Jeurridam Ch. 03: The Outskirts

"You have to excuse me. I haven't had an off day in about two years...I'm kind of wired to work." I responded, "And plus, I was talking to Beth..."

"Oh, what did she say?" Galveston asked.

"She said things are pretty bad at home and that we need to talk when she gets here. I hope she's alright..." I said full of worry.

"She'll be ok.." Galveston said, propping up on the table with the Orbs.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do all day?" I asked.

"How about," A voice began, "Answer some questions."

I turned, Galveston's father standing before us.

"You're up rather early..." Galveston noted.

"All that sneaking around, I couldn't help but wake up early. You know Galveston," His father said, "Sometimes I really, really worry about you."

It then dawned on me. Galveston was not out of the closet yet. It became apparent when he glared angrily at his father, arms folded.

"But that is not what I wanted to talk about... I wanted to talk about you, Tanzanir...your blood." He said, "I spent all night at the infirmary looking at it..."

"Dispose of it!" I demanded.

"You have machines in your blood..." He noted.

"I'm not discussing it...dispose of the samples." I said, reaching for my laptop.

"I saw what they were doing to your cells. They were keeping them alive hours after leaving your body. Would you like to explain this?" He prodded.

"NO!" I said growing angry, "I would NOT like to explain it! I will not discuss it further..."

"You're walking around like everyone else but you have the cure for every disease, cancer, hell even immortality running through your blood and you want me to get rid of it?" He asked.

"Look," I said firmly, "You either will get rid of it or I will!"

"Why such hostility? You know damn well this could help everyone...everyone in the world! You better have a damn good reason!" Galveston's father said, challenging my stance.

There was a lot I could say, but discussing the cyber platelets in my blood was simply not an option. They were very, very dangerous in the wrong hands. These machines read human DNA, found flaws and reworked them. They didn't change our DNA to make us perfect, but they did modify our metabolism, fought off disease and slowed down aging. They were completely intuned with my cybersphere, the network my brain pattern used, but I had no control over them. They acted as the faintest extension of the body. They also had the ability to replicate when their numbers get low, tricking the body into thinking they are cells.

With that being said, it was quite clear why they were dangerous. Anything with the ability to alter a human's bodily functions, had the ability to destroy humanity altogether. This getting out was a true and utter nightmare. I had to lie to make sure that Galveston's father would destroy this.

"It's a weapon..." I said.

"What?" His father asked.

"It was meant to be used to destroy humanity years ago but never managed to do so. The fact that I have it in my blood is a mistake and I'm very, very lucky to be alive. It is one reason I am traveling north. They can take the machines out of my blood. I'm not even telling you to destroy it..I'm begging you. If my blood gets in contact with anyone's orifices, they'll die... a terrible death!" I said.

"So your blood doesn't contain the cure for humanity but the death..." The man responded skeptically.

"It's very, very dangerous... I've already warned you!" I said.

"I don't believe you." He said.

"Well put it in someone's blood stream and watch every single last one of their organs shut down. Jaundice will spread all over their bodies as they throw up bile. Their skin will turn black and they'll lose the ability to circulate oxygen in their blood. They'll either die from too high of blood toxicity or their brain being depleted of oxygen. If you want that on your hands, go ahead but I'm afraid there'd be nothing I can do to help. What you're toying with is the deadliest weapon of mass destruction ever created." I continued.

"Yet, it's in your blood." He said.

Hearing the discussion, chatter broke out between the men in the garage. This was the last thing I needed.

"You obviously don't believe me. You were warned..." I said.

"Dad, don't risk it..." Galveston advised.

"I just don't get how these little blood machines can keep you alive and well but kill everyone else..." His father said.

"I am far more machine than I appear. My entire nervous system has been replaced with cybernetic equivalents. The entire left side of my brain, is cybernetic. When you have machine and organic matter working together seamlessly...sometimes you have side-effects. One of those side effects is the fact that my bone marrow now produces these tiny machines and there's nothing I can do about it. These things are built for my body but not for anyone elses. And since you don't believe me, I can pull the documentation detailing this information up right now and you can read it for yourself." I said.

"No need," He said walking away, "You've done enough to prove your part as far as I'm concerned...just hurry about your business..."

The sense of relief I felt when he left was so soothing. Galveston looked at me intently.

