Dreams Ltd

  Well, maybe yes.

  Later, on the same evening as I was lying in bed, I began thinking that I have to come up with some plan and keep myself busy with something, because it was no longer possible to live like I have done for the past three days. I must stop searching for someone to blame for what went wrong. I didn’t feel happy because I was one of those lucky prisoners who got a chance to leave Tally, without even having to collect a thousand points, and therefore I must think of what to do next.

  Before falling asleep, I thought that I still hadn’t visited my own boutique, which was strange and I also thought that somewhere in this city, there are Hulk’s friends here - the one with the knife and another one, who can chase people from a distance. Why didn’t I ask Hulk for his home address? Who knew that at that time my freedom was only one day away from me? If I’d been aware of that, I would’ve asked him about so many things, and would’ve tried to prepare myself for living here, if not physically, but mentally. And what’s the point in thinking about it all now?

  Listening to the rain, I fell asleep.

  *****

  Hulk was exhausted.

  It wasn’t because of the daily worries that needed to be resolved or because of training a new senior warden on how to deal with the rebels - a group of new prisoners were delivered at the ranch a day earlier. Nor was it because he was playing poker in the Polo till the early hours, emptying the pockets of his colleagues. What was the point of getting more money, when he’s already got so much that it would be enough for three luxury lives? Money was nothing in this city and the nearest place where he could spend some of it was behind the borderline which he couldn’t cross.

  Hulk was exhausted because of Tally – once and for all.

  Everything became different and suddenly unbearable: the air - too hot, the office - ignominious and the mansion - now empty.

  Why is that only few days ago it felt so right to send her back? Back then he desperately wanted to present Shereen with freedom, give her a chance to wait for his return outside of “Area 33”, living a normal life. And now he felt like an immature youth, worrying about everything - was she alright? Because if she wasn’t, he couldn’t help her from here as he couldn’t ask any of his friends to do so.

  Sheer prohibitions and pitfalls. Damn that Drake!

  Beforehand, Hulk was trying to reconcile his position, hiding his anger inside and waiting patiently for the Commission to decide to revoke the punishment, but all he could do was sit around doing nothing.

  Nothing felt right anymore.

  The trained soldier from the Special Squad rested his fist on the door-post by the balcony, lowered his head and stood still, feeling the hot dry wind getting under the collar of his shirt.

  He was so tired of it. He’s had enough of being the prisoner in this shithole. He was more patient being single, but after he’d found his soul mate, which he was separated from now, his patience had disappeared.

  Uncontrollable anger was growing inside and it was dangerous. He must keep calm as long as possible in order to avoid making new mistakes.

  Hulk vigorously hit the door-post with his fist.

  Before, he was the person he’d always wanted to be - strong and confident - and he had everything. He knew how to find a solution to any problem, and now he was standing there, cooped up, if not in doors, but in a huge place that wasn’t even on any map, unable to return to the normal world and do what he loved. He was now barely breathing without the one he let go a few days ago.

  Hulk slowly pushed away from the wall, walked over to the bar, poured a glass of whiskey and sat in the painfully irritating chair. It was better for her to be in Klendon City, where she could do whatever she liked, meet up with her friends, chat to them in a cafe, and go shopping. By giving her a credit card, he’s secured her future - the monthly transfers will allow her to live comfortably.

  But he knew that curly devil... He knew her well enough to understand that despite all the luxuries in the world, Shereen will still be suffering alone and waiting for him. Perhaps, with her stubborn and restless personality that he loved so much, she’ll even try to plot something.

  His grey, half shut eyes were staring at the horizon, while his brain was feverishly scrolling through the options of changing the current situation.

  It wasn’t possible to call anyone - all telephone lines in Tally were blocked and there was no internet. Hulk could not make contact either with the guys or with the Commission, and even if he could... Drake was not a soft toy and stuffed with cotton wool. Most likely, the conversation with him would be short and unpleasant.

  Should he escape from Tally? Break through the security guards and get out into the outer world? But what will happen next - fighting again?

  Hulk grinned, realising that he wouldn’t mind stretching his hands a little. How much time will he have before Drake will make an appearance? Probably, not much. And no fight can help against the Commission. If he kills one of them - his death will be pretty much guaranteed. Nobody would be forgiven for things like that, Hulk knew that for certain.

  Should he take a short trip to Klendon-city in one of his trucks in order to make sure that everything is alright with Shereen? But if they find out about his raid, the penalties will be toughened.

  Hulk took a big gulp, put the glass on the table and rubbed his forehead wearily, still searching for some acceptable and not too risky options. He must find one; he just must, because it was harder and harder to sit still while worrying about Shereen’s safety. Yes, Klendon-city was quiet, suitable for leisure and for business, almost a "normal" city, but Hulk knew that there were no “normal” cities within the Levels. They were all dangerous.

