The Holo Earth

Chapter 27

Liam stood at his, now bullet-proof, living room window, gazing down at the alley across the way. Just last weekend, he had watched Sarah, Oliver from the Veritas Society, and even Anna, his co-member, working tirelessly to clean up the area. Their efforts had transformed the once-grimy passage into a tidy corridor, a small victory in their ongoing battle to reclaim the neighborhood.

Yet, as he observed now, the alley's newfound cleanliness seemed to mock their efforts. In the fading light of evening, shadowy figures darted back and forth, engaging in furtive exchanges. The drug deals continued unabated, perhaps even emboldened by the improved surroundings.

Sighing heavily, Liam turned away from the window and slumped onto his couch. He opened his laptop, intending to distract himself, but found himself drawn instead to local news sites. A headline caught his eye: "Mayoral Candidate Sheila Medina Promises to 'Modernize' Anti-Drug Policies."
As he read through the article, a sick feeling grew in his stomach. Medina, running unopposed after Mayor Evans' sudden withdrawal, was proposing to repeal Evans' anti-drug real estate tax increase. In its place, she offered vague promises of "community-driven solutions" and "innovative approaches," phrases that signaled empty rhetoric.

Liam's fingers hovered over the keyboard, remembering the night he'd sent that incriminating information about the library to the press. Zolok's smooth voice had been in his ear then. Now, that same voice seemed to mock him from every corner of the room.

Liam's phone buzzed. A message from Clara appeared:
"I know about the tutoring session at the community center. I don't want you in Ethan's life anymore. Or mine, for that matter. Please respect our privacy."

Liam's fingers hovered over the keyboard. He typed out several responses, deleting each one:
"Clara, please let me explain..."
"I was only trying to help..."
"Can we talk about this?"

Finally, he settled on a simple: "I understand. I'm sorry."

He hit send, then stared at the screen, willing it to light up with a response. But no reply came. The silence stretched on, leaving Liam alone with the weight of Clara's words and the finality of her decision.

Ethan had been a bright spot in his increasingly dark world, a reminder of the person he once was, and could be again. Now, that connection was severed.

He sat for a few minutes, alone with his thoughts. Then he decided to text Sarah,

"Hey Sarah. I was thinking about that new café on 4th Street. Have you tried it yet?"

He hit send, his heart racing as he waited for a response. Several minutes passed before his phone buzzed.

"Hi Liam. No, I haven't been there. I've been pretty busy lately."

Liam frowned at the screen. He could feel the coolness in her brief reply. Still, he pressed on:
"Maybe we could check it out sometime? Their pastries are supposed to be amazing."

This time, Sarah's response came quicker: "Sounds nice, but I'm not sure when I'll have the time. Things have been crazy, you know?"

Liam's fingers hovered over the keyboard. He knew what she was really saying, but he couldn't bring himself to address it directly. Instead, he wrote: "No worries, I understand. How about we play it by ear? If you find yourself with some free time..."

There was a longer pause before Sarah replied: "Liam... I don't think that's a good idea right now. There's still a lot up in the air, isn't there?"

Finally, he typed: "Yeah, I guess there is. I'm still trying to figure some things out."

"I get that," Sarah responded. "Take the time you need. When things are clearer, maybe we can revisit this conversation."

"Thanks, Sarah," Liam said, his tone noncommittal. "We'll see."