Chapter 4
“How much further?”
“It’s only another four blocks. We’ll be there soon.”
“It’s only another four blocks. We’ll be there soon.”
Steve and Jerry were on their way to the
Association’s home-base. Jerry had been persistent in his persuasive maneuvers
and had finally succeeded in convincing Steve to come. It was not long after
that Jerry stopped moving
“I thought you said four blocks. This is only two.”
Jerry made a ‘Shush’ noise and placed a couple of fingers in front of his mouth. He whispered
“We’re here.”
“I thought you said four blocks. This is only two.”
Jerry made a ‘Shush’ noise and placed a couple of fingers in front of his mouth. He whispered
“We’re here.”
They were standing in front of a seemingly
empty lot, but, on closer inspection, a small shed sat in the middle of the
insignificant, white field. At this point, Steve knew that the association was
serious business. He could tell that they knew how to stay under the radar.
Jerry walked forward to the white moon bathed field and motioned Steve to
follow. Steve followed.
When they arrived at the abandoned, wooden
shed, Steve noticed something of interest: The doors were unguarded and the
entire structure was close to falling apart. Much to Steve’s surprise, Jerry
went around the shed and lifted a rather large barrel and placed it aside.
Underneath, a simple piece of grass, untouched by the white blanket that
covered nearly all of the field. Jerry lifted the grass, obviously fake, and
revealed a coppery, rusted door of sorts. The door looked nonfunctional and
ancient to him. Jerry knocked on the door twice, pricked his finger with a
needle and proceeded to place it in a hole conveniently located on the door.
“Did you get your tetanus shot?” Steve giggled silently to himself and gained
no response. Then, the door slowly creaked open, creating an unbearable noise
similar to the sound of nails screeching on a chalk board. It had reminded him
of the unbearable lashings he had received in grade school when he had played
hooky. What was he doing, you ask? Fishing. Steve was an excellent fisher and
could perhaps make a business out of the sport. This moment was, to him, like
fishing. He sat and waited, patiently, for something grand, something marvelous
to pop up and surprise him.
After three more inner grates opened, Jerry
pulled out a rope and a lighter and descended down the deep, almost humid hole.
Perhaps it was in some way connected to the sewers. Steve bent over and took a
whiff before starting his descension. Yep. The aromatic, sweet, tingling smell
of urine. It was an unbearable scent that had caused him to place his hand over
his nostrils. He then realized that he needed both hands to climb down the
rope. He sighed, took the rope in both hands, and began lowering himself. When
he finally reached the bottom, there was Jerry, wagging his tail in anxious
anticipation. The man was patiently awaiting his master, his tongue practically
hanging out of his mouth. In this case, of course, the roles are reversed, but
we can play along, can we not?
In the chamber was nothing of particularly
noteworthy example except perhaps a stone wall, a few barrels, and the lack
thereof of any outside light. I suppose this is why Jerry carried a lighter in
with him. And as our heroes journeyed inside the dark corridor, Steve’s mind
began to wander off…
“Where have you been? It is already 1:20 and
class is almost over!”
“I went fishing.”
“Fishing? Again? You do know that I’m going to have to increase the lashings, do you not?”
“Yes.”
“I went fishing.”
“Fishing? Again? You do know that I’m going to have to increase the lashings, do you not?”
“Yes.”
Steve was lost in the past. He was
experiencing a moment when he arrived at school late. The schools in
Ne’er-do-well were ‘protected’ by metal fences that were erected in order to
keep ‘potential threats’ out of the learning environment. Cameras were
positioned at various locations such as around the main building and in hidden
spots on the playground. Yes, they were even placed in bathrooms. At the top of
the two-story building were two large antennae which were to be used in the
event of an ‘extreme emergency’. Usually the only time they used it was for the
children who misbehaved and were to be sent to the higher-ups. In addition to
all of this, the school had strict standards to be adhered to at all times. The
boys and girls were to line up in the morning and sing the allegiance to their
country and their ‘god’. The pledge was to take place at 7:15 every morning.
Steve felt the pledge to be unbearably mundane and felt it much easier to sit
during the pledge. He was punished accordingly. At Clark Dale Elementary,
students were expected and even forced to become a piece of the larger whole.
“I would say… about twenty.”
Steve grinned and responded
“How about fifteen? It will make your life much easier when I arrive on time. What say you?”
The boy had been rather silver-tongued for his age. The man smiled
“I am feeling generous today.”
His grin widened
“I will give you twenty-one.”
But to no avail. The boy frowned, aware of his rapidly impending doom. He figured he could avoid it with a few choice words of humility
“Yes sir.” Once again, to no avail.
“I would say… about twenty.”
Steve grinned and responded
“How about fifteen? It will make your life much easier when I arrive on time. What say you?”
The boy had been rather silver-tongued for his age. The man smiled
“I am feeling generous today.”
His grin widened
“I will give you twenty-one.”
But to no avail. The boy frowned, aware of his rapidly impending doom. He figured he could avoid it with a few choice words of humility
“Yes sir.” Once again, to no avail.
