25 November 2012
By Miscellaneous. Jim smiled to himself as he looked out the window at his little sister and her tricycle. Or more likely the tricycle. He was silently congratulating himself for a job well done. That was probably the biggest item he had ever stolen and he had just walked out the door with it. He loved the way his sister’s friends were admiring it, asking her where she got it, and when she pointed proudly at the window where Jim was standing, the friend would stare at him in a mixture of jealousy and respect. Or that’s what he thought. It could just be jealousy. But the feelings of a 6 year old didn’t matter, just the fact that the Gang would hold him to a higher standard, not just the 14 year old who desperately wanted to become “one of them”. Jim bet the others had never stolen something as big as a tricycle. Except for Hans, who stole a car, rode around in it, and then put it back without the owners suspecting a thing. But Jim wasn’t going to put the tricycle back, now was he? Not with his sister looking so proud as she wheeled around the block in it. He turned from the window as the phone rang. “Hello?” The voice answering was husky. “Tonight.” Zimbabwe smiled. “Good. I have something to-” But there was only a dial tone. Zimbabwe frowned. At least when he got to a phase three status they would listen to him a bit when they called. “Who was that, Jim?” his mother called from downstairs. “Wrong number,” he replied.
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“Going out,” Jim called as he opened the door after dinner. “Well, dear it’s awfully cloudy out…” “Thanks!” He wasn’t listening. The walk took just 15 minutes, the meeting 10, and so all in all, he’d be back in 45 minutes, give or take. No one suspected where he was going. He didn’t like where he was going. The Gang liked “antique” places, but the latest meeting place was just plain seedy. At least he had them. And that made it a bit better, for they were strong and safe. Since he was a member, even just a phase 2! no one bothered him. That was good. He didn’t know how to defend himself very well. You had to be a phase four to learn that, for that was the point where you’d need it. No one cared about phase twos which was good for Jim because had couldn’t make up good excuses about bloody lips or black eyes. Sure, the Gang protected you, but only if you kept up. Jim kept up. And would soon be stepping up, once they found out about the tricycle. “Jim.” Jim could recognize Jules voice anywhere. He returned the Gang's greeting. “Jules.” He kept his gaze down in respect, for Jules was a phase ten. He would be able to look him in the eye when he became a phase 5. “You’re late,” came the snarl of Samuel , who felt as if he had a right to snarl at anyone under phase 7. “A...a drunk didn’t realize I was a...a Member,” Jim lied. “I’ll bet he learned real quick.” Jim couldn’t see Jules's face, of course, but he could hear the sneer. “I think Jim was too scared to pull a Mark,” replied Samuel with a smirk. Smirk, sneer, snarl. Why did they speak in all these ‘s’ tones? “I...I let the drunk learn real quick,” Jim stumbled. He could have said a smart retort if Samuel was a level lower than him. Jim was painfully aware the lowest here was himself. “You would’ve been proud.” “I don’t know if that’s possible,” was the reply. Suddenly, Ishmael hopped onto the crate. Immediately, the Gang grew silent. “Good,” Ishmael said in his quiet voice. “I see everyone found their way to our new meeting place.” He turned to look at Jim. “I understand that our youngest member had a bit of a problem, though.” Jim stared up at Ishmael with a curl of dread in his stomach. He shouldn’t have ever lied. “Jim?” “Yes? I mean, I did. Have a problem, I mean. Yeah.” He looked down, feeling like an idiot. “And how did that turn about?” Ishmael asked. “I heard it involved a drunk?” How did Ishmael find out these things? Jim was sure he had been only talking to Jules and Samuel. “Yeah…it…yeah. A drunk.” “I see.” Silence. Jim realized he had never heard crickets in the city before. He must of not noticed them. There sure were alot now. “Did the drunk realize soon you were a Member?” “Yeah…” “Strange,” mused Ishmael. “I could of sworn that Members only learned self defense in phase 4.” He looked up at Jim. “Or did I misread the rules I myself had devised?” “You…I…I picked it up.” “I’m sure you did,” murmured Ishmael, and let his gaze linger on Jim before continuing, to Jim relief. “Any outside news?” Before Jim could mention the tricycle, a phase three cried out how he vandalized his school’s new playground, just before the kindergardeners would play on it. Ishmael didn’t look impressed, and Jim had to agree that for a phase three, that was amateur. Ishmael asked, “What level would that vandalism be on?” “Excuse me?” Ishmael sighed. “Are you sure you’re a phase 3?” The vandalizer looked embarrassed. “Yes…” “Then I’m sure you know what I’m talking about, unless you did one thing right and lied, cheated, or stole on the entry test.” “I…I did.” Ishmael looked slightly angry and slightly pleased. “Do not talk back or you know what will happen.” He turned to the rest. “Have I taught ANY of you the Level System?” Jim rolled his eyes. He learned the level system at phase one. “I may have to re-explain it,” Ishmael was saying. “I feel disappointed that you are not picking all this up.” “I know the Level System!” somebody called out. Ishmael turned to him. “Finally, somebody who deserves to be a Member.” The speaker looked slightly proud, and thanked him before explaining. “The Level System is a Gang system to show how well they did a job. Levels 1-3 are low in effect…maybe punching a drunk or putting graffiti on a wall. Levels 4-5 are still low, but slightly worse…maybe the graffiti is a bad word. Levels 6-8 are bad approaching really bad. Cutting someone or ruining public property. 9-12 are the worse you can get…from shooting someone, robbing a car or money, or even blowing up a building.” “Thank you,” said Ishmael with noticeable relief. “Someone has been taught right.” He turned to the vandalizer. “So?” The vandalizer was pink. “4?” Ishmael grimaced. “I like outside news to be something worth taking up our important 10 minutes! That just wasted 5 of them!!! But,” he continued, turning now to the one who explained the level system, “you are letting our meeting have hope. You have just been advanced to a higher phase.” He smiled. “Welcome to Phase 5, brother.” The member being addressed looked amazed. “Thank you!” “You do realize that you still have to come to the Extra meetings at the same time. You will just be doing different courses.” Jim burned with jealousy. HE knew the Level System! If only he had spoken up, and he could have been a phase 3 right now! Old enough to go to the Extra Training meetings! He was still simmering as Ishmael continued the meeting. “Any other important outside news?” Jim forgot to speak up about the tricycle. In fact, it was the last thing he was thinking about. But he remembered as Hans spoke up. “I did a break,” he said smoothly. Ishmael was unfazed. “How much loot?” Hans laughed. A cold laugh, cold enough to make Jim shiver. “You’ll never believe,” he said, almost maliciously. Ishmael smiled a slow smile. “We’ll discuss this later, I suppose. Any other news?” Jim realized that compared to an actual break stealing a tricycle was nothing! Ashamed that he had believed that to be big news, he shrunk a little. And the meeting ended.
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Jimbabwee • Opuss № I