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vision," he added with envy. "Had to figure it all out, y know, from context.
What s it like? A trance?"
Shit, and here I thought this guy talked with elves and angels....
Miles backed down slightly. "No, it s like a thought, only more compelling. It
storms your will - burns like lust, only not so easy to satisfy. Not like a
trance, because it drives you outward, not inward." He hesitated, unsettled,
having spoken more truth than he d intended.
Suegar looked vastly encouraged. "Oh, good. I was afraid for a second you
might be one of those guys who start talking to people nobody else can see."
Miles glanced upward involuntarily, returned his gaze straightly to Suegar.
"- so that s a vision. Why, I ve felt like that." His eyes seemed to focus and
intensify.
"Didn t you recognize it in yourself?" asked Miles blandly.
"Not by name... it s not a comfortable thing, to be chosen so. I tried to
evade it for a long time, but God finds ways of dealing with draft dodgers."
"You re too modest, Suegar. You ve believed in your scripture, but not in
yourself. Don t you know that when you re given a task, you re given the power
to accomplish it as well?"
Suegar sighed in joyous satisfaction. "I knew it was a job for two. It s just
like the scripture said."
"Uh, right. So now we are two. But we must be more. I guess we d better start
with your friends."
"That won t take much time," said Suegar wryly. "You got a step two in mind, I
hope?"
"Then we ll start with your enemies. Or your nodding acquaintances. We ll
start with the first bleeding body that crosses our path. It doesn t matter
where we start, because I mean to have them all, in the end. All, to the last
and least." A particularly apt quote shot across his memory, and he declaimed
vigorously, " Those who have ears, let them hear. All." Miles sent a prayer
up from his heart with that one.
"All right," Miles pulled Suegar to his feet, "let s go preach to the
unconverted."
Suegar laughed suddenly. "I had a top kick once who used to say, Let s go
kick some ass, in just that tone of voice."
"That, too," Miles grimaced. "You understand, universal membership in this
congregation won t come all voluntary. But you leave the recruiting to me,
hear?"
Suegar stroked his beard hairs, regarded Miles from beneath raised brows. "A
clerk, eh?"
"Right."
"Yes, sir."
They started with Oliver.
Miles gestured. "May we step into your office?"
Oliver rubbed his nose with the back of his hand and sniffed. "Let me give you
a piece of advice, boy. You ain t gonna make it in here as a stand-up comic.
Every joke that can possibly be made has been run into the ground. Even the
sick ones."
"Very well." Miles sat cross-legged, near Oliver s mat, but not too near.
Suegar hunkered down behind Miles s shoulder, not so welded to the ground, as
if ready to skip backwards if necessary. "I ll lay it out straight, then. I
don t like the way things are run around here."
Oliver s mouth twisted sardonically; he did not comment aloud. He didn t need
to.
"I m going to change them," Miles added.
"Shit," said Oliver, and rolled back over.
"Starting here and now."
After a moment s silence Oliver added, "Go away or I ll pound you."
Suegar started to get up; Miles irritably motioned him back down.
"He was a commando," Suegar whispered worriedly. "He can break you in half."
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"Nine-tenths of the people in this camp can break me in half, including the
girls," Miles whispered back. "It s not a significant consideration."
Miles leaned forward, grasped Oliver s chin, and twisted his face back toward
him. Suegar sucked his breath through his teeth with a whistle at this
dangerous tactic.
"Now, there s this about cynicism, Sergeant. It s the universe s most supine
moral position. Real comfortable. If nothing can be done, then you re not some
kind of shit for not doing it, and you can lie there and stink to yourself in
perfect peace."
Oliver batted Miles s hand down, but did not turn away again. Rage flared in
his eyes. "Suegar tell you I was a sergeant?" he hissed.
"No, it s written on your forehead in letters of fire. Listen up, Oliver -"
Oliver rolled over and up as far as supporting his upper body with his
knuckles on his sleeping mat. Suegar flinched, but did not flee.
"You listen up, mutant," Oliver snarled. "We ve done it all already. We ve
done drill, and games, and clean living, exercise, and cold showers, except
there ain t no cold showers. We ve done group sings and floor shows. We ve
done it by the numbers, by the book, by candlelight. We ve done it by force,
and made real war on each other. After that we did sin and sex and sadism till
we were ready to puke. We ve done it all at least ten times. You think you re
the first reformer to come through here?"
"No, Oliver," Miles leaned into his face, his eyes boring into Oliver s
burning eyes unscorched. His voice fell to a whisper. "I
think I m the last."
Oliver was silent a moment, then barked a laugh. "By God, Suegar has found his
soul-mate at last. Two loonies together, just like his scripture says."
Miles paused thoughtfully, sat up as straight as his spine would allow. "Read
me your scripture, again, Suegar. The full text."
He closed his eyes for total concentration, also to discourage interruptions
from Oliver.
Suegar rustled around and cleared his throat nervously. "For those that shall
be the heirs of salvation," he began. "Thus they went along toward the gate.
Now you must note that the city stood upon a mighty hill, but the pilgrims
went up that hill with ease,
because they had these two men to lead them by the arms; also they had left
their mortal garments behind them in the river, for though they went in with
them, they came out without them. They therefore went up here with much
agility and speed, through the foundation upon which the city was framed
higher than the clouds. They therefore went up through the regions of the
air..."
He added apologetically, "It breaks off there. That s where I tore the page.
Not sure what that signifies."
"Probably means that after that you re supposed to improvise for yourself,"
Miles suggested, opening his eyes again. So, that was the raw material he was
building on. He had to admit the last line in particular gave him a turn, a
chill like a bellyfull of cold worms. So be it. Forward.
"There you are, Oliver. That s what I m offering. The only hope worth
breathing for. Salvation itself."
"Very uplifting," sneered Oliver.
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