《The Bartender at the End of the Universe》Ch 282: Read Between the Lines
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"I guess I should make some more, huh?" Ted sighed as he rubbed the back of his head.
Alcohol coated the floor, as a table sat overturned.
"It doesn't always end up like this!" Og'drimun said defensively.
The horse was standing on the opposite side of the table. It's eyes glazed and stating into the distance.
Ted wished he could believe Og'drimun, but in his heart he knew that anything created by the demon was likely to cause trouble for him. He worried that it wouldn't end with just a mess like this. That eventually Og'drimun's creations would wreak havoc he couldn't even imagine. And worst of all is that it'd be an accident.
Harold shook his head. "What a mess." He mumbled. Then, he wiped his hands against each other and nodded. "I suppose someone should do something about this."
"Someone?" Abraham scoffed.
Harold nodded firmly. "No need to panic. I'll take care of it."
"Huh, really?" Ted asked in surprise. "But you were so against it earlier?"
"Nonsense." Harold said as he stuck his thumbs under his suspenders. "Just leave it to me."
Harold looked around and frowned slightly. "Now, where is the intercom so I can call the janitor."
Ted couldn't help but smile. He should've known it'd be something like that. Harold had made it clear how he felt about manual labor.
Abraham shook his head. He turned to Ted and asked, "Do you have a mop?"
Ted was caught off guard and paused to think a moment. "I don't know, but if things are like before, I can guess where we'd find one."
"Well then, lead the way," Abraham grunted. "Not like I've never cleaned before."
"Uh, right! Then, we better hurry before it gets set...or whatever happens on wood." Ted stammered out as he walked towards the kitchen.
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Abraham followed behind him as Sid interjected, "The word you're thinking of us stain. Wood gets stained."
"But a stain sets," Abraham retorted right before he disappeared through the doorway behind Ted.
"I'm not in trouble am I?" Og'drimun asked nervously.
"Did you command the horse to walk through the table?" Sid asked.
"I don't think so?" Og'drimun shrugged.
"Then you are not in trouble," Sid concluded.
"Ahem," Harold cleared his throat. "Just who do you think you are?"
Og'drimun pointed towards his chest. "Me?"
Harold looked down on Og'drimun. "No, not you hairy child that's far away with a really loud voice."
He turned towards Sid and leaned in close. "You." He sneered. "Just who do you think you are?"
"I thought we were already acquainted," Sid explained. "Apologies. My name is Sid."
As Sid held his hand out in greeting Harold shook his head.
"A smart aleck too, huh?" Harold grumbled. "That's a bad combination you know."
"I am afraid I do not understand." Sid clarified.
"Playing dumb now are you?" Harold scolded. "For shame."
"Og'drimun are you aware of what I'd happening right now?" Sid queried.
"Hey, I'm as lost as you are." Og'drimun held his hands up to try and reinforce his innocence in the matter.
Harold adjusted his glasses. "You aren't in charge here," he said to Sid.
"I understand that," Sid agreed.
"Well, if you understand it so well, then why did you try and claim you are the authority on who gets punished and who doesn't?"
"I made no such claim." Sid explained.
"Yet, you still took it upon yourself to tell that little hooligan that he's off the hook?" Harold scoffed. "Why, it almost sounded like you thought you did have the power to forgive him."
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"I merely made a logical statement." Sid explained. "An event happened outside of Og'drimun's control. I simply sold him that such a thing is not grounds for being reprimanded."
"A kid brings a dangerous animal to school, wait, not only that." Harold said in a firm voice. "A student has a history of bringing in dangerous and unpredictable animals who have caused trouble before. They do it again, and the animal makes a mess. You think that isn't cause for a punishment?"
Sid cocked his head to the side. "Curious. That is not..."
"Well guess what bucko?" Harold roared. "I just so happy to think that is worthy of at least a week in detention, and for stepping on my toes, why I say you just bought yourself a one way ticket to ride that train right along with him!"
Sid blinked slowly. "Detention?"
"Did I stutter?" Harold seemed to grow bolder and angrier by the second. His voice lowered, and he approached Sid as if he was daring the robotic man to contradict him.
"You did not?" Sid replied, clearly confused.
Harold squinted at Sid and then turned towards Og'drimun. "Well young man, I assume you were eavesdropping. Did you hear your punishment?"
"But...but I didn't do anything!" Og'drimun complained.
Harold glared at the demon. "Talking back, eh? Make that two weeks detention."
"I didn't..."
Og'drimun opened his mouth to argue, but Harold cut him off. "Three weeks."
"You can't just..."
"Four weeks, and two weekends of cleaning cleaning the gum from under desks...by hand..."
Og'drimun's lip quivered.
"Want to try for five weeks, or did you learn your lesson?"
Og'drimun hung his head. "No sir...I understand..." he said in a defeated monotone.
"Curious," Sis mused from the sideline.
It's no good! She sleeping like the dead. Death reported as he popped back in.
The skeleton soaked in the scene before him and asked, Whoa, who died in here? Cuz those are some sad mugs you guys are sporting.
"Perfect timing," Harold declared. "You've got the honor of administering the punishment for these two. Make sure you use a firm hand for the edification of their young minds.
Oh cool, that sounds great, I... Death froze a moment before he blurted out, WAIT! DOING THE WHAT?
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