  The Commission had formed the Special Squad for a reason, members of which were well aware of all the hidden threats and, oh my, there were plenty of them.

  Hulk felt irritated that the time he’d spend thinking didn’t pay back with any ideas that would be worth consideration. He’d pushed one option after another away, because all of them would endanger the only thing he wasn’t prepared to risk - his ability to be with Shereen.

  She wants to see him healthy and alive, so he must curb his temper and work with his head. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time! But how exhausting it was to waste time with no result!

  Fucking Commission. Fucking Tally.

  Hulk walked over to the bar to splash some more whiskey into the glass, and swore out loud hoping that Drake, by some incomprehensible way, will be able to hear him.

  *****

  “How great! I can’t believe you are here!”

  Usually moderate in expressing her emotions, Linda was hanging around my neck for almost half an hour now, glowing with joy and relief. We were in the staff room, which was located on the shop floor. There was some freshly brewed tea and three types of different biscuits on the bright chequered tablecloth. The girls had already run to the nearest supermarket desperate to celebrate my unexpected return.

  “Your skin is so tanned! Fabulous!” My unusually talkative deputy was babbling on non-stop, “Everything is alright in the shop! Although we didn’t know for how long your unscheduled holiday would last, we did everything for the boutique to flourish. And you are a good girl! How many times did I tell you that you need to get some rest? You went through so much worrying and crying...”

  Linda stumbled and rapidly changed the topic, thinking that any conversation about Alex was still painful for me.

  “And, Shereen, we are really doing great now! Can you imagine, Jacques Laurent himself now orders the clothes from our shop and Divuee gave us an additional ten per cent discount!”

  She was talking and talking and talking. I could understand her. Three months of my absence made Linda become more responsible and enterprising, forced her to invent her own ideas and make bold moves in the organisation and management of the business. I had to admit that she’d done really well and now, of course, hastened to share with me every significant and insignificant detail o
f her (in her opinion "our") success.

  “All the paperwork, all the bookkeeping, and taxes - we took care of everything. I hired a new employee about a month and a half ago - you, of course, will decide whether you want to keep her or not, but I think she is doing great with our accounts...”

  I was barely able to squeeze in a word into her monolog. While Linda was dumping all the details of sales and orders in recent months on me, I was silently munching on a strawberry flavoured biscuit, thinking if Hulk would like it? Probably, yes. Or, maybe, he was keen on chocolate? How little I still knew about him.

  The flow of Linda’s words suddenly ended, and I realised that I missed a question.

  “What?”

  She smiled softly.

  “You are still not yet fully here after your trip, huh? That’s ok. Soon you’ll be alright, I know you. I asked what kind of accessory you wore so there is a white strip around your wrist?”

  I stopped chewing the biscuit and slowly looked at my hand, where for the last three months there was a tightly fastened bracelet.

  “Yes, there was one trinket. This bracelet, quite wide and it had beads. It must be somewhere at home, I suppose,” I lied.

  “Where did you enjoy the sun for so long?”

  It was an ordinary question, but God is my witness, I didn’t want to answer it. I sighed and began to invent a mountain of lies.

  Two hours later, after I’d listened to bunch of questions, suggestions, reports and all about the girl’s intrigues, I finally left the shop. When everything was sorted, Linda and I spent some time reading through some documents. I had to put a tremendous effort into not getting distracted from the main subject and remain focused, but somehow I managed. We agreed that Linda will direct the boutique for another couple of weeks while I’m getting back on track, which was very helpful.

  One o’clock. The day has only just begun.

  I popped to the nearest cafe, bought a sandwich with cheese and ham, packed into a triangle paper box and then headed to the central park to sit on the bench to think what to do next.

  Secluded in one of the alleys, I opened the pack and started chewing the bread, looking at the passers-by. Unlike in the Tally’s park - people here were sunbathing on blankets, laughing, chatting, eating and acting very relaxed.

  Sliding my distracted gaze on their figures, I continued to wallow in my own thoughts.

  Before visiting my shop, I unpacked the bag, standing at the door - put the clothes into the wardrobe, placed the gems in a jewel box, found the credit card, that Hulk planted in between my shirts, checked its balance and found out that I am the owner of fifty thousand dollars on the account that my beloved pledged to replenish every month. At least, that what was written on the note that the card was wrapped in.

  I bit another piece of sandwich, chewed it, swallowed and sighed.

  He had thought about everything. And fifty thousand a month is plenty of money. I could change cars every week, I could abandon my shop and travel around the Levels, or I even could buy bricks of gold and build a wall around the house; or if I waited for another two or three months I could buy a nice house somewhere on the isles. But did I really need it?

