The Rules: a flash fiction/drabble
A Meeting of Minds
© 2007 Ashleigh Mitchell
1st Man: Now here at the Rock we have two rules. Memorize them until you can say them in your sleep. Rule number one: obey all rules.
2nd Man: Rule Number One – ‘You do not Talk About Fight Club. Rule Number two…’
3rd Man: Rule number one … ‘Robots never harm humans.’
4th man: No, Rule Number One is ‘We don’t trade Code Names.”
5th Man: No, Rule Number One is ‘You Do Not Talk About Fight Club!’
6th Man: No, Rule Number One is “Never look in the package.’
7th Man: Rule number one: never hire friends.
8th Man: Rule number one: never do anything yourself when someone else can do it for you.
9th Man: No, Universal Rule Number One is ‘Do Not go Wandering Off.’
6th Man: No, Rule Number One is “Never look in the package.’
9th Man: No, don’t worry about that, trust me: ‘Do Not Go Wandering Off.’
slight pause…
10th Man: Uh, what about rule number one?
9th Man: Oh, by the way…’RUN!’