The Love Chronicles

Chapter two Tinklebelle

Chapter 2

Tinklebelle

         It felt like chocolate after a long healthy diet, the reality Jack had convinced himself of had fallen under the crush of delight. River City far surpassed his imagination with his first view. He found himself bombarded by a picture unlike anything he might have conjured.
         His hair still wet from his shower, Jack felt as if he were back on the shore again. His interview and medical screening had all moved along quickly. Then after a twenty minute wait he received his ID card and a map to his lodging for the night. Last came a money exchange; currency in River City properly referred to as s***.
         Standing now outside the immigration processing building he found himself in need of processing. Hefting his pack from beside him to a nearby bench, he sat down and began to drink in the elixir of River City. There were no cars on the streets and that ignited what could be called a cascade effect. Jack noticed now that the street names painted onto curbs in black letters on a yellow background. Street corners also looked strangely uncluttered without the customary signpost. But it went even further because all traffic signals on each corner had also been removed. It felt strange, almost eerie to look upon; movies he’d seen and places he’d been to did nothing to prepare him for this open air feel. It was then that he noticed the patching pattern of the sidewalk causing him to realize there were no power poles or street lights. Rising from the bench, Jack hoisted his pack and eased himself into the activity of his new hometown. Using streets as sidewalks seemed unusual at first but the crowds that gaggled in random places made skirting into the streets necessary. Simple wandering delighted Jack as he made new discoveries around each turn. Young people, his group of interest, were well represented. Even in his dreams this would be like an overindulgent morph from reality.
         Feeling a bit like an oddball with his large backpack, Jack decided to make for his lodging to see if he could leave his bag there and continue to look around unencumbered. Reaching into his pocket, he grabbed the map to figure out where he was without backtracking all the way to the processing building. Proceeding like a tourist with a map in his hand held out in front of him, he found himself in a near collision, pulling up quickly to avoid a petite blonde girl. He nearly fell down trying to avoid looking like an idiot, only succeeded in the opposite.
         “Oh, gosh I’m so sorry.” Jack had stumbled with little grace and only managed to keep his balance by grabbing the girls’ shoulder. She fell back one step before she could lean into him and brace her hands against his shoulders. They both squared themselves back up and Jack started to apologize again but strangely found himself asking her, “Did you do that on purpose?”
         “Well yeah, was I that obvious?”
         Jack chuckled, “No, actually not, I just had a feeling.”
         “I didn’t catch that part.”
         “What part was that?”
         “The feeling part, did I miss it?” She stepped forward into what Jack normally considered his zone, but he didn’t back up.
         “What?”
         “I didn’t notice you feeling me up, did I miss it?”
         “You are a funny one aren’t you?” She had a bearing about her he liked instantly, slightly unconventional and more fun than he was used to. Her blonde hair worked into his predilection, she was thinly built with a cute face. Nice lips with little smirks that washed in and out like waves. 
         “Lost? Or just new in town?” she asked.
         “Kinda lost I guess, can you help me out?”
         “I’m Tinklebelle,” she said as she extended her hand. Jack bowed slightly as he grasped her hand in his; she shook it, but made no effort to reciprocate his grip. His grip crushed her hand slightly before he lightened up enough to make it more comfortable for both of them.
         “Yeah, I can show you where to go, let me see your map.”
         Jack replaced his hand with the map.
         “Oh yeah, yeah, I know where this is. How old are you?”
         “Fourteen, and you?” said Jack.
         “Oh, I’m fourteen too. What’s your name anyway?”
         “Oh wow, I’m sorry, my name is Jack.”
         “Glad to meet you, it’s this way, or do you want to pull it up for a minute?”
         “No, I should be okay. The prospect of getting this thing off my shoulders soon sounds great.”
         “Yeah, I’m just makin sure. I’m not the one with a pack on my back.”
         Tinklebelle grabbed his arm to steer him around in the opposite direction, then slithered her fingers up and around his arm. It felt nice to him but he didn’t know what he thought about a random girl doing such a strange thing. It made him feel important, but found himself growing suspicious. This just didn’t equate for him and he began to suspect a trick.
