“I'm not with the government, though.”
His eyes narrowed as he looked down at her vest. As much as I wanted to sit back and enjoy the show, I decided to step in and help my ward out.
“She isn't, Sir. If you look carefully, you will see that she does not carry a permit.”
This time, the man's suspicious stare focused on me instead.
“You have one though.”
“Well, I never said I wasn't a government worker... So what does your... 'walkie-talkie' do the phone doesn't?” Before my status could cause any problems, I redirected the conversation. I was sure the man would much rather talk about his passions.
“Well, for one, this baby isn't gonna be tracked all the time by your council friends. No way the red bastards are gonna listen in on you on these babies.” Like a father, he stroked his not-phones with affection.
“Hmmm... you really think they care? I doubt they would mind what we think or write.” Sophie stayed on brand and repeated her previous point.
“How would you know? I'm not gonna trust some random faceless bastards just because they've got a badge. Who knows if those things are even human.”
“They sure sound human though,” I said. In fact, the guardians of peace were fabled for their sonorous voices.
“Language chips, man,” the man hissed, as his face bent over the table. “They totally know what they're doing. They show you just enough to get your heads going and then you sheep fill in all the blanks yourselves. It's crazy the amount of stuff the government covers up... and no even cares.”
“Like what?” Although I knew better, I still chose to hear more, just for novelty's sake. Despite his previous secrecy, the owner rose up and began to flail his hands as.
“Like everything, man! Secret underground labyrinths! Human experimentation! You don't even wanna know what sorta things the red guards hide under their masks! It's all planned! From the top down, man!”
“...okay, maybe I'll buy one later.” As the man's rambling became more and more outlandish, I barely managed to stifle my laughter. Rather than be rude and laugh right in his face, I excused myself and stumbled away. Sophie to my side seemed to suffer from the same problem.
“Hey, wait!” From behind, we could still hear the man's voice lap itself. “Really, I knew it! You council types just come here to spy on me! Well, you're not getting me! I'm prepared! You'll see!”
After we turned the corner we stopped to catch our breaths, before we both burst into roaring laughter. We bent over and gasped for breath while we tried to support our rocking bodies on the wall. We didn't even notice the strange looks we garnered from around us.
For the moment, all that mattered was the laughter in our ears. Even after a good while had passed, Sophie was still giggling away. I on the other hand tried my best to calm down. I hadn't forgotten about my responsibility. I still had to guarantee my ward's safety.
Still slouched over from laughter, Sophie noticed my silence and raised her head. I could feel a smile creep onto my face again as the words of the conspiracy nut sneaked their way back into my head.
“...language chips, man.”
My words caused another eruption of laughter between us. I felt like I had finally broken the ice. That was something I learned as I had watched Nate: On your first meeting with a ward, it was important to break the ice and form a positive connection. Any sessions after that would be much easier.
“So, where to now?” Sophie asked as she wiped the tears in her eyes.
“Let's see what smells nice over there.”
Not long after, we traveled along the narrow streets, mystery meat on sticks in our hands. By now, Sophie wore a hat woven of synthetic fiber, while an old woman had talked me into some strange glass bead necklace. As we trotted along, we debated what sort of seasoning the meat-stick lady had used to create the unique, cheap flavoring.
“Has to be some kind of crazy artificial chemical, right?” Sophie asked.
“No way, have you looked around this place? Where are they gonna get anything like that? There's no way they got chemicals here.”
“...you do know that technically, everything is made out of chemicals, right? Chemicals don't just come out of materializers.”
Before I could point at the materializer on the street corner to make my point, my phone buzzed to interrupt our conversation. In shock, I read Amy's message, before I looked at the clock.
“Crap! It's way too late already. We gotta go,” I told Sophie.
“Seriously? It's getting fun though. I never get out of the house anymore. Doesn't the caretaker have to make sure I'm healed and reintegrated into society?”
