The Love Chronicles

alternate chapter one

Part One: The Love Chronicles
Chapter One
Primal Cry
         
         Knowing little; only having heard from afar myths and half-told stories about River City. Jack Webster stood just back from the open doorway to stay out of easy line of sight. Despite the rumored safety inside; it felt dangerous here outside the city.
Jack began his cross-country journey three weeks ago with all the wrong motivation. Impulsiveness had always followed him like an unwanted younger brother. Sometimes he reacted stubbornly and hellishly focused against his normal logic. At fourteen years old it could be said he reacted immaturely. But times had gone bad for him on many fronts all at once, now it seemed the familiar shores of his world had been scoured away leaving only dead dreams on his own private beach.
Jack had spent the previous three days outside the city fancying these abandoned buildings as a tree-line that kept him hidden. These buildings were no longer a part of River City proper. They held danger; housed Rovers who preyed on people waiting for a chance to enter River City. Jack had seen the loosely formed clans hunting the people waiting to get in. Cautious recon and patience had helped him avoid them. Jack carefully composed exits and hiding places that had baffled them for three days.
Jack heaved his chest then exhaled slowly. Taking several long droughts of crisp morning air, he pumped up his blood and courage to step outside his hiding place. Emerging slowly he stepped from seclusion onto a path he’d taken five times already. He tread carefully to leave no footpath as he slowly traversed his route to the city.
Jack was in the open now, some time ago the city had mandated two hundred yards of bull-dozed buildings. This man-made destruction created a buffer zone, circling the city to serve as another security measure for the city, to lay any approach open to observation from the perimeter. Teetering pieces of debris and jagged edges created every manner of tearing and traps as if by careful design.
Jack began picking his way carefully through the moonscape that was neither craters nor grey. Questioning his own judgment now Jack wondered if choosing between bad and worse might have made a terrible choice seem poetically justified.
         He’d been carried here by troubles in his life. A changed desperate world had replaced the familiar one around him; shouting down many of the answers that used to work.
         Still trudging forward Jack looked up from a small respite of the debris field in his path. Just beyond this rotting cornucopia of broken buildings lay the third ring. Two eighteen foot high chain link fences surrounding River City, serving one purpose only; to keep others out.
         The fence had become legendary, its reasoning, history, and rumor were a symbol talked about in far-away places, at times as if it were the answer to all the world’s problems. It served only to perhaps answer some of the problems that faced this city.
         Jack closed the last fifty feet with a sprint up to The Gate. He climbed up a short stair to the large concrete slab outside The Gate. Glancing down at his watch he saw he was five minutes early just as he planned. Throwing his pack down on the edge of the pad then slid down beside it, dangling his feet over the edge. Flipping open the front pocket he grabbed a cigarette striking the loose end quickly with his lighter. Safety had dictated no smoking while he hid. Craving dictated an early pull without properly regaining his breath.
         He shifted around slightly as he attempted to re-nerve himself from his short journey over hostile territory. Pulling less drastically on his cigarette he extracted more satisfaction. Feeling a warm buzz he stubbed his cigarette then rose and turned to face The Gate.
         Jack looked up at the gate double cyclone with circles of razor wire fixed to the top. Eighteen feet high looked very tall from thirty feet away, creating its’ own mystique of fear. The gate boasted a small sign in bold capital letters THE EASTERN GATE. The gate shuddered slightly and began rolling back until it had opened about six feet. Two guards issued out striding in unison they walked to a small bulletin board. One of them carried a notebook sized piece of paper and pushed a pin through the top.         
“Today, it looks like we are going to let in three, for now. The next list will be at one. Please disperse from the gate area until then, or your name will be taken off the list. The first three people present whose names are on the list please come with me into the paddock area.”
Jack knew his name would have been second but wanted to be sure and let out a whoop as he saw Jack Webster in the second position.
Those present gaggled around the list clucking approval or spitting blasphemies at the prospect of waiting longer. The other two, aside from Jack were present, pushing forward towards the guards. One girl and a guy who seemed to be her boyfriend smiled to each other.