"Were you being truthful?" He asked quietly.

"No but I was being honest..." I sighed.

"I don't even want to ask..." He laughed, walking down the platform. As he did, June came into the garage. The strange dude greeted me with a nod before laying eyes on the 3D printer. He seemed impressed but said no words. He went to his buggy, sitting on the hood of it, only here to relax. It was so strange watching all these men do this. Relaxing just seemed so foreign to me these days.

Somehow, I managed to do it, watching an old movie from the early part of the millenia. My watch could project a gorgeous image but the speaker quality was terrible. It was just impossible to put some good sounding speakers on a device so tiny. Halfway through the movie, Galveston came over to me.

"I'm going back to the Outskirts to meet Beth." He whispered in my ear.

"Ok." I nodded.

He left, walking back into the Inventory room. As soon as he disappeared, June made his way over to me.

"Dafuq are you doing?" He asked.

"Watching a movie..." I sighed.

"What the fuck is a movie?" He asked.

"It's when people are recorded with cinematic cameras following a written script that reflects a story. Some can be quite stunning." I said.

"You are the weirdest human ever. Glad you didn't die..." He chuckled, walking back to his boys. It took me a while to realize what he had said. It put a smile on my face but I said nothing. It was crazy how the person that shot me, giving me a fatal wound, was actually turning out to be a rather interesting friend. It was the world we lived in, I guess. I couldn't say I didn't like it. It made everything very spontaneous and kept me on my toes.

Not long after, Galveston returned with Beth following him. However, it wasn't just Beth. Heaven also had tagged along, both carrying two big bags filled with clothes and other necessities. They obviously planned on staying for a while. I got up, excited to see them both. Beth ran over to me giving me a tight hug.

"Ooooou, I'm glad you're alright. When you told me you were surrounded by Merchants I had a panic attack in my chair!" She said, muffled in my shoulder.

"I know..." I laughed. She then looked at the Big Daddy and the two orbs.

"Well, what the fuck happened?" She asked.

Galveston and I looked at each other, drawn to laughter.

"Let's not talk about it." I said, looking at Heaven, "What's up dude?" I extended my hand out to him.

"Not much..." He responded, grabbing my hand, pulling me in for a tight, brotherly hug. It was not expected at all. I looked at Beth who only could shrug, "I just want to apologize for being an idiot, man."

"No worries. We all have...moments." I chuckled, our embrace coming to an end.

Beth looked at me intently, suddenly seizing my face.

"You haven't been eating!" She noted.

"I keep forgetting!" I laughed. She turned to Galveston.

"Why haven't ya'll been feeding him!" She snarled.

"Hell, I haven't eaten in a day and a half!" Galveston pled, throwing up both hands in surrender. She turned to me.

"You need to remember to eat! One day you're just gonna fall over dead because you never remember to eat!" She scolded.

"Why the fuck is there a girl in here? This is a men's shop!" Someone from the floor level said.

"What puta, I bet my dick's bigger than yours!" Beth said, going down to confront him. Everyone roared out in laughter.

"Oooou, we're dealing with a tortillera boys!" The man responded.

It was one of June's boy's.

"Chill Julio," June said, "What's your name, girl?"

"I'm Beth..." She said, walking back up to the platform.

"Damn, boo! Don't leave us hanging!" Julio laughed, "She must really be a tortillera!"

"No," Beth said turning to him, "I just don't fuck with little boys! Especially one's who still ride desert buggies!"

"Guys! That's the girl who kicked Bane out of the truck! She's that girl that got away the other day!" Someone noted. Everyone fell silent.

June got off his buggy, rushing up the platform to confront Galveston.

"Why the fuck you keep bringing all these people? You know Alistair won't be happy about this!" June asked.

"Relax man, she's only here to help!" Galveston said.

"You just better hope these people aren't sleazy because if shit happens, it's all on you!" June said.

"I can assure you we're not." Beth said, walking past him. June eyed her from head to toe, obviously liking what he saw.

"And you're words are the only consolation?" June said, fully skeptical.

"Heh, if that's how you wanna view it, feel free. I don't give a fuck, just keep that attitude the fuck over there when we're working. I don't really care how you feel but I will smack the shit out of you if you aggravate me." Beth responded, not bothering to look at him.

"Ooooou, Ok then." June smiled, liking Beth's feistiness. He walked back down to the floor level, sitting on the hood of his buggy.

