The Oasis of Filth Read Online Free PDF Page A

with a government that wanted to be in total control and typically left nothing to mystery? Shouldn’t she have heard something ?
     
    There was more to be concerned about. Neighbors and coworkers slowly began to realize that she was plying them for any information. She would laugh it off and say she was just talking nonsense to pass the time, but when it happened repeatedly it was harder not to notice. At least one of the government messengers paused, gave her a long look, and then left her building without saying anything. Was her obsession putting her — perhaps even both of us — in jeopardy? It made me hesitate.
     
    As I said, we spent most nights together, but not all. So it was not that unusual if I declined her invitation. I found myself turning her down sometimes for no good reason, although now I’m ashamed to admit that. I think her fascination with a fantasy made my older bones and older mind tired sometimes. And that’s why on May 23rd, a date I’ll always remember, I wasn’t there when they took her.
     

6
    You know how you could tell the government cars on the street from anyone else? Because only the government had cars anymore.
     
    It was a picturesque spring evening, the weather cool but not cold, the bright sun beginning to set, making for long shadows and brilliantly illuminated west-facing walls. I was walking home, and a sense of guilt forced me to pass Rosa’s street and pause to look in the direction of her apartment. I spotted a black vehicle just as its doors closed and engine revved, and watched it race northward. Immediately I knew what had happened. I ran to her apartment building as fast as I could and scaled the stairs more quickly than a person my age should. My heart, already pounding, stuttered when I found her front door open, no one inside. I ran to the window and craned my head to see where the car was going. But I knew. Everyone knew where they took you. Just as everyone knew you never came back.
     
    Bolling Air Force Base, on the banks of the Potomac River. It was in Southeast, just over the bridge. They’d go north, turn east on Pennsylvania Avenue, cross the river, and then go south. I didn’t hesitate.
     
    Tucked behind her building, Rosa had a bike; it was an old, black, metal contraption. Since no one had cars, bikes with baskets were the preferred alternative when getting supplies. She liked to ride hers to work most days. With no sense in my head, I grabbed it, jumped on, and headed after them. Neighbors ran into the street to gape at me, the lunatic. I’m certain they believed they were seeing me for the last time. Rosa, too. So be it, I thought.
     
    I could never catch up to the car, but knowing they were heading to Bolling was all that mattered. I kept going. I turned east onto Pennsylvania, pedaled as fast as my old ass could. The car was barely visible ahead.
     
    Minutes later the black government sedan swerved left, then right. It went off the road just before the bridge and slammed into an abandoned fast-food joint. I wasn’t close enough to see much detail. There were people spilling out. One ran for the river. My God, was that her?
     
    It was. Rosa ran toward the river as shots were fired. One clipped a tree near her head, and my heart leapt into my throat. I stopped the bike. One of the men from the car ran after her, while another spoke into a handheld radio, probably calling for a slew of backup that would soon clog every road and pathway in the area.
     
    But no one knew I was doing anything wrong. Sure, the local civilians gathering around the accident looked at me in that awful way reserved for strangers, but I could just ride home and be done. Go back to my life.
     
    The hell with that. At that point, at that age, Rosa was my life. I would go with her or die trying. I turned the bike down a side street and raced for the river. In two blocks, I spied the government agent who was chasing her. I took the risk and biked up to him.
     
    “You