Jack after his initial display turned to watch disappointment drive those remaining back into hiding. To him the air seemed to warm, though the sun still stood in a low shroud of gray as the group walked ten feet inside the first gate. Once inside the group halted as the gate wheeled closed behind them. Ahead across a short concrete staging area more cyclone fencing with several doors leading to various purposes. The entire area also skirted around by eighteen feet of fencing up to the low white buildings the group was being led towards. Above the buildings perched in flat-topped open air boxes with three foot windows sat two guards at opposite ends of the paddock with rifle barrels hanging into the open air.   
Each guard wore a dark blue uniform enhanced by “Water Police” patches on each padded shoulder and a golden badge on the right breast. Pressed pants of the same color were festooned by a black leather belt with glinting golden bullets pushed down into loops all around their waist. A black holster on the right or left side held a large handgun. Nametags completed the look most would come to expect, but some guards had nicknames also that served as the only distinguishing mark on an otherwise unadorned universal outfit worn by all officers.
The guards each held a trained posture as the small group halted several feet from the building they were to enter. The two guards doffed their caps in unison with their right hands slipping the shiny black bill beneath their left arm without crushing the felt. Both guards sporting brown military style cropped hair. The taller and slightly darker complected guard spoke again, “First of all, welcome to River City. There are many steps to being granted entrance. This process usually takes about four hours.” The guards then returned their caps to their heads in unison, each fitting down to different ride positions. 
“We understand you have been waiting for three days and we will address some of your needs. The first room you will enter will have a small table. Next to this is a garbage can into which you can put anything. Items placed in it will not be questioned. Items not allowed inside the city are knives with over a six-inch blade, guns, and pharmaceuticals. Smoking material is limited to one pound. Marijuana, hash, and opium are fine.
“All of your belongings; backpack, clothes, hairpins, piercing pins wherever practical, everything possible will be placed into a cubby-hole for inspection. Then, they will be searched while you take a shower. No violations will be tolerated. After your shower, you will be given a rude disposable gown that falls open in the back. You will be interviewed in this gown. At any time you can leave your interview and exit out The Gate. You will not be listed again if you exit after this point. This is your last chance to enter River City.
“You will be tested for disease and it will include giving blood. If this is a problem or if you have a disease let us know now so that we can avoid needless testing. Any disease can affect your ability to enter. Everyone in River City is free of sexually transmitted disease. Sex is very popular and safe here.
“Last you will be fingerprinted and photographed. These will be on file in the city offices. They will also be used to run a criminal background check, which, if found positive will earn you a swift trip out of town. Some of you know this stuff some may not. Is there anyone who would like to back out now?” The guard by his intonation had finished up.
Jack raised his hand, which coerced a slightly irritated look from the guard who then looked into his brown eyes, his long brown hair greased from both his long trip and the consummating wait outside the city.
The guard heaved his chest in resolute impatience then softened slightly due to the friendly inquisitive look from Jack. Then he responded, “Yes?” with a forced attempt to smile.
“What nature of criminal offenses will get you barred from entering the city?”
The guard started again. “Well there are some obvious instant outs. Other than those, it’s done on a case-by-case basis. Drug dealers are dealt with harshly.”
Someone asked, “How are they dealt with?”
“They are put out the West Gate.”
“There is another gate?” Jack asked.
“It’s exit only. You can enter through it only if you are a resident. But it is known for not being safe.” The guard answered.
“You just put the criminals outside the gate?” Jack asked.
“Yes, but naked, with no tools, no knife for the dogs, no nothing.”
“What happens?” Jack asked.
         “Some die, if they aren’t particularly witty,” said the guard.
         “Where are the dogs from?”
         “Previous residents, all dogs were banned from the city. They rove in packs, in the No-Tek,” said the guard.
         “What is the No-Tek?”
         “We don’t have time for that, ask someone inside, most of it is rumors, some of it, is fact. Truth be told, I’m not sure what it is, you could write a book about some of the stuff I’ve heard though.
“To continue; we are pretty liberal, but if you aren’t forthcoming with your history you will not be given another chance to explain yourself. Remember your interviewer is your friend and is focused on admitting you to River City.”
“Follow me, please,” said the guard. As he turned, he gestured everyone in his direction toward the doors with a hand over his shoulder motion.
Moving forward five more steps they stopped at doors marked with simple numerals.
“I know this is kinda like a game show, if you can still remember those; but, it is, what it is. Doors one, two, and three all have showers and interviewers behind them who will work hard to admit you into our fair city.
