sandtheon,“Takemeforexample.Iamblind.Myfleshbodyseemstobeincarceratedforlifeinadarkprisonwithnoceofparole.Butjustbecauseofthis,myimaginationaivitybecamealiveandresurrectedfrommyfleshbody.TheybecamecarefreeandspontaneousaedmyKingdomofDreams.SoIcametotheclusionthatabsoluterestricreatesabsolutefreedom.Whatdoyouthink?”Dimitriseemedtowanttocrifyhismeaningmoreandadded,“Idoosaythatoloseone’ssightione’simaginationaivityintofullpy.Actuallysomesightedpeoplearealsoodatutilizingtheseiuralresources.IusedmyselfasanexamplebecauseyouhavebeentomyKingdomofDreams,andthuswouldbeabletouandwhatImeaer.”Spell-boundandfasated,CharinawassilenttryingtoabsorbthemeaningofhiswordswhenDimitrisuddenlyinterruptedherthoughtssaying,“Ohbytheway,wemustturnrighthereorwewouldovershootourdestination.”Dimitriwaspletelyblind,buthewasveryfamiliarwiththispartoftownandknewhiswayaroundthearea.

    Turningtheertheycametoaquietandparativelynarrowstreet.Theshopsonbothsideshadlongclosedtheirdoors.Theroomsabovetheshopswereeitheroffiesbutnolightsshowedatalliworowsofthree-storeybuildings.Itwasasifnoonelivedthereatall.Theyseemedtohavewalkedintoaycity.Astheywentfurtheron,Charina’seyesopenedwideinshock.Thergestorewindowswereriddledwithbulletholesandspiderweblikecracksextewardsfromtheseholes.Thedoorsiercedwithbullets.Thoughalltheshopshadpulleduptheirironsecuritygrillgate,thesealsoboreevidenceofhavibyguherewererowsofmaegunbulletholesoreetsignprovingthatafierfighthadtakenpcehere.Remnantsofbrown-coloredbloodstainsandbrokengssnotquiteedupremaiheground.Thiswasthesiteofafiergbattlewheretworivalgangscshedoverterritorialrights,whidedwithbothsidesleavingbehindcasualtiesbeforethepolicearrived.CharinagaveaanddescribedtoDimitrithesebeforethem.

    “Don’tbeafraid.Don’tbenervous,butlet’smoveonquicklyahistroubledspot.Thesesesareoninthelifeofavagabond;Ihaveseehahem,sodon’tbenervousandafraid.”Charinanoddedandsilentlyhurriedtowardsthereeter.Perhapsbecauseshewastooscaredandnervous,shefailedtonoticethatontheoppositesideofthestreetapairofeyeswasstaringattheminenvyandjealousy.WhileCharinaandDimitriwaitedattheerforageoflight,Dimitrisaidtoher,

    “Youefromtheupperechelonofsocietyandhavealwaysledaveryfortablelife.Yhlyeducatedandhavemadeasuccessofyourcareer.Youdonotknowthatthereisanothercssofpeoplelivingatthebottomofsociety,fullofpoverty,crimeandviolenowthatyouhaveseewoextremesofsocietyitwouldcertainlybeagreathelptoyourwriting.”Thegreenlightcameonawohurriedacrossthestreettowardstherosegardenbytheke,closelysurveyedbythepairofcoldeyes.

    12

    Thesad,weather-beatenfacedeeplyetchedwithwrinklesofDimitri’soldfriendDavid,whowasalreadygettingoninage,hadseldombeenhappy.Hepulledapsticbagoutofabrokenpaperboxandtookoutatatteredanddirtybwhichhespreadonthegrouhehebrokenpaperboxatooshelterhisheadsomewhatfromtheightwind.Therehadbeenafierbattleherenotsolongago,wheregangmembersonbothsidesgaveuptheirlives,somostpeoplechoseotherroutesandgavethepceawideberth.ButDavidcravedsolitudeandchosetospendthenighthere.Hestoopedbytheroadsideslo

