Kanga Creek

Kanga Creek's only watering hole was filled to the brim at high noon. The small town lay just east off the middle of the continent, conveniently far enough away from the main road to be an inconvenience for strangers to stop through, and also keeping them out of the war. 

Mika, didn’t care who said what outside of Kanga Creek. And if they called her a coward for not picking a side or not ‘choosing what’s right’, then so be it. She was a passionate advocate for people picking for themselves what to believe. And perhaps, it was for that same reason that Mika never spoke much in town. She didn't share stories about her life or share her opinion on any subject, and she never agreed to or denied any rumors that floated through the townsfolk about herself. So, it was with the utmost swagger that Mika opened the swinging bar doors and let them slam behind her. As people turned to look at who entered the saloon she lifted her head and gave them a bright wild smile that made her single blue eye shine. 

Mika drank in the scene as the buzz in the room sang a different tune. She knew she looked good, intriguing for most folks, mysterious, and she used that to her advantage. The floor creaked, her steps were noticed, and the spurs on her dusty boots rattled as she crossed the saloon to the bar. One of the pant legs on her overalls was tucked into her boot while the other was completely cut off, the hem ragged, exposing her bionic leg. Over her overalls, she wore a saggy belt, a gun in its holster, and attached on the right, tucked in neatly, was a flaming and slightly sizzling red-orange lasso. In the front pocket of her overalls, her coin purse jingled and a few corners of bills were peeking out of the pocket, having just overpaid the valet for taking care of her riding roo in her stead. On the opposite side of her bionic leg, Mika raised a bionic arm acknowledging greetings as she strolled through the bar. Her other arm was defined with muscle, despite the fact that she was petite and sorta short. Up the length of it until just below her elbow was a menagerie of bracelets from her travels, silver, gold, cloth, and woven, accenting her deeply tan skin and face. When Mika sat at a stool in front of the bar ordering a tall glass of iced cold water and a virgin drink of her choice she turned, holding the colored drink in her hand. Once facing the crowd she flipped her red-orange bangs out of her face briefly before they returned to their spot, covering her mechanical eye. But it was not the mechanical eye that interested people. 

With Mika’s single blue eye she stared back at all the mechanical ones in the saloon. The townsfolk were mostly metal. Most of the men and women had all bionic limbs except a few that had a single human leg or arm. Their mechanical eyes were moving unnervingly like chameleons at different angles and directions. All of them a gray metal color except for the light that popped out at the center that mirrored the color their eyes had once been. The only human eyes, other than Mika’s blue one, belonged to the young children in the saloon. They were lights of human joy amongst the cyborg crowd, running, screaming, and playing together. It was this human light that Mika had come to watch as she drank. 

Looking at the children reminded her of when she was once wholly human before the majority of the continent became cyborgs. It was when Mika was only five or six that she began meeting people in her town with a bionic limb or two. It was a fashion trend that no one seemed to notice was permanent. The continent was riling up for war, governments talking about progression, advancement, and the facets that technology had to offer for humanity. It was an educational experiment and a means of protection or retaliation against threats. Both sides warped minds into turning their citizens into living weapons. Using technology to advance minds was simply not enough anymore. The goal was to move forward and advance our body beyond normal means making us stronger, faster, more efficient, and even prolonging the expectancy of life. The wave of cyborgs quickly caught on and by the time Mika became a teenager, there was a distinct pressure from her peers and adults alike to earn at least a single bionic limb by the time she was sixteen. Mika ignored the pressure and refused to follow the trend to end up being the first in her age group to ‘earn’ a bionic limb. 

She was fourteen, watching adult after adult, trying to tame a wild roo. But after all the adults had been flung out of the ring they offered their chance of winning to their offspring in their bleached hopes they could still taste victory. They justified the savageness of pushing a kid into the ring by saying it was their shot to ‘earn’ a metal limb, or two, or three, or four- if they were fortunate enough. They went down the line of children starting oldest to youngest. When Mika’s age group got the chance, she volunteered to go first, silently hoping to prove that she could tame the roo without having to ‘earn’ a new limb at all. As soon as she sat on the protruding saddle off of the kangaroo’s back it started hopping and bucking but she never let go of the reins. Eventually, Mika had fallen off onto her side, was dragged around the ring, and her leg promptly stomped on before she blacked out. 

