A thousand unchecked thoughts ran through the mind of each person he passed, causing an invisible static that saturated the crowded city streets and pushed him into desolate places. The no man’s land of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. Four million cubic yards of concrete used to consolidate power. Hidden within its clauses was a sinister provision: a strict prohibition on selling or sharing excess water with neighboring communities. This cunning tactic shackled those parched lands beyond the city’s grasp, leaving them with no choice but to surrender their autonomy. Annexation became the only lifeline for these thirsty communities, as Los Angeles tightened its grip and expanded its dominion. Water became a weapon, and survival came at the steep price of assimilation.
#californiadreaming #wandering
…I forgot to mention the drive-by shooting. I had just climbed out of the Los Angeles River and saw a gun barrel pointing out of the back window of a small blue four-door car filled with teenage boys. Pointing in my direction they started firing what sounded at first like suppressed gun fire. Luckily it was an airsoft gun on full auto and they missed. Leaves fell off the bushes on either side of me as I stood there and watched them drive away. That’s what happens when you play video games, I thought, shaking my head. You may think you are John Wick, but that’s only online. In real life you’re a Stormtrooper.