“It’s been awhile,” he said.
“It has been,” I replied, trying to sound friendly.
“Well, let’s get you off this bridge, what do ya say?” He smiled again. Without wasting a moment he took off marching, though he kept turning back to make sure I was steady and upright. “They call me glasses. Don’t suppose you can guess why?” He laughed, turning back, and tilting his sunglasses up and down. “Never had the luxury of knowing my name. Never really cared, though, I suppose. What’s to a name anyway? It’s just sounds that relate us to a formality, right?”
“I guess so.” We reached the end of the bridge. The others watched on in silence. They didn’t bear grins like Glasses. They held crooked smirks, frowns, crossed arms, and disapproving glares. They weren’t used to people crossing their bridge.
What was my intent? Who was this stranger? In a city with so few of us left, a stranger wasn’t something you saw every day. Did one of them know me? Would they point me out, and shove me through the gap in the highway?
“Hard to believe you’re here. Thought maybe you had turned, or worse. Glad to know you hadn’t,” Glasses exclaimed as he set his boots on concrete. He didn’t move out of the way as I reached him, instead he leaned in close and whispered, “You’re Will for now. Eyes on the ground and keep them there.” I followed his advice, clinging close to his side with my head turned down.
“Look here, folks! Will has had quite an ordeal, and not one of you will speak to him until he’s back to normal! In fact, let’s do this. You three…” Glasses said and pointed at more than half his group. “Run over to my place and get me some clothes for our friend. I dare think he’s pissed himself. Stay together. Watch each other’s backs, and light the flare if you need to.”
There were a few gasps, but without seeing their faces I couldn’t tell how many were disgusted by my supposed urination of my underwear.
“You two will stay with me, but will be my eyes. You know what that means, right?” Glasses asked and nodded, looking for an answer. The other two moved ahead, going to different parts of the area around the highway. The one’s tasked with retrieving clothes sprinted away without a word.
“That will keep everyone busy for a time,” Glasses said. “So, Will, what brings you down to our neck of the woods? Wait, wait I know! You’re here to see IT, aren’t you? Well I’ll be a son-of-a-bitch. I go from thinking you’re dead right back to thinking our hero comes riding in to save the day again.” Glasses chuckled. I tried to sense sarcasm, but found none.
“Ahhhhhh…” I mumbled, dumbfounded.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m just glad you’re all well and good. Oh and how could I forget?” He snapped his fingers. “Olivia! How is that sweet girl doing?” Glasses’ smile widened. He had somehow remembered us, even though I didn’t have a clue who he was. Yet he was able to describe us in brilliant detail, right down to how Olivia had two different shades of blue eyes.
“Bold as ever,” I remarked. “But safe, out of harm’s way.”
“Good. No reason to get her involved in all of this. It’s been getting worse down here, you know. More are turning every day. Our food supplies are holding well, and water’s still flowing from that well, but that doesn’t exactly matter if we all turn twenty six anyway.” Glasses turned his face upwards, the sunlight bouncing off his shades.
“What about the barrier…” I cut short, worried about how exactly I would phrase the question. The barrier and the turnings hung on my tongue, but I held back. It felt like eyes were watching and ears was listening, and if the wrong people heard me talk in such a way, then my Will identity might be a bust. But I needed to know why we turn at twenty-six and cross over the barrier.
“Hmmmm?” Glasses questioned. He ducked below a beam from an overturned utilities truck that had caught fire on the expressway. The charred remains were only a broken shell. The ruined traffic started to lighten as we drew closer to the city. All the vehicles were pointing away from Downtown, as if driving away from whatever doom lingered in the veins of this metropolis.
Glasses looked back again, and I saw my reflection bounce off those lenses. I shook my head refraining from continuing the conversation.
We had come upon the off-ramp, where the highway flowed towards the main level of the city. There was little rubble to impede our progress towards the town, but those black clouds rumbled ever closer.
“Well, I suppose we should get to it then?” Glasses whispered. “Let’s get you to that tower, and see what you came all this way for. But first…” Glasses pointed at the two up ahead, his watchers, or more likely his lookouts. “We got a tail to lose.”
“What are you suggesting?” I inquired.
“Look, I trust them more than I trust myself, but your name is a little synonymous with a bit of filth.” I gave him a look that suggested to turn it around. “Hey, not me, no sir, I don’t believe the rumors. I remember what you did for us, and not what people say you did to us. Look, Jackson, it’s damn good to see you, and honestly I couldn’t be happier to have you back. If anyone can turn around what’s happening down here it’s you. That doesn’t change the fact that people would be out for your blood if they knew you were still alive, though. Hell, they held a public funeral for you when they assumed you had gone the way of the turning. It was a mighty party too, believe you me.” Glasses chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. He failed miserably.
“Turn, it around,” I said, gritting my teeth. I didn’t need to know if my funeral was a good time or not.
“Okay. Sorry, didn’t mean, uhh. Damn, I’m bad with words. Forget it, forget I said anything.” Glasses attempted a weak smirk, but it was forced.
“Done.” I sighed. I shouldn’t be so hard on him. He did just save my ass back on the bridge. “So what’s the plan then?”
“I’m going to keep you out of trouble. That means keeping you out of sight, out of sight out of mind. Weird saying, but it fits, don’t it?” He glanced at me, but must have seen my irritation building. “Okay, on my mark, follow me. Just keep it quick and silent.”
“Now!” Glasses hissed.
Before I knew it I was being pulled to the left. My eyes stayed on the watchers in front. They didn’t seem to notice our sudden departure, or at least, until we were out of sight. We entered some narrow back alley. It ran through this block and traveled onto the next. The shadows from the buildings above covered the alley, sheltering our progress as we rushed through the tight corridor.
These structures were made of brick, deep brown in color and in surprisingly good condition. The weather must not have taken too much toll on them, since they were nestled so close together.
“I know what you’re thinking and don’t you worry. No one lives back this way. We’ll just keep to the shadows, and move you as close as possible to what you’re down here for,” Glasses said as he glided through the back alleys at a decent clip, knowing exactly where to go.
I tried to keep up, but he was in much better shape and quicker on his feet. I couldn’t help but wish I knew him when I’d spent my time down here. Maybe things would have been different. Maybe I wouldn’t be so out of my element, or so unloved in Downtown.
“So honestly…” Glasses started. His tone switched as he slowed his pace to a crawl before stopping completely. “How has it been? Life, that is.”
It was an unexpected question. Every day we fought for existence. Even if I could live one day longer I was still approaching my twenty-sixth. In this land, aging meant dying, and at a relatively young age. Instead of getting upset, I remained neutral. I shouldn’t be made at him. It was, after all, just a question.