living area most recently. He came to for a moment to tell me a few bits of incoherent forms of information then I had to recast him again. It's..." Ont sighs heavily as he continues, "...imperative that you retrieve these items. I'll tell you more as soon as you return...as soon as I may show you." Robert takes the list from Ont's hands. He reads the word at the top of the list, "Infirmary," then sighs looking at Ont's now grave-stern face.

He purses his lips walking toward Sophia outside of Ont's shop then turns to face Ont to ask sternly, "How much time exactly do we have?" Ont holds his eyes shut as he answers,

"Seventeen hours... so long as all is in order and place." Robert sighs with his mouth shut in a huff through his nose then asks,

"Is everything in order and place?" Ont doesn't open his eyes, shakes his head, and shrugs his shoulders as though he doesn't have another sure answer for Robert. Hopping on Sophia, Robert swallows shaking his head and begins pedaling towards apartment 2B.