We had our big antichristening last night.”
The Disorganization pumped their fists in the air, all yelling: Oi,
oi, oi! For he’s a really bad fellow! Who nobody can defy! Oi oi oi!
One of them ran up to Colin with photocopies of legal documents
and thrust them into his hands. He scurried away as Bennie and Izzy
came over to look at them.
“How the fuck did you manage this?” Colin wailed, “How did a
bunch of piss-poor punks manage to purchase prime property? How?
How? How?” Colin was rapidly losing cabin pressure in his
plummeting aircraft of righteousness.
“We’ve made our alliances,” the leader said. “Somebody upstairs
likes us. So we’re the chosen ones now. And you’re the frozen ones.
So get the fuck out.” The Anarkids were slowly arming themselves
with sticks and bottles and garden hoses and the dribblings of their
own rancid spittle.
Izzy and Bennie and Colin backed away. They left quickly
through the store, down the alley and back to the desolate early-
morning Promenade where concrete slabs stood guard over cute
commercial idols dreaming of being sold.
“What happened to Sprout?” Colin wheezed, trying to get his
wind back.
“Dunno. She disappeared,” Bennie said. “Fuck. You think she’s
still in there?”
“We’d better go back in,” Izzy said.
“We and what army?” said Colin.
Sprout reappeared before they could throw themselves back into
the fire. Moreover, she brought an army with her as well. The entire
population of World O’Partments trailed behind her towards the
Promenade, a sleepy, confused bunch, but united in their
disequilibrium and purposelessness. Sprout led the way, the only
person after Partment who had shown them much kindness and
understanding. If she insisted that a war was in order, and that the
benefits would be a new living space, then they had to take her on her
word. If she insisted that the fight would be an easy one, then they
had to believe her. If she told them that they were all misunderstood
heroes, then perhaps she was right. Everyone believed in Sprout. It
was too enchanting not to.
Drawing up to Colin, Bennie and Izzy, the halfwayers formed a
circle around them as Sprout entered the eye and explained to them
what was going to happen now. The sun was coming up on the
ABYSSINIA
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