To extend her excursion a bit longer, Sophie played the moody princess card. Her range of emotions had become much broader since our first meeting. Still, Sophie's safety was more important than her recovery.
“That's gotta be enough,” I said, as a look north showed the dark of night would encroach soon. “The sun's almost gone. Do you really wanna stay around with the nutcases after nightfall?” Of course I only whispered the last part. I wouldn't want to have the nutcases hear me.
“Oh come on, didn't you see the gambling place over there? They're only open at night. What's a little bit of danger anyways. Don't be a downer and come taste freedom with me.”
“So you agree the people here are free to act against the council, right?” I smirked. From all the fun, Sophie seemed to have forgotten the reason for our trip.
She answered my victory grin with narrowed eyes. As smart as she was, the college dropout must have realized what would be next.
“Since I've made my point, there isn't any reason for us to stay here any longer. Now you know the City Council doesn’t try to keep us as dumb farm animals, you can see that world isn't pointless, right?”
“...let's just get back to the car.”
It seemed like Sophie still wasn't cured, but that wasn't surprising. Depression wasn't something you could shake off just because of a single fun evening. It would take a lot of time, energy and hard work from both of us if we wanted a chance at success. Still, I felt satisfied with the first step. With this level of progress I could prove to Nate that I was a capable caretaker.
As I reveled in my contentment, I forgot an important lesson: Trouble always follows good fortune.
We were already close to the cab when the setting sun illuminated an old acquaintance. As he lugged his fat body around a corner, my eyes caught him just as his caught me.
“Oh no,” I whispered. Lester, the ghost of high school past, had reappeared to haunt me.
“Well, well, well. If it isn't lil' Coaty. Out on a date?” With a wide grin, my high school terror stepped towards us, confident as always. Of course, he wouldn't be alone. As always, his idiot friends were right behind him to back up whatever dim idea Les cooked up.
“None of your business, Les,” I bit back. Our school days were in the past. The fatty had no more power over me. Yet, he seemed to have a different opinion.
“...that's a 'no' on the date then. No wonder. What would a pretty thing like you be doing with a monkey like this guy? He making trouble for you? Want me to take care of him?” My mere presence ignored, he went after Sophie right away.
“You wanna help me out? Breathe that way.” The girl pointed down the road. “Your mouth stinks worse than the mystery meat.”
Sophie, always rude and headstrong, wouldn't let Lester's attempt at flirting go unpunished. My body tensed as the fatty reacted in the only way he had ever known: He got angry. All the oohs and aahs from behind his back only stoked the flames.
“Listen up, girlie: You really should show some respect,” he said with narrowed eyes. “I'm the boss around these parts, didn't you know that?”
He took a step forward, just as I took a step into his path. Over my shoulder I spotted Sophie, knees bent and ready to flee or charge. Her right hand hidden under her clothes should hold onto that stun gun she had brought along, so she wasn't e
xactly helpless. Still, I was responsible for the safety of the girl behind me. I would protect my ward at any price. That was what a caretaker had to do, what Nate would do.
“What do you think you're doing, little Coaty? Playing white knight or something? You really wanna fight me on this?” A grin spread ripples through his fat face.
“You best back off, Les. This isn't school any more. I work for the City Council now,” I said and held up my badge. All I needed was a minute of time to reach the cab. Then we would be safe.
“You think you're a tough guy just cause you got some dumb little job? You see this?” Les held up the collar of his green jacket. “Yeah, I'm part of the Jackals! We control this place, and we don't need you council types messing around in our territory.”
As his voice became darker, his body grew ever larger in my vision. Old memories resurfaced. Paralyzed from fear, there was little I could do as Lester shoved me to the side. I had been wrong: Nothing had changed since school. He was still strong and I was still weak. As his grin became a sneer, Lester pushed his way up to Sophie and grabbed her arm.
“Hey, honey. How about you ditch the loser and let me show you around my neighborhood?” It sounded like a question, but his tight grip spoke a different language. Lester's friends closed in to watch their boss put on his usual show.
