There’s much rejoicing taking place now all throughout the city. Jahmez must have had more of an impact than I originally thought. Of course, now I feel horrible. A part of me wishes that I didn’t talk to Jimmy in the first place. Then again, I did bump into him. Probably meant to be, I suppose. I watch as the crowd dissipates. The argument is done. The fight is over. Therefore, the interest is gone. Jahmez seems like nothing has phased him. He carries on with that grin on his face. Well, a grin from one side, and a downward slope from the other. Why is it that I feel so horrible?
I only spoke what was on my mind. I shouldn’t have to keep my thoughts to myself, right? I think no one else said anything sooner because they were all scared. Everywhere Jahmez went; people avoided him simply on looks alone. Other people actually said hello to him, only to go the other direction after he opened his mouth. I wasn’t scared. Of course, I didn’t think much of it either. One thing I do know is that something doesn’t feel right. Now that I think about it, I wonder what it would have been like had Luther come back around the corner in mid argument. Whose side would he have taken? Would he have sought revenge on me and struck when the time was right? Or would he have waited to put in the killing blow after I started the initial attack?
I want to go find Luther. I have to know. I want to know what Jahmez did to Luther to make him flee. I start to make my way off when Jimmy stops me. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Uhh, sure.” I say.
“Why is it that out of all these fellers here, you had to pick a fight with one that can’t help being stupid?” Jimmy asks.
“I just wanted to get my point across, I guess.” I say. I now regret ever talking to Jahmez.
“You guess? Boy, before you do anything, you can’t go ‘round guessing all the time expectin’ everything to be alright. You need to think. You need to keep yer mouth shut if you can’t say anything nice.”
At this point Jahmez has wandered off. There’s no telling where he is going or who he plans on… never mind. Jimmy continues, “If something sounds funny to you while yer thinkin’ it, I can guarantee you that it aint gonna be funny when it comes out of yer mouth. I bet you could offend just ‘bout anyone you come in contact with, if you keep doing shenanigans like that. The way I see it, you owe that poor feller an apology.”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. I’m sorry.” I say.
“I appreciate it, but I aint the one you need to apologize to. Go on now. He went somewhere that way.” Jimmy points to the hallway that leads around the corner. It’s the same hallway that goes to where I met Stephen.
“Ok.” I say. “Thank you, Jimmy. It was nice talking to you.”
“Likewise.”, Jimmy says. “I hope that what I said helps you out.”
I’m sure it will. I wander off down the hallway to follow Jahmez. I hope he accepts my apology. I really said some nasty stuff. What if someone said those words to me? I shudder at the mere thought. Now I feel disgusted. What if he laughs at me or starts shouting back? What if he’s no longer here and has disappeared? No. That’s not possible, because they would have called for him to board the tunnel for disposal. I pop around the corner, see Stephen, and then I see Jahmez. He’s sitting down with his head against the wall just underneath the panel with all the buttons.
What do I say to him? I’m sorry you’re stupid? I’m sorry your face looks different? This is going to be harder than I thought.
Inside I feel warm and comfortable. I know this feeling. Are you there? I know you can hear me like this.
“I am here, my son.” He says. “What is it you wish to know?”
Well… as you probably know or have heard, I wasn’t nice to Jahmez. He just made me so mad! I was so tired of him asking me about his pies. Then his voice was getting annoying, which made me madder. I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to throw him against the wall, in hopes that he wouldn’t get back up. That way, he wouldn’t bother anyone else, and I would have been seen as a hero.
“How do you feel now?” He asks.
I feel absolutely horrible, disgusted, ashamed, and worthless right now. Quite honestly, I don’t know where to begin. If I compliment him on how great his face looks, that would be a lie. If I say that his voice is the sweetest one I have ever heard, that would also be a lie. What does that leave me with? He has amazing ideas? What should I do?
“You could start by apologizing. If you never admit that you were wrong and apologize for it you will be viewed as selfish, hurtful, and uncaring.” He says.
