Free Film Strip by Nancy Bartholomew Page B

lighten up, but it had no visible effect.
    Raydean sighed and looked down at Fluffy. “It’s a turrible world,” she said. “My girlfriend, here, found true love, only to have it blow up in her face.”
    I looked harder and started walking slowly across the narrow street toward Raydean’s yard. Fluffy did indeed seem dazed and lost.
    â€œWhat happened?”
    Raydean shook her head. “I was weeding.” “Weeding” is Raydean’s euphemism for checking the various traps and snares she’s rigged throughout her tiny yard to keep intruders and aliens at bay. “I looked up when I heard the doggie door and saw Fluffy come running out of the house and down the steps, dashing into the arms of a most handsome young Chihuahua.”
    â€œRaydean, dogs do not have arms.”
    â€œWhatever,” she sighed. “Anyway, when she reached the edge of the driveway, the dog blew slap up!”
    â€œWhat?” The concern I felt edged into my voice and made Raydean jump. She reached behind her back and pulled out a few tangled pieces of tan plastic and some thin red and blue wires.
    â€œSee this here?” she asked. “It’s a mechanical robotized dog. A toy, Sierra. Someone put this thing at the edge of your driveway while I was otherwise occupied. When Fluffy ran out, it exploded. Liked to have pushed my pacemaker into an early grave, girl!”
    Raydean stretched out her arm and wrapped it around Fluffy, who had started shivering. “Girl, them boys ain’t at all what they seem. Since the invasion, you can’t take nothing for granted, especially love.” Raydean, sensing a theme, started humming “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing” to herself. Fluffy moaned, and Raydean, taking this for approval, began to sing in earnest.
    â€œRaydean!” I shouted. “Did you see who did this?”
    Raydean shook her head, completed the verse, and turned to look at me. “No,” she said. “Did you?”
    I shook my head and my shoulders slumped in defeat. Did no one take this as seriously as I did? As if in answer, a car’s engine came within earshot, loud and powerful. I knew that car. I looked up at Raydean.
    â€œWell, at least I done one thing right,” she said. “I called in the law. At least one of us is gonna find true love and happiness.” In the distance, I heard the faint wail of sirens. He was bringing reinforcements in response to whatever it was Raydean had said when she called. This was not going to be pretty.
    Fluffy stood, her tail wagging as she identified Nailor’s car. What was it about that man that just seemed to drive women wild?
    His car whipped onto my street, jerking to a stop in front of my house. Nailor jumped out, his gun drawn and an anxious look on his face.
    â€œWhere is the bomb exactly?” he asked.
    I suppose the rest of the afternoon would’ve gone better had I not laughed, but I couldn’t help myself. He looked so officious and cute in his Kevlar vest and helmet. The safety glasses he’d pulled on were an extra-special touch.
    Raydean reached over and held up the detonated dog, now a mass of wire and plastic.
    â€œFalse alarm,” she said calmly. “It was just another death threat, disguised as true love.”
    Nailor lowered his gun and glowered at Raydean.
    â€œI’m taking you in,” he said as the first patrol car pulled to a halt. “I’m having you committed to the state hospital and they won’t let you see daylight for a hundred years!”
    I turned on him. There was no call for scaring Raydean. She’d meant well enough.
    â€œNow, wait just a minute,” I said.
    â€œNo, you wait, Sierra. I’ve humored her and tried to be fair, but this just takes the cake.”
    â€œListen to me,” I said. I took a step toward him, hoping he would read the urgency of the situation in my face and realize this wasn’t just a