“Good luck, enter whichever door you choose, no fighting please.”
Jack chose the closest door, number one, cranking his head slightly over his shoulder to be sure he wouldn’t be accused of fighting over a room.
Upon entering room one, Jack felt pleased when he saw that his interviewer rose as if to meet his predilection, a young attractive blonde most anyone’s standards. Her lanky form rising nicely inside a warm orange dress, muslin colored fringe piped around the arms and neck scallop. She extended her hand to shake his in a friendly fashion across a standard dark vinyl table any office conference room might contain. The chairs were a simple folding variety on a white tile floor in an all white room the walls shimmered with enamel paint. “Oops, I’m not supposed to touch you until after you’ve had your shower but, you look alright to me. We are being watched and listened to remotely. If there is any trouble my friends will come in rather quickly. Now, I’m going to leave. This button on the wall is our friend, right next to him is his friend. I call him Cyclops. This button disables the camera. Your job is to take a good long shower and dispose of any unapproved weaponry in the garbage-can in that corner,” she gestured towards it with brown eyes.
Jack nodded in the direction of a waist-high white wire can.
“So unless you have a weapons question I’m going to turn off the camera and exit.”
“No, I’m all good,” said Jack, as his voice ringing into the room for the first time.
“Um, I really like your voice. Some nice bass notes in there, and a studious manner. My kinda guy,” she blushed a pause between them, but then she continued to push her surprise upon him, “My name is Vagina, no, just being an evil female trying to program you. My real name is Justice. I’ll be right back as soon as you push this button again. After you shower slide into your luxurious open-in-the-back hospital gown and slip all of your effects into this cubby-hole. They will be returned cleaned and inspected after your medical.” She pushed the small black button by the door and camera turning backwards to face him on her way through the door she smiled throwing a sexy swivel of her hips and a wink back at him as she exited the room.
Showering felt blissful after the dusty experience outside the city. Silent introspection took him over in the shower. Jack thought he probably had a good chance to get in because the interview woman, Justice, seemed to like him even though it was hard to impress looking as he must. The whole experience other than waiting so long to get into the city had been pleasant to this point.
Letting the water simply cascade over him now, he’d already cleaning twice head-to-toe just to make sure he was indeed clean. Jack wondered who invented the shower; surely one of the greatest inventions ever, wherever some civilization still existed. He began turning the heat up to drive himself out. Figuring he’d wasted enough time.
Exiting the shower he found a plaid pair of boxers that fit along with the much heralded hospital gown which he’d grown to hate before even having to put it on. Silently cursing himself into it he put it on backward and closed the front then thinking better, just left it open.
Pulling out his chair he shoved his pack and clothes into the cubby next to the door pushed the little black button and sauntered back to his chair. Thinking better of it he shuffled back and waited for the door to open.
Justice promptly came into the room. Walking over to the table, Jack waited by her chair tucking it under her as she scooted up to the table. He trailed his hand across her lacy shoulder before he slid around the table to take his seat.
“Well, that is a first for me,” she twinkled back at him. Her eyes betrayed an emotional response. Jack was not certain what to do in this circumstance because he hadn’t actually meant to evoke a response. Justice looked to be around eighteen. Jack, though mature, still felt his fourteen years betraying him. His bushy eyebrows had always drawn women to him but they never heartened him past the threshold, he’d never committed himself into a relationship.     
Nerd-like in his previous associations he never drew enough friends to be more than an outcast. The unpredictability of his old life and relative dissatisfaction with his place in it had driven him to take drastic measures. The measures he took pushed him far away from his familiar places. He had made a desperate move across country to completely change his life. He’d come now to a place that had been simply another blemish to an infected country. Now he felt the nerd risen because he wasn’t comfortable and had done something that made him feel stupid, once again.
“I feel kinda nervous, I’m not sure why,” he just voiced it out loud, not knowing what result that might bring. Insecurity pushed him to continue, “Sorry, I’m kinda like that, I say what I think sometimes and it doesn’t always work out that well for me.”
“Let’s just start over, maybe I overwhelmed you too, okay?” Justice had paved a nice easy in for him.
“No, really?” Jack relaxed visibly, dropping his shoulders he rolled his neck producing an audible crack even for Justice, who cringed slightly at the sound.