Well that’s not good. I thought I was doing a pretty good job to be honest with you. It never occurred to me that what I was doing was wrong. I just wanted to understand everyone. I wanted to hear all of their stories. I can’t do that if he rambles on and on about pies and randomness.
“Switch places. What if that was how you were created? What if that is the only way you knew how to respond? What then?” He asks me.
Do you realize how frustrating that would be for me?! Can you even fathom for one second how embarrassed I would feel?! If I were like Jahmez, I would want to make myself just as loud if not louder than everyone else just so I could get my point across. So, here’s what I think: for you to put it in terms like that is very unfair. I’m capable of coherent sentences. I’m capable of controlling the volume of my voice to keep me from being overheard by everyone when I don’t want to be heard. I’m capable of outwitting someone who would see me dead.
“Aiden, I want you to think back on what you just said. Imagine, now, that Jahmez said those very things, because that is exactly how he feels. I tell you the truth; do not think of yourself more highly than others.” He says. “Please apologize to him. After that, you owe one more person an apology. You know who he is; you just need to go find him. You may need to wake him up, too.” With that being said, the warm sensation went away.
I’m stunned. My mouth is hanging open. I bet I look like a complete idiot, because I have no idea how long I have been standing here staring blankly at Jahmez while I had that conversation with the Superintendent. I am not even sure if Jahmez knows I’m here. He has his head down, and has had it like that the whole time. If I was him, and I was yelled at like I yelled at him, I would want to hide too. I wouldn’t want anything to do with anybody. I would rather give up and just wait around to be disposed. Oh, my goodness! I was this guy’s last resort to have someone to talk to. I was the only one who didn’t laugh at him. He saw me as safe. He trusted me.
I approach the wall, and I sink down to sit beside Jahmez. “Can I talk to you?” I ask him.
Jahmez doesn’t even lift his head as he says, “If you want to. I need to tell you that I have no recipes to give. So, I have no use. I have no purpose. I’m sorry.”
“No. I’m the one that should be sorry. I feel so horrible right now. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I didn’t make the time to listen to you. Instead I chose not to, because I didn’t like what I was hearing. I’m sorry.” I say.
“Go away.” Jahmez says. He lifts his head but refuses to look my direction. “None of you cared about me. Every single one of you is caught up in your own selfish vision of greatness, and whatever else. Every time I asked for help, I got ridiculed and laughed at.” He is looking at a now packed hallway. I look in the same direction. I didn’t know that they were there. I thought they all went about their own business. Yet there they all stood, crammed in together, almost stuck, and listening intently to what Jahmez is saying.
Jahmez continues, “I understand a lot more than all of you give me credit for. I listen just as well as the rest of you. In fact, I think I listen better than some of you. That’s not the point. I just have a hard time letting my mouth agree with what I’m thinking of. So, a lot of times what comes out of my mouth sounds right to me, but to you its gibberish. To you, its foolishness. To you, it doesn’t make sense. Fine! I’ve made up my mind. When headquarters gives the next order to board the tunnel for launch, I am going to be the first in line, and there’s nothing any of yo
u can do to stop me. I’ll prove that a goofy looking, funny sounding idiot like me can complete his mission.”
“Jahmez…I’m so very sorry. I didn’t want it to come to this. I just…”
“I told you to go away.” He says. Jahmez drops his head to look at the floor again. I have a feeling that nothing more can be said. The damage has been done.
“Fine.” I say. I get up and move away. I tried. I need to get out of here. I need to go find somewhere to sit down, and just get away from everyone. I don’t want to talk to anybody anymore. I don’t care. As a matter of fact, I hope that Jahmez does get in to the tunnel. I hope that the tunnel launches and misses altogether.
I move through the crowd that stands before me like a wall. Their blank expressions leave me curious as to what might happen. Not caring what could happen to me, I continue onward expecting to meet resistance, but they instead just part down the middle and allow me to pass by silently. I think they do this to acknowledge my defeat. No struggle. No questions. Just silence. Good. The less talking I do, the better off I’ll be. I think I’ll go sit by the auditorium. Nobody gathers against that wall. I should be just fine over there.
