Broken Ladder
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
It was a dark, thick night that filled the space between the shanties. It drifted past windows and was breathed in by the people sleeping in the corregated iron huts. The thick air was briefly lit by arcing beams of searchlight as they pierced the gloom from the high securitywall. The sounds of men speaking into their radios could be heard from high above as they marched along the top, keeping watch over the people inside
Jeff watched as the last pair moved out of line of sight of his ragged form. Not long until the next pair arrived, he danced between the rows of shacks and up the narrow alley to where a firelit doorway was hidden from view. A metallic, grating tapping sound could be heard from within, punctuated by a couple of hacking coughs.
"You're late," the wizened woman wheezed.
Jeff bowed his head and ducked into the foetid room. He replied hesitantly, "It was hard work to avoid the guards after shutdown, Gramma Tompson"
She wheezed another laugh and continued trying to scrape more beans from the rusty tin can that served as her saucepan.
"Do you have it?" Jeff asked cautiously
Gramma Tompson tapped her frail hands on a stained and greasy brown paper parcel, "I could only get one of them"
Jeff cautiously tore the paper and looked inside the package. He said, "That'll be fine Gramma."
He was halfway out of the door when her hoarse voice called out, "Jeff!" He turned back to look at her. She continued, "Don't be too fast. Their is a lot for them to learn."
He smiled and traced his finger down an edge of the brown paper. "Don't worry," he said, "I won't let them down."
Jeff watched as the last pair moved out of line of sight of his ragged form. Not long until the next pair arrived, he danced between the rows of shacks and up the narrow alley to where a firelit doorway was hidden from view. A metallic, grating tapping sound could be heard from within, punctuated by a couple of hacking coughs.
"You're late," the wizened woman wheezed.
Jeff bowed his head and ducked into the foetid room. He replied hesitantly, "It was hard work to avoid the guards after shutdown, Gramma Tompson"
She wheezed another laugh and continued trying to scrape more beans from the rusty tin can that served as her saucepan.
"Do you have it?" Jeff asked cautiously
Gramma Tompson tapped her frail hands on a stained and greasy brown paper parcel, "I could only get one of them"
Jeff cautiously tore the paper and looked inside the package. He said, "That'll be fine Gramma."
He was halfway out of the door when her hoarse voice called out, "Jeff!" He turned back to look at her. She continued, "Don't be too fast. Their is a lot for them to learn."
He smiled and traced his finger down an edge of the brown paper. "Don't worry," he said, "I won't let them down."
