March 2019 - Flash: Another World
March 2019 - Flash
Another World
Toma used to be an ally. I trusted her with the cleanup. Back then, there was a little bit of dumpster diver still in her headlight gaze, golf ball eyes, in the way she was better at wading upwards through trash than walking forward in a straight line. In the fourth world, she was an outlier, a special one.
Toma used to lead the cleanup crew with me. Down in the trash narrows, we got a sense of how porous our skin was, how susceptible to disease. Toma told me she grew up in the trash lands, and that her dad would build a shelter out of tires and old mattresses in the cold half of the year. That was so long ago.
Today at the museum I think, my feet have never touched such a grand floor. My hands shake a little, I try to hide them behind my borrowed suit. I overhear, the little mushrooms are divine, you must have one.
There are women and men in black; black pants, black skirts, black stockings, black dresses, black jackets, black hats. A projected sign reads “In remembrance of Ayrenee Agustus Abamelik. In God’s Grace.”
I’m asked, “May I help you find your table.” That’s ok, I say. The server frowns, “Everyone here is part of a table, it’s based on health ranking.” He’s portly, I ask him if he wishes his health ranking was better so he could sit at a table. He walks away.
I finally find Toma. I can’t help but open my mouth in shock.
I look at her now in the crowd of black suits, humming like it’s one unit. Her new health points allow her to blend in. She has straight teeth and marathoner legs, yes, but those were surface level quick fixes. Over the last two years she earned stronger coronary arteries, more receptive dopamine transmitters, 10 percent better neuron generation. Toma was proud she was earning them herself, no need to bargain with the devil. I want to say to her, you always bargain with the devil. I did, and I didn’t even get to leave.
She says, “Katya! I have worried about you. You’re spending your whole life fighting to be a good employee among horrible bosses.”
“I’m not sure it’s so different for you. Yes, I stayed. You rather liked giving that IP away in order to get places.” I say.
“Better than giving up on the entire game.” she says back, winking. “Everything of the future takes place in the city, except that movie we loved seeing in the hologram; Interstellar -- that takes place in space”
“A lot of it took place in a rural town.” I say.
“Yes, but with one goal, space.” Toma says pointedly, letting me know today and forevermore how I am here and now she is … up there.