aaron_the fall of america_chapter_27

Chapter 27

I had the unshakeable feeling that all was futile. It was a feeble fight against the shadows of darkness. Without our stuffing we were vacuum shells tumbling aimlessly through barren wasteland. We created identity and a fight to conceal nothing, the nothing we dreaded to return to.

I remember one night when we were young, We had smoked a good amount of pot and had become desperately bored. Doing nothing was causing tremendous strain. There seemed to be only one solution to our lethargy and that was to tie Mike up. With nylon rope, we tied each of his limbs to the ceiling so that he was spread eagle with just his ass touching the floor.

We were in the basement and had full use of darkness. While Tim worked the lights, I moved a home-made curved sword over Mike. Each time the light came on he would have a short look at the sword somewhere around his head. Mike's enjoyment decreased as Tim's and mine increased. We laughed and screamed like ritualistic mad baboons until Mike started having a fit trying to get free.

We consented to untie him so he could relax. While he relaxed on the floor, we put a bar, with one hundred-sixty pounds on it, just over his neck to see if he could escape. He couldn't. We enjoyed his new discomfort until he had had enough.

Because we were friends, we had enough sense to know the limits of our tormenting. It was easy to imagine, that in a situation were friends weren't involved, torment could quickly turn to torture. It would be one way to give people meaning and a fight. They could set out to torture and kill those who did not submit to their contrived belief system. A goal to change others, who in turn might desired to change others, would keep many people busy fighting.

"Did you know that crows have a relatively large brain?"

"No; what is a crow?"

"A large black bird. It enjoys stealing and playing jokes to fight boredom?"

"And is this significant?"

"I'm thinking it may be a clue to our trouble. Humans also have a relatively large brain."

"And this will naturally lead them to trouble."

"Exactly. To fight boredom."

"There are no other ways to fight boredom?"

"Well of course there are."

"Could this not contradict the inevitability of trouble?"

"No. Maybe theoretically."

I returned to a dreamy silence as the city bus soothed me with its noise and vibrations. Seeing a demolished car in a parking lot of a gas station reminded me of a dream I had the night before.

Brakes squealed. Norm walked into the house with his briefcase. Two men left. Though one was a detective and the other a known criminal, I could tell they worked together.

Important people had died in the car accident.

The criminal staged a fight with the detective. The detective threw him to the ground and booted him under the car. That was the game. While under the car, the criminal discovered that the car had been tampered with. It was another part in a big conspiracy. He knew he could say nothing because there would be a cover-up and his information would likely mean his own death.

The political assassination would be written about in the papers as a tragic accident. It was another case of the public being better off not knowing.

"How far must we go?"

"Huh?"

"Are you day dreaming again?"

"I guess so."

"Where do you go?"

"This time I was remembering a dream. It made me wonder if protecting the public from knowing, protects the public or whoever isn't the public."

"Who isn't the public?"

"The power."

"Do you often drift off?"

"I've had a little more trouble sticking to the present since the space jumps."

"Do you drift into the future as well?"

"I wouldn't think so. How could I recognise it if I did?"

"Maybe not recognising it would be the clue."

"True enough, I suppose. We get off here, I think."

We jumped out at the next stop then walked along to the street where my parents lived. Except for the city highway at the end of their street, my parents lived in a quiet neighbourhood in a typical concrete block house with a little wood trim and some paint to make thing look nice.

It didn't look like anyone was home.

"I'm not sure if they still live here or are still alive but I can't imagine them not being here."

We went in the front door and I yelled hello.

"Heavenly days, Mac Gee, I think it's Aaron," Dad said as way of greeting.

"Where you expecting anyone else?" I asked.

"You haven't aged a day. I don't believe it. Where in God's country have you been these years?"

"Not in God's country; I was somewhere lost in space."

"Somehow I don't doubt it. Who's your friend?"

"Karna."

"Karna. Where'd you get a name like that?"

"My mother gave it to me."

"I see you’ve been with Aaron too long already."

"Not really," I said. "English is quite new for her; she didn't understand your question."

"You are from Quebec then."

"We've got company," Dad yelled into the house.

"Who we got?"

"The prodigal son," Dad answered.

Mom rushed from the other room, hugged me and started crying. She appeared weary.

"Are you keeping fit, Mom?"

"My bones ache some but I'm getting along."

