Veterans Day
Page 16
I should have gotten the award for Understatement of the Year. The next morning guards stormed into the room and grabbed Raves and dragged him out of the room. I jumped up to stop them and was gassed. I tried to fight it off but saw the ground rushing to introduce itself to my face. Head, meet floor. Floor, head. Say “Hello!”
I woke up on a table. Immediately beeping came from all around. Some doctors grabbed me by the arms and put a mask on my face. I tried to kick but my legs were tied down. I wanted to shout but a tube was in my throat. I felt vomit rushing up and being suctioned as it rose. The Corps appeared over me and sighed.
“Calm down, Jones,” he said. “This will all be over soon.” The room went dark as I slipped into what can only be described as Hell-Lite.
I had a dream, or vision depending on what God you worshiped. I was in a room full of weapons. I walked up to each of them and knew how to take them apart and put them together in seconds. I was running on a treadmill with wires and shit all over me. I saw scientists writing shit down as I lifted weights. The entire time I saw flames coming out of my skull. I even saw Raves. He keep picking at his eyes and complaining. He looked at me and smiled while giving me a thumbs up and mouthing “Having fun yet?” Then I woke up.
I was sore as hell. I was in a bed with cords attached to my arms. I pulled the sheet off and saw two big ass tubes in my chest. I was too tired to even freak out. I just leaned back and relaxed. I heard someone enter the room. A Black dude a little older than me leaned over my bed with a clipboard. He checked the tubes in my chest and nodded.
“Who you?” I asked. “Lemont Hecksford,” he replied without making eye contact. “How do you feel?” “Are you a doctor?” I asked ignoring his question. “Something like that,” he said with a smile on his face. “Is he okay?” a lady asked. She walked over and kissed this Hecksford on the cheek. You could
tell they were married by the way she did it. Eyes closed and quick. When you are fucking bitches you never let them kiss you on the cheek. Nothing but lips and tits. She looked okay. Just tired. She had bags under her eyes and her voice was raspy, but other than that...I'd fuck her.
“He's doing marvelous,” Hecksford said. “Better than most of them,” he said with disappointment in his voice.
“What about my boy, Raves?” I asked. “He is doing fine,” Hecksford said. “Stable,” the lady said. “Sorry, my name is Deidra.” “I'd shake your hand but I don't wanna piss your husband off,” I joked. “How'd you know we were married?” Deidra asked. “Just a hunch,” I lied. “Raves is doing okay,” Hecksford said attempting to ignore the flirting that was happening in
front of him. “Just a minor eye infection.” “That funny,” I said. “I had a dream that he kept scratching his eye.” The lovely couple gave each
other a look. “What?” “What else did you see in this dream?” Deidra asked. Her husband had a bad poker face. He
looked worried. “I was using guns, lifting weights, running. Shit like that,” I said. “Fuck. That wasn't a dream,
was it?” “Please allow me to apologize,” Hecksford said. “You were supposed to be...unaware of the
programming.” “What ‘programming’?” I asked. I could feel my pulse quickening and the machines began tobeep louder and faster. “What the fuck y'all do to me?” Hecksford backed away and pulled his wife close to him. “Answer me, goddamn it!” Guards entered the room and switched their safeties off.
“I see our Pinocchio has discovered that he is a real boy,” The Corps said.
After about a week in bed being changed like I was a damned baby they wheeled Raves in one day. They got tired of me asking about him, I guess. Raves looked like road kill. But he was still smiling when he saw me. We smacked hands and laughed.
“Nice haircut,” I said to him. The right side of his face was bandaged and half of his head was shaved. “I hope you got ya money back.”
“You know I never pay your mother with cash,” he said. “What's up with the bandage?” I asked. “Did the herpes work its way up to your face finally?” “No,” he said rubbing the gauze. “Me and your mother were giving each other butterfly kisses
and the next thing you know...” We both laughed. We had a way to make each other laugh no matter how fucked up a situation was. “Have you heard anything about Hollister?” As if on cue he was wheeled into the room as well.
“It's alive!!!” I shouted as Raves spun around to look at Hollister. He did look better. He had color in his cheeks and a smile on his face.
“Very funny,” Hollister said. “How are you doing?” Raves asked him as they shook hands. “I feel great,” he said. The guard that brought him in looked afraid. “What's his problem?” I asked. “Apparently I died a few times this week,” Hollister said. “They stopped counting at nine.” “How the fuck you die nine times and come back?” I asked. “Did you go into the light?” “Yeah,” he said while frowning. “So how hot was it down there?” Raves asked. “Not as hot as your father's mouth,” Hollister muttered. I damn near fell out of my bed laughing.
Raves had no comeback. “A week and he's already talking shit,” Raves said. “A week?” Hollister asked. The guard looked nervous. “It’s been a few months.” Raves and I
gawked at each other. “I have been here for four. You two have been here for three.” “Damn,” I said.
“Did they master time travel?” Raves asked sarcastically. “My eye is bugging the crap out of me...”
“Next time take it in the mouth,” I said. Even the guard had to laugh at that one.
“Glad to see you all doing well,” The Corps said as he appeared next to the guard. “You may leave,” he told him. He then removed a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He wore a black uniform of a high-ranking officer but it had no pins or medals. He removed a small black cigarette and lit it.
“Can a brother get one?” I asked.
“Not yet,” he said. “Soon.” He lit one and inhaled deeply. I stared at him enviously waiting for him to exhale and smile, dancing as he got to light up while I couldn't. No smoke came out.
“What kind of Houdini shit you pulling?” I asked.
“These are special,” he said. “Like I said, soon.” He inhaled again and seemed to glow with joy. The dick.
“What's this about us being here for months?” Raves asked. “And what the fuck is wrong with my eye?”
“An unfortunate side effect of the program,” The Corps said. “It will get better, I assure you.” “Why doesn't that make me feel better?” Raves said as he continued scratching his eye. “In a few days we will begin training,” The Corps said as he dropped the mystery cigarette to the
ground and crushed it with his heel. “I won't lie to you. It will be difficult. And maybe none of you will survive it.” He looked at Raves specifically. They held each other’s stare for half a minute until
Hollister raised his hand. “Not to be a negative Nancy, but what happens if we don't die, but fail?” he asked. “Let's cross that bridge when we get to it,” The Corps said as he left the room smiling to himself. “I have a feel that that nigga will burn the bridge when You’re halfway across it,” I said. “I don't
trust him for shit.” “Neither do I,” Raves said. He removed his bandage and looked for a mirror. “You look like shit,” I told him. “Let's see what's going on,” Raves said as he held the mirror to his face. “Fuck me.” “Like Hamburger Helper,” Hollister said. “I say damn!” I shouted. “Is that shit gonna happen to me too? It likes like Satan came on your
face,” I said. “Twice,” Raves said. “This blows.”
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