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It breaks me to see this place. It’s the neighborhood that people in midtown never talk about. The neighborhood never gets addressed in any of my father’s speeches, either. It’s the biggest stain on his record so far. The one place he promised to heal during his campaign yet never touched.
Armistice Street.
One of Everton's oldest parts, Armistice Street, used to be the center of a vibrant residential area where everyone wanted to live. But as the city expanded, as the suburbs stretched out, and as apartment buildings rose higher and higher, Armistice Street was left behind—forgotten, neglected.
The original owners of these houses passed away. Their heirs moved out and sold them for pennies to money-hungry realtors who never made good on their promises to flip them. This happened during the financial crisis of 2008 when the real estate bubble blew up.
The once vibrant homes have sat empty and in ruin ever since.
“Most of these are empty, but a few are frequently used as drug dens,” Raylan tells me, following my gaze up the road. “The occasional dead body pops up, the majority being overdoses, but some get killed in these parts, too. Drug deals gone bad; junkies stabbing one another for a fix, that sort of thing.”
“Why are we here?” I ask him with a trembling voice. “Is this another lecture about my father’s ineptitude because I’ve had enough of those.”
“No, not at all. I just wanted you here while I talk to Paulie,” he says.
“Who’s Paulie?”
As if summoned, a young man stumbles out of the light blue townhouse in front of us. He looks left and right with a worried expression, his face pale and blotchy, his red jersey torn, and his jeans barely hanging on to his waist as he comes down the front steps. “What’s up, Ray-Ray?”
“Hey, Paulie. I’m glad you’re still here,” Raylan replies with what I can only describe as a sad smile. “How are you holding up?”
“Same, same, man. Every day. Still here, like you said,” the shaggy-haired man replies.
I would guess he’s in his early twenties, but he looks a lot older on account of the abuse that his body has clearly endured over the past few years. He gives me a curious, suspicious look, so I offer a soft smile in return. “I’m Randy, a friend,” I tell him.
“Nice to meet you,” Paulie says, turning to Raylan. What brings you here, man?”
“I’m worried about you, kid. How much longer do you plan on staying in this mess of a place?”
“I got nowhere else to go,” Paulie replies, increasingly frustrated. “I told you I don’t need your help anymore. I’m on my own; I’m doing all right.”
Raylan looks at me. “Paulie was one of the kids at Sweet Mother of Mercy. I found out just recently that he was still in Everton.”
“I see. Paulie, Raylan really is trying to help,” I’m compelled to say, but Paulie laughs dryly.
“Like he helped the others?”
“That’s not fair,” I shoot back.
Raylan raises a hand to silence him before he says something he might regret. I can see a muscle twitching nervously along his stubbled jaw. Raylan is usually a calm and cheerful man, but it doesn’t take much to cross him and bring out the beast. “Paulie, I haven’t found Manny yet. I was hoping he might’ve come around since—”
Paulie cuts him off. “I haven’t seen him. Hell, I don’t think he’s in the city anymore.”
“Why do you say that?” Raylan asks.
“Old Scooter was gathering kids from all over for some paid labor in the orchards beyond the ridge up north,” Paulie replies. “It wasn’t much money, but he offered boarding and a hot meal. Manny was always trying to go on the straight and narrow; he never wanted any of this.”
“Why didn’t you go with Scooter, then?” Raylan says.
Paulie’s smirk fills me with sadness. “What’s a couple of bucks going to do for me when I’m making more selling out here, huh?”
“Who are you selling for?”
“None of your goddamn business, Raylan. I’ve made my peace with this life; you should, too.”
“Paulie, we’re still open to welcoming new prospects into the club. My offer stands.”
“No, thanks,” the kid replies, about to go back into the house. “Listen, don’t come around here anymore. My guys don’t like Steel Knights showing up. It scares the customers away.”
