BooksBarbecue
Back Stringers Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. FRONT COVER
  2. TITLE PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CHAPTER ONE
  5. CHAPTER TWO
  6. CHAPTER THREE
  7. CHAPTER FOUR
  8. CHAPTER FIVE
  9. CHAPTER SIX
  10. CHAPTER SEVEN
  11. CHAPTER EIGHT
  12. CHAPTER NINE
  13. CHAPTER TEN
  14. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  15. CHAPTER TWELVE
  16. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  17. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  18. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  19. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  20. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  21. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  22. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  23. CHAPTER TWENTY
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  33. CHAPTER THIRTY
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  43. CHAPTER FORTY
  44. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  45. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  53. CHAPTER FIFTY
  54. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  55. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  56. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  59. CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
  60. CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
  61. CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
  62. CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
  63. CHAPTER SIXTY
  64. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

He looked like shit shat sideways. We both looked like shit, but even though it had been a while since I’d consulted a mirror, there was no way I was pacing Patton’s level of defilement. Dark circles had formed around his eyes almost like bruises in purple, yellow, and green.

“Hey buddy,” I said, yanking the tube to the wall of the enclosure so I could sit upright while I shot up. “You don’t look so hot.”

“I don’t feel good.”

Well, he wouldn’t, would he?

“Ben? Do you think you could lend me the food tube? For just a minute or two?” he asked. “I’m pretty sure the food eel is just serving our own recycled shit.” He laughed sadly.

Pathetic. Trying to soften me up with bad jokes. I was surprised they were feeding him at all to be honest. He wasn’t even a Stringer. What could he offer? I propped myself against the side of the enclosure, tubes in either hand. “Man, you know I would, it’s just that nectar is for saviors, and I need the vitamins and minerals in this to help me with my dredging.” I used my nicest voice for all of this and continued, “What if I don’t get enough nutrition because I gave some nectar to you and the dredge scrambles my brain? Also, I really think it’s against the rules to share the food tube.” Ugh, this was all so depressing. “Eat Pickles if you want something different. Just break it open, I don’t care.”

“We promised each other we’d save Pickles until we escaped or one of us died,” he said.

“That was your weird idea and I absolve you,” I said, making the sign of the cross and then pushing the tubes together. “Don’t blame me for being hungry when you refuse to eat the food that they give you.”

“I do eat the food, Ben, it’s just–”

The nectar hit me like I’d been punched in the face through a paper sack full of fairy dust. My consciousness quickly scrolled up and out of view. All I heard of Patton was more self-pity about how the slop from the food eel gave him the runs.

89 Phenomenon known as pleometrosis.

90 Male millipedes inject sperm through a pair of modified legs called gonopods – File under “stuff I wish I didn’t know.” – Sorry, Ben, that file is full.

91 The ins and outs if you will. I’ll be here all week.

92 Remind you of anyone?

93 Keep your day job, Vanna.

94 I’ve reached the limit of your analogies.

95 And then a chapter and then a book, we get it.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO