The rooms many different foul stenches had taken shape, small, dark smoke like humanoid creatures danced around. A room which had also been similarly as dark, the two blended and separated without design, "messy" I remember thinking straining my eyes just to make out the shape of the door.
The dim light that seeped through from under the door was my only real proof that there was someone else nearby… time passed… I've become good at counting the seconds as they turned to minutes which turned to hours. Must've put myself in a trance so deeply focused cause I didn't notice when.
-Door creeks open-
"Patrick" I thought shaking myself out of the trance, catching a glimpse at his name tag. His features looked slightly deformed. A man small in stature, around the size of a preteen. Wide shoulders lacking in definition, little to no fat could be seen in his pale face, with puzzle like teeth and oddly pointed ears. Looking over his body before he sat down, I noticed… "he appeared pregnant" the thought putting a rare smile on my face.
He smoothly walked into the room unbothered by the stench, breathing as though he was in a field of followers, a calmness about him unsettled my nerves.
"Hey kid do me a favor, let's both not fuck around. What's your name?" Said Patrick.
"This shit again, *sigh* what's the point? These lazy fucks just need to appear to be doing their jobs nothing more, nothing less." I thought a mean look flashing across my face. But I know this isn't something to make a big deal out of.
"The names Crater, Crater Jones the second." I said nearly half asleep.
"Well Crater, this isn't my first time issuing a trespassing order. And I'm "guessing" this isn't your first time receiving such an order. So how about instead of wasting both our fucking time you tell me what sector you're from and why you happen to be in sector 4."
Yeah, it's the same shit different day. Though I thought the sector 4 patrol men would be a little different.
Clearing the sleep from my eyes and clearing my throat, I spoke in a calm manner.
"… Sector 5, I'm just here making a payment on…. Just here making a payment."
"A payment huh… Alright that's how it should be done. Nice and easy, I'll get you processed and have you driven back to the gates. Back to your sector."
-few hours later-
They finally let me out of the interrogation room, finally out I managed to take a full breath,
"The stench in there was truly unbearable". I said out loud thinking there was no one who'd hear me. Hearing a slight cough, I turn to look around, finding the checkout desk.
At the desk was a tall blonde hair fellow, as I walked over, he held his hand out. handing me all the paperwork from today's interaction. "Bram" was what his id card said he name was.
"Here's your official statement of trespassing. We'll also need you to sign here… It's nothing big just stating you understand that due to being in a sector you don't reside in, for an unknown/non valid reason you fully understand how from the perspective of law enforcement it can be deemed suspicious. For your safety and the safety of the sector your being sent back."
I couldn't help but pause at the strangeness of all this, trespassing really? Have all these fuckers lost their minds. Have we all forgotten we use to be a country?
"These new laws and regulations, really has everyone on edge huh."
I said staring at the sheet of paper in front of me. It said just what he told me it did. Signing it wasn't a big deal, I have done it several times before. Though I had to agree to a "fine" which wasn't desirable with the situation I was in, though It's not an actual law. Just a way for theses fucks to fatten their pockets.
"Look kid, we're all just doing what we're told to do. You know just like soldiers in war? We just take orders… not like we're the ones who fucking created the sectors. I mean just be glad you're not on lockdown like sector 6, those guys really are fucked… with the infec…. You know what I mean."
"Yeah… I know. Just don't forget, we're all citizens of the same country."
I said walking off after paying the 500 credits. A huge sum, which given how things have been these last few years. I'll notice the loss for a while.
As the officer said I was free to go, though not without an escort back to the gates, the drive was slow, but as we got closer, I saw the reason why. A huge line of sector 4 people driving to sector 5,
"Must be factory workers" I thought. As we neared the gate, but as though things couldn't get any worse. The worst thing possible happened. My phone started ringing, the sound filled the patrol vehicle, the patrol man was unfazed but would take a quick glance back at me.
At least that's what it felt like, yet again the slightest bump in the night feels like that when you're doing something wrong.
Reaching into my pocket after the ringing stopped, I saw the long list of missed calls. Most numbers were saved as just that numbers. All but a few "miss Jackal" being one of the exceptions.
"Alright here's where I leave you."
Said the patrol man as he dropped me off and drove away. My heart was racing, practically counting the steps until I got through the gates check point. Rushing to put a good distance between me and everyone else. With my heart racing I called back "miss Jackal" keeping her waiting was not an option.