Jack finished his shower and then stepped into the next room in the progression. This room, like the rest, was quiet and bereft of people. It did, however, have an assortment of exercise equipment. Jack turned right from the door and walked towards the corner of the room, where there were several flattish stationary bikes positioned to afford a good view of the television, which was on. Before Jack became too engrossed in the program, a blond woman approached and began fiddling with one of the bikes.
"Hello, how are you?" she asked.
“Oh, hi, fine. You?” replied Jack, a little startled.
“I’m doing well.” The blond woman stretched a bit before sitting down on the bike and beginning to pedal. An attendant came up to Jack and started preparing a bike for him, even though he'd expressed no interest in using one.
“Well, I guess I’ll close at five now...” said the attendant with joking sarcasm.
“Oh...” mumbled Jack. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was nearly six.
“No problem. You want a magazine?” the attendant said, breaking into a smile.
“Uh, no. Well, yes," Jack said. The attendant left and Jack started to pedal the bike too.
“So, what brings you here?” continued the blond woman.
“Uh, I’m in town, from Minnesota,” answered Jack.
“You’re from Minnesota?”
“Yeah, Minnesota. I’m here to to play in...to play in that music festival.”
“Cool. And why the gym?”
“Oh. Well, I just thought I’d try the gym. I don’t work out very much, so, you know.” Jack had only really been interested in the showers, but he thought it wiser to keep quiet on that point.
“And what do you think?”
“It’s very nice.”
“Yes, it’s magnificent,” murmured the blond.
“You know, there’s a Seinfeld bit about that," said a voice from across the room. Jack looked over to see Jerry and George approaching.
“Hmm?” asked the blond woman.
“About having sex with a gymnast.”
“Oh!”
“Yeah, he was excited, but it was just ordinary.” Jerry and George continued talking to the blond woman, leaving Jack out of the loop and feeling more than a little incensed. After a time, the woman got off the bike and started gathering her things.
“Well, I’ve got to go, it was nice talking to you,” she said.
“Ok, bye...” George replied meekly. The woman exited through an open door across the room.
“What are you doing? She’s leaving, go after her!” implored Jerry. George hesitated before steeling himself.
“Uh, wait! Hold on!” George yelled after the woman. He and Jerry ran out of the room. Jack turned back to the TV and continued pedaling.
A little while later, the blond woman returned. Jack got off the bike and watched as she split into three orbs. The orbs began orbiting a hazy central point and slowly drifting back together. Jack quickly drew his pistol and shot all three orbs as fast as he could before they came together again. After the third was shattered, the blond woman rematerialized.
“Hey, thanks!” said the woman happily. She went back to her previous bike.
“Yeah, I can kind of shoot when I’m desperate...I mean, frantic!” said Jack, embarrassed.