The man grabbed the boy’s wrists and bound
them in ropes attached to two wooden planks. The devices were very popular at
Clark Dale, two per class, and were set about five feet off of the ground. In
addition, small buckets were set underneath the devices. The man then retrieved
a rather large whip from his desk drawer. It was so large that it was probably
the only object in the entire drawer. As procedure dictates, the man pulled the
boy’s trousers to his ankles and removed his underpants. The boy’s rear was on
display to the entirety of the class. The man hoisted the instrument above his
head slowly, gathering strength and then, swung forwards with utmost dexterity
and speed! Whoop! Snap! With each and every hit a scream could be heard
throughout the halls and a cackle which increased in pitch at each successive
blow. The boy’s legs were soaked in blood after only 10 lashes. The man
continued, swifter than ever with a force that would only be comparable to
almighty Zeus’ terrorizing bolts of lightning. Afterwards, the man took a deep
breath. A feeling of accomplishment and power rushed through his mind
instantly. At the same time, his very soul elevated to heavenly (or hellish)
heights, while the student’s legs shook with fear. As custom in
Ne’er-do-wellian schools, the students were left to soak in the despair and
regret of their actions and were usually left to starve and relieve themselves
until the end of the school day. Of course, all of this was done in the company
of the entire class. Even when the children had behaved, he still chose a
‘Lucky Contestant’ to witness his fury. Most of the class watched with cold
indifference, their frozen stares penetrating the souls of those who were
chosen to suffer. The stares were like hammers that drove stuck-up nails back
to where they belong.
“Hey! You coming?”
“Oh… yes.” Steve continued onward at a hasted pace and in almost an instant, a beam of light had broken the darkness. They were almost there.
“Oh… yes.” Steve continued onward at a hasted pace and in almost an instant, a beam of light had broken the darkness. They were almost there.
They reached a metal, barred door which
featured pass-card verification devices. Even so, the place was almost
completely unguarded. Once again, the security was lacking.
“Why is no one standing guard?”
“Just wait.”
Jerry inserted his card and opened the door. When Steve entered he saw a room, but not just any room. No, it was beautiful. It had long hand-woven rugs, imported. The ceilings held exquisite chandeliers, which reflected a thousand golden sparkles across the ceiling. The walls were covered in light neutral beige and the halls had expensive paintings and pottery. Steve had not seen art like this in a very long time, because art was rarely viewed in Ne’er-do-well.
“Why is no one standing guard?”
“Just wait.”
Jerry inserted his card and opened the door. When Steve entered he saw a room, but not just any room. No, it was beautiful. It had long hand-woven rugs, imported. The ceilings held exquisite chandeliers, which reflected a thousand golden sparkles across the ceiling. The walls were covered in light neutral beige and the halls had expensive paintings and pottery. Steve had not seen art like this in a very long time, because art was rarely viewed in Ne’er-do-well.
When they passed a couple doors, they reached
the only open door and noticed something marvelous. A whole group of people
book-licking! He became so excited that he almost ran in and jumped for joy. He
was halted by the fact that it would be rude to interrupt one who is book
licking. Jerry had somehow disappeared while Steve was gawking at the intellectuals,
so Steve began searching for him. About three doors down he saw more people
that were doing things he had never seen before. Some were hitting balls with a
long stick on some type of green table, while others sat in front of a
television holding small, round devices with buttons. Everyone seemed to be
having a grand time and even Jerry was enjoying a game of
hit-the-ball-with-a-stick. Steve ran enthusiastically to Jerry
“What is that you are doing? It looks… fun.”
“Oh, yes. This is pool.”
“Pool? It does not look like you could swim in that.”
“It’s different than that. Here. Take a swing.” Jerry handed a stick to Steve.
“Hold it like so… and then.”
BAM! In a quick moment the ball went flying across the room, bounced off the walls and missed nearly two people.
“Oh. I can see why this room has fewer decorations than the other rooms.”
“Yeah… This is Gary. He’s also in communications. He works under me.”
“Hello.”
“Hello.”
After the greeting, Gary leans over and whispers something in Jerry’s ear
“Oh, yes. I almost forgot. I will. Yes.” Jerry then turns his attention to Steve
“We are going to see the boss now. I’m sure that you will like him.”
Steve chuckles. “Will I?”
“What is that you are doing? It looks… fun.”
“Oh, yes. This is pool.”
“Pool? It does not look like you could swim in that.”
“It’s different than that. Here. Take a swing.” Jerry handed a stick to Steve.
“Hold it like so… and then.”
BAM! In a quick moment the ball went flying across the room, bounced off the walls and missed nearly two people.
“Oh. I can see why this room has fewer decorations than the other rooms.”
“Yeah… This is Gary. He’s also in communications. He works under me.”
“Hello.”
“Hello.”
After the greeting, Gary leans over and whispers something in Jerry’s ear
“Oh, yes. I almost forgot. I will. Yes.” Jerry then turns his attention to Steve
“We are going to see the boss now. I’m sure that you will like him.”
Steve chuckles. “Will I?”
Jerry led Steve through another, shorter
corridor until they reached a reinforced metal door with a slightly crooked
note. The note read ‘BOSS’.
Jerry pointed at the door “This is it.”
“You don’t say?”
Jerry then proceeded to knock on the metal door until a man came out of the room. The man was wearing a heather gray business suit and slacks, a hat, and… clown shoes? He had a fair complexion, rosy pink cheeks, and a large grin stretched across his face. He outstretched his hand to Steve, who grabbed the hand, feeling accepted and welcome
“Happy to have you aboard, Steve. You got quite the fine catch this time, Jerry.”
“What is your name?”
“It is a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Jerry pointed at the door “This is it.”
“You don’t say?”
Jerry then proceeded to knock on the metal door until a man came out of the room. The man was wearing a heather gray business suit and slacks, a hat, and… clown shoes? He had a fair complexion, rosy pink cheeks, and a large grin stretched across his face. He outstretched his hand to Steve, who grabbed the hand, feeling accepted and welcome
“Happy to have you aboard, Steve. You got quite the fine catch this time, Jerry.”
“What is your name?”
“It is a pleasure to finally meet you.”