I come around the corner, and I make my way into the large open area. I look and see that the auditorium is exactly like I thought it would be: vacant. I think back to Richard; to when I first met him. He was sitting down. He was alone. Sounds like a wonderful idea right about now. It makes me wonder if he had just reached a point where he didn’t want to deal with anyone. I smile a little out of the corner of my mouth and head towards the building.
As I make my way, I stare at the floor, contemplating all that I’ve seen, and all whom I have talked to. Then it hits me. I’m the only one who doesn’t have lots of details. For my mission, purpose, or whatever, I wasn’t told very much. Is it up to me to figure that part out? Do I follow the advice given to me by Richard, and Jimmy since they were the most helpful? I don’t know. I do know that I want to figure this out, not that I feel I’m being rushed. It’s because I want to.
Ok, so first things first. I need to find a spot to sit down. I look up just in time to bump into something large, and almost immovable.
“Who dares to bump into me?” thunders the voice in front of this familiar giant.
Crap.
“Oh, it’s just you.” Luther says.
“Please, just go ahead and beat me up or do whatever it is you were going to do to me. I deserve it.” I say.
“Even if I wanted to, you’re not making it very fun for me to do so. I only want those who are willing. You’re clearly not willing. I have no use for you.” Luther stares at me for a moment. What’s he waiting for? “Are you ok little one?” he asks me.
“No, I’m not. I was talking to that Jahmez guy earlier, well, attempted to talk to him. I didn’t like the way he was talking. His voice was changing pitch too much for me, and I lost my temper and yelled at him. Then I tried apologizing and that didn’t work. He just told me to go away. Now I feel horrible.” My head sinks lower. I’m expecting laughter, or maybe even a brief chuckle, but nothing happens.
Luther says, “Can I tell you something that might make you feel better?”
“Sure.” I say with very little enthusiasm.
“Jahmez was trying to get my attention earlier. I did my best to ignore him, but he was very persistent. I tried looking up so that I wouldn’t have to look him in the eye. I figured that was a good option since I’m the tallest one around. Do you know what he did?” I shook my head. “He jumped on top of me and started thumping me on my head with his jet pack! Then he started shouting at me saying, ‘Hello! Can you hear me in there? Hmm. Your head makes a funny sound. Deep. Resonating. I could make a song out of this!’ That’s when I shook him off of me, and I started moving away as fast as I could.”
I hold in a small chuckle. “So that’s why you were screaming as you went past us back there!”
“Yes indeed.” Luther says.
“I’m sorry he did that. I found out that since his accident in the factory, he hasn’t been able to talk straight. He thinks as well as you or I do, but his words have a hard time coming out. That’s why he sounds the way he does.” Speaking of saying sorry, “By the way, I owe you an apology as well.”
“For what?” Luther looks puzzled.
“For how I talked to you back when we first met. I didn’t treat you nicely, and you didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry.” I say.
His answer shocks me. “No apology needed! After I couldn’t find you anymore, I had a moment where I realized that I wouldn’t be able to get my way all the time. Also, I realized that you did beat me; just not with strength. Apparently, a swift mind is a worthy opponent as well.”
“So, no hard feelings then?” I ask.
“Nope, not at all.” Luther says.
“Ok then, I’ll see you later I suppose.” And with that, I move away. Luther just remains there looking back up at the board with a frown as if he’s shouting in his head for it to light up with his number.
Ok, both apologies have been made, but what do I do now? Stick with the plan, I guess. I’ll head over by the auditorium and sit up against the wall until something interesting happens. I don’t think I really want to talk to anybody else. Yeah, I’m going to go sit down. That sounds like a really great idea.
I reach the wall, and I slouch down until I’m sitting. All around me, GOC move about the city. They interact with one another, and then they move somewhere else and interact with more GOC. Over and over again they do this; like a consistent repeating pattern. It’s like they could be in some never-ending cycle. I wonder what their conversations are like. Probably something like, “Hello, do you like my head?” And the other would say, “I do not like your head. Goodbye.” And then they would move away only to return to have the exact same conversation. That seems way too simple minded; even for Jahmez. I shudder at the thought.