sandtheon,“Takemeforexample.Iamblind.Myfleshbodyseemstobeincarceratedforlifeinadarkprisonwithnoceofparole.Butjustbecauseofthis,myimaginationaivitybecamealiveandresurrectedfrommyfleshbody.TheybecamecarefreeandspontaneousaedmyKingdomofDreams.SoIcametotheclusionthatabsoluterestricreatesabsolutefreedom.Whatdoyouthink?”Dimitriseemedtowanttocrifyhismeaningmoreandadded,“Idoosaythatoloseone’ssightione’simaginationaivityintofullpy.Actuallysomesightedpeoplearealsoodatutilizingtheseiuralresources.IusedmyselfasanexamplebecauseyouhavebeentomyKingdomofDreams,andthuswouldbeabletouandwhatImeaer.”Spell-boundandfasated,CharinawassilenttryingtoabsorbthemeaningofhiswordswhenDimitrisuddenlyinterruptedherthoughtssaying,“Ohbytheway,wemustturnrighthereorwewouldovershootourdestination.”Dimitriwaspletelyblind,buthewasveryfamiliarwiththispartoftownandknewhiswayaroundthearea.

    Turningtheertheycametoaquietandparativelynarrowstreet.Theshopsonbothsideshadlongclosedtheirdoors.Theroomsabovetheshopswereeitheroffiesbutnolightsshowedatalliworowsofthree-storeybuildings.Itwasasifnoonelivedthereatall.Theyseemedtohavewalkedintoaycity.Astheywentfurtheron,Charina’seyesopenedwideinshock.Thergestorewindowswereriddledwithbulletholesandspiderweblikecracksextewardsfromtheseholes.Thedoorsiercedwithbullets.Thoughalltheshopshadpulleduptheirironsecuritygrillgate,thesealsoboreevidenceofhavibyguherewererowsofmaegunbulletholesoreetsignprovingthatafierfighthadtakenpcehere.Remnantsofbrown-coloredbloodstainsandbrokengssnotquiteedupremaiheground.Thiswasthesiteofafiergbattlewheretworivalgangscshedoverterritorialrights,whidedwithbothsidesleavingbehindcasualtiesbeforethepolicearrived.CharinagaveaanddescribedtoDimitrithesebeforethem.

    “Don’tbeafraid.Don’tbenervous,butlet’smoveonquicklyahistroubledspot.Thesesesareoninthelifeofavagabond;Ihaveseehahem,sodon’tbenervousandafraid.”Charinanoddedandsilentlyhurriedtowardsthereeter.Perhapsbecauseshewastooscaredandnervous,shefailedtonoticethatontheoppositesideofthestreetapairofeyeswasstaringattheminenvyandjealousy.WhileCharinaandDimitriwaitedattheerforageoflight,Dimitrisaidtoher,

    “Youefromtheupperechelonofsocietyandhavealwaysledaveryfortablelife.Yhlyeducatedandhavemadeasuccessofyourcareer.Youdonotknowthatthereisanothercssofpeoplelivingatthebottomofsociety,fullofpoverty,crimeandviolenowthatyouhaveseewoextremesofsocietyitwouldcertainlybeagreathelptoyourwriting.”Thegreenlightcameonawohurriedacrossthestreettowardstherosegardenbytheke,closelysurveyedbythepairofcoldeyes.

    12

    Thesad,weather-beatenfacedeeplyetchedwithwrinklesofDimitri’soldfriendDavid,whowasalreadygettingoninage,hadseldombeenhappy.Hepulledapsticbagoutofabrokenpaperboxandtookoutatatteredanddirtybwhichhespreadonthegrouhehebrokenpaperboxatooshelterhisheadsomewhatfromtheightwind.Therehadbeenafierbattleherenotsolongago,wheregangmembersonbothsidesgaveuptheirlives,somostpeoplechoseotherroutesandgavethepceawideberth.ButDavidcravedsolitudeandchosetospendthenighthere.Hestoopedbytheroadsideslo