Public Enemy Zero

34

Mitchell was about to get a lot more friends. Before he made it to his hiding spot for the night, he made one more stop, the effects of which were rapidly changing at least some people’s minds.

In a back alley between a highway and a canal where he’d parked his boat, Mitch made a video and uploaded it to YouTube on his iPhone.

When he turned on the device for the first time since that morning, the screen was filled with a barrage of text messages and voicemail. Some familiar, others weren’t. He didn’t have enough time to check them and could already imagine what they said anyway.

He launched the video camera app. He wanted for people to at least hear his side of things. Up until then, the police had been telling everyone what was taking place. Mitchell suspected that even they really had no idea.

Mitch took off the hat and jacket he’d been wearing and combed back his wild hair with his hand. He took a deep breath and tried a relaxation exercise so he wouldn’t come across too excited or crazy. He knew that no matter what, he was going to sound crazy to most people, but if he could just reach a few, then that could make a difference.

He thought out what he needed to say. He didn’t want to come across as too paranoid or too glib. He also reminded himself that there were people who suffered a lot worse than him. Mitch pressed record.

“Hi, I’m Mitch Roberts. As you know, I am on the run. Let me make it very clear that I am ready to surrender. All I have to know is that I won’t be harmed and the people who I surrender to won’t be harmed directly or indirectly by my surrendering.

“There is something strange going on that I don’t understand. Since yesterday, anybody who comes near me that’s not behind glass tries to kill me. Not approach me. Not stop me. But tries to kill me.

“According to the news, they haven’t released the video from what happened at the mall. I understand that it’s disturbing. I was there. But you need to see this video. The public needs to see all of the video that’s available. You’ll understand that I’m not trying to harm anyone. I’m only defending myself, the same as you would do.

“For me to surrender, I need to know that the people I’m surrendering to are properly protected and that I can be safely isolated from contact with other people until they find out what’s happening.” Mitchell paused for a moment and looked off screen. He had been holding up so far using his radio voice. It was beginning to crack.

Mitchell’s eyes began to get moist. “If I had known today what would have happened when I ran from the food court to all of those people. To the people in the department store. To the people that jumped or got pushed from the roof by other people, I’d like to think I wouldn’t have run.”

Mitchell’s voice wavered. “I … I don’t know if I could just sit there and let everyone attack me. I’d never been so scared in my life … but I’d like to think that if I could go back there and do it all over again, I would have let them.”

Mitch clicked the stop button. He wanted to check the video again but didn’t have time. He pressed the button to upload it to his YouTube account. It would take another hour before it went live. As he was about to shut off his iPhone, an instant notification message popped up from Twitter.

He didn’t recognize the person who sent the message, but it was comforting just the same. He opened up his Twitter account just to see how people were reacting. There were thousands of @replies to him, many calling him a monster, others showing support. He saw the hash tag #runmitchrun used a lot. Not everyone was buying the story that he was the public menace the press and authorities had made him out to be.

A number of people using the hash tag were offering him advice that ranged from ridiculous to almost helpful. He scanned through and found a couple things to keep in mind. If he could have crowd-sourced his escape earlier on, he could have saved himself some trouble.

Mitchell decided it was worth the risk to send out a tweet. He didn’t want to be flippant, but he also just wanted to feel a part of something bigger than himself for the moment. Trying to figure out what to say took him a minute. Finally, he managed to types something out.

Mitchell’s YouTube video inevitably went viral later that night. The morning papers had already been sent to bed, but the television channels were filled with news anchors and commentators parsing every frame of the video. Public officials were flooded for requests for the mall video and the Super Center robbery.

Although people were having trouble accepting Mitchell’s claim that people were attacking him without provocation, the discussion shifted from the manhunt to the root cause of what had happened. There was the growing feeling that the government wasn’t telling people everything.

Far away from Mitchell, The Naked Man in the Forest was in his own clearing of woods. He’d come again to the Earth Mother for advice. Only he’d taken longer than he should.

He couldn’t wait much longer. He needed her guidance. He took a small piece off the blotter from the Otherself’s pants and sat down on the rotting log. Dark thunder clouds were forming overhead. He felt cold and afraid.

He placed it on his tongue and stared at the oak tree. It took a few minutes but the familiar face began to form. Only this time the lips weren’t supple and inviting, they formed a cruel sneer. The eyes looked at him accusingly.

What have you done foolish child!

The Naked Man in the Forest cowered in her presence. He felt shameful in his nakedness.

Her eyes burned with green fury. Vines writhed around her head like Medusa’s snakes.

My eggs? Are they safe?

“Yes, Earth Mother! They’re safe. I’d die for them.”

And you just might! What is that you’ve done?

“The Otherself, Earth Mother! He made a mistake. There’s a man, a dark man, I’m afraid he may bring harm to your eggs. To me.”

Then you must kill this man!

“I will try. But killing him may expose the Otherself. They may know that he plots.”

Green leaves flicked from her lips like a forked tongue.

My eggs! All that matters are my eggs! If the Otherself can be spared for now, then do it. But kill this man!

He’d wanted the man dead. He just had to know that was what the Earth Mother wanted, as well.

The Naked Man in the Forest saw bees flying from an empty tree stump several yards away. Was the Earth Mother giving him a sign?

“Should I punish myself, Earth Mother?” He walked toward the hive. His hand was outstretched.

She said nothing. He brought his hand closer to the stump. An angry bee buzzed past his head. He looked back at the oak. Bright green eyes stared back at him. He reached into the log.

Stop it, you fool! The Otherself can’t be punished like that. Over there instead.

Her forked tongue pointed to a vine of leaves on a nearby tree. He pulled his hand away and walked over to the tree.

Grab the leaves.

He did as she commanded. His right hand grabbed a cluster of the green leaves.

Rub them on yourself. Rub them where no one will see.

He rubbed the leaves on his testicles. They felt cool at first like mint. They then began to itch. His scrotum was on fire. He kept rubbing. His genitals still felt distant from himself.

Her green eyes stared right through him. The leaves began to fall apart. He could feel welts forming on his balls.

Stop it, fool. That’s enough.

“Yes, Earth Mother.”

Now go. Go stop this man. Stop him from hurting my eggs.

Her angry face withered away and the Naked Man in the Forest was all alone again.

The Otherself whispered to him that he needed to do something about the poison ivy on his balls before the acid completely wore off.