Rats in the Pipes

21: Rat Run

I spent Sixday floating round the City. My job was wonderful, Dom was great, I loved everything and everyone. No I didn't. I was just feeling the after effects of great sex. Well great on Per's part. I was definitely less than magnificent. He insisted I fuck him for my first time but I got so excited I came almost immediately and when I started on the grovelling apologies he simply kissed me and said that tonight was all about me. He started doing things to my body that had me a breathless mess of giggles and fluttering anticipation. At the point where I was floating on fluffy white clouds he fucked me. I didn't know it was possible to melt from pleasure but it is. All I wanted to do was finish my shift, get home and repeat the experience. Once I'd greeted Mik I hugged Per and told him how floaty and euphoric I'd felt all day. 

He looked at me gravely. "I believe you may have contracted epithumia." 

I stared at him. He definitely looked serious and concerned. I'd never heard of it but I assumed it must some kind of disease so I started to feel worried. 

"It's all right, it can be cured." 

So it was a disease. "How? Do I need to go to the emergency treatment centre?"

"No. You just need to apply reason and logic to the problem and cultivate non-desire for ephemeral pleasures." 

I hit him with Mik's pillow. He fell about laughing. Mik thought this was great fun and bounced about squealing with delight. We ended up having a pillow fight.

The rest of the cycle sped by. On Eightday when I left for work I noticed the Reclammers had tackled the camera problem. Per, still half asleep, staggered out to see why I was laughing. I pointed. The camera cages were a solid mass of foam. It's a building repair material that you squirt into cracks. It sets rock hard. The cameras and their security cages, including the fixings, were completely encased. Per grinned appreciatively at the sight.

"If they've done that on all the levels our camera problem is solved. It'll take ages to chip that lot out."

I had a drop on 23 right next to a recycle mart so I took five minutes and looked at the toys. I found a ball and bought it. We can't take Mik about the City any more but he needs some exercise. With the cameras well and truly out of action we can play in the space by the bins. It may be a bit smelly but it'll be better for him than being cooped up inside. That evening we had a game until Per went off to do his community service. I put Mik to bed and sat reading. I revisited the city blueprints to make sure I had the route clear in my mind. Not that one can exactly get lost so it was probably just a way of dealing with the anxiety I felt. I'd come that way seven years ago and no-one had used it since.

When I got home on Nineday Per had prepared a large meal. He had also bought two tubes of juso and made two flatbreads with spicy paste for me to take with me. I planned to wait until the street lighting dimmed to night time setting which on Nineday was 22.00. I played music for Per and Mik then we settled him down for the night. I changed into my black shorts and the orange T that I'd been wearing the day I came to MidCit. No way could I appear in UpCit in the standard lower level attire of grey shorts and T. That would get me immediate and unwelcome notice. No-one in UpCit wore boots very often. Footwear was smart slip ons or flimsys but I needed my boots for climbing the innumerable steps up the levels. I'd just have to risk the slightly odd footwear. I wasn't going very far from the access point and the cactus gardens would be quiet first thing in the morning. Mik was still awake when I left at 22.00 so I gave him another good night kiss. I gave Per a goodnight kiss as well and he also promised to be good. 

I made my way along the north east spoke to the orbital. The city is roughly a 'D' shape with the flat side against the mountain. This makes a wedge shaped space at the corner where the convex curve of the orbital flattens to run along the back of the north segment. The corner contains an air conditioning plant. I strolled up the spoke just another citizen out enjoying Nineday evening. When I got to the orbital I dawdled on the corner until a group of people came by and as they passed me I slipped into the narrow gap between buildings. The air conditioning plant is protected by a cage but there is a narrow walkway at either side of it. I walked down the left hand side of the plant. Here I was out of sight unless anyone decided to come through the gap between the buildings. I took a deep breath and removed the key from round my neck. It isn't an electronic tag but an old fashioned mechanical lever that fits in a small slot in the panel. It was a little stiff but I heard the lock clunk back. I removed the lever, pushed the panel open and stepped through. When I closed the panel behind me the darkness folded itself round me.