I felt as though I was a stranger intruding on their peace.

"So what's new?"

"Nothing, 'cept a few deaths of friends you don't even know. Maybe you remember Grace?"

"No; doesn't ring a bell."

"She always came to prayer meetings with me but would never come to church with me."

"Sure, I remember her now."

"But I can tell you anything you want to know during lunch but first you tell me who's your beautiful friend?"

"Karna."

"What a pretty name. You're not married are you?"

"No."

"You Canadians have no morals," Mom declared.

"What does being Canadian have to do with moral standards?"

"Aaron, you're impossible."

"Not at all. I'm very probable. I'm a direct result of my influences."

"You still don't care about the rest of the world, do you?"

"Mom relax. If someone sees us and asks, just say we're married."

"That would be lying. Why can't you be like the rest of us?"

"Why would I want to?"

"You have to live with us."

"No doubt. What's for lunch?"

"I don't know."

"I'll help make some scrambled eggs and home fries."

"That would be a nice brunch," Dad said.

"We've got some iced tea, if you'd like some," Mom said.

We were finally moved from the front door to the kitchen. After our drinks, were poured, I made my Mother sit down while I made brunch.

"I can't believe how little you changed," Dad said. "It must be the on the road travelling that keeps you healthy."

"He's always been an active boy," Mom added.

"Did you have any trouble getting in?" Dad asked.

"In where?"

"Into America."

"No. It was as easy as falling out of the sky."

"I guess since you lived here before you left."

"Possibly. So what's some of the news?"

"Your cousin Sarah died, they say she died, anyway. Your mother thinks she was one of those nuts that escaped to Canada."

"Escaped?"

"She was married to an American."

"Escaped?"

"After the separation, she was living here. Your mother thought she was crazy, maybe she was. She had been very upset about the separation, she wouldn't tell her husband where she was and hardly ever left the house."

"What happened?"

"After being with us a year, she just disappeared. Took nothing with her. Her room's same as when she was living here."

"What did the police say?"

"They never heard of her. She was still Canadian you know."

"I don't know what this world is coming to," Mother piped in.

"What kind of tree is this on the window sill?" I asked.

"It's from a grapefruit seed I planted," Mom responded.

"Grapefruit, no doubt."

"The bigger one is from an orange seed."

"What have Richard and Ashley been up to?"

"We haven't heard from Richard as long as we haven't heard from you. His girlfriend sometimes sent us a post card not really saying anything. But it was sweet of her. We haven't received one since after the last election just about five years ago."

"I thought elections were every four years."

"That's true, isn't it," Mom said.

"I think they skipped the last one," Dad said.

"Why's that?"

"I don't rightly remember, there wasn't much news about it. I think there was no opposition so they didn't hold the election."

"No opposition?"

"Aaron, haven’t you been in contact with Richard either?" Mother asked.

"I haven't seen anyone since the last time I saw you. Not counting Karna and her family."

"More tea, Karna?" Mom quarried.

"Please."

"Where you in prison?" Mom asked.

"What kind of a question is that?"

"You said you haven't seen anyone, that's all. So either you were in Canada or prison."

"Oh, I see. No, neither."

"You had to be somewhere," Dad reasoned.

"Is that the rule?"

"Yes it is," Mom declared. "A rule of common sense."

"I can't tell you where, it's secret and you wouldn't want to believe me anyway."

"You're one of those Canadians who kidnaps people, aren't you?" Mom asked. "They told us you might be working with your brother. Did you know the government is looking for your brother?"

"No, since when?"

"Since yesterday."

"I don't think I understand what's going on."

"Have you really been away for seven years?" Dad asked.

"Really."

"Where?" asked Mom.

"Can you start the toast, Mom?"

"I'll do it," Dad said.

"Where have you been, Aaron?"

"Not on this continent, that's all I can tell you."

"Why can't you tell us?"

"It would be dangerous for both of us."

"Why?"

"I don't think the government would approve of my method of return."

"Oh."

"What kind of an oh is that?" I asked my mother.

"It's just that someone else was here looking for Richard."

"Who was he?"

"He said he was an old college friend and wondered if we knew where he was. It was funny that two different people should be looking for him at the same time after so long."

"What did you tell him?"

"That he must be in Canada, that's where Ashley's post cards where from."

"Was that it?"