When she woke, to her bewilderment and horror, she was in the mechanic's shop laying on a hospital bed with a shiny new leg. Mika was in tears, not from pain but from fury and the utter violation of what had occurred. The doctor and nurses were completely confused by her anger and at the logic of waiting to let her once human leg heal. It was her mother, not her father who was off in the war, with whom Mika was most furious. She had known that Mika never wanted to be a cyborg and she'd had the doctors amputate her leg anyway. Her mother brushed off her furry saying she didn’t know what was best for her, that she’d given Mika the glory she’d deserved, and that one day she would thank her for what she did.  

In the dark of the night when everyone was asleep Mika left to meet the wild roo again in its ranch. She hopped over the fence, not fearing anything, knowing the worst had passed. The roo froze waiting for her move, it’s ear twitching. Mika strode forward into the spotlight of the moon. She looked to the sky and back down pursing her lips as tears slid down her cheek. 

“Look what you did to me,” Mika said to the roo, thrusting her bionic leg forward into the moonlight. As if in reply the roo came forward slowly bending down and sniffed at her new leg. When the roo stood up they looked into each other's eyes. 

The next morning people stood with their mouths agape, as Mika rode the roo down main street. Rumors spread like wildfire about the supposed battle of vengeance for her bionic leg that had won Mika her new roo. Of course, no one knew what really occurred and Mika was not the same girl afterward. A once talkative gal, Mika had become quiet. She never ignored a person, was not grim, nor nasty but just did not talk quite so much. When people asked her a question about this or that rumor she’d respond with a smile and say “maybe” or “perhaps.” And whenever someone asked her to tell them about her roo, she would say “Her name is Nancy.” 

The story of Mika’s arm and eye were unknown to the town, though the townsfolk would still tell them like legend. Claiming their own supposedly credible sources. The only information known for sure was that, if you looked close enough, her bionic leg had been stamped by the loyalists. And if you caught Mika on a lucky day when her red-orange hair did not cover her mechanical eye, if she looked to the right you’d find the emblem of the patriots. This only confused townsfolk further, some saying she was a traitor to one side, another saying she was a double agent, and plenty of others saying she’d gone rogue. Mika let them stew over the possibilities, allowing the stories to pile, and add to her mystique. All the ridiculous legends they built around her only made Mika love her town more. 

And the townsfolk loved Mika too. Mika was always one to give a helping hand when needed and never asked for payment in return. She’d go around delivering groceries to the elders in town perhaps staying a little longer to listen to their tales or play a game of cards. She was up to any fix-it challenge in town, having helped rebuild a lot of the shops. Mika often offered to watch children giving their parents a chance to enjoy themselves elsewhere. She’d listen to the woes of any stranger and in response would offer a sincere prayer that was sweet poetry to the ears. And when it came time to celebrate, Mika would make her famous barbecue sandwiches loved and consumed by all, just like her smiles. Mika, Kanga Creek’s sweetheart, and a mystery. 

It was not from conceit that Mika allowed her legend to build. It was only because she knew people would believe whatever they wanted to anyway. She learned early on that sharing your own beliefs or opinions does not mean people will listen and it wouldn't protect her desires either. So Mika allowed the rumors to fly and worked hard to earn the townsfolk respect simply so she could protect what she loved most: Kanga Creek. She wasn’t an official sheriff, the town actually didn’t have one, and she wasn’t looking for a title. Rather just the freedom to ensure peace was a constant in her town by bringing peace wherever she went. It was her goal to keep humanity human in the best ways she could. 

Mika watched her town in the bar. Some were arm wrestling, bragging about the newest upgrades and mechanical workings. Others were wasted, losing all sense of judgment and propriety, causing Mika to smile but shake her head. She sipped her virgin drink refusing to lose another part of herself. The children ran around, every once in a while giving her a toy to hold, a gift they made, or good old fashion hug. 

The light of the room darkened as the sun set and two of the barkeeps began lighting lanterns by snapping their mechanical fingers to make a spark. The warm glow filled the room. It began to smell like stew as people ordered dinner. Laughter traveled out into the night echoing off the stars. When she checked the clock, Mika decided it was late, and despite that, the crowd had not thinned in the late hours - children having fallen asleep on benches - she strolled out of the saloon and into the night. 

No one was on the street as Mika jumped on Nancy and rode west towards the edge of town. She watched the horizon closely as colors became murky in the dark. There was a rumble like advancing thunder and a cloud of dust that advanced towards Kanga Creek. Mika hopped off her roo and strolled into the desert to meet them. There were five of them, all riding dingo wolves. Unlike their ancestors, these dingos were massive. They were the height of a pony but broad and had thick fur as well as mean sharp teeth. The men that rode them were made of matte black metal, their mechanical eyes glowing red at the center, and they all wore black hats, red kerchiefs, and black boots. The Dingo Devils. 

