Dissociative Psyche ✦ J. Riley | ✓ [book 2]

3~ A Plummeting Feeling of Terror

"There are fundamentally two ways you can experience the police in America: as the people you call when there's a problem, the nice man in uniform who pats a toddler's head and has an easy smile for the old lady as she buys her coffee. For others, the police are the people who are called on them. They are the ominous knock on the door, the sudden flashlight in the face, the barked orders. Depending on who you are, the sight of an officer can produce either a warm sense of safety and contentment or a plummeting feeling of terror." 

~ Christopher L. Hayes, A Colony in a Nation

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Surprisingly, dinner had gone quite well. Quentin seemed to be all too fascinated by Jana's mother -- Cecilia's --  stories from the Civil Rights Movement in the sixties. It came as a relief to Jana, who didn't have her mother pestering her on the lack of a wedding band on her finger.

"So then what happened?" he asked.

"You should have seen everybody, crowding around us like buzzards staring down on a dead elk," she said, "They called us every damn name in the book. But we didn't leave, we didn't care. There was a point that had to be made, you see,"

Jake and Jenna watched with amusement to see the young boy so interested in her stories, "He's really into this," she whispered to him.

"The most interested I've seen him in history," he replied.

"They spat on us, dumped plates of food on us, one of them even beat on Sullivan with a rolling pin. That was the ironic part, since he was the only white guy willing to sit with us!" Cecilia continued on, and Quentin had a great idea.

"Mrs. Mayfield, could I interview for my term paper some time?" he asked.

"Of course, dear!" she replied, "I'm always happy to help educate youth on Civil Rights," 

"Well, he's bound to get an A paper," Jake said. Quentin smiled happily as Cecilia then turned to Jenna.

"Jenna, I don't believe I formally got to know you. What do you do for work?" she asked. Jenna seemed to freeze and she turned to Jake, who just shrugged and stood up.

"I'm going to get a beer," he then walked into the kitchen, leaving Jenna to Cecilia's questions.

"Well, right now I'm at Emory, but I'll graduate within the next two years and I want to apply at Atlanta PD for a special consultant position," she said.

"What kind of special consultant?" Quentin asked. Jenna shrugged.

"Oh, you know... computers, trans-communications, research; the kind of work where I don't have to use a gun," she said.

"I know how you feel," Cecilia said, "A flat foot once shot through my windshield, he thought I was trying to escape police custody," she then turned to Lex, "No offence, Alex,"

"None taken, Cecilia," he replied.

Jana then approached and put a hand on Jenna's shoulder, "Jen, do you mind giving me a hand in the kitchen?" she asked. Jenna jumped at the chance.

"Sure thing," she stood and followed Jana into the kitchen, leaving Quentin to more of Cecilia's old stories.

"Let me tell you about the Bus Boycotts of 63..."

"Thank you," Jenna whispered.

"No problem," 

Jake met Lex out on the terrace, while he let the steak cutlets cook on the barbecue. He was staring out over the city, a cold beer in his hand and thinking to himself.