Jesse and Langston approached casinos and fancy establishments after traveling several blocks, and many roundabouts: The Line District. This district was behind a wide gate connected to an overpass. Above: patrols. On the ground: four guards on both sides of the gate. One way in and one way out.
The guards were equipped with various weapons such as swords and odd looking rifle. Rifles that seemed impossible to carry that were equipped with multiple scopes. The ground before the gate was a collection of dirt, but beyond the gate was stone. This was the only section preserved and you had to have lines to walk the rest of the way.
“Whoa!” said a large creature in a long trench coat. He had two vertical eyes, reptilian skin but with a human mouth and long jaw. He had a long scar down his face. On the sleeves of the man’s trench coat were markings to show his rank. An emblem was imprinted to the left of the lapel. It was the same Trillium flower from the doorknob.
He held his hand out to the side to prevent Jesse and Langston from walking any further.
“Now kid, you know the rules. No wanderers can come this way. I shouldn’t have to remind you of this,” the man said with a deep, slithery voice. Saliva exited his mouth as he completed various syllables in his sentence.
“My friend is no wanderer. He works for Madam Pearl now – with me.”
“If I don’t recognize him, he is a wanderer. I don’t know him. Besides, Pearl didn’t inform us of a new recruit. All new employees come through us eventually.”
“He is a Seeker, like me. Handpicked by her. You know Madam Pearl does what she wants. C’mon,” Jesse patted the guard, speaking in his best persuasive voice, “I just showed him what we do outside the walls in the Pines. Just bringing him up to speed on things.”
The guard stared down Langston with limited blinking – like a doctor examining a patient. He sucked his teeth in disbelief. He reached for his side, where a walkie-talkie was attached to a leather utility belt. He squeezed the button on the walkie-talkie causing it to chirp.
“Wait, wait!” Jesse exclaimed, “How about I give you some segments to let ’em through?”
“How many?” the guard asked with a smirk, as he walked back toward Jesse.
Langston watched closely, eager to hear more of Jesse’s proposition.
“Um, hmm. Three segs. Yeah, three.”
“Not good enough. A full line or I make the call.”
“Okay, okay, a full line. One full line.”
The guard looked around, and then slid up the sleeve of his trench coat. His olive skin was tough with large veins and scars. His lines were low with only two full before the transaction.
Jesse held up his arm, close to that of the guard’s arm. He waved his hand over the guard’s arm; a hologram appeared. One in that had various buttons and meters. He pressed a circular button next to the lines. The word ‘Transfer’ lit up along with a brief beep. Suddenly, the guard had three full lines.
The reptilian hybrid let out a boisterous laugh, please with the transaction. “I gotta stop messin’ with them girls at Pearl’s. My lines low. I think I got a problem! Well, not anymore! No problem these news lines can’t fix!” His counterparts laughed in unison, “Let ’em through!”
The patrol above the gate lifted two long poles. The poles were intertwined and designed to lock into the ground. The guards below were then able to pull the gate from both sides, creating an opening for the two to walk through.
Langston walked by the gate security apprehensively, sweating with each step. He didn’t trust them or anyone else, regardless of the transaction that took place. Nothing about the people he had seen seemed trustworthy.
The patrol eyed him down as he passed.
“Lock it down!”
A thunderous boom swarmed the area. Dust particles rose from the ground and filled the air. The poles of the gate were dropped back into place. The sound caused many in the area to watch the activity. Who was the new person allowed through the gates?
“Man…”
Jesse frowned at his arm in disappointment. He shook his head while he spoke to himself. He worked hard to get his lines full. Endless days scavenging and errand-running. Back and forth, down roads and through various tunnels in Pineville. He endured much on his trips. Blood, sweat, heat and the smell of death that traveled within the wind.
“Those lines, how do you get them?” Langston asked.
It took a moment for Jesse to respond as he glanced at the ground between steps. He was consumed by his thoughts.
“My job is to find stuff for Madam Pearl. Anytime I bring something back she can use, she gives me segments based on what I bring her. Over time, each segment creates a line. Sometimes I help other people the same way, but they can’t pay me as much as she can.”
“How long did it take you to get those full?”
“Don’t know. Long time I guess. I normally don’t pay no attention. Been doing this since I was small. See that place right there…,” he pointed, “…that’s Sadie Bell’s. People go there to drink and dance. Ms. Sadie sends me out to find anything to help decorate her place. She real fancy. Got stuff on her walls that I ain’t never seen anywhere else. Stuff I haven’t been able to find when I go out. Houlihan Dan – right there – he sends me out to find bones. He takes the bones and shaves them down real fine—”
“And uses them for what?”
“Dominos, plates, cups. Sticks people use to eat their noodles. He sells noodles too. What’s up, Mr. Dan?!”
Jesse held his fist up over his head as he spoke. Houlihan Dan waved back quickly. He continued to pour noodles into small porcelain bowls. Customers stood in a short line, complaining as they grew impatient on the wait for noodles. The aroma was intoxicating; one of the only pleasant smells in the city.
Langston watched on inquisitively, “Well, why did you do that? Why did you give that guard all those lines? Especially since you needed them. Why are you helping me?”
Jesse looked around the district while he gathered his thoughts. “I had to, Mr. Langston. What else was I gon’ do? Leave you there, knowing that you were alive and that you needed help? I like to help people. Besides, I can’t have those guys calling Madam Pearl. She gets annoyed easily. It’s better if I get you to her before someone tells on us. Maybe like everyone else, Madam Pearl could use you too. Maybe we can work together later.”
“Dont know about that. I’m trying to get out of here.”
“And go where?”
“Back to my home. My city.”
“And where is that?”
Langston grew quiet. He didn’t want to share too much, being that he still didn’t fully trust Jesse – nor anyone else in the city. He changed the subject.
“This Madam Pearl lady runs this place?”
“No. Well, sorta.”
“Sort of?”
“You have to talk to her. She can tell you better that I can. All I know is – she is impatient. And we need to keep moving.”
Miles to Pearl
Rowdiness. The best word to describe the initial impression of The Line District. Lights flashed and beamed from every direction. The noise level was set to unruly. The ecstatic stench of greed covered the area like humidity after a thunderstorm. Lines, lines and more lines.
Lines formed to enter casinos. Lines gathered for boarding, food and erotic activities; the exchange of lines. Everyone needed more lines, but Langston only needed one – a line of communication. Madam Pearl.