         “Hold on, hold on. Hey, I don’t really know what to say here to not insult you but you know this is a little strange don’t you?”
         “What exactly are you trying to say?”
         “Okay, let’s start with your name what the hell kinda name is Tinklebelle?”
         “Well you are new to River City and welcome by the way.” A tired sounding “Humph” of indecision gusted up her impish bangs. “You know I’m not accustomed to qualifying myself. Tinklebelle is my street name I guess you would call it, everyone here has one, including you, too, very soon, I’m sure. I’m going to go out on a philosophical limb here, but well, it’s like this, we’ve all actually gone to heaven. This is heaven and you will be called into account.”
         As a schism washed away all of his understanding he just shook his head and started to walk away. “Listen if you are really this smart and are just gonna screw with me I really can’t take it.”
         “You are really asking me to dummy up,” Tinklebelle laughed.
         “Yes, I’d really appreciate it.”
         “Okay, I’ll do that, but I need to tell you something. It’s about me, something you need to know.”
         Feeling even more trepidation now Jack knew from the way she drew her statement something strange must be on the way, he simply answered, “Yes.”
         “Okay, I know I haven’t made a very good case in any way so you need to bear with me here, can we just keep walking, I’m feeling pressure here. Now this may come as a bit of a shock, but I love you.”
         “This is gonna go down as one of my weirdest conversations, I can see that right now.”
         “This isn’t really going like I’ve envisioned it my whole life either. You think it’s a joke and here I am trying to explain myself.”
         “I’m sorry if you are feeling pressure but what the hell?”
         “Okay I’m going to qualify myself first, I do understand love.”
         Jack walked away from her arm to a nearby bench and sweeping his hand toward it said, “Let’s just sit down here. I’m starting to believe you might be sincere.”
         Crossing her arms, she plopped down on the bench with her head bowed. She left room on the end for Jack then, waited for him to shed his pack and sit beside her.
         Jack started kindly, “Listen, about my language earlier, I was frustrated and I’ve always believed swearing is a very poor way to make a point. I studied speech in school because I believe in proper expression. Well I guess that’s all to say, I’m sorry.”
         “See, you are just making my point for me. There is just something about you that attracts me, I don’t know even what it is, maybe it’s pheromones.”
         “Pheromones, really,” Jack laughed quietly still shaking his head. He slouched forward on the bench and pulled his hair behind his ear. Turning to Tinklebelle he let the quiet turn her downcast face toward him then he said, “I believe you.”
         Tinklebelle smiled, letting her lip roll into a smirk. She remained silent.
         “Are we acting right now?” Jack said.
         “I guess we could be.”
         “Even though I believe you, I still have something to say.”
         “Yes, hunny.”
         “I’m not sure it’s pheromones, I just had a shower just a little while ago and my pheromones must be at an all time low.”
         “I prefer the better smelling pheromones to the kinda smelly ones.”
         Jack chuckled.
         “Everything about you fascinates me. I practically jumped in front of you because I knew there was something.”
         “I knew you jumped in front of me! But, I’m not gonna poo poo your love at first sight even though this is a kind of extreme case.”
         “It doesn’t matter if you believe in it or not. I only want to be your friend, I know we have a good kinship with each other, I can be happy with that.”
         “I think we can make that work,” said Jack. “I’ve never really seen anything like this.” Jack swept his hand in an all inclusive gesture toward the people around them, then, continued, “It looks like everybody just hangs out on the street. Is it like this all the time?”
         Tinklebelle smiled sweetly, nodding her head, she said, “Pretty much, yeah I was hanging with my crew when I saw you, so did you hear the radio broadcast? Is that why you came here?”
         “Groovemaster, I think everyone in the world listens to him. In my town the signal was a pirate but he is the best. The old rock style and the history stuff makes it all very personal. I feel like I know him and all the artists. Yeah, he seems pretty cool and he makes it sound pretty nice here at times.”
         “He actually downplays it if you ask me. The influx into the city because of him has been very young. He hangs out with my group. He’s only sixteen too,” said Tinklebelle.