“C'mon girl, don't you wanna know what a real man-”
Before he could finish, a subdued buzz cut through the atmosphere. Les screamed and twitched as he let go of my ward's arm.
“Ahhh!”
“Piss off, fatso!” Sophie shouted as Lester went to the ground under the impact of her homemade stun gun.
Not satisfied with her work, Sophie crouched to shock the helpless gangster over and over. Before I could stop Sophie from enraging the gangs of the Squalor any more, I noticed Lester's green-jacketed goons in a circle around us. At first they had grouped up to watch the fun, but now the encirclement had turned into a deadly trap. Already the henchmen had armed themselves and moved in to save their boss.
“Sophie! Move!” Without regard, I grabbed my ward by the shoulder and pulled her onto her feet. Instincts I didn't even knew existed took control of my body. Only one behind us, some part of my brain told me.
With Sophie dragged behind me like a stubborn dog on a leash, I ran back the way we had come. Only two steps and I came face to face with one of Lester's friends. I remembered him from my school days, but his name had disappeared, just another in the anonymous mass who had stood aside and laughed at my torment.
Armed with a wide grin and a length of pipe, he stood between us and safety. I knew I was faster than them, so I tried to sprint past the opponent, but a simple swing was enough to intercept my path. I slouched my body down and to the side. At least protect the important bits. With a heavy thud, the pipe landed on my shoulder. My balance robbed by the force, I fell on a table with cheap handmade wares, creating a rain of knick knacks below me.
My right hand tightened to confirm my ward's existence. Sophie was still with me, good. I wouldn't let any harm come to her. I turned to look at my attackers, past and present. Most of the boys were huddled around their boss, but the one with the pipe was right next to us, careful to cut off all escape, while another came over as reinforcements.
As sweat formed between my brows, I stared down the pipe-wielder, the obstacle to my ward's safety.
“What, you want another one Coaty?” the obstacle said with a sneer, “You'll pay for sneak attacking the boss. Your little missus too. We'll make sure to take good care of her.”
Just like Lester, he sounded like a caricature. Even his words were borrowed from his precious boss. Still, I couldn't win with words. I had to do something. If only I could get past him once. I didn't need a perfect victory, just enough time to get away. I looked around the streets and found them deserted. No one would come to help me, not with that damn vest on.
I could feel Sophie's fingers shiver in my hand. She had put on a strong front, but her true feelings were obvious. In the face of overwhelming odds, she was just as scared as me. Even so, she had done her best to stand up to the oppressors.
I could do the same. I had to. My mind focused and gathered my fist. Without warning, I lunged and aimed for the gangster's chin. All I received was a dismissive look. Of course a gangster would beat some scrawny kid who only knew how to get hit.
The goon took a step back and raised his weapon, that was it. I knew I would miss, but the momentum carried me through. I also knew the counter would hurt like hell, but there was nothing I could do. As I watched the weapon raise towards my face, I could only hope that my fist would connect first.
Somehow!
Like a popping balloon, I felt something in my arm give way and release in a violent burst. A wave of pressure forced the air around my arm forward. Caught unawares by the suction, I stumbled ahead and fell to my knees. My situation was still bleak, but if I could be considered unlucky, my attacker would be the least lucky man on earth.
I had never taken my eyes off him or his weapon, and so I could see every painful detail. A focused blast of air impacted his chin and flung him back like a puppet, before he was stopped the corrugated wall behind, slumped down and unconscious. Chaos reigned my head as I tried to make sense of what had happened. I looked over to the reinforcements. Gangster number two was stock-still, his eyes opened to understand the scene before him. Then I looked back to Sophie, who looked aghast at the scene before her.
“How did you...” While she tried hard to whisper a coherent sentence, I realized there were more important matters. I didn't know what was going on, but I wouldn't squander our precious chance. Quick of mind, I vaulted onto my feet and grabbed my ward again.
