Big Dump

El Greco
Part 4
(a rather clumsy change of tenses ;-)

Somebody screamed bloody horror outside, and the sound made me jerk from the sleep. I gazed at the faint light coming from the small window and felt the perspiration evaporating off my body. “So what?” I asked myself, resting my head back on the soggy pillow. My eyes were wide-open, however, as I waited for another scream. It didn’t come; instead there were drunken laughs and the sound of bottles breaking. My stomach slowly dropped into place.

I turned on my back and breathe deeply. I was scared, I realized, wetting my lips. Scared of everything Toby told me, scared to be hunted down because of being aware. And even if he was wrong, still, a feeling lingered in me, that something was wrong.

It was a dawn. A pair of high heels rushed past my window with man’s shoes flicking along. I heard a slight giggle. The high heels stopped, and there was a slight rustle of clothes. They must be right above me, I thought. I imagined them kiss and I heard the girl laugh sweetly at his murmurs. How did they fit into Toby’s world, I wondered.

My hand dropped to the floor and my fingers touched the book’s cover. There was a boy once who’d lost his ears when he was little.. He didn’t cry because he was a very brave boy, and instead he started to play the sounds in his head. If he saw something he’d never heard before, he’d make up his own sound, and before long the world was different for him, full of wondrous things.

…::…

I walked to the shop once again and almost smashed into the door when it didn’t yield and open. I fiddled with the doorknob and realized the shop was closed. Must’ve been a Sunday. Testing my luck once again I went around the building and knocked on the backdoor.

“Noisy, aren’t you?” Colin appeared from behind me. He had a piece of pie in his hand and he licked his fingers before stuffing them into his pocket and taking out a key. He moved past me a bit unceremoniously and opened the door, walking inside and leaving it open. I guessed it was an invitation.

I smelled ink and looked around the room – the dust floating in the light coming from the large windows, a couple typography machines standing around, tools, paper, paint, cardboard, wood, ribbons. Colin sat at the table and fumbled with a few metal blocks, trailing his finger over them. I came closer and saw that those were letters.

“We are complete rookies, of course,” Colin smiled at me toothily, “But we decided to make our own font because some people try to copy our books. You see, if we make our own set of letters,” he flashed a metal block with a W on it at me, “It will be the best fool-proof. I doubt they’ll go as far as actually making the copy of the font.”

I gaped at him and he laughed a little.

“Welcome to the Victorian times,” he said, standing up and stretching. The suit was hanging rather freely on his thin shoulders and he caught me looking at him.

“So,” he cut off the awkward moment, rubbing his shoulder self-consciously, “You are back.”

“Yes. I’ve read your book.”

“I hope you didn’t mind all the typos. Early days and such.”

“Is it political?” I blurt out and he looks at me curiously.

“Everything’s political. We are swimming in politics,” he said off-handedly.

“Are you a friend of Toby’s?”

“Is this an inquest? Yes, I’m well acquainted with our golden knight,” he smiled cheekily, “Did he go over the current social state with you?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, so, you’ve been recruited.”

“I’ve never agreed with him.”

“But you are here.”

“I’m here more because of you than of him.”

“I must admit that is flattering,” he said, his eyes sparkling. I blushed. He seemed rather flirtatious and he enjoyed the effect he had on me. I lowered my eyes and looked at his fingers gripping the edge of the table behind him, avoiding his face.

“Do you know what gives you away?” Colin asked, his gaze on me, “Your shoes. They are not quite brutish and they are not quite posh. Just regular beaten up shoes. And your hair perhaps. One look at you and it is easy to see how you are.”

I was burning red by the time he finished.

“What is your name?”

“Thom.”

“Well, Thomas, I’ve got a kettle and couple of cups. Please join me for some tea.”

…::…

I spent the whole afternoon and most of the evenings at the shop, so by the time I’ve reached the club a couple of people were inside already, drinking. The absence of live music didn’t bother them – somebody brought a boom box, which played loudly, however as more and more people arrived they started chanting for me. I sat in my little room and wished I could put on some headphones and just read (Colin gave me a few more books), but I knew that sooner or later they’d find me and then it wouldn’t be pleasant.

I concentrated on the faces when I was playing, looking into them hard in the flashing lights. If Toby was telling the truth, somebody who was involved in creating and supporting this place must be here. Somebody whose eyes are not so insane, somebody who controls this from within. Perhaps he is watching me right now, I thought, perhaps he’s been watching me all this time and waiting for me to realize he’s there. And when he sees that I did, they’ll liquidate me.

When the club cleared out in the early morning Toby walked over to my stand, the glass crunching under his shoes like snow.

“So,” he said, “Any changes in your mind? I’ve noticed you looking around. Does that mean you are reconsidering?”

“I don’t know, Toby,” I answered honestly, shaking my head.

“Come on, Thom,” Toby stepped closer, his voice sounding raspy now, “You and me, we can do this. What are you holding on to?” he raised his arms and turned around, looking at the naked walls and breathing in the bodily stench, “This?” he asked, turning back, “This is the place where people lose their minds and you are teetering on the brink.”

I was silent, unsure.

“You don’t have to do anything,” Toby said evenly, “If you want to be quiet, you can be quiet. But not here. You can work with Colin on his books, you can even write yours. You can lead the quiet war. You can compile an archive. Because one way or another, I’m going to get rid of this place, and you are the last thing that stops me.”

We stood there for a while, rummaging in thoughts. He sighed and gave me a small piece of paper.

“This guy will help you to move the equipment when you are ready.”