Working with the Enemy

It was a glamorous day in hollywood, with the tropical skies and occasional rainbow piercing through the cumulous piles. The birds flew loud and fair, and even the flies and bugs conducted themselves like true gentlemen, with a high class, lace eating grace you'd see in the theatre.

From all of this grandeur and grace, I emerged onto the streets of hollywood. I felt all around, as if I had landed in an alley. The air was thick with smoke and salty with the smell of fast food and people. I couldn't smell a single tree or bird.

I didn't even notice the bus that was about to drive me head on.

As the bus was about to drive off, I gritted my teeth, crushed into a ball and closed my eyes. I was determined to go through with it. And I went through it, smashing puddles of glass and people. I was trying to run with super speed, but I forgot that we had super speed down years ago.

And I'd left my super speed at home that day. I would make sure to bring it to the next car show I'd go to. That's right. That thing's pretty handy when you're in a hurry. I was thinking of that while I was running. That's how I forgot my super speed.

Then, I stumbled over to the other side of the street, feeling completely drained. I sat down and stared at the street, feeling a little dizzy.

Then I heard a voice: "Umm, excuse me, sir?"

I looked to and found the source of the voice. It was a skinny kid, probably in high school, wearing a yellow shirt. I have no idea why he would be dressed up like that to take a bus, but it was a little wild of him.

I looked over and said: "What?"

"Are you alright? I think you tripped over the curb."

"I was running from something. I was going too fast, and I guess I forgot that we have super speed now. So I tripped. I'm fine though."

The kid walked away to throw his trash away, and I was left to stare at the trash can while the whole world seemed to go on in slow motion. It was like one of those nature shows, where a single fly just seems to be in the middle of a horrible, beautiful disaster that lasts for minutes, when it's just a few seconds of chaos.

I liked that. Most people can't mess with time. And that kid just messed with my serenity. I don't know why he did, but I know he had no right. Then he came back.

"Umm, do you know where we are?"

"Do I know where we are?" I thought, perplexed. "I don't know. Where are we?"

"I was wondering that myself."

"Yes, sir. I know where we are."

"Where are we?"

"On a bus."

A black car drove by, and the kid shouted out the window: "Hey, guys. Where are we? And, uhh, who are you? That is, what's your name?"

I frowned and said: "No, sir. That is not the right thing to do. You don't just call out to strangers like that. Trust me. There's a reason why they're strangers. Well, at least most of them."

The kid stared at me as if I had just slapped him in the face with a handful of love. He walked away, muttering something about "new kids" as he went on his way.

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too," I muttered to myself. "I should have said 'mutant kid'." I got up and dusted myself off. I then made my way to the front of the bus and leaned against the front door. I figured that no one would bother me there. Something about the front of a bus made it better. I don't know why.

On the bus stop near me, there was a small child holding onto a sign that said, "bus stop." He looked at me and said: "would you like a ride?"

I tried not to smile, and replied: "sure," as I walked to the stairway on the side of the door. I went up to my room and shut the door. I then turned on the computer and went to my icon. When I typed in the password, it loaded for about a minute. Then I saw a big green "W" on the screen. I smiled.

I was about to click the mouse to open my email when the door opened.

I screamed and tried to close the email, but I forgot that I wasn't wearing shoes, so I closed the screen. I turned around, saw the kid standing at the door, and yelled out: "What is it?" while my dirty feet went flying in all different directions. It was like I was in one of those horrible, wonderful disasters I like.

I cursed under my breath and said: "I'm sorry, sir. I wasn't expecting anyone to be at the door. I'm so sorry. I guess I'm new or something."

The kid walked in, smiling, and said: "I'm not your employer. In fact, I'm here on a different job. See..."

Out in the hallway, I could hear a loudspeaker. I stared out at the doorway and saw the loudspeaker from the front room on the bus. I saw kids holding the sign "1-3" walk into a door with that number. Then it shut behind them. Then I heard the voice: "go to the appropriate room. be sure to stay on the correct floor."

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