“Okay, let’s do this,” Justice said.
“Name, Jack Webster…

Jack thought the interview was fast and painless though a little too eclectic for him. It moved from what appeared to be a standard list of questions to a very freeform sort of thing that the interviewer chose at random.
The interview quickly became just a simple conversation. She soon moved on to say, “Congratulations, you’ve advanced to stage two. If you had creeped me out in any way, you would have gone through another interview by someone with a much more forceful personality, designated to ask tougher questions and get more truthful responses.”
“Actually, when I give you to the bears I tell you the same thing. Congratulations, you have moved to stage two (raising her hand to side of her mouth) I’m going to give you to an asshole now because I think you are lying to me.” Letting the conversation lapse, she rose, striding to the back door of the interview room she pulled him to her with a finger and a smile. They exited into a hall through the door by the Cyclops at the end of the room. Justice reached back behind her, pushing the small black button as they exited causing a slight collision with Jack as her breasts rubbed across his arm.
She spoke as they continued down the hall, “Stage two is medical testing, needles, probes, and various other methods of torture. After which, you fortunately get your clothes back. There will then be a wait time of up to three hours for the first test results. This can be boring as hell unless you have a book to read. There are some books in the waiting room, and if you have one you’d like to leave there to welcome people to the city, please be tasteful. I already cleared you to enter the city today so unless you blow it in the medical exam you will be in temporary housing inside the city tonight.”
She escorted him to a new door labeled Medical Pre-qualification. “This is your next stop. As I said, this will be much more boring and not nearly as much fun as our interview, owing to the invasiveness of the whole thing. Doctors tend to be more pessimistic because they see all the garbage people have to pack around. To be fair, they need to ask uncomfortable questions too. But it’s not my job, so they can apologize for themselves if they show you a bad time.
“Well I’m really rambling on aren’t I? Sorry I think you’re kind of cute so I’m just being another stupid girl okay? Hey look me up later if you wanna hook-up kay?
“I might do that, I’ll catch you later.” Jack answered.
He watched her as she turned away then kept watching as she walked away. “A little needy,” he characterized to himself. He turned the handle in his hand and strode into a small reception area. After giving his name he was shuttled rather quickly into another small room where the doctor sat with her back to him.
Turning, she smiled, “Who did you have?”
“Justice,” he answered.
“Cool, my name is Trinity.” 
Her dark hair tied up with chopsticks with a stethoscope and the expected baggy white uniform draped on a slender frame. Taking his vitals quickly, she moved on to the exam. The exam consisted of a cardio exam complete with running, sweats supplied. This followed by a genital exam, two blood tests, and typical questions all asked and marked by the nurse. Later, fingerprints, photographs, his backpack and cleaned clothes, thoroughly reorganized. Quickly changing into them before the nurse could invite herself outside. After a short wait with the nurse he received an id card, and a small sheet detailing the shelter he was to spend the night at with his check-in time. Accompanying that were instructions to appear at the courthouse at nine am the next day or be considered a fugitive with a warrant out for his arrest and automatic expulsion from the city upon apprehension.
The nurse ushered him to a teller looking person, who seemed to give him a peculiar look. Then she said, “Do you have any money to exchange? You will be able to exchange it back to any currency if you decide to leave.”
This seemed to be her standard statement, but was also designed to elicit any questions that might be asked about the whole procedure. This was something he didn’t expect but it made a lot of sense. Monetary systems had crashed everywhere and with a good economy with the right equipment and precautions, could be done successfully. He really had only one question, “How much are you charging me?”
“Five percent in, five percent out, but it’s illegal to bring outside money in, or to use it in city commerce.”
“Sounds fair enough, I suppose you need to make a little.”
“We do alright.” She answered as she grabbed his money.
