Island of the Unemployed

SECTOR THIRTEEN

"I don't understand why you want to go to level one. There's nothing of interest there," Sara said to Jayla.

"Maybe, but I want to see for myself. I'm curious."

"Trust me, Jayla. You won't like it."

"Are you saying I can't go? I thought I had access to all levels from five down."

"You're permitted to go. I just don't think you'll like it."

"Well, I want to go!" Jayla crossed her arms.

"Okay! If that's how you want to spend your day off, you're welcome to it."

The next instant Jayla was in an alleyway. She bent over and held her nose, overpowered by a stench that smelled like a combination of rotting meat and body odor.. A disheveled man in tattered clothing bumped against.

"Oh. Excuse me," Jayla said. The man mumbled something, and kept walking.

"How do you like it so far?" Sara asked.

"It's...interesting," Jayla replied with a forced smile. "Where's Bobbi?"

"He's coming."

A body flashed a few feet from Jayla.

"Whew! It stinks here!"

"Uh huh," Jayla replied. "Interesting, though. Don't you think?" Bobbi made a grimace. "Let's look around, shall we?"

They were in a hallway. There was nothing in sight but the one long hallway they stood in. They chose a direction, and began walking. Jayla clinched Bobbi's arm with one hand, and held her nose with the other. For the next hour, they navigated alleyways filled with disoriented people walking about aimlessly. Some talked to themselves. Others talked to people who weren't there. Some cradled and rocked themselves on the ground in a fetal position. There were no stores, no restaurants, nor coffee shops. Nothing that might provide any level of enjoyment or distraction from the long work hours imposed upon these unfortunate employees. Just dirty, smelly alleyways. If there's a hell, it can't possibly be worse than this. Jayla thought to herself.

"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!" a man shouted at them. He followed them down the alley. "You don't belong here! I know you! You don't belong here!"

He's right. I don't belong here. This was a crazy idea! She almost burst into tears. The message from Mila's father must have been nothing more than a random thought of a man losing his mental capacities. Looking for sector thirteen made no sense at all.

"'Have you seen enough? Everyting seems pretty much the same. Just alleyways."

"Let's just look around this corner. Then we can go home." Poor Bobbi. He's been such a good sport. "

The alley came to an end a few yards ahead of them with a choice of going left or right. A man stood at the intersection talking to himself. He looked up, then walked towards them.

"Yes. I know. I can't. I have an important meeting. I'll take an avocado to go! Don't tell me I can't enter this restaurant! I'll have you fired!" The man rambled on before bumping squarely into Jayla.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Bobbi exclaimed.

"It's okay," Jayla said. "He can't help it."

The man looked directly at Jayla. His expression changed from dazed to clear-eyed. He nodded, indicating she should take the right-hand turn ahead. Bobbi looked at Jayla and waited for her reaction. She hesitated then nodded her desire to investigate. They walked to the end of the alley, and looked right. It was dark. Jayla's grip on Bobbi's arm tightened, as they walked down the dimly lit corridor, only to have it come to a dead end. It was so dark they could barely make out the brick wall blocking their way. They turned to find the man walking towards them.