I had no idea how long we’d been driving. It didn’t help that I couldn’t trust my memory. What if I’d forgotten a whole night in a hotel? It sounded unlikely, but given the nature of recent events, that was small comfort. Unable to endure the oppressive silence I asked Henry if we could listen…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 22: What Happened to Jimmy Xeon?
Tag: fiction
The Cleaners Part 21: The little boy and the old woman
It must have been the calmest, most orderly abduction ever committed. Henry grunted and made inconsiderate comments about my weight as he lifted me from the wheelchair into his sedan. I welcomed him to leave me in the chair so I could call a Helper to take me home if I was too fat for him, but…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 21: The little boy and the old woman
The Cleaners, Part 20: Diane the Hero
Diane awakes in the hospital, wondering what happened after she passed out.
The Cleaners Part 19: The Kalamachi Clip
With her husband by her side, Diane explains what led to his untimely death.
The Cleaners Part 18: Built upon the Boxes
In the harsh LED lighting, it took me a moment to realize that Joseph Hyland’s office contained anything more than boxes. After some contemplation, though, I could see that the boxes, which ranged from tiny cardboard containers to huge wooden crates, had been expertly arranged to form a platform, easily eight feet tall, on which Mr.…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 18: Built upon the Boxes
The Cleaners Part 17: Training
Patricia rolled to a stop in the shadow of a massive, ugly building. Grey concrete and steel extended multiple blocks on either side with an array of windows so small and evenly spaced, they might have been battlements in a medieval castle. It could not be less like the Youngstown office except that it was impeccably clean.…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 17: Training
The Cleaners Part 16: The Driver
“Yes, Diane, it is more efficient to be a car than to be a robot driving a car.” said Patricia Driver. It’s voice was feminine, in fact it sounded exactly like the Gardener’s voice, except cheerier. Patricia’s dashboard had a :) like a Cleaner monitor when it talked, but generally showed a map like a GPS. I furrowed…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 16: The Driver
The Cleaners Part 15: To Michigan!
After a week, Henry finally called me back. Wouldn’t you know it, I was in the bathtub and missed the call. “Diane,” his message said, “I don’t think I can take another couple days off of work for a while with the economy the way it is. My team is under a lot of pressure right…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 15: To Michigan!
The Cleaners Part 14: Keep Calm
Diane takes a moment away from Angry Grandma to reconnect with her neighbor Carla.
The Cleaners Part 13: Ripples
William looked largely the same as when I had seen him last, except that he now carried a brown leather satchel over one of the shoulders of his suit. It clashed with his otherwise formal businesslike attire, and I wondered why he wouldn’t just get a briefcase or some such thing. “Hello!” William smiled, his face…… Continue reading The Cleaners Part 13: Ripples
Samuel Munk 