“Okay then, dollars let me do some quick calculations here. Turning to a chart she studied it briefly turning next to a calculator, rolling some numbers into it, she soon punched a receipt out of it and then hit it again for a duplicate receipt. Without looking up she slid one towards him stating simply, “this is a duplicate, your copy.” Going next to the cash drawer she pulled several bills with both hands bringing them together then counting the single pile from large to small, he was impressed by the display because she had pulled bills with both hands, put them in order, and counted without the shuffling lower life-forms might need. “Okay, this is your s***. Our money is called s***, not any good outside the city, and it can’t be brought in. As I told you, the government makes some money from this exchange. Our government tax structure is as follows. People are not taxed here, ever. No sales tax. Businesses are charged ten percent.  Housing is all charged out at twenty percent. There are no other taxes. It is a simple structure. Our primary commerce is hydropower from which much of our revenue is derived. Our exports consist mostly of artistic things, which are beginning to make a comeback in some of the economies that we’ve chosen to become involved with. Our money is very sound and stands up good to outside comparison. This short educational mini-course is free and only given to the most impressive new residents of River City.” 
The nurse that had brought him in now presented her arm lacing his hand inside her arm crook she led him to the door at the front of the building, which stood inside the fences surrounding River City. “Welcome to River City I hope you enjoy our fair city.” Then the nurse kissed him on the cheek.
“Hey, does everyone get a kiss?” he asked.
“No, not really, have a good time. See you later.” She left him in a beautiful garden and re-entered the building herself. Mystified he wondered where the wait had gone, everything had taken slightly over an hour and here he was free in the city. Then it dawned on him… that probably only came about if there was a medical problem.
He walked by a small fountain and out of the small courtyard to a wide sidewalk. Feeling like Dorothy after the colorless drab outside the gate then stark white everything. The scene before him suddenly opened upon senses that felt ruptured by the colorful people, mostly younger, wandered about that were seemingly very laid-back. Nobody rushed about. This section of town appeared to be a housing district. Trees and grasses were everywhere. Small buildings of the industrial variety had obviously been converted to housing as was evidenced by the window-boxes. There were no signposts. Street names were painted on the curbs at every corner. Traffic lights had long since been removed and the only vehicles moving about were random free streetcars.
Skateboards appeared popular here but there were some bicycles. Most pleasing to Jack were the amount of young people between thirteen and twenty-five.
Trees and green spaces seemed to be the rule with many knockouts along the sidewalks in obscure locations; assorted triangles, flower shapes, squares, sometimes with potted plants, other times just a grass patch here and there, like a random patchwork.
Parks sprouted up every other block, with fire pits, and people using them even in the afternoon; everyone seemed to hang out on the street. Many of the older buildings made of brick, they which tended to have more character and strange facets. Very few taller buildings more than ten stories. Most were restricted to six or less stories. Fountains abounded. Courtyards for many buildings were well-attended, greenery commonly used in them held some of the most obscure foliage and flowers he had ever seen.
It seemed as if most of the people knew one another because Jack felt as if he turned quite a few heads. He imagined people saying to themselves, “Who is this guy?” But then sensibility got the better of him and he realized that more likely, it was the fact that he walked holding a piece of paper out in front of him, like a tourist looking at a map. Realizing how stupid he looked, he stuffed the paper into his pocket and concentrated on just looking people in the eye.
It was only then that he began to feel as if he captured the essence of River City. His previous life had a lot of shame in it; parents that were never home, self-esteem so low you couldn’t slide a piece of paper under it. He found in that simple moment that a smile had a good effect. Deciding in his silent exchange with five people he would do better to keep his eyes up and dedicated himself to now be friendly. After all, nobody knew him here and he’d come for a new beginning so why not operate with new ideas. 
Thoughts swirled around him as he rounded the corner that he knew held his residence for the night. Jack intended to check in quickly, because he intended to see as much as he could before lock down.
Looking up at what he could see was a very old building with wide arcing windows. Consciously slowing himself down he allowed himself to marvel at the long lost masonry-work rising out of an otherwise unremarkable brick building. Certain facets were embellished especially as one drew closer to the fifth story where the gargoyles had watched all comings and goings since times long forgotten.   
A big man stood smoking near the door. Recognizing the paper held in Jack’s hand he nodded towards him from a weathered doorway with some white flakes fallen on the threshold. He asked, “You here to spend the night?”
“Oh, is this it? Yes.” He smiled back at him producing his map and ID card forward to the landlord. He wrote his name onto the map and handed his ID back.
“I’ll keep the map in case they come for you tonight.”
“Oh, do they do that?” Jack asked.
“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 they walked inside together. Three rows of beds lined the floor up to the wall. Each outfitted with pillows and a blanket.
“Come on, I’ll show you where your bed is.” In a few steps they were 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.”