Exhaustion

Nogal belonged to a race of aliens that could shape-shift. This ability was so integral to society it was part of education. To graduate from college, every student journeyed to Earth to study Humans in the form of a useful device.

“Producing the effects of a machine can be exhausting,” warned their instructor. “If you become a machine that gets used too much, you may need medical help.”

Nogal arrived in a small town in the Netherlands. As instructed he turned into a bright green bicycle and waited in the alley for someone to begin using him. Unfortunately, he waited in a small town full of honest people. Many passed by the bicycle, but they assumed the bike belonged to someone. Nogal spent the entire week unused.

The class returned to the transport hub where Nogal met his friend Maggala.

“I was a pen for a university student,” she sighed tiredly. “That girl took a LOT of notes. I’m exhausted!”

They watched a classmate being wheeled past on a medical gurney. Pogar looked nearly dead from overwork. Nogal asked the medical tech, “What happened?”

The tech shook his head, “He was a gun in Chicago.”
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Written for: FLASH FICTION FOR THE PURPOSEFUL PRACTITIONER

Author’s Notes:

Gun violence has reached epidemic proportions in Chicago recently.
http://abc7chicago.com/410-shot-74-fatally-in-chicago-in-july-2017-police-say/2265874/