When the rains may come (Science Fiction)

38. A Friend

The evening breeze was cool and crisp in Marie's hair. Zack walked alongside her, rather excitedly. He had a good reason to be excited. They were going to buy those football shoes for him after all.

The traffic near their apartment building was redirected so the streets were fairly empty. Even the pedestrians on the sidewalks were hardly anyone except people from the neighborhood. Other than those there were the Steel Heads--the government's special police that Gemma had told them about.

Their job wasn't to fight the crime. They were assigned with the duty to apprehend anyone who is allegedly a threat to the Seat of Authority's ideals, anyone who displays rebellious behavior and anyone who was reported of "suspicious conduct."

One of the steel heads was on his patrol down the neighborhood that Marie and Zack were passing by. His peaked cap had the government insignia embroidered in red. He wore a long black coat over his black uniform. The head of the baton strapped to his waist was covered with steel (which gave them their names) and his black shoes glistened like hot tar on his feet.

When Marie gave it a little thought she realized the steel heads were worse than the operatives. The latter still had the duty to maintain some kind of order at least. The former were given the duty to just keep the people on their toes.

And they seemed to take their job a bit too seriously. The man with the steel headed baton seemed to scan Marie's entire being, his pale vulture-like eyes dragging over her body as she passed him by. Walking past him was like going through a gale of poison gas. Something about his very presence was oppressive.

Zack had gone quiet but he could notice his mom getting tense as they left behind the man in the black uniform. Her hand had clenched down on his like a vice. He'd almost winced in pain but he stopped himself in time. He remembered what his parents had told him the first night they'd come to Kingsville.

"No matter what happens, son, always remain neutral in front of the people with the steel baton."

"Beware the black uniform, honey. Always remain on your guard around them."

So Zack didn't react despite his mom almost crushing the bones in his palm. She only ever eased up once they'd left the black uniform an entire block behind. He saw her breathe a sigh of relief as they entered the shoe store.

Zack frowned up at her. He still didn't say anything. He remembered another thing his parents had told him.

"We may appear tense or afraid, but you are not meant to register it, son."

"If you do, then it would mean even you acknowledge something is out of ordinary, honey. That is what makes people a lot more suspicious. That is exactly what we don't want."

"Always act normal, son. Always."

Zack felt his excitement for buying studs deflating when he saw his mom put on a smile. It made him sick because he knew that the smile wasn't real. And it pissed him off even more that he wasn't supposed to ask her anything about it.

"Do you feel comfortable, Teddy?" Marie asked him after the store worker slipped on a really fancy looking stud on his left foot. "You can run with it, right?"

Zack just shrugged, looking away with a frown.

Marie frowned a little herself. "Do you wanna try another one, Teddy? You can choose whichever you like."

It was annoying to be called by that name. But he wasn't meant to talk about that either.

Zack grit his teeth and reached into his pocket. His fingers brushed over the silver coin. He remembered Nick's words. Being together, that's all that matters in the end.