Fernando woke with a start. The crisp, sharp ring of the alarm clock sliced through the damp morning air. He fumbled for it in a sleepy stupor, barely managing to shut it off. The boy slowly sat up, eyeing his surroundings. Large cracks wound through the walls encircling him. A few cockroaches scrambled for holes at their bases. Cobwebs littered the corners of the room. The window itself was a pasty, brownish color, filtering in an eerie light. Fernando rose to his feet, and plodded to the door. Opening it, he entered a tiny kitchen. A plump, silver-haired woman stood over a bulky, greasy stove, a pot of bubbling oatmeal situated on top of it. She turned towards him. Anxiety crossed her furrowed brow.
"Hijo, you're...up."
The boy nodded slightly.
"Yeah, ma. I'm up. Gotta wash up an' go. Gotta find that place today."
Fernando continued on into the bathroom. His mother looked out the window. A thick fog blanketed the streets below, and their surroundings. The woman gazed at it, full of trepidation. Her eyes darted towards the bathroom.
"Hijito,must you go out today?"
"Ma, I can't stay cooped up in here."
She frowned at the response.
"No...I guess not."
The woman knew Fernando was right. And that's what bothered her the most. That he had to go. Out there. Nevertheless, he couldn't stay locked up here forever. Fernando proceeded to wash up and dress. He chugged down his breakfast and walked over to a dingy mirror, giving himself one last look-over. He turned to his mother.
"Time to go."
"Do you think you'll find it? You know they've relocated a few times. It's not easy to find."
"I'll find this...Assimilation Point...whatever it is."
The woman's eyes narrowed. She walked up to her son and placed her hands on his shoulders.
"You remember everything I told you, eh?"
Fernando sighed, nodding.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah ma...Don't worry-"
"I worry!! How can you act like that?! You don't know what it's like out there!!"
Fernando brushed her aside.
"Ma, stop it!! Okay?! I can handle it!!"
His mother raised an eyebrow.
"Can you?! You think you know everything, huh?!"
Fernando spun towards her.
"Did I say that?!"
"You don't have to!! Your attitude says it all!!"
"Ma, please-"
"Please nothing!! I'm not going to be here forever!!You remember what I told you, or you'll pay the price!!"
Fernando bit his lip, forcing himself to hold back a surge of curses. He hated his mother's constant badgering. Wrinkled old bitch!! Can't stay off my back for one fucking minute, he thought silently. Glad I'm finally getting the fuck outta here. Fernando eyed his mother with an intense, angry glare.
"I'm leaving."
He plodded towards the door and swung it open. Fernando strode into the hallway and bounded down the stairs. His mother stared anxiously out into the stairwell.
"Hijito!! Hijito!! Be careful!! Come back soon!!"
Her eyes narrowed a bit. She frowned deeply, lowering her head. Tears trickled forth. The woman withdrew into the emptiness of her apartment and closed the door.
Fernando scampered out of the building and onto the street. The thick fog seemed to wrap itself around everything. He could only see ahead for a few yards.
"Hay caramba..." he muttered silently to himself. "I gotta walk around in this?!"
Fernando started his stroll. It seemed strangely desolate out in the street. The fog itself glowed a pale, ghostly white. It hung in the air with a certain ominous presence. The air felt chilly. Things seemed familiar, and again not. A lamppost, a bodega. And yet that quiet, that overwhelming quiet...
Until he heard the footsteps, approaching him from behind. He spun around. A young man with long, blond hair and a denim jacket approached Fernando. A warm smile crossed his features.
"Hey, how ya doin'? No need to get jumpy."
Fernando took a few steps back. He eyed the young man with suspicion. The teenager spoke again.
"Hey, could you tell me where Assimilation Point is?"
Fernando's eyes widened in surprise.
"W-What?! A-Assimilation Point?!"
"Yeah!!"
"Uh, well, no. Actually, I-I'm trying to find it myself."
"Really?! Cool!! At least I got a companion now!!"
Fernando eyed the teen quizzically.
"W-What are you talking about?"
"Well, see, I've been traveling by myself for quite a while. It gets a little lonely walking these streets by myself. By the way, I'm Miles. Miles Peterson."
He walked up to Fernando, extending his hand. Fernando hesitantly raised his, grasping it. They shook hands.
"I'm Fernando Vasquez."
"So, no idea how to get there, huh?"
"No. I just got out of my house."
"I see. Why are you going there?"
"I dunno. My mom told me that this place is supposed to teach you how to get ahead. What about you?"
