Page 79 of Forbidden Letters
“Yes.”
“Is that what you meant when you said you had a bike?”
“What did you think I meant?”
“Something with a motor. Not that! Fuck, you people really are serious about living basic lives, aren’t you?”
“You say fuck all the time, do you know that?”
“So, what? Does it bother you?”
She pulled her knees up in front of her and wrapped her arms around them. “We try to avoid foul language. It’s unnecessary.”
I snorted. “Sorry, pixie, but I talk the way I want to talk.”
“My brother used to curse sometimes too, but it’s a bad habit and now the Council is talking about making it illegal.”
Sitting next to her, I leaned back and planted my hands in the sand behind me. “That’s ridiculous. You can’t make words illegal.”
“Apparently, you can.”
“But how would they police it?”
“I’m not sure, but someone said that the idea is for all of us to help each other out by reporting improper communication.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Is this your twisted sense of humor or are you serious?”
She turned her face to me and there was a smile that made her face softer and prettier. “I wish it was a joke. As an author I like the variety in words, accents, and speech patterns. I don’t swear much myself, but it makes things more interesting.”
“Fuck yeah!” I laughed and felt pride in my chest when she smiled again. “But tell me something; why did you swim instead of jumping the wall?”
“It’s much too high for me and there are mines on this side of the border.”
“Mines?”
“Yes. That’s why I swam to this part of the beach.” She pointed in the direction of the wall, which was about a hundred and thirty feet away. “I never go all the way up to the wall. There are signs that warn about mines.”
“And you believe them?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
I chuckled again. “Pixie, come on.”
“What do you mean?”
“Think about it. You have wolves, but what about bears, cougars, elk, and moose? Do you have those too?”
“Yes. And a lot of wild horses and goats too.”
“Okay, and have any of them been blown to pieces?”
She frowned.
“If there were mines, don’t you think some animals would have been blown up by now?”
“You think they’ve been lying to us?” Her eyes widened. “No. They wouldn’t do that. Our society is based on integrity and trust.”
I laughed out loud. “You’re so sweet and innocent.”