"He said he had heard he had come back for a visit and was sure he would contact us. He left a number and everything."

"Shit."

"Aaron."

I ran to the front room to look out the window. There was a car on the street that didn't belong. I could remember seeing it when we came in. It was too conspicuously inconspicuous. There was a man asleep in the driver seat.

"Aaron, what is it?" Mom asked.

I returned to the kitchen.

"We got lucky. He's sleeping."

"Who's sleeping?"

"Likely the friend of Richard's. In his car."

"Should I go and check?"

"No. Stay out of the front room until we're gone."

"Gone? You can't go so soon."

"We have to."

"Oh, heavens," Mom said.

"We'll stay for lunch but then we must go."

Dad set the table. With a basket of toast, a bowl of scrambled eggs and a bowl of home fries, we had our brunch. I thought about Jesus and what he might say at such a last meeting but I was too frantic to put it to words.

"But if they are looking for Richard, why are you worried?" Dad asked.

"It's my nature."

"These are yummy eggs," Mom said.

"So what's different after the election?"

"We have a good Christian man in power now," Mom said.

"And."

"He made us strong again."

"Why did he have to do that."

"Before the election, there was so much trouble."

"What kind of trouble?"

"We defaulted on all our loans," Dad said.

"The multi-trillion dollar ones?"

"Them and the others."

"I could see that being a bit of a problem."

"There were some pretty bad earthquakes and storms in California. But Reverend Burns has turned it to our advantage. He says there were too many sinners in California and he has made people believe in God more. We are practically a self sufficient country now. Our only imports are from Mexico, Central America and South America. All the overseas military bases have been closed down and moved to Central and South America."

"No trade with Canada?"

"No. They still trade with overseas Countries and they have no particular religious stance."

"Oil?"

"South America and off shore Alaska."

"Japanese electronics?"

"America stopped trade with Japan years ago because of their ridiculous import laws and regulations."

"So what's going on with the rest of the world? Doesn't Europe go to one currency next week. What is happening in China? Why did America default on their loans?"

"I haven't heard about Europe since France went to war with the rest of Europe. They have claimed the blood line of Christ is in their royal family and plan to have their King rule Europe. As for the loan, America can afford to do as they please. We have no one to answer to."

"The American dollar is worth nothing now."

"It's worth as much as it ever was here in America. Nothing else matters."

"America will suck itself dry if it hasn't the rest of the word to pillage."

"God will look after us," Mom said. "God will know how to govern it's people."

"Is there tolerance for the unbeliever or have we gone back to the Inquisition methods of preventing heresy?"

"Aaron, come now. This is modern America. There's no torture in our country."

"Is that a fact?"

"Those who disbelieve and act out of line are counselled. If they still disbelieve they are given therapy. This is a Christian country and Christ will keep law and order."

"Oh, that's nice, just a little brainwashing and shock therapy."

"It's seldom necessary, there is less crime and more and more empty jails. When we have a common love to hold us together, we become one family and try to help each other," Mom said.

"Is it a written law that you must believe in the Christian's God?"

"We don't need a law to believe that the sun comes up every day. Americans have always believed in God. Just like we've always believed in freedom. This is what founded our nation."

"I don't believe this. I've got to get out of this country before it's a law that everyone has a cross tattooed to his forehead."

"Oh, Aaron," Mom said.

"There is no room for someone who doesn't believe in American omnipotence and the Christian god."

"You never give in," Mom said. "You have always got to fight it. I hope you'll let him in one day soon."

"You don't see the danger of a self-righteous Christian government that is bankrupt and has always depended on war for it's economy. I hate to think what the Christian soldiers have in mind for saving the world. I'd like to know what kind of hell they are inflicting to the south of here. You can be bloody sure no one will know and dam sure it's uglier than you can possibly imagine."

"What kind of things have you been reading?"

"Kid's breakfast cereal boxes."

I got up and left the room. I stole a quick look out the front window to see the man in the car across the street smoking a cigarette and drinking a Coke. He was nodding his head slightly to the music of his radio. I couldn't imagine what was going on in his head. I couldn't help thinking what a strain America was putting on the globe.

"Aaron," Dad said from the hall.

"Um."

"I've something you might need."

I followed him to Sarah's room.