“Let's go!” I shouted and dragged the still hapless Sophie with me. As we were forced back into the depths of the Squalor, I could hear the hectic screams and curses of Lester's henchmen.
Like the last time I had escaped from Lester's grasp, I ran as fast as I could, but in the maze-like streets of the Squalor, I soon lost all sense of direction. So I just ran, until we had left the voices behind us. I barely noticed my surroundings as I ran past people and through obstacles. Nothing mattered, nothing but the sprint.
Behind me Sophie's breath lost rhythm as my pull on her arm forced her along with me.
No time for chivalry. Just get away for now.
I charged ahead and lost myself in the speed.
- Three
When my feet stopped, I was drenched in sweat. To steady my raging pulse, I took a deep breath and checked our location. Although this place was beneath the stars, it was impossible to reach from the roads of the Squalor. The little square cordoned off by shacks contained precious little apart from an industrial-grade portable toilet, a monstrosity shared among the surrounding households. In short, we were in a central yard, and all around us were walls. In my blind rush, I had led both me and Sophie into another trap.
Behind me, my ward collapsed onto her knees. Breath ragged, she looked up to me in shock. It seemed like the shut-in girl was in terrible shape. Forcing the sprint on her made me feel a bit guilty, but it had to be done, and it was successful too. Like last time, I had left Lester and his men in the dust.
Next step: Find out where we are and make it back to the cab.
In reflex, I checked my phone. The phone always had the answer. This time however, even the all-knowing master proved helpless. None of the so-called buildings of the squalor were registered with the city. Even if they were, the entire makeup of the Squalor could change from one day to another as buildings were repositioned and borders between gang lands were redrawn. Rather than the streets and shacks around us, all the phone showed me was the pristine park the Squalor had swallowed.
At least I could see our rough location. We had been forced a good ways into the square. All the dots around us, represented the various registered citizens, so we were still close to civilization. The knowledge didn't do me any good though. No one who s
pent the night in this place would consider themselves citizens. Getting out with the map wouldn't work, even though the edge of the park was so close it hurt.
“Hey, do you have any idea which way we came from?” I asked with a look at my ward. Sophie was smart. Surely she could find an answer. However, the girl was more than just out of breath. Her eyes wavered as she stared at me. Unblinking, my ward scooched back to create distance.
“How did you do that?” she asked in a tense voice.
“Do what?” I asked back in confusion.
“The punch. The speed. The... the everything.”
She looked to our entryway. As I followed her glance, I understood why my ward was this unhinged.
Behind us, an old metal door had burst from its hinges and lay on the ground. Only a jagged hole was left in the wall, like a gaping wound. Through the opening, I could spot several people anxious to find the source of the destruction. As soon as they saw me, they scattered as if chased by a monster. The monster was me.
“What... how did I...” Confusion overwhelmed my mind. I just ran, unaware of anything. There was no way I could have burst through that door. Not even someone as strong as Lester could.
When I had come here, I had thrown my shoulder against the closed door, against the obstacle. To me the door had seemed flimsy, but clearly it wasn't. That much was evident by the reactions around me, as well as by the shiny metal hinges, as they hung from the door bent and burst.
Lost for words, I looked over to Sophie for help. Maybe she would have the answers I lacked. We stared at each other for a few seconds, both unsure of my true nature. We might have remained there, locked in a mutual check, if someone hadn't thrown us a life line to drag us out of our pit of uncertainty.
“I told you to heed the eye of the beasts, child. You have brought great misfortune upon this place.”
We were still alone in the backyard, but the flat voice had broadcast its cryptic message from above! Startled, I looked up. On one of the low roofs, I found the one reason I had avoided the Squalor all these months: The crazy old guru and his piercing eyes. And now those very same eyes stared me down again. Only focused on me, he spouted his mad ramblings.
The Last Utopia Page 7
