Page 66 - Demo

“And yet, you know my citizen code. That’s restricted information, especially to someone of no note.” I could feel my fear begin to harden into curiosity. Is this how the bug felt, beneath the entomologist’s needle? What drives such incomprehensible forces?
“To the discerning, it is rather easy to acquire such information.” was his retort. He relaxed into his seat, before fishing himself up to look into his knapsack. His motions were fluid and easy, his nailless fingers unclasping and entering the folds of the sack.
I began “If you were discerning, it would have been noted, would it not? So tell me, Nobody, what brings you to my cave? Come to gouge my eye out?” looking at the contours of his skull. I watched the muscles slide beneath his skin, before the lies could pour out of his mouth.
“If only you knew how right you are.” he muttered, for the first time I felt he was being sincere, as he found what he was looking for. Something clunky, blocky. He held it in one hand, placed something inside of it. It seemed to whir to life, thin ribs oscillating briefly on the outside of...whatever it was. It was scarcely as long as his hand, and more shaped like a brick, but it had an opening at the end. He frowned as he directed it toward me. “Sin that pays its way can travel freely...but virtue, if penniless, is stopped at all frontiers.” (Miller 1851, 59)
“What’s that?”
“An old boltcaster, dear friend. Now, unless you’d like to get acquainted with a bolt, I’d suggest that you do exactly as I say.” as he rose up, stretching to his full height via some invisible drawstring. He looked sad, now. I rose, patting myself down and straightening my coat.
“Looking good as ever, Saul.” he proffered. “Now if you’d so kindly continue out of the seat, and take a left outside of this row to the door, that would be fantastic.”
I turned to look at him. The “boltcaster” was tucked against his hip, hidden
beneath the edge of his coat. He looked as though he had his hand on his hip, casual and inconspicuous. He shooed me ahead with his other hand.