Conversation · Acele

"Tore that shit up."

"Tore it to pieces."

"You don't have to tell me rock music is dead. I abandoned rock music a long time ago. Can't disco to rock!"

"Uh, okay..." She nods.

"God damn right, rock music is the coolest. Rock music forever!"

"Yes." She nods studiously. "Forever..."

"Where's he from? How long has he been with you guys?"

"Actually, we don't know where he's from. Or who he is, really."

"One time we were out partying, somewhere in backwater Faubourg. Or maybe even Coal City, I can't remember. Maybe it was Coal City..."

"Egg was yelling along to some jams someone was spinning, all night long. Just kept yelling until he didn't have a shred of voice left. When the sun came up over the mines... there were mines? Yeah, it was in Coal City!" She nods.

"Egg came with us. He made this wheezing puppy dog sound all the way back. Couldn't even speak."

"It was definitely Coal City, because it took us two days to walk back to the Fau. He just wheezed the whole way, we never really asked him why he came with us. Or who he was. I think his name is Germaine..."

"People are sweet," she says quietly.

You can see it must have been a great night. The memory causes her to go silent for a moment or two.

You wish you'd been there.

The worst of the banlieues. A wretched heap of closed-down mines even west of Jamrock, on the dusty slope of Mont Martin. The remotest possible area of Revachol, no one even wants to exploit those people anymore.

"Tell me about Andre."

"Andre? He's a cool guy. Doesn't really come off as one, but he is. To me at least..."

She rubs her sides, but not from cold. Her shoulders are relaxed. She must have taken a hit or she's on an upswing.

"He takes care of shit. Sorry, I mean he's got a vision. Of what life should be, you know? He tries to push things until everything falls into place. He's an organizer."

"Tell me about the others."

"What has he organized?"

"Nothing. But then again... there's nothing to organize around here either. He really wants this church thing to work..."

"Must have taken it as a sign when he found it abandoned like that. Said it was an augury. I don't know where he got that from." She smiles. "Andre's not super intelligent..."

"I've never seen him so psyched about anything though -- and he's often psyched. Looked sort of desperate, like it's his last chance or something. Or maybe he was just high..."

"I mean, not that he does drugs. Just high you know."

"Relax, girl. I am a police officer, but I'm perfectly corrupt. You can tell me about drugs and shit, I don't care."

"Yeah. Drugs. Shit. Fuck. We don't care." He smirks.

"Uh, yes. Anyway."

"Could it be that he's balding? Him thinking it's his last chance?"

"Come to think of it, yes!" She laughs.

This is the first time you've heard her laugh.

"He's in some kind of a self-destruction mode with that hair of his. Bleaching it like that. Probably wants to get rid of it altogether."

"Is Andre your boyfriend?"

"Yes." She nods.

A quick response. She's very sure of it. He's someone she feels she can trust and even control, if need be.

"Tell me about the others."

"On his mother's love?"

"On life?"

"Tell me about Noid."

"He's a Faubourger I guess, like the rest of us. Okay, maybe not Egg, I don't know about him, but Noid and the rest are from Faubourg, making the pilgrimage up north to visit The Paliseum."

"He's real hard core about the lifestyle."

"What does he do?"

"What do you mean, 'do'? Like for a living?"

"Yes."

"He's a carpenter. Trained and all. He's very good, he just doesn't have the mindset to work like that -- in a shop somewhere."

"Is that because of his beliefs? The hard core and the ribs, the... spinal cord and stuff?"

"Wow. You really have talked to him." She smiles. "Indeed. Noid serves no master but the beat."

"Tell me more about him."

"What do you want to know?"

"And you?"

"Sir," she gives you a switchblade smile. "I abide by the law."

A strange feeling... like before, when you caught her lying better than she should have. Every now and then something feels off about the way she speaks. She doesn't exactly change tone, but you feel as though there's more about her than she lets on.

A strange feeling... Every now and then, something feels off about the way she speaks. She doesn't change tone, but you feel as though there's more about her than she lets on.

"Not to sound too dramatic, but I wouldn't make light of his belief system when he's around. Noid's a serious person. He's serious about the lifestyle."

"What kind of mindset is that?"

"He abides by the hard core, sir. You would have to ask him yourself."

"No, I meant for breakfast. Of course for a living."

"What is this pilgrimage you're talking about?"

"It's just something poor Faubourg kids do every spring, to pass the time. We walk the entire length of Boogie Street, up to Jamrock. Or as much as possible."