"Your mother doesn't know about this but Richard sent this for you a few years ago; well, I think it was Richard, there's no name on it. I think Richard is up to something strange in Canada but don't bother your mother with any more questions."

"It's days away from the twenty-first century and this sinking ship of a marooned Country wants to fall back on Christianism mizzen.

"You do what you have to, Aaron, we're too old to question our beliefs. I hope you can accept that?"

"I guess so."

He returned to the kitchen. I sat on the bed and opened the envelope. There were four pieces of Canadian identification with someone else's name on it. The driver's licence and passport had my picture on them.

"Dear Jeff" it read. "How was your holiday? We found your wallet at the cottage." I checked to see where the envelope had been posted: Main. The letter was making little sense to me. At the end of the letter was a long string of numbers which were supposed to be how many more things he had to talk about but would have to wait for my next visit. It was possibly the secret code he had used a few times when he was just a child. He devised it for letter writing in case our correspondence was ever intercepted by the authorities. Back then, the authorities had no interest in what we had to say. I wasn't certain if he did it so that I would know the letter indeed was meant for me or if he had something he didn't want anyone else to know. I couldn't remember the complicated solution to the code. A number half of that number plus a constant would get me the letter six letters after the letter it was meant to be and only every second number was to be a letter.

I ripped the code off and put it in my pocket. The rest of the letter, I read once more then ripped it into small pieces. Being Jeff was an advantage for travelling but Karna was still a big problem even if she wasn't eating people.

I searched through Sarah's things. I found some sexy lingerie that I thought Karna could use to improve authenticity of her luggage. A drawer full of junk was the better discovery. I found a Toronto library card somewhat outdated, a health card, a social insurance card, a Toronto General Hospital card, a Bank of Nova Scotia Visa card good for two more months, a Mensa membership card and a fitness club membership card. It wasn't the best collection but it looked good in the wallet I found with a few other useless things that made everything more personal. There was some inexpensive jewellery in a box I took as well to make Karna more typical

I took a hoard of things and stuffed them into Karna's travel bag before returning to the kitchen. We finished our lunch.

"Are you all right now?"

"What? Not likely."

"I'll never understand you, Aaron," said Mom.

"It's better that way."

"Do you need money?" Dad asked.

"I don't think so."

"Do you have any?"

"A little."

"How did you plan to get to where you're going?"

"Hadn't gave it much thought."

Dad got his wallet off the refrigerator.

"I have three hundred, which is two dollars more than you need for the Greyhound special to take you anywhere in the states.

"Thanks."

"If you think you need more."

"No. That's perfect. Are Canadians allowed to travel freely in the States?"

"Of course they are. America wants Canadians to feel welcome. They have even offered to make Canada part of America."

"How nice. Why can't Americans go to Canada?"

"Because it's not America yet. Americans don't leave America."

"It's now against the law to leave?"

"Of course not, this isn't East Germany, it's just not safe to leave."

"But if an American wanted to, than it's not forbidden."

"But they shouldn't want to."

"Not even to travel?"

"The States have everything any other country has and better people."

"But what if someone had a crazy notion to visit Jasper Park or the pope?"

"They wouldn't."

"If they did?"

"They would be given some counselling so they would understand the dangers."

"Of Canada or the pope?"

"Of non Christian countries."

"Okay, how about Munich?"

"I don't think so."

"How is that any different than people wanting to leave East Germany before the wall came down? They were being protected from the evils of the outside world as well."

"But that's different."

"I suppose. They weren't forced to be Christians."

"They would have been better off when they died."

"The whole world would be. We could make everyone Christian and everything would be perfect. There would be no more fighting and everyone would be happy."

"That would be nice."

"To be even safer, we could have our brains and limbs removed."

I had a strange feeling that every detail was already written as it was about to unfold. There was nothing to do but accept the events as I passed through them. I would use my senses as best I could to be an active participant in what I had inherited as my world. Future events were already part of me, yet I had to experience them to verify their inevitability.

Things were more desperate and dangerously unstable than what was my parent's impression. America was a danger to the world when I left. They consumed and wasted more than any other country in the world. Their power was built on weapons and participation in war. Now that they were officially Christian soldiers, they would be obliged to subvert and convert the world. There wasn't enough land for everyone to be a hamburger eating, Marlboro man.

"I think you have an over pessimistic view of our country," Dad said.