Suddenly everything changes as the board lights up. It’s full of blue numbers. Everyone’s pack lights up. The female voice comes on the intercom system and says, “Attention, citizens. Attention please. Launch will commence in approximately three minutes. All citizens are required to report to the great tunnel at this time and prepare for launch. Repeat. All citizens are required to report to the great tunnel at this time and prepare for launch.”
Wow! We all get to go? This is amazing! Wait. If we all get to go, then how are we all going to fit? I ignore that thought. Who cares? It’s launch day for everyone! I move as fast as I can go and take my place in line so I can get into the tunnel. I’m number 20, maybe 25 in line I think. That’s not too bad. I can see the entrance to the tunnel. I can see Stephen. He’s holding the barricade up so that we can all file in. I wonder if he gets to go in.
“Hey Stephen!” I call out. “Aren’t you coming with us?”
“Yes I am. I just have to wait until everyone get through first.” He motions with his head towards the back row. “See that empty slot right there?” I nod my head. “That one is reserved for me. Headquarters told me so.”
“Well good! That’s really good to hear.” I was worried about him. It would be tough to see everyone else go in except you. I look at him and smile as I pass by, and grab my transport…vessel…thing just like everyone else is doing. As I enter into the tunnel, my eyes grow wide. This thing used to be small. What happened to it? “Stephen, I have a question for you.”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Wasn’t this tunnel a lot smaller at one point?” I ask.
Stephen laughs and says, “Yeah it was. I wondered the same thing, so I called up to headquarters and asked them about it. They call it a temporary tunnel expansion or TTE for short. It’s to ensure that the tunnel is at full capacity and capable of holding as many citizens as possible. If the TTE were to not function, then the vessel would have difficulty docking at any harbor.”
“So, this is it then? We’re getting ready to pull into a harbor?” I ask.
“We s
ure are. Headquarters said this whole process goes pretty quick. They wouldn’t say why, though.” Stephen says.
I make my way inside and I find a slot. It’s kind of near the front, so I guess that’s good. I look up and over my area to watch everyone else file in and position themselves. This is so neat! Everyone is just as excited as I am. They’re all chattering away about how great this adventure is going to be, and what their expectations are. I see Luther come into the tunnel. He has to duck through the opening. I turn back around and face the front. Then, I feel a tap on my head.
“Hey buddy.” Jahmez says.
Sigh. Did he really have to sit next to me? Don’t yell at him. He can’t help that he’s stupid. I answer him, “Hey there…Jahmez.”
“Isn’t this great? We’re going on a cruise!” he says.
“What do you mean by cruise?” I’m confused.
“We’re going to cruise on out of here! Ha ha ha!” and he smacks my jet pack as he laughs. “By the way, apology accepted.”
“Well thank you. I was beginning to think that you would never accept it.” I say. I suppose it’s not so bad talking to him; even if he sounds funny and has lame jokes. I think it’ll be ok.
The female voice comes on the PA system inside the tunnel. “All citizens, prepare your transport craft for departure. Repeat. All citizens prepare your transport craft for departure.” We all open up the hatches simultaneously, as they hiss with pressure release. Inside it’s a bit snug looking and shaped with the intention for me to lay down with my head facing the front. It’s all exactly as the captain said. I can’t imagine two of us actually fitting in here! The hatch door closes and secures itself as I insert my data pad. Lights come on, and the round-ish wall in front of me becomes clear. A heads-up display appears before me, with digital read outs of everything: life support, coordinates, and shield status to name a few. My jet pack clicks into place, and then a fuel icon appears along with the other mentioned items. It’s go time!
“Captain is on the bridge!” says the crew member as the captain makes his appearance. His head is held high. There’s an air of triumph about him.
Fate Of The Dragon Page 18