"Same thing. My folks say everybody my age has to go to Assimilation Point. Something about putting meaningful direction in my life...God knows I need it. My family's dirt-poor. Dad's sick, and Mom's out of work. She's collecting those goddamn food stamps...I hate this shit...not knowing if you're ever gonna taste the good life-"
He lowered his head. Fernando noticed how uncomfortable Miles was. Obviously, this was a subject better left untouched.
"Uh, listen, you wouldn't mind if I tagged along with you, Fernando?"
Fernando eyed him uneasily.
"Uh-uh. I travel alone-"
"Please."
Miles looked up at Fernando. There was a genuine look of desperation in his eyes. Fernando wasn't crazy about this idea. He was a loner by nature, and didn't trust anyone. And this guy seemed to be a little off the wall. He had a bad feeling about him.
"No. I don't want company-"
"Look, I know this sounds weird. I'm not some mugger or something. I've just been traveling for a long time, and I haven't been able to find this stupid place. I-I'm just figurin', if I hang out with you, maybe we can both find it. I don't think I can do it by myself. I swear I won't get in your way."
Fernando gazed at him silently. This guy could very well be me in a few weeks, he thought. Anyway, he was going to Assimilation Point too. It couldn't hurt much.
"All right. You can stay with me. But let's get one thing clear-I'm not your friend, and I don't have any interest in being your friend. I'm not interested in your problems. I've got enough of my own. If you keep your mouth shut and keep your distance, you can tag along. Otherwise, forget it. Got it?"
Miles was taken aback by Fernando's cold response. Not exactly a friendly guy. But what other choice did he have?
"Well?! I haven't got all day!!"
A moment of silence. Miles nodded.
"Fine. Deal."
Fernando turned and strode off. Miles followed, keeping his distance. Within moments, both disappeared into the fog.
Some time had passed since the two boys met. They continued down the street. The fog showed no signs of clearing. As a matter of fact, it seemed to grow thicker. As the pair moved onward down the block, Fernando suddenly heard screaming…loud screaming, coming from his left. Out of the fog rushed a young woman, bleeding profusely from the side of her head. She ran past the two boys, crying. Seconds later, a large club flew out of the fog, slamming into her back with incredible force. She was knocked to the ground. Fernando stared at the woman in shock.
"What the...?!"
"Fernando!! Look out!!"
He instantly turned to the right, just in time to see a huge, hulking ogre of a man plod out of the fog. His heavily-scarred face was filled with an all-consuming rage. He strode with deadly purpose towards the frail young woman, who cowered in an overwhelming fright. The man grabbed her by the dress and yanked the woman up to his face like a doll. His eyes glared viciously into hers.
"You bitch!! You stole my goddamn money!! "
"M-Monty-p-please!! I-I was hungry!! I-I had no money-"
"CUNT!!"
He slapped her hard across the face. A long stream of blood whisked out of her mouth. The man shook the woman roughly, eyeing her again.
"You don't take one FUCKING cent until I say so!! I send you out to do guys, and THIS shit is what I get?!"
The woman feebly raised her head, her battered face twisted in anguish and fright.
"B-Br-Br-But Monty, I-I-I c-can't live on w-what I g-get from you-"
THWUMP!!
A massive fist burrowed into her stomach. Blood gushed from her mouth. The man's eyes narrowed in malice.
"Can't live on it, eh?! THEN DIE, YOU USELESS SLUT!!!"
He raised the woman over his head with his monstrous arm, and threw her with all his might into the ground. She hit with such force that a hole was smashed open in the asphalt. Her body bounced up once and then lay there, quivering. The man turned around, and stormed off into the fog. Miles and Fernando gaped in shock at the young woman's battered body.
"Shit..." muttered Miles feebly.
The two boys approached the corpse, inspecting it closely. As they did so, Fernando heard the sound of someone whimpering. He looked up. Standing a couple of yards away was a young, dark-skinned woman. She was frozen to the spot in total terror, eyes wide open. Fernando stood erect. He began to approach her. The woman's eyes darted from the corpse to him.
"You keep away from me!!" she exclaimed.
"Hey, I ain't gonna touch you. I just want to find out somethin-"
"NO!! KEEP AWAY FROM ME!!"
She spun around, only to run into a tall brunette. The brunette grabbed the girl's shoulders.
"Celia, where are you going?!"
"NO, NO, NO!! LET ME OUTTA HERE!!"
"Celia, STOP IT!! Nothing's gonna happen-"
"THE HELL IT ISN'T!! That girl got WASTED!! And that guy's following me!!"
"Celia, they're just bystanders like us!!"
"How the FUCK do you know?!"
The dark-skinned girl spun around, eyeing Fernando in anger and fear. He stayed in his place. Miles rose from his kneeling position, staring at the girl in amazement.
