C. Schmidt - Hock City

“Just tell her Mr. Langston!”

The muscles in Langston’s jaws pulsated. He looked at the floor to gather himself. He slowed his breathing and then glanced at Jesse with a disappointed disposition. He spoke after this moment, “There is not much to tell.”

“Well, you better tell me somethin’!” Madam Pearl interjected.

Langston sighed before he spoke. He hesitated to reveal anything that he knew. “He was tall, dark, had a white beard and a scar down his face. He—”

The sound of a violent crash filled the room. Madam Pearl had been drinking during Langston’s explanation and dropped the fragile glass to the floor. She covered her mouth with the tips of her fingers as her eyes grew teary at first. Then, quickly they grew bitter. She walked over to another guard.

“Let him go.”

Langston was released, and shoved to the floor.

“This man, did he wear a coat like this ?” she asked as she stood behind the guard. Her eyes were peaking from the side; one of her hands rested on the coat’s lapel. She stroked the garment in an alluring fashion.

Langston gazed at Madam Pearl with a straight face. The eagerness that occupied her demeanor concerned him. The man with the scar provided aid to him. What was he about to offer him in return by telling her any details about him?

“I can’t remember. I didn’t pay much attention to what he was wearing.” Langston stood up slowly.

“What about his arms? Did you notice any tattoos?”

“No.”

Madam Pearl, waved her hands in visible disbelief, walked toward Langston. She chuckled before she gave him a sloppy, unwanted kiss on his lips. As she pulled away, a string of saliva came with her. Langston loathed her random act of power.

“You’re cute, so I ain’t gon’ kill you. That would be too easy. Besides, I think you holdin’ back information. So, with that in mind, you gon’ show my men where this station is. You gon’ bring this man back to me. And when you get back, we are gon’ to have some fun. A big happy family,” she said with an evil smile. “Put him in the maintenance closet for now. Gather a squad and take him to find this man tomorrow before dusk. If it is who I think it is, you will need a large group. Bring this man back unharmed. Take as many men as you need without leaving any gates unprotected. If this one is lying, leave him in a hole in Snake Valley,” she added.

“Let’s go human.”

Langston was escorted behind a set of double-doors.

It was business as usual in the Pines. Children enjoyed time outside in the sun. Peace filled the muggy air. They played hide-and-go-seek. Sometimes they played catch with dingy, plastic balls. They conversed amongst themselves about anything that came to their minds.

Nearby, parents and guardians of these children watched on while busying themselves in various tasks of bartering, gardening and cleaning. You had to have eyes in the back of your heads to keep your children and belongings safe in the Pines. At any moment, something or someone could snatch what you love.

“Did you see that last night?” a boy with glasses asked his friend whom was a girl with large, reddish hair.

“No, my mom doesn’t let me go near any doors or windows at night,” she responded, “She said there is bad stuff out there. Like – really bad stuff.”

“My mom says that too. But I look anyway. I ain’t scared. You missed it!”

“I missed what?”

“Those tall things came out again. I thought they were going to come and get people like before. This time they didn’t. Well, they almost got somebody. Some guy. But another guy came out of nowhere and fought them! A tall guy, just like them! He had big, super-huge muscles!”

“Yeah, right! Stop lying,” the girl responded in disbelief. She pushed him away, “Give me the ball.”

“No, for real! He was hitting them, slamming them. Like boom!”

The boy began to make noises and movements to reenact what he saw. The battle between the man with the scar and the Desert Dwellers, which had occurred the night before. He closed his hands, jumped into the air and pretended to land his fists on the ground. He cracked the plastic ball as a result.

“See what you did?!”

“Shoot.”

His mother interrupted him in the middle of his performance, plucking his ear.

“Ow! What was that for, ma?”

“What did we say about gossip? Hmm? What did we say about nightfall and being anywhere near the door or windows?” Her questions pierced the soul of the boy like no other could as she became statuesque in front of him.

“Gossip drains the soul of truth. Truth is necessary for a happy life. The night in the Pines is unsafe, as where darkness feeds evil.” The boy recited this effortlessly, but in a sarcastic tone, as if it was a school pledge before class begun.

“Good, son. Those stories of what you speak only make our lives harder here. If anyone heard about what you saw, they would take you from me – understand? We can’t have that.” The mother said as she walked back to her tasks, “No more talk like that. I mean it.”

The boy, frustrated and embarrassed, smacked his lips in response to his mother’s words. “Yes, ma.”

She kissed him on the forehead. “Love you,” she replied before she walked away.

The boy wiped his face as soon as soon as his mother was far enough from where they were. He continued his story, but in a whisper so she could not hear what was said.

“It was awesome. I wish I could see that every night! I hope the man with the muscles comes again, and kills them all! So we can come outside and play longer!”

“You better stop. You heard what your mom said, didn’t you? You gon’ get in trouble again.”

The boy shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t care. You betta not tell.”

“Now we gotta find another ball.”

“Tell me the way,” Kinth insisted as he leaned forward to listen to the elderly man closely. He wiped his hands to shake off the crumbs from the stale peanuts he had been eating during their discussion.

The elderly man took another puff of his pipe. “There used to be a private entrance into the city, for government officials and dignitaries. You had to be one of the two to gain access. No exceptions – unless you were walking in with the man himself.”

“I think I remember. A tunnel?”

“No, no. Above ground but hidden.”

“Is it guarded?”

“I’m pretty sure it is.”

“Well that won’t work. You know I am no longer welcomed to that place.”

“You will be, with this.” The elderly man walked over to one of his book cases. He pushed one of the books on the shelves in slightly, to which a click sound followed. The book case divided in two, sliding in alternate directions. Behind the case was another room, filled with various expensive and exotic items. It was positioned on shelves along the wall. Plaques, trophies, medallions and more.

The elderly man grabbed a small black box from one of the shelves. “I normally don’t reveal my belongings to anyone, but there are times when you must test your trust,” the elderly man stated. He picked up a small black box and opened it. He blew his breath on the object and then rubbed it with a cloth. “There is only one thing that will get you in. You can use this, but after your journey you must return it to me.”

He walked slowly over to Kinth with the box in hand. His old age was evident by the speed of each step. The polished state of the object reflected on the elderly man’s face.

“This was given to me by the original Guardian. The true Guardian! Peace and light rest his soul. Its solid gold. It was a pleasure being one of his top advisors. Only members of his counsel wore this. This is the most valuable item I own. “