Free Minds

Chapter 79.

"This next gadget is not really complicated," I said, while holding up the device for all to see.

   My third creation consisted of a thick plastic string which held a metal ball with a shape that stood between an oval and a circle. Around the ball was a circled dent around which most of the string was wrapped. The remaining part of the string had a knot on its end that left a hole. As I put one hand through the hole and gripped the string, I explained that all one had to do was jerk the string in the direction of the Yunies' weapons and the metal ball at the end of it, which was a magnet, would latch unto their weapons.

"...and then,'' I continued, "you yank the string again as hard as you can, pulling the Yunies' weapons with you! Obviously, you have to make sure that you create the right form of distance between you and the Yunies while doing this."

   Taking the lack of words on anyone's part as a good sign, I moved on to my final gadget.

"This was inspired by the defective stun gun parts I found in the junkyard," I remarked. "I was able to use the parts to create this Star Wars inspired gun. It shoots stun lasers. Based on Rav's more advanced knowledge about the Yunies, I was able to find out that the effect of the volts in each laser shot found will be enough to render a Yunies frozen for about.."

"20 to 30 minutes," Rav confirmed when I trailed off to stare at him.

"And the lasers can travel as far as 15-20 feet," I continued, before tucking the gun into my arm and pulling the trigger toward the bare land away from us for emphasis.

   When I turned back to face the others, I couldn't help but be startled by the four poker faces which stared right back at me. I resisted the urge to flinch as Landon walked closer to the table in front of me, maintaining full eye contact as he came to stand directly opposite me and picked up one of the other stun guns.

   His eyes raked the device for a while until a gleam arose within them that no one could miss. Landon's lips spread into a grin right before he said, "With these, the Yunies better watch out!"

   Before I could get a chance to react, my body was engulfed in the warmth of Rav's embrace as he lifted me a few inches off the ground and swung me side to side. It was only after he released a breathless me that I saw and heard the smiles and claps of the rest from their ends.

"Okay, okay." I was able to choke out while tucking a stray hair twist away from my burning face. "We'll have to let Dorian give us his presentation on the protective body suits he made."

"True," Dorian replied with a straight face, but that was not enough to mask the gleam in his eye as he continued by saying, "but we've got time."

   And so they carried on.

   After a few more minutes of many more spontaneous hugs from Rav and praises which I can certainly say wiped the horrible presentation experience in Mr Sacury's class and the trauma it carried, Dorian was next. It wasn't difficult helping him set up since he had only brought with him one suit for his exhibition.

   Even before he began, I already liked what I saw. Dorian began by explaining the composition of the suit spread out on the table before us.

   It was a jet black, one size fits all, three piece suit made from the predominantly Kevlar fabric that he'd been able to get with Landon's help.

"I wasn't able to get enough to create a thicker layer," Dorian's tone was sheepish as he referred to the Kevlar fabric, "But I was lucky enough to find some alloy containing steel to wedge between the layers I made. The steel together with the Kevlar should be enough to ward off any bullets or otherwise that the Yunies might shoot our way."

   He added that he was certain, based on a series of tests he's conducted himself, the steel was mixed with a non-metal and together with the Kevlar, could therefore, protect us in case the Yunies sought to use any tech capable of electrocution.

   From the protruding parts of the suit, it was safe to say that the alloy was placed around the chest, back and torso areas for the long-sleeved top, while the bottoms appeared to have the alloys, in the thigh and leg areas. Dorian assured us that even though wearing it was going to feel a little weird at first, he'd made sure that the alloy didn't make it uncomfortable.

"What are those pockets?" I gestured to the suit's bottoms.

"Yeah I see two at the sleeves as well," Rav added.

"They are pouches actually," Dorian glanced in Rav and I's direction before placing his hand into one of the pouches. "It crossed my mind that we will need places to keep the weapons Beth has made. Each pouch is pretty deep and stretched out enough to store small-sized and/or narrow weapons."

   After he withdrew his hand, everyone's eyes, almost like clockwork, flickered to the last piece of the suit.

   It was a helmet-shaped headgear with hard plastic for the outer part while the curves and sides that made up the inner part had thick, soft pads within them. Also, there was an optional shade feature around where our eyes would be to block out any excess light. Around the ears were some black buttons stuffed into the pads which, according to Dorian, gave the headgear just about the same effect as noise-cancelling headphones when pushed.

"So, that's it." Dorian concluded with a small clap. "Any questions?"

"Nope," was Rav's simple reply. That, however, did a terrible job in disguising the look in his eye. A look with consequences I, a recent victim of such, knew all too well.

   Dorian though wasn't fast enough to notice. Before his thoughts could properly process what was happening, he was already a few inches above the ground as Rav shook him side to side in a breath choking hug.

   The rest of us slipped into the roles that had been assumed after I'd made my presentation.

   If anyone thought I had acted weird toward the applause, hugs and shouts thrown my way before, they should see Dorian now. Whenever he managed to escape Rav's grip to breathe, I got a glimpse of wide eyes that were greener than ever and his slender cheeks that were not just tinted, but flushed all over with the deepest shade of pink. The rise and curve of his lips could be described as what was between a smile and a look of agony.

   That didn't stop the shout that came from me as my palms began to burn from clapping harder.

   Even with Rav smouldering hugs that didn't appear to be ending anytime soon, Dorian's glance managed to find mine.

"Tonight?"

   That one word from him was mouthed, not spoken, and yet I could say without hesitation that the heart-stopping warmth which suddenly engulfed me would have been no different if he had yelled that same question from the tallest cliff.

   Upon realising I was still gazing at him like an idiot with no response, I could only hope that my head movements up and down didn't seem too eager.

   His face assumed a red tint which, not to sound cocky but, could not be attributed to Rav this time.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please don't forget to vote and comment💕!