"Man..." Beth began, "Dad is going crazy..."

"What happened?" I asked.

"When we got back in the house, he just hugged me tight...saying he thought I ran off. Then for two days, everything was almost regular except for his rampant but-kissing. He was mean to all the boys, particularly Heaven. I wasn't planning on bringing him but I had to get him out of there. I was scared Dad was gonna hit him..." Beth explained.

"Yeah, he just started nitpicking everything I did... how I cooked, how I cleaned...didn't even want me to leave the kitchen. Man, it was crazy!" Heaven added.

"And Ezekiel's doing well. I told him I'd be gone for a while, didn't give him any details. I told him to keep practicing but I don't know if he will since I'm not there." Beth continued.

"He seems to really enjoy reading... I gave him all my old books." Heaven laughed.

"I hope he is getting it together. You all take care of that boy...he has one hell of a talent." Galveston chimed in.

"What's that?" Beth asked, unzipping her bag.

"He has this way of squirming into things...and squirming out. He'd make a good bounty hunter if he ever cared." Galveston teased.

"How do you know my brother?" Beth asked.

"It's a long story, but in a nutshell...he stole my buggy and I came and got it."

"Oh my god, that was you!!" Beth said, cackling loudly remembering that day clearly.

"Yeah. I put on a bit of weight since then. Not even gonna lie though, your brother left a very bad taste in my mouth." Alistair sighed.

"Ugh, who doesn't he leave a bad taste in their mouth? He leaves a bad taste in his own mouth..." Beth said, still fiddling through her bag.

"What are you looking for?" I asked.

"Trying to find you something to eat considering these fools haven't been feeding you!" Beth said, finally able to dislodge the tiny cooler from her bag without throwing all her clothes on the floor.

"In my defense, he's not to the only one that forgets to eat." Galveston laughed.

"Aw, shut up! If you want some food, just ask." Beth sighed.

"Well, what do you have?" Galveston asked curiously.

"Well," Heaven chimed in, pushing Beth to the side, "We have some cold cut sandwiches, some chocolate muffins, puff pastries, Sonoran salad, veggie pasta, fetted rice, brined fish, brined chicken, brined beef cuts..."

"Give me a muffin!" I demanded.

"That's not even touching the food Heaven brought..." Beth said.

"I only brought sweets. Beth brought the foods we really need..." Heaven laughed, tossing me a muffin.

"Yeah, this boy just thinks I stay skinny by a good workout plan... I gotta eat right too!" Beth said.

"You want anything?" Heaven asked Galveston.

"Um...anything really." Galveston responded, trying to be polite.

"I got some sopping bread and jam." Heaven said unzipping his bag, opening his cooler.

"Sopping bread..." Heaven said, trying to remember where he heard, "You mean biscuits?"

"I don't like to say biscuits so I call em sopping bread. I know some guys from Eurasia and over there, they call cookies, biscuits. What we call biscuits, they call scones but we eat them a little differently." Heaven said, grabbing a roll wrapped in rice paper. He then got out a jar of golden colored jam, handing it to Galveston.

"Damn you two came prepared..." Galveston laughed.

"Well, we have a lot to do!" Beth responded.

"Yeah, I saw some useful things in the Outskirts that I could use." I said, scooping up my watch. "For now, I just need scrap metal preferably titanium and lithium so I can mix them and get to printing new stuff. After that, it's time to dismantle the Big Daddy."

"Well lets get to it!" Beth said excited.

"Ok, let me get the cart. We're going to have a long walk because the cart can't fit around the back." Galveston warned.

"That's fine." I said. I watched him as he walked away, the way he moved becoming captivating. Beth stood there, arms folded. She swiftly pointed back and forth between Galveston and I. All I could do was shrug. A thin smile came across Beth's face.

"I approve..." She said.

"What?" Heaven asked, oblivious to our silent conversation. I couldn't help but laugh.

The garage gait opened. Galveston waved us down from level, telling us to come on. I put my laptop in my bag and we made our way down the platform. As we left, Swish suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Where are you all going?" He asked.

"We're trying to get scrap metal." I responded.

"Without me! What are you all looking for?" He asked.

"We need lithium and titanium." I said, "About a quarter ton worth."

"I'll help you look." He offered.