"I'll lighten up once I'm a little more accustomed to it. I didn't mean to come here to be a sour-puss. I thank you for lunch and regret we don't have time for a little fun but I feel threatened and anxious."

"Shall we drive you to the bus station?" Mom asked.

"Okay. But listen. I thought about this. I want the fellow across the street in his car to see Dad watering a tree or something, you drive around the corner, if you are followed, go to the store for milk then come back. Look at a magazine or something. That will give us enough time to be out of the neighbourhood. If he doesn't follow you, well go through the back yard and meet you on the next street. Got it?"

Mom made me explain it once more. Although it seemed a little sneaky to her, she was excited to play her part in the caper.

Dad said good-bye and wished us good luck and a happy life. When he had been poking around in the front yard, picking up garbage and pulling out a few weeds, Mom went out and told him she was just going to get some milk and juice. This seemed to satisfy our friend as common events. He slid down a little in his seat so he wouldn't appear to be curious about anything outside of his car.

When I was satisfied he wasn't going to move, Karna and I shouldered our bags, ran out the back door and through the neighbours yard onto the next street. We walked up to where Mom was parked and jumped in the car.

"What if the bus doesn't leave for a few hours?"

"We'll go play video games or read a magazine."

We soon arrived at the bus station. I gave my mother a hug. She wanted to cry a little.

"Don't forget to get some milk," I said.

"I don't drink milk."

"Well get something."

"Give my love to Richard. Bye Karna, it was nice to meet you."

"Bye."

As soon as my mother had gone, Karna and I went into the station to line up for a ticket. We were only half an hour getting to the counter and after purchasing the tickets, had only twenty minutes to wait to board the bus.

"That's pretty lucky," I told Karna.

We waited in line to board the bus. Everyone was getting there nicotine fill before boarding time. There was an old woman that pushed her way to the front of the line. She obviously had to have the front seat so she could see where she was going, perhaps even talk to the driver about whatever was recently in the local news. Quite a few of those in line were overweight but I may have been more surprised by that because of my resent trip where I saw no one overweight.

There were a few students that were likely going home for Christmas. A couple of them were speaking in Spanish. A native Indian boy was eating a chocolate covered donut and making a bit of a mess for his father to wipe away.

Everything appeared quite normal, just that normal had become something I wasn't aware of. I had the feeling that normal was only acceptable because no one had noticed the change. I wondered if Regan was still alive and understood what a mess he helped to make of his country with his star wars project. Always military spending to drain the countries wealth.

"Funny that if the money isn't worth anything, it only cost one hundred and forty-nine dollars to go the Detroit," I said.

Karna didn't hear me because the bus had been started beside us just as I opened my mouth. The old woman was finally on her way up the steps to her seat where she would be much more relaxed and content. The bus filled quickly. It wasn't long before all were on with bags stowed over head. The bus driver counted the tickets then did a head count. After stepping outside to have a word and a joke with fellow workers, he made certain all the luggage doors were closed before returning to the bus. He took one more look at the seating situation. All seats were occupied accept for one. He took his jacket off, checked his watch, sat down and shut the door.

When the bus was put into gear, I shut my eyes and put my seat back. Karna put her seat back after I explained the mechanics to her, and leaned on my shoulder. I remembered the dream I had the night before. It was a dream in one of my familiar alternate universes. The world of my dreams goes on without me when I'm not there. I know this because it proceeds as it should without my creating it. Of course, alternate universes aren’t the same as the concrete one we exist in physically. Alternate universes are theoretical universes that only exist in a dimension of consciousness or subconsciousness, not space-time. Since there is no matter in that dimension, only the mind can go there.

The universe I dreamed back into was the one where I was madly in love with Leanne. She had been part of my concrete universe only a short time many years back. She was very beautiful. I hungered for her love.

In one of my dream universes, I had her love. Because she knew how out of my mind in love I was with her, she had the habit of torturing me with her aloofness. I asked her if she would love me forever, a fantastical question that was likely from someone’s rock song that was stuck in my head. She said no. After a horrendous two second silence, she looked up at me with beautiful dark eyes that could have melted a polar ice cap and told me that she loved me now and that now was all that ever mattered. She leaned over and asked me to undo the bottom on the back of her dress. We were going to an art opening party and she wanted to show her back.