“Who you working for tonight, Reece?” Mika called out to the one in front. 

“Does it matter? You’ll do what we say anyways.” His second in command spoke hackling with the others. Mika didn’t offer a response. 

“We’re not here for money, Mickamoo,” the third man smiled tauntingly, “your time is up.” 

“Oh, is that so?” Mika said, standing and facing the dingo wolves, but unmoving. 

“You see,” Reece started, “the loyalists are convinced of their near-victory in this war. So they don’t need money to fund their efforts. But,” he paused, “They can’t say they rule if they leave this town here to themselves.”

There was silence.

“What are ya doing, Reece?” Mika sighed, looking bored but unmoving. 

“C’mon, Mikki. Don’t make this hard on me.” Reece leaned forward practically whispering, genuine concern in his voice. 

Recce’s entourage took their cue and moved slowly to surround Mika where she stood. Her mechanical eye whizzed in all directions, looking through her head to see each of their positions. 

“After all this time, Reece, you still haven't learned? Or have you forgot?” Mika said with a smile but Reece said nothing nor did he move. 

There was a glint to her right and as one of the cronies aimed for her human eye. Mika bent down allowing her jump to manifest as she jumped high. She flipped back, the bullet blasting through her boot to meet her bionic foot allowing Mika to catapult the bullet backward straight through another crony's throat. As he fell to the ground bleeding, Mika landed onto the saddle of the now vacant dingo wolf and smiled. 

Mika crossed her arms and with her right bionic arm took her gun off her left side, shooting the man who aimed for her eye. She didn’t bother to check her aim and see if the bullet made its mark as she swung her flaming red-orange lasso with her left hand as Recce’s two leftover cronies advanced. She snapped the lasso through the air sending the fire in her veins down through her hand and into the lasso. On its own accord, it tied itself around two dingo wolf legs, strapping the two wolves together and causing them to fall mid-run. The cronies fired their bullets right before they tumble rolled into the dirt. Mika dodged the bullets, turning her own dingo wolf around to face the cronies. She shot them both before they could stand up on their feet, both of them returning back to the earth. 

Mika blew the smoke off her gun, giving Reece a sweet smile. 

“Thank you, for that,” Reece said hopping off his dingo wolf as Mika landed on the ground. He gave her a metal hug but she pushed against his chest. 

“No time for thanks. You’d think you’d have found a better crowd by now!” Mika remarked.

“No luck, as of yet,” Reece answered with a smolder.

“When are they coming, Reece?” Mika said, touching her lasso, as it untied itself, and looped back neatly onto her side. He only answered when she met his red eye lights.

“Three days. We were supposed to hold this place down until reinforcements came.” 

“They sent five hooligans to take over Kanga Creek?!” Mika rang, sounded highly insulted.

“Oh, they wanted to send more, but I might have convinced them that it wasn’t necessary to take over a backwards town full of hillbillies with so many,” Reece said beaming, “Boy, was I wrong.” 

“Don’t you forget it!” Mika resounded, smiling back. 

“What are we gonna do, Meeks?” Reece asked.

“We are going to do nothing. You,” Mika said pointing at Reece, “are going to go back to where you came from and stall like your life depends on it because it literally does,” she turned to walk towards Nancy and Reece followed “and I’m gonna get help from elsewhere.” 

“Where will you go?” Reece asked.

“I have some ideas,” Mika said, offering no details. When she reached her roo, Reece bent one knee offering her a step up onto the saddle. Mika grabbed his bionic hand and silently took the offer. Reece remained on one knee and held her hand.

“Marry me,” Reece stated, again. 

Mika gave him a sweet smile, took her hand from his, and brushed his cheek once. 

“Maybe. Perhaps. We’ll see.”  There was a pause as Reece sighed standing and smiling as Mika grabbed Nancy’s reins.

“See you in three days, Reece!” Mika yelled as she charged off into the night. 

“See you in three days, Mika, dear!” Reece called after her running.

He ran after her, both of them laughing as she passed the circle of dingo wolves chilling in the dirt, lifting their heads, to look at her as she bounced past them.

“Ow ow owwwwwww!!!!” Mika called to the moon as she heard Reece yell “Ya!,” charging the dingo wolves, other than his own, after her. They joined the run becoming a stampede on the horizon. 

“Ow ow owwwwww!!!!” Mika called out again and her dingo wolves echoed her cry, causing her to laugh.

This is what it was to be alive, she thought, protecting those she cared for so dearly. No, she corrected herself. This is what was to be human.