Happy 11111100110
By: Timothy Law
10001 was munching on some raw chicken breast and a wire wrapped in navy blue plastic.
"Hey!" said David in annoyance. "That is my second phone this month."
"Dave, don't worry," said 10001 with a grin and a four-fingered wave. "I'm improving your signal."
Chicken and wiring was then coughed up causing Dave to gag. Nobody needs to see that, nobody at all. The mash of raw meat and phone components was then mushed back into the open phone, circuitry seeming like magic to piece itself together.
There was a shuddering sound from David's laptop and the online video 10001 was watching (Gremlin Web Phone Hacks Dot Com) was suddenly replaced by the faces of Steph and the girls.
"Happy New Year!" the laptop screen cried.
1011 popped up in front of everyone else and waved at 10001.
"Happy 11111100110!!" 1011 squeaked.
"Yes, let us hope that 11111100110 is a far better program," 10001 suggested. "Not so many viruses and syntax errors."
"11111100110?" asked Steph, Dave and, the girls.
"Don't you humans know anything except chicken breast?" sighed 10001.
"Yeah, we heard you partying last night…" accused 1011. "You stayed up way past 0111 hours."
"We had to see in the New Year," explained Steph.
"Yeah, we know," said 1011.
"Yeah, year 11111100110…" added 10001.
"Last year was 11111100101 and what a shambles that was…" sighed 10001. "A Gremlin's worst nightmare with all the bugs in the programing and a virus that just wouldn't stop mutating."
"Yeah, we thought that 11111100100 was bad but 11111100101 was the worst," continued 1011.
Dave shrugged.
"Yeah I suppose both of those… programs… weren't all that great," he said in agreeance. "We still soldiered on though, got quite a lot done."
"Yes, thanks to our improvements to your laptops you could have produced two magazines a month, maybe more," suggested 1011.
"Steady on!" interjected Steph. "An editor can only do so much."
"That is why you need to take me up on my offer to install that editor program for you," whined 1011.
"I can imagine what kind of stories we would end up with then each month," suggested Steph with a roll of her eyes. "1011010011 100110 10001010001010 1110011110011111101…"
"Pure poetry!" the two Gremlins stated together.
"We could install it today if you want," suggested 10001. "I've pre-installed it on your laptop already Dave."
"Using the joint signal we could do a simultaneous install and update the music files all at the same time!" announced 1011 with gleeful excitement.
"Think of it as a present for 11111100110," added 10001.
"No!" screamed Steph causing the girls to giggle. "I am perfectly happy continuing to edit the old-fashioned way, by reading each amazing story and poem and by looking at all of the amazing artworks that people of all ages send in."
"Fine!" sulked 1011.
"What is wrong with my music selection anyway?" asked Dave.
"David, please," laughed 10001. "Your taste in music is still stuck in 11111000000."
"Poor you," sympathized 1011.
"The food is good so I hang around," explained 10001.
Dave did a quick calculation and then smiled. 10001 wasn't wrong.
"So what is next for 11111100110?" asked 1011.
"Well stories and artworks are coming in at a steady rate," said Steph. "It should be a great January edition."
"Even better when I run this program," stated 1011 eagerly.
"Nooooooooo!!" cried Steph and Dave t000ge1111er.
1000011001 10111100001100 101001 1100001100011000 AFQ#**1001 100PHG##!$$ 0110100.
"000111000 10001110011 $$!$##$$ 1000111000110," said D$****
1000111000 100000011000 10000111100 11110000001110 1001010 111100 000111100011100
$$FGASW **GHSM**$$4 1000111000 110011000011 100001100
Error line 11111100110
Program doe$ not c0mpuTe
Please insert $0.25 and try again…
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