"What's her problem?!"
"She thinks we're a couple of rapists."
The brunette's eyes narrowed.
"Are you?" she asked sarcastically.
Fernando gave an intense look at the brunette.
"You're a regular comedian. I can't say I trust you two either. Who are you?"
"You first."
Fernando let out a slight snicker. He shook his head.
"Cute. Okay. I'm Fernando Vasquez. This is, uh-"
"Miles Peterson." finished his companion. "We're trying to find a place called Assimilation Point. Know anything about it?"
The two girls eyed each other for a few seconds. The dark-skinned girl, Celia, eyed him with repulsion.
"Why should we tell you anything?!"
"Celia, chill out-"
"Chill out my ass Gina!! We shouldn't even be talking to these pricks-"
The brunette instantly grabbed Celia by the shoulders, shaking her hard. Fury began to boil in her eyes.
"Celia, shut the fuck up!! We're in the same shoes as they are, and we're not gonna get anywhere until you calm down!! You can't keep going off the deep end when shit like this happens!! I've been wandering around this fog for a lot longer than you, an' I learned how to handle it!! If you don't get your act together, I'm gonna leave you behind to rot!! You got that?! DO YOU GOT THAT?!"
A muted silence fell upon Celia. She lowered her head in utter dismay.
"Yes."
"You'd better. Because I'm not putting up with your baby shit any more."
The brunette turned to the two boys, her face flashing an embarrassed smile.
"You gotta excuse my friend. She's a little new to all of this. I'm Gina Naples. This is
Celia Velez."
Fernando and Miles nodded. Miles spoke next.
"You two seemed to react when I mentioned Assimilation Point."
"Well, yeah. That's where we were heading. I met Celia three weeks ago. Myself, I've been traveling around for a month and a half."
"A month and a half?!" gasped Fernando. "Why so long?! How did you get by?!"
"Luck, brains...I'm not going to lie. It's hard. Finding this place isn't a piece of cake."
"I-I don't get it!! Somebody must know where this place is!! How many times can they relocate?!"
Miles stared at Fernando in disbelief.
"Haven't you heard?!"
"Heard what?!"
"There's a reason so few people know about Assimilation Point! Rumor has it that this place literally moves from one area to the next. It's a matter of being at the right place at the right time. Some people are lucky-they may find it right away. Others-like Gina and me-may take a month or longer. I've heard stories about people taking as much as a year to find this place."
"A whole year?!" exclaimed Fernando. "No way!! I ain't spending a year of my life trying to find a goddamn building!!"
"You've got no choice." said Gina solemnly. "It's either that, or you rot away in these streets. I've seen what happens to teenagers who've given up on it. There's little work out there, and any what exists doesn't even give you enough to buy a decent roll of ass-wipe. Assimilation Point, from what I've heard, is the only place that can guarantee any substantial success in this life. That's where you learn the secrets of how to deal with people, how to deal with all sorts of problems. It's constantly being advertised all over! Besides, my folks have been hammering it into my head!! They've made me promise to give up my dreams of becoming an actress so I can pursue this, and find, as they say, a real job. And considering the way things are going, well...I ought to stick to their game plan."
"Radical..." said Miles with interest. "What do your folks do?"
"Dad works in a factory. Has been for almost twenty years. Mom used to work there too, but she got sick. She's home all the time now."
Miles nodded. He spoke again.
"Hey, you want to join us? Safety in numbers, you know."
Fernando eyed Miles coldly. It was bad enough that he had to come along, but now he also had to drag along these two bitches?! As much as this bothered him though, there was something else Miles pointed out-the possibility of wandering around for a year to find this so-called Assimilation Point. As much as he hated company, Fernando had to admit to the fact that maybe four heads were better than one. Fernando didn't care about the others-so long as he got to this place. He didn't have all the answers. So Fernando kept silent. But he couldn't hide his resentment from Miles. Miles couldn't have cared less. Besides, Gina seemed far more amiable, and at the moment he needed to talk to a friendly person. Miles spoke again.
"Cool. Let's go."
Gina nodded. She turned to Celia.
"Let's join them."
Celia looked up into the fog, sighing heavily.
"Do we have to?!" she exclaimed sternly.
"Well, I am. It's up to you if you want to come along. You can stay behind if you want, but you'll be on your own. What happens to you afterwards won't be my problem. I won't lose any sleep over it."
Gina faced the boys again.
"After you."
The three began to walk off. Celia stood in her spot, watching them edge further and further away. She was scared of the two boys. But she was even more scared of that pimp. If he ever got his hands on her-
"Wait for me!!" she shouted.
Celia rushed off to join the others.
Part 2