The next thing I understood was being in a huge ship with many floors of accommodations. The ship was soon to be junked so occasionally I broke a few windows for fun. When I looked out a side window, I saw two men throwing things of fire out onto the water. One out of every three exploded a small model rocket up into the sky. The parachute didn't open properly on one of them because a strong wind tangled the strings. The parachute opened properly on it just before it hit the ground.

Then I was in a large gymnasium looking for a floor hockey puck that was in working order. The room was half full with stacks of old newspapers, boxes, tables and equipment. I had no troubled finding broken pucks but not one good one could I find.

There were a bunch of younger boys doing some sort of worked on the stacks of newspapers. When I climbed by one boy, who I thought I knew, the stack he was on fell over. He just looked at me with his dark face, and an expression that asked: 'what in hell are you doing?'

By the time I tried to think about it, I was lying on a hill talking to a stranger about the possibility that there was some significance in the fact that someone had broken all the trees along the wooden fence. A group of people were singing a song. I then understood that I was in the wrong place and must find the party that I had intended to attend.

There was a short girl with red hair and big breasts talking to me excitedly. I may have enjoyed talking to her but I wanted to shake her off so that I could find Leanne. Finally the girl let me go. When I found Leanne, she asked me if I had seen Bonnie, the girl I had just been talking to. I told her I had. Was it a good party? Leanne sent me to find Bonnie. She wasn't to go home alone. We had to find her a way.

I crawled up the stairs and out under a closet or some shelves. I was greeted by two legs. I looked up to see that the legs belonged to a woman who I didn't know so I said nothing of importance to her. I got out far enough to stand up then went outside. I searched up and down the street but saw no sign of Bonnie. I made a quick tour of the party crowd again to see if she might be inside. She wasn't. I hurried to the street again. I started walking in the direction I assumed she would have gone. I was no farther than the bay window before I heard her ask if I was looking for her. She was sitting on the ground leaning back as if she was drunk or wanted me. As I stood looking at her, six or seven party guests come out to gather some of the garbage. Already, there was a huge pile by the front door.

Leanne said something to me but I didn't understand what she meant. One fellow kept getting wood chips stuck in his hand every time he touched something, even if it wasn't wooden. Each time he pulled a wood chip out he bled. Eventually, I begged him to stop touching things.

Nothing anyone was doing made sense to me. I became frustrated and frantic. No one took notice. Even Leanne was not interested in my concerns.

I tried another dream but it wasn't much better. Everything was the same except for how it appeared. People always had something to say or do, yet nothing really happened.

When I opened my eyes, I noticed a large breasted woman. She was sitting on her brother's lap, hitting him and joking with him. She was telling all those interested about the secretary who had put a tampon behind her ear and couldn't find her pencil. People laughed.

Three boys were having a party at the back of the bus. They were listening to music, drinking and smoking. It was against the rules to do any of those things. The driver had no tolerance. He stopped the bus at the side of the road. He told the boy who was then smoking to get off. He didn't want to. The drunk boy told the driver he had no right to throw him off the bus. After a time of arguing, the three of them got off the bus. The driver retrieved their luggage, then left them at the side of the road. The party animals were stranded in the wilderness.

"It's all part of the poetry," I said.

"What is?"

"It's better for their adventure to be thrown off the bus. They have a better story to talk about when they are working in the shop next winter."

"You have strange ways here."

"Tell me about it."

Karna looked at me.

"Okay, I'll tell you this. No eternal reward shall forgive us now for wasting the dawn."

"What."

"Sorry, that was Jim got out. What I intended to say before I was side tracked was that there is a method, though insane, in this madness. There is a loose design focused on the apparent freedom and randomness of control."

"Is that where you governments and religions come into affect?"

"That's it. Manipulation and sublimation made to look desirable."

"Why religions?"

"Let me first say that religion originates from the desire to answer the questions of the unknown. Perhaps it was an inevitable process in the evolution of our inquisitive minds. Unfortunately, religion became a way for the ruling class to keep the common plebes in a drunken delusion so that they would be content in their poverty: no different then slavery. And, equally important, it made them brave in the face of danger. Such as war. A fearless fighter who has the security of a better after life is a good warrior."

"There are different levels of people?"

"Those above the law and those below it."

"It's hard for me to understand the need to be governed."

