Half the Blood of Brooklyn

– Little person? Little person? Bitch, I get my hands free and drop trow, you’ll see how little I am. Keep that politically correct shit, I’m a midget.

He leans forward.

– And you’re the one who’s lying. Telling you, Moishe, these are Coalition whaddayacallims? Fascists!

Lydia looks up from inspecting the puncture wounds in her stomach.-Fascists? Are you? Alright, this is too much. This is just. Me? A fascist?

She looks at the Rebbe.

– We’re from the Society. I am a serving member on the Society’s directorate council.

She points at me.

– Joe is the head of Society security. We’re pledged members to a Clan devoted to unity and equality among all rational living things and. Fascists? We’re, I don’t want to make a big deal out of this, but we’re freedom fighters. We’re fighting for your freedom and you. We’re trying to create an atmosphere in which this woman.

She points at Rachel.

– Won’t have to be indentured and used like a hamster feeder. Which is not to say I don’t appreciate what you did giving me your blood, but believe me, you shouldn’t let yourself be used like that by these men. And.

Her jaw drops.

– Fascists? Forgive me for harping on this, but I’m just dumb-founded that you could even try to. Do you know?

She looks at the Rebbe.

– Do you know we’re here at his request? Did you know that? He and his Clan made contact with us and requested a meeting because they wanted safe passage into Manhattan. An alliance. And now he’s. I just. I’m, OK, I’m not making much sense here so I better be quiet for a moment and gather my thoughts because I am just at a loss for words as to how I should respond to that kind of ignorance and blatant disregard for the facts and. Well, I just have nothing to say.

She pulls up her sleeve and points at the upside-down pink triangle on her shoulder.

– Do you even know what this means?

Stretch nods.

– Means you’re another bitch doesn’t know how to keep her mouth shut.

She gets to her feet and lurches in Stretch’s direction.

– Motherfucker, I’m going to fucking kill you, you fucking half-wit half-pint half-man, say one more word like that and I’m going to fucking kill you and kill you!

Moishe puts a hand on her arm.

She looks at it.

– Get it off me.

He removes his hand.

– Of course, this is not meant in disrespect, yes? Is it? No. Just that you are injured. Better to sit, yes? Sit. Please.

She sits, looks at me.

– You planning to join in, Joe?

– Hey, you’re the diplomat.

Stretch opens his mouth and the Rebbe puts a finger to his lips.

– No. No, Abe, no more. You’ve made your case, yes? They are from the Coalition, you say. You know why they are here, you say. You will tell me what they are here for if I turn Hannah and Sarah over to you. This is what you have to say. I do not need to hear it again. These two, they say what? They say you are a liar. They say they are from the Society. Like that should mean something to me they say it. What does it mean? If they are telling me the truth this should make me feel better? Safer? To know more outsiders are involving themselves in our concerns should make me at ease? No. This is what I know.

He closes his eyes and puts fingers to his temples.

– The Coalition, they have been here.

He opens his eyes and looks at Lydia.

– You did not know this? Yes? No? They have been here. Offering alliances. Assurances. Promising Brooklyn to us. As if it were theirs to give. If you are one of theirs you may know this. Or not. What can I tell them? Brooklyn is already ours. This is our land. The land of the Benjaminites. The city of New Gibeah. This is ours. And they say yes, OK, yes. They leave. Very civilized. But they have been seen. Just north. In Queens. The Coalition. Many of them in Queens. What does this mean?

He folds his arms.

– If you are Coalition, I would like to know this. And if you are not? And if you are? Does it matter?

Axler puts a hand over the knife sheathed inside his vest.

– We should kill them, Papa.

– Did I ask you, Axler? Did I ask you anything but to be quiet?

– Wherever they’re from, they’re here to make trouble. We have to make a lesson of them. The people, Papa, the rest of the tribe, we told them we would keep them safe. This is how we do it.

He takes the knife out and points it at Vendetta and Harm.

– We keep the women of the tribe for increase.

He points it at Stretch.

– We kill the enemies of the tribe for safety.

He points it at me and Lydia.

– And we kill invaders to protect the borders of the tribe’s land.

He points the knife at himself.

– You may not like the way I did this tonight, Papa, but it had to be done. The rest of the tribe will not want to know it was done this way, but it had to be done. They can sleep safely in Gravesend only if we make these choices. I sinned. I broke the Sabbath. But someone has to.

Rebbe Moishe pulls down the corners of his mouth, raises his eyebrows, unfolds his arms and hoists his shoulders.

– Sometimes, not always, but sometimes my son can talk sense.

I clear my throat.

He drops his shoulders.

– Yes?

– Would it be possible for me to ask a question?

– These manners, where have they come from? Yes, of course, a question, ask it.

I look at Axler.

– I was wondering if that’s the knife you used to kill Selig?

No one says anything. So I carry the conversation for the moment.

– In the cemetery? It was just a little while ago? You stuck it through his throat and cut his brain stem with it. Was that the one you’re waving around there?

He comes in my direction.

– Axler!

He stops and looks at his father.

– A filthy lie! Do you need any more proof, Papa?

I lean into the aisle.

– Hey, I’m not asking anyone to take my word for this, Rebbe. Try grilling one of his lameass posse here. Based on the spine they showed when he was waxing their friend, I’m guessing they’ll spill the beans in about a second.

I look at the kid who scratched my head.

– What about it, buddy, you and Selig close? Got any regrets about not stepping up when junior lost his cool and killed the promising young rabbinical student?

The head scratcher opens his mouth, stands, sits, closes his mouth, looks at the Rebbe, looks away.

– He’s lying, Rebbe.