Yeah.
I know. All right, boys, take it easy. An if I was you I’d let those people go. Nobody knows what the Zones do to em. Those girls’re beauties an all, but still.
Thanks for the advice, we can handle it from here, said Sharky. Take it easy.
Who wrote those words the skirvolya cleared it out with? Bohler inquired.
Milosz, Rudolf instructed us.
Is that someone from the Ministry? I asked.
Nope, said Rudolf. Or actually, I donno. Some Polish guy.
Aha, I said. Cool words. An that snake! Man, you coulda gone sleddin on those scales!
No, you couldn’t’ve, Rudolf said. Well, you guys work it out somehow …
Aright, later! He climbed back into the car. I tried to get a glimpse of the carriage, but all I could see was the necks of those two men in black. Sitting there like they were carved out of wood.
The girls had gone off to find their folks, they knew about the autopsy lab. We didn’t ask how. They took the boy with em, Micka informed us. Vasil said Macešková went back to her flat. An he wants to know if he can stay when we leave. I told him no problem, cool?
Yeah, said somebody.
So … friends, said Bohler … I reckon Lady Laos is packed by now … we’re drivin out to the Rock in the morning, an anytime you want … the door’s open an the Water’s poured … my little lady’s gonna miss you guys too …
That was obvious to me. Ahem, I said. I’ll be happy to make a trip out sometime, Bohler buddy, check in on you an the Gobs. But I’m gonna stick around here a while still. Or catch me over at my place on Gasworks. An how bout you two, I turned to my pseudodroogs.
I’m takin off nach Israel, you knew that, said Sharky. Joinin the army.
I got a little somethin in the works, said Micka. An I think it’s gonna start takin off. An if any a you should happen to get the urge for some byznys … I’ll be leavin my info at the usual spots. I’m sorry bout David.
You guys know, said Bohler, I don’t bother much with quotes. But we’ve gotten to be a pretty disgusting an coldhearted buncha wrecks, including yours truly, an we’ve got all kindsa stuff under our nails. Least of all the Sewer. So I think it’d only be right to say a prayer for David. Things aren’t lookin so good, but there’s always hope. When you were tellin us your dreams, Sharky, specially that one about the tenth lost tribe of Israelites, I thought of a quote from old Isaiah. The numbers’re 40 an 31, in case anyone’s interested. I wouldn’t want to blaspheme unnecessarily, especially after what we’ve been through together … well, I’ll take my chances … listen up:
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
they shall walk, and not faint.
Cool, huh? said Bohler. We nodded our heads, clutching out of habit at the spots where until recently we’d worn our silver. Thanks, thanks, O House of Prayer, that’s good stuff, we’ll keep it in mind, sure thing, Cassock … our voices rang out here and there and maybe for the last time in unison … in the courtyard’s thickening half-light. Then Bohler said: So right … I’m goin … an you two guys’re takin the tram too, right?
Why don’t we all hop in the mobile, Micka suggested. I got my coats in there, byznys threads an whatnot. I’m holdin on to that stuff.
Hey, take it easy, I said into the car window.
Bye, Potok, one of them said.
An make sure you shut the gate.
Aright, bye now. Later.
Later.
I watched the mobile getting smaller and smaller, till it came to the first street and turned the corner. I shut the gate. My steps sounded strangely alone in the courtyard.
I was glad that Vasil and old lady Macešková were still in the building. I went off to lie down in the former pack’s old flat. Summoning all my brainpower I tried to conjure up an intoxicating image of my sister. I wasn’t feelin too great. I even felt lonely.
And then the doorbell rang. Hard.
I jumped up and quietly went to the door. Then went back. For my blade. The ringing didn’t let up. Who is it? I said. Why it’s just me, sonnyboy! Macešková. I was pretty relieved.
She stood in the dark hallway. Why don’t you turn on the light, Mrs. Macešková? Oh, I can see fine, young man. She tittered. I switched on the light. Her face was even more sunken and pale than it had been before the well. As far as I remembered. What do you need? Oh nothing … I was just curious where you boys go nighty-night. Who’s around still an who isn’t, she giggled again. Nosy old hag. But … maybe she was just surprised to see the building nearly empty. I tried to explain. But she didn’t seem to be listening. Stared at me. Licked her old lips. Looked like she was out of it. There was something wrong with her. But hey, after all, she’d been in the Zone a pretty long time.
I made an effort to be polite, but all of a sudden she just turned around and shuffled off … no neighbors to gossip with, poor thing. Good night then, I called after her … and don’t be afraid! She didn’t answer. No sooner had I shut the door than Vasil started pounding on it.
Come on in, malchik. An sleep here if you want. Plenty a room.
Jou know dis babushka, he asked.
Yes, she’s been living here a long time.
Vhat she like?
A hag. A regular old witch.
Vasil’s eyes popped.
Naw, c’mon, it’s just an expression. How bout a nip of the Fiery? Vodka?
Da! Jes.
We drank till we fell asleep. Vasil kept asking if it was really okay for him to be in the flat. That dope had no idea how glad I was to have him there. He drank so much I think he didn’t even scream in his sleep.
The next day I discharged the most pressing morning functions, put on some fresh clothes, and took off. I tried to clear my head of everything past. Černá was all I longed for now. The tram was too slow for me.
I also tried to be practical, and when Vasil wandered off somewhere I’d counted up my funds. Back in the Stone Age of the byznys path, the only serious money I’d spent was on byznys suits and ties and shoes, and the Organization reimbursed me for it. Usually we’d eaten and drunk together, Bohler handled that. We ran tabs at the usual spots, I knew Micka took care of those. In that whole time all I’d acquired were a few cool street jackets and a couple pairs of running shoes. I don’t like when every nail I jog over hurts. No need to make your heels cry. The rent for my hole on Gasworks still corresponded to its appearance and location. I didn’t spend anything, actually. Not counting the occasional depraved hamburger. I still had a good few months of take-home pay stuck between the sheets. Even got by the hitlers. When I dumped out the pillowcase, I was pretty amazed at the total. On the other hand though, I had no idea how expensive stuff was now. Some went in my pockets, some in my shoes, and the rest I put back in the sheets. I realized I’d never seen Černá in anything except handsome but rather bedraggled tops. And I seriously doubted she washed those pants I’d seen her suffering in. Guess those songs of hers didn’t bring in much. Maybe I’d start with a gift … out of courtesy and friendship … I had oodles of cash.
I got off the tram and trudged along the street, a nobody without a tribe. It was still early morning, an unusual time for me, no doubt my little sister was still asleep … there were people swarming all over … charmless receptacles full of nothing but their own destinies … flashing by in trams, hopping on, reading newspapers … some talking to themselves … honking cars stormed the streets … everything flashing by, changing constantly … there were moments it looked ridiculous, the sidewalks were full, everyone on their way to scrape by, scrape through, scrape along, I got in line.