I started raving like a possessed preacher about governments, ideologies, land, power, greed, various religions, desperation, egoism, megalomania and on and on with war and the evolution of man from a horrific mutation of insane killer primates which had evolved from a line of mindless flesh ripping entranced reptiles which naturally resulted in man's greatest talents lying in the invention of weapons and his insatiable hunger to slaughter, pillage and destroy.

"Whenever a population raises above one and a half people, there is bound to be fighting. The reasons or excuses vary but the inevitability is constant. Did I mention this before I brought you here?"

"You mentioned it, but I think you tend to exaggerate."

"No. It's likely worse than I can imagine."

Karna cuttled up to me and I stopped ranting.

I decided to decipher what Richard had written to me. I retrieved a pen and a notebook from my bag. I tried several different methods until I broke the code. It simply said to me to keep my sword sheathed until we met. That meant he thought it important to keep my mouth shut. That I had already figured out but I understood how he would worry about me. The rest of the message I could only figure as the letters I L C U. I tried to think of abbreviations but when I said it out loud I decided it just meant, 'I'll see you'. I wondered how he would see me if I didn't know where to find him.

"You often seem worried," Karna said.

"Who, me? No. It's my role. 'Tis a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Utter futility! All is futile! What real value is there for a man in all the gains he makes beneath the sun? We are the hollow men. The stuffed men. And of course, one day the universe may die and collapse in on itself, all of space-time folding into nothing. After all is said and done, back to nothing. The nothing that is the destiny for all to be. Or not to be. Ah. That is the question. Was that the question?"

"You've lost me."

"The making of many books is without limit and much study is a wearying of the flesh."

"Is that true?"

"I'm not sure. Actually, I think that was put in later by someone else who wanted to remind us to believe in God and obey."

"What?"

"People ignore everything except for the, 'therefore'. Bla bla bla, therefore, buy Bumb Fresh Ass Wipe and be safe. So people do. They didn't understand the bla bla bla but it doesn't matter. Your garden needs constant watering, so buy Daisy Fresh panty hose. You want sex with a wild woman so buy Stay Hard Stereo equipment for your car. Or sprinkle some bottled smells on your face. And real men use a stick that smells like wood. Sexy women want a man who drinks Stud beer so get drunk with a Stud."

"It sounds a little confusing."

"You've got that right. Why do you think our brains have atrophied? I'll tell you before you ask. They are stuffed with bla bla bla and we can't reason. We can't even instinct. All we know beyond doubt, is to obey. Whatever they say, obey."

"That sound paranoid."

"You may be right. I may be crazy. But let me add that I don't necessarily believe it was a master plan. It's just as likely that those in charge are as ignorant of what they are doing as those who are being done. It's just gone so far on a fantastic tangent that no one knows where we are, except going. Just going as fast as the fossil fuels will propel us."

"I'm not certain I understand but please go on."

"We have our endless drugs of delusion and illusion to help us endure as we wait for the hand of fate to save us from our stupor and grant us a clear mind."

"How long will we ride this bus?"

"Ah. That is the question. How long on this bus?"

"Do you have an answer?"

"Whether 'tis nobler to suffer the bumps and noise of outrageous journey, ignorant of our percentage of land traversed or to calculate our where-abouts and be wise to the further distance to despise, that is the question."

"Not the one I asked."

"Of course. You are right. That's not the question. The answer to your question would be..."

"Yes."

"I don't know."

"That was a long way to say it."

"True enough. But let me add that to my recollection, if you approximate thirty hours, plus stops, that should put us in Detroit. For you that's about one day. For me, a little longer. But don't be confused, we are sure to arrive at the same time. To assure you of this, I will stay near you the entire trip. I believe we have travelled close to ten hours, so if I ramble on and put you to sleep, when you wake, we'll be looking good. At least you will."

"Have you complimented me?"

"Yes. And now I'm wondering how Richard will react when he sees you."

"He hasn't seen you with a woman before?"

"No, I mean yes, or maybe not. It's not that. It's just that he knows where I've been."

"And."

"And he will figure out where you are from, give or take a few million light years, because he will know where you aren't from but that's okay. I won't let him send you back or turn you in or do you in."

"You could kiss me before I fall asleep."

She was soon asleep as was I. The comforting roar of the road soothed my troubled head so that I had a good rest.



read on. book_02 chapter_28



by Joanne B. Washington

© 2001 | the jose wombat project