  What exactly and how much does a single person need? Not much. Because it’s not about what the world is like on the outside. It’s something deep inside, in your mind, and inside of my mind there was just a realisation that Hulk is there whilst I’m here.

  I sighed, trying to make desperate brain work.

  What should I do? I couldn’t just sit and wait for Hulk to appear on my doorstep and for the second part of our “happily ever after” to begin. What if that happens in a month or a year? What if I don’t see him for another ten years? I wasn’t questioning the power of my love for him - I was certain I’d still love him in ten years, but I was seriously questioning my ability to keep sane for ten years, sitting there and looking at the door.

  Therefore inaction was not an option.

  So what do I do?

  Later the same evening, looking at the “Dreams Ltd.” advert it suddenly came to me. Of course! Why didn’t I think about it earlier when I’d just arrived to Klendon-City?

  I returned to my apartment an hour ago. It was getting dark and it was drizzling outside.

  Trying to calm my trembling hands, I began to speculate feverishly. Was there a light at the end of the tunnel I dreamt of?

  Walking in circles around the room, I couldn’t believe that I’ll start acting soon - the smell of change surfaced in the air.

  Well, I have to focus and think carefully about every single detail. I must not rush and make mistakes!

  Just calm down, Shereen. Calm down.

  I forced myself to sit on the sofa, gritted my fingers together and halted, thinking.

  That’s right. I can’t go and ask Hulk’s friends to help me, because if they learn about Tally, they might want to participate in Hulk’s liberation, which will put them all at risk. That must not happen.

  But I have the money. And the Corporation is now around.

  Think... think... think...

  I began remembering everything that Christopher Laroche once told me in Tally. What did he say when he’d got his parcel?

  I paid them for the bracelet that already had a thousand points and they’d sent it to me.

  Exactly! He paid first and then they’d sent it and that was why he didn’t get any punishment, which meant you could go the Corporation and just pay them for what you want to have.

  Bingo! This was a completely different matter.

  Perhaps, it would be logical to be scared to even pronounce the words the Corporation, that three months ago sent me to the middle of nowhere, but for some reason I didn’t feel scared. I felt uncomfortable, but nothing more than that. I knew that they acted solely in accordance with my desire and their own rules, and it wasn’t just some troll who for some strange reason decided to throw me into an enchanted forest.

  All this time I was avoiding the “Dreams” because I was afraid of being liable for my new request; and of getting another official commitment, that had already almost led my life to a disaster. But now, if I act smart, the situation might change to my benefit.

  In theory, just to imagine, if I have enough money, I can just call them and ask to set Hulk free from Tally. Yes! Just one call! Good morning, Dear Corporation! I’ve got a new wish and I’ve got the money, so how much?

  I couldn’t believe that it could be so easy.

  I jumped up from the couch, ran to the window and began shifting from one foot to another, looking at the cars driving on the wet pavement.

  How much do I have?

  Hulk gave me fifty thousand. Next month I’ll get another fifty, but it was too long to wait. Linda said that business was going well, so, perhaps, I could take another hundred thousand out of our turnover. Altogether it would come to one hundred and fifty thousand.

  I took a deep breath.

  Not too much.

  Laroche paid a million for his counter.

  Could I borrow some more money from Hulk’s friends? All the guys from the Special Squad were paid well and they shouldn’t refuse to help.

  Before getting excited, I frowned.

  Perhaps, they won’t refuse (even if I can find them), but they will ask me some questions that I must not answer in order not to jeopardise Hulk’s safety.

  Damn it!

  I have to deal with everything on my own.

  Different emotions were taking over me one another like the waves of a stormy ocean. Wild joy, excitement, worry and joy again. I’ll manage, I’ll find a way, I’ll think of something and who cares how exactly. I’ll do it anyway.

  I headed to the kitchen to put the kettle on. My brain was working so intensely that it seemed if I kept thinking for a little longer it would explode like a watermelon that’s been overheated in the sun.

  It’s ok. It wouldn’t hurt for my head to work sometimes.

  So where can I get more money and how
much do I need in total?

  Should I call the Corporation and ask them how much they would charge for a favour like that? Will they answer my question over the phone or will I have to go there again? Perhaps, the latter. They are not too keen on talking over the phone and that means I have to collect a decent amount before even considering calling them.

  But what kind of sum could be regarded as decent in their opinion? No less than a million, I guess. If Laroche bought his freedom for a million then they won’t set Hulk free for less than that.

  Fuck! One million dollars! Where can I get that much?

  I put a teaspoon of instant coffee into hot water, stirred it, but moved the mug aside without even drinking it and rubbed my forehead.