Unspeakable, Part 5

Hey, the figure said back. Miles watched it for a moment, then said, You wanna play gin rummy with us? There was a pause, then the figure said, Okay.

In the light Miles saw it was a girl. She moved with a fluid creep along the ground and had long, green hair. It was green like emeralds and new spring leaves. Ivan brought her a crate.

So what’s your name? Miles asked. I’m Miles, this is Shylock and Ivan. The girl sat cross-legged on top of the crate. Sally, she said. Hi, Sally, Miles said, and dealt her in.

You know how to play? he asked after a moment. I heard some of what you said, she said. She learned quickly and did rather well.

The next time around, Ivan shuffled the cards and Miles sat back and studied Sally. So you’re down here because your hair is green? he said irritably.

She blinked at him. That and I can climb walls, she said.

Climb walls, Miles said, as Shylock looked up at Sally. Like Spider-man. She nodded. She got down off the  crate, approached the wall, and scaled it smoothly until she reached the ceiling.

She hung there upside-down like a tree frog, her green hair swaying downwards like ivy. Miles just stared. A giant, sure. A traumatized kid who saw things Miles didn’t, okay. But this?

He took a deep breath and tried to really look at her. It was a trick from the arena, how he’d sized up his opponents. If he really looked he could see who was fighting for revenge on bullies, who was fighting the system, who fought for meaning, and who was just raging out of control.

When he looked at Sally he saw a kid just like him, who was lonely and scared and deserved better than what she had.

Okay, he said at last. She came down and sat on the crate again, picking up her cards and fanning them out. Miles saw that her fingers were a little webbed.

You’re pretty cool, Ivan said unexpectedly. His eyes were on his cards when the other three looked at him. Sally smiled. You’re nice, she said.

They played rummy for a while longer, then Miles taught them other games. They played those, and tried card tricks, until they were hungry.

Ivan got up and went to the archway. Miles turned to look after him, and felt a rush of ravenous longing when he saw the hallway, the way up and out. Where are you going? he asked enviously.

Ivan paused in the doorway. Just the rubbish heap, he said tiredly. They drop things down here for us but they don’t separate it. I’m sure there’ll be something to eat, though. He went out.

Miles clicked his tongue in annoyance. Sally said I wish they’d send us some light.

When Ivan came back he laid the offerings before them. The sludgy dirty paste was there, with some bones and scraps and odds and ends. Ivan began to distribute it.

Miles received one of the more appealing portions. Shylock had his head down, holding his bowl in his lap. Shylock, Miles said, until the other looked up. Trade with me, Miles said.

Shylock looked at his bowl, then at Miles, and shook his head. Do as I say, damn it, Miles said irritably, and extended his bowl. His hand shook and Ivan took the bowl from him and effected the transfer. Left with a decidedly nauseating meal, Miles was satisfied and began to pick at it.

Then Sally said, We should take some to Connie. Miles looked up. Connie? he asked. Sally nodded, and got up. She took a bowl to a central doorway and Miles, curious, followed.

This room, instead of a slab, held a hammock. It was a wide swath of coarse fabric suspended well above the ground, and heavy with an unseen occupant.

Connie, Sally said as she approached. Miles watched from the doorway. A girl raised her head into view from the hammock, and Miles was struck to the core.

Despite the dank conditions she had a lovely caramel complexion, and honey eyes. In her face was a restlessness and an injustice that Miles, by now, knew well.

Food, Sally said, extending the bowl. Connie did not look impressed. Then she saw Miles.

Hey, Miles said. I’m Miles. Connie shifted herself. I saw them bring you, she said matter-of-factly. That was a long time ago. I thought maybe you’d died.

You saw? Miles said weakly. She nodded. I see a lot from in here. Closest thing to living I get. She looked him up and down. You looked pretty dead then.

Miles had a foul taste in his mouth. Pretty close, he said, but I’m still here.

Connie’s brusque manner softened a little. I’m glad, she said.

Miles couldn’t make himself say that he was too, so he said wanna eat with us, play some cards? Connie’s irritation rushed back into her face with a vengeance

Can’t, she said. I don’t leave the hammock. Like Ivan, it was a sentence of long, resigned habit.

Why? Miles asked. She sighed and flopped herself down. Because, she said, if my feet touch the ground, there’s an earthquake. Every time.

Miles took a minute to process this. Does the hammock move? he said at last. Connie raised herself to look at him questioningly. Hey, Ivan, Miles said over his shoulder, can you move the hammock?

Ivan made his slow way into the room, crowding things considerably, and took a look at the hammock in question. Not easily, he said, not today.

Miles scratched his head. Well, what if, he said to Connie, you left the hammock, but your feet didn’t touch the ground?

She looked at him. I can’t touch the ground with any part of me, she said. It’s not even safe for me to touch something that’s touching the ground.

Miles was looking at the setup of the hammock. Yeah, but what if you sat on someone who was on something that was touching the ground? Like me, he added after a moment.

She narrowed her eyes briefly. Is that a line? she asked. Miles sighed, the foul taste back in his mouth. Oh, I wish it was, he said regretfully, but I don’t feel anything below the waist anymore.

It’s true, Ivan said. Connie looked at him, then back at Miles, who said bitterly, the way I am now, you could whip my ass without touching the ground or even trying very hard.

Connie looked at him for a moment, then held out her hand to Sally. As the girl took Connie’s arm around her shoulders, Ivan came over to help. Supporting herself on the two of them, Connie vaulted into Miles’ lap, who honestly hadn’t expected her to agree.

Most of the Academy had known, before the accident, to watch themselves, their bodies, around Miles. It was the reason he was constantly under discipline of varying harshness.

It was strange, now, to be wheeled out to the room with a perfectly exquisite creature on his lap, but to be powerless to even desire her. His body suddenly felt like a prison, his life a death.

But Connie was swinging her feet and looking around. She took a bite from her bowl and laughed suddenly. She gave Miles a peck on the cheek. Thank you, she said.  That gave Miles a spot of warmth somewhere in his chest.