"Sure..." I responded.

Galveston did not look pleased to have the extra company but he didn't say anything. He led us south, through the City of Rust where we didn't get much strange looks this time. I'm guessing because we didn't have a giant red mech tailing us, waving at everyone, this time. This was slowly becoming a place I would consider to live. Indeed people didn't just come around over night and some of these people need help. When all was done, I'd definitely come back here.

Swish looked at the giant spires as we walked, obviously awe struck.

"I always wondered how these got here..." He said, looking all over the landscape.

"Me too." Galveston said.

"These ruins are the remain of a giant ship. It crash landed here, probably shot down upon reentry into the atmosphere." I said.

"Reentry? Wait people went into space?" Swish asked.

"Yeah there are civilizations on Mars. The richest people fled Earth and have been on Mars for half a century. They left the poor and the war scorn here when this war was caused by their greed to begin with..." I sighed.

"Whoa, you're like a walking account for all details that has happened at one point in the past." Swish laughed.

"And you talk a lot!" Galveston hinted.

"Well sorry for wanting to learn stuff..." Swish laughed.

We turned to the east, towards Vegas. We only traveled this way for a few minutes before heading north. The forty minute walk to the upper Outskirts was...interesting. I only say this because of the scenery. Swish really couldn't shut up and he truly was aggravating, asking question after question. Well, Galveston did the same but the difference was Galveston was cute.

It's not to say that Swish wasn't attractive. He was a bony little something, no muscle mass. He had blonde hair, swept to the side, held in place with gel. His eyes were blue and his nose was razor thin. He had virtually no lips, his mouth literally looking like a line when closed. His jawline was thin as well, tapering down to a pointed chin. In his defense, he did have some gorgeous teeth.

Thankfully, Beth had some questions of her own to hush Swish for a bit.

"Guys?" She began.

"Yeah.." We responded.

"What happened? You both avoided telling me any details about how you ended up here, Zanir." She said.

"Well," I said looking nervously at Galveston, "I and the Big Daddy were heading west. We were tailed and the mechs were subdued so I can be captured."

"Why are you being so vague?" Beth asked.

"I shot the mechs... Didn't know they were so important and now I'm doing anything there is to help." Galveston responded.

"Yeah." I said, wishing he wouldn't have said anything.

"And they didn't do anything to you?" Beth asked.

"No." I said.

"You lying, mano!" She said, rushing in front of me. She patted me down, feeling the staples in my skin. She pulled up my shirt, "Whaaa?"

"It's healing..." I laughed.

"Who shot you? You better not say Galveston, so help I'll..." Beth threatened, looking the boy directly in the eyes.

"It wasn't me, I promise!" He pled.

"Then who was it?" She asked.

"It was June. You met him today, you know the dude you kind of told to fuck off..." I said.

"Oh, that...dude?" Beth asked, sounding afflicted, "He's sexy as fuck. What did you do to piss him off to make him wanna shoot ya ass?"

"Whaa, really, Beth?" I laughed.

"I'm just asking." She said back.

"Your chola is showing." I joked.

After about forty minutes of walking, we reached the upper Outskirts. The City of Rust was already stunning but the Outskirts was just far more beautiful. We all stood there both daunted and mesmerized by this place.

"Beth, find any silicon you can. Swish, you look for anything made of lithium that can be used. Heaven, you help Swish. Galveston and I will look for titanium." I said.

"Sure thing." Swish said.

Everyone split up, leaving Galveston and I alone. We watched as Swish began to talk Heaven's ear off. I couldn't help but laugh.

"He's something of a talker." Galveston chuckled.

"I know...I was like God, will he ever stop!" I said, walking towards the nearest hill of junk.

"So," Galveston began, "When can I kiss you?"

"I don't know, maybe when I need resuscitating." I said.

"Well, don't pass out or anything..."

"I'm close to it." I teased, hinting at how hot he was.

"Oooou," He smiled before getting serious, "So, we're leaving together?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"When we get the mechs repaired, will we be heading north together or will it be a lone voyage? I mean, I just want to know if you leave will you ever be able to come back?" He responded.

"I don't know. I might not even make the journey. America is a very, very dangerous place," I sighed, "It's why I'll need all the help I can get."

"So I'm coming with you?" He asked with an excited grin.

"Yeah..." I nodded, "I got a question though?"