         “Oh, really?”
         “He gets pretty crazy sometimes on the air, but he’s actually very self-effacing, he’d rather not meet the people that ask us for intros because he doesn’t want to see our group grow just because he is in it. We have to close ranks all the time.”
         “What are you talking about?”
         “The Tribe my group could grow as big as we want it to, we have to regroup sometimes, just walk away and meet somewhere else, or just tell people to leave. It’s hard to keep the intimacy the way we like it. There are a lot of groups that are bigger but we have a different code. We aren’t real big on big.” Standing up Tinklebelle waved as if mosquitoes were in her face. “Enough, enough, let’s get you to the mission.”
         Tinklebelle rose up waiting for Jack.
         Jack though interested sensed diminishing returns from any more talk about the Tribe.
         “So why do people come here do you think?” he asked.
         “It’s kind of a crappy world and I think a lot of people come here out of desperation. I know I did.”
         “Wow, yeah, that comes closer to the truth than a lot of the things I told myself coming here.”
         Rounding a corner Tinklebelle announced, “This is your building. I love the gargoyles watching everyone from up there.”
         Jack looked up, noting the gargoyles at the top of the fifth story. They were obviously very old, but still well defined. Looking up at the wide arcing windows, Jack felt certain it had to be some of the older architecture in the city. He consciously slowed himself down, allowing himself to marvel at the long lost art of the masonry-work rising from the top of an otherwise unremarkable brick building. Certain lower facets were embellished, but much more action took place as one drew closer to the fifth story where the gargoyles served watch on all comings and goings since times long forgotten. Jack smiled at what Tinklebelle said about watchers.
         An older balding man in a flannel shirt stood smoking near the door. His belt held back a rounded belly. He nodded toward them from a weathered doorway with some white flakes fallen on the threshold. 
         Tinklebelle produced the map forward. “Well hey, this is it. How you doin, Artie?”
         “Good, Tinklebelle, how are you?”
         “Good, this is my boyfriend, Jack, you’re gonna look out for him right?”
         “Sure.”
         Jack read her inflection and asked, “Are you leaving me, Tinklebelle? I thought we could …”
         “Look me up in a couple days. I trust you, hunny. Get to know the city on your own terms. We’ll hang out, don’t worry about that.” Tinklebelle turned then flashed a smile over her shoulder as she walked away.
         “Okay, sure, I’ll see you later.” Jack called after her. He watched her walk away, after ten paces he turned back to his host.     
“So, you’re here to spend the night? I’ll need your ID card,” said Artie. 
“Oh, yeah, so this is it huh? Yeah, I’m here for the night.” Jack smiled back at him, producing his ID card forward. The landlord copied his name onto the back of the map and then handed back his ID.
“I’ll keep the map in case they come for you tonight.”
“Do they do that?” Jack said as he slid his ID into his front jean pocket.
“Oh yeah, sometimes something medical or criminal turns up, then they come and take you. But I’ve only seen it happen on the first night.”
Stubbing out his cigarette at the door, they walked inside together. The tile floor reflected opaque window copies in a shiny wax. Open windows and doors still flushing some scents from the wide room. Three rows of beds lined the floor up to the wall. Each outfitted with pillows and gray blankets.
“Come on, I’ll show you where your bed is.” In a few steps they stood beside a bed.
“This is the standard speech everyone gets. This is your bed and this is a mission, so please respect your neighbors and give space to those around you. Stealing will be dealt with severely. Don’t use the savior’s name in vain. Vulgarity can be grounds for dismissal at any time. We just ask that you be polite here, that is all. We like to think of this as a transitional place for people, not a home, so look for a job, find a buddy and get a place. You are free to go. Please be back by six if you wish to eat, bed privileges can be lost if you are not back by curfew. Since you are already here at normal check-in time you don’t need to come back until eleven. Please come back sober, friendly, and on time.”
Jack stowed his pack in a locker. He exchanged pleasantries with his host on his way outside, stepping into his strange new world; seeking still to fetch his own reality away from a mystical city that tethered his future.