20

“Hi neighbor,” Adam said.

“Hello,” the neighbor said, uncertainly, “do I know you?”

“Well, that’s just what I wanted to talk to you about. We’re neighbors, see, and I think it’s time we got to know each other.”

The neighbor wracked his brain, searching to the last neuron for any possible way to get out of this without looking like a jerk. But there was no way, and he slammed the door in Adam’s face.

Adam took the walk of shame back up to the sidewalk where Marsh was waiting.

“This is ridiculous, that’s door number six, slammed in my face,” Adam said, “I think these guys are scaring people off,” he said referring to the camera crew who shadowed him everywhere he went.

“Well,” Marsh said, “it could be that, or it could be the fact that you’re up against a power as old as … as … well, you’re up against a very old power. One that’s had its grips on the community since the idea of community began. That is … mistrust.

Adam thought about it a minute and it seemed almost too obvious, obvious enough to make him suspicious.

Marsh turned to the twins, “are we rolling?”

They gave him the thumbs up, each in their own inimitable way.

“You see,” Marsh began, staring down the barrel of the lens, “it’s a tactic they’ve used since the dawn of time-a! Used by Sataaaaaan himself-a! Children … we call it diviiiiiiiiide and conquer-a. When the devil sows the seeds of mistrust, neighbor will shut out neighbor and communities are leeched of powaaaah! The one true Powaaaaah! The Power of the Lord-a! Only a strong community can reject Satan and those he would place in the seats of government-a!”

There was a slight crashing and scraping sound, from down the street. A little girl had jumped off her bike and run inside her house, after about five seconds a crack in the blinds appeared in the front window.

“Did we pick up that bike crashing,” Marsh asked Peter.

“Yeah,” he said, “ruined the take.”

“Okay, let’s try it again,” Marsh said.


The next three houses were either unoccupied or refused to answer the door. Maybe the word had got out, Adam thought, about the crazy people going door to door and yelling in the street, scaring children half to death. Maybe the phones were ringing off the hook, maybe this was a strong community, but he just wasn’t really a part of it.

They headed back to Adam’s house. It was a major setback, even without the shame involved, it was probably time to move out of the neighborhood.

Justin was ready to abuse the crew the minute they came through the door, after all, he was the one who thought getting to know the neighbors was a bad idea. It was the first time he had left Adam’s shadow since they met.

“Well, look who it is,” Justin said, “it’s the welcome wagon.”

“Shut up, Justin,” Adam said.

“What’s, uh,” Just continued, ignoring Adam’s request, “what’s the problem there, homes? Didn’t make any new friends? Don’t worry, son, your Momma will always love you.”

“Why don’t you just shut your mouth,” Eunice said to Justin.

“Ooohh, what you gonna do, bitch, give me a make-over?”

Eunice dropped her camera heavily (to Marsh’s dismay and a cry of “easy!”) and went charging toward Justin but was met halfway by Peter as she always was. She was always starting fires and he was always putting them out.

“Justin,” Adam said, “we need to talk.”

Adam motioned for Justin to follow him into the privacy of the kitchen.

“No,” Justin said, “Anything we have to say to each other, we can say in front of everybody.”

“Fine,” Adam said, and thought of how best to humiliate him.