Station

by Jarrett Brandon Early

  Reena chimed in. "Or something?" Hadder looked over and had to do a double-take of the alluring girl who donned the artistic high-tops. She was a tiny dark-skinned Asian with fuchsia hair styled in a cute bob. Her makeup accented the look, with glowing rose-colored lines that outlined silver eyes that gleamed similarly to Miles's golden optics. She wore a youthful jumper of white on which messages changed continuously, from YOLT to Station Brat to The Before = Dream.

  "I asked what you were running from." The man's musical voice ripped Hadder's attention from the lovely girl. Hadder, unable to put what he saw into words, simply pointed down the side-path with a shaky hand. "I'll check it out," the man said to Reena before sprinting away.

  "See something you like," Reena giggled.

  Hadder realized that he was gawking at the girl again. This time, he had noticed a quarter-sized comet revolving above Reena's head. It tore through the air at a steady pace, leaving in its wake a pink tail that created a perfect circle above Reena. Ideal headwear for an angel.

  "I was just admiring your…" Again, a loss of words. Hadder pointed.

  "Oh, my Light Crown? Thanks so much, I just had it made. It's gonna be all the rage at The Soiree tonight. Remember that you saw it on me first, alright?"

  The man returned, looking perplexed. Reena spoke first. "You see anything, Jonny?"

  "Nothing. Sorry old chap, all I found was a manikin working on the gardens. Just some generic glume, Reena, not even a strange model. Cat release your tongue, yet? Can you tell me what you saw?"

  Hadder tried to explain. "There was a man back there. A pale one. With white eyes and, and, and, no mouth. He…"

  Jonny interrupted. "Yes, the manikin, I saw him. I'm asking, what has you so absolutely frazzled?"

  Hadder stood open-mouthed. Recognition struck Reena.

  "Wait a minute, Jonny." To Hadder, "Who are you? I don't think I've seen you around before. Jonny, have you ever seen this man?"

  "Can't say that I have, love. I would have remembered that handsome jawline and wild-eyed bewilderment."

  Reena took Hadder's hand. Her hands were soft like two doves. "You've never seen a manikin before, have you?" A broad smile revealed pink braces. "Because you just got here. Because you're a…"

  "My god!" Jonny cut in excitedly. "You're a new resident! Oh, how truly delightful. Oh, poor thing, no wonder you look so Edvard Munch. Did no one explain manikins to you? Who's running this travesty of an operation?"

  "I bet it was that Miles. He can't concentrate on anything besides his music for any length of time. We should've been asked to do it."

  "You know Mister Rott loves his original Keys, my dear. From which we are far removed. But enough of the past, where are our manners? My good sir, I am Jonston Van Vleet, also known as Jonny VV, and this is my dearest friend and esteemed equal Reena Song. What might your name be?"

  Hadder forced himself to speak, working hard to remove his eyes from Jonny's suit, which he noticed subtly danced with green embers as if logs had just been thrown on a Christmas fire. "I'm Hadder. Marlin Hadder. And yes, I just arrived, although I'm not too sure how long ago. And yes, Miles took me to the Perch, but he left me with more questions than answers. And finally, yes, that thing back there, that manikin, scared the shit out of me."

  Jonny VV slapped his hand together loudly. "Oh, how marvelous, Reena! How absolutely wonderful! We have a project on our hands. It's so great to meet you, Hadder. It's been too long since someone new showed up. Honestly, most of us thought the books were closed, but how happy I am to know that we were wrong. Where were you trying to go, Hadder, if you don't mind me asking."

  "Miles thought the Celebration Cluster might be a good place to start."

  Reena hooked her left arm around Hadder's right. "Well, at least boring Miles got that part right."

  Jonny took Hadder's left arm. "Indeed, he did, my Asian blossom. Hadder, the Celebration Cluster happens to be where the striking Miss Reena and I were heading, as we do on the eve of every Haela. We would be honored if you would walk with us. Perhaps we can shed a bit more light on this dark place."

  "I would like that."

  "Then we're off," said Reena, pulling Hadder and Jonny with her.

  Hadder's feet moved, but his mind remained frozen, unable to comprehend the things he had witnessed in the past few hours. Too many questions and still too few answers. Still clinging to a world now closed to him. But at least he was no longer alone, as he distinctively felt two arms helping him along this new, evidently more traveled road.

  They walked in silence briefly before Jonny, already showing himself to be the verbose gentleman that he was, began the lesson.

  "So, tell me, Hadder, did that scoundrel Miles tell you anything of value?"

  "He told me about the Bar system. Said I had to get in where I fit in."

  Jonny laughed. "Well, at least he shed some light on that. Life in Station is similar to the Before."

  "Miles mentioned the Before."

  "Yes, our lives before Station. Anyway, think of Bars as groups of friends. Sometimes you would like to hang out with this group, other times you prefer that group. This group you can live with, another you can party with. There's no laws or contracts here, so it's all a bit of a loosey-goosey arrangement, but we like it like that, don't we Reena."

  "Of course. Who needs restrictions?"

  "Well, some do, don't they, love?" Both laughed at a joke Hadder didn't catch. Jonny continued. "Some Bars are just places to meet up and have a good time, while others are for nesting, with living quarters beneath them. Rooms are first-come, first-serve, but most people respect if an individual has remained in the same room for a while, meaning it becomes theirs permanently, or as long as he or she wishes. Some like to create new homes here, not like Reena and I. True rolling stones, isn't that right, darling?"

  "No moss here, Jonny."

  Hadder's curiosity could be kept silent no longer. "And that thing back there, the manikin?"

  Jonny stopped walking. "Well now, look around, new friend Hadder." He waited for Hadder to take in his surroundings before pressing on. "How would you describe Station so far?"

  Hadder thought for a moment. "Clean. Manicured. Beautiful. Dim. Alien."

  "Well said. The last two are products of the place itself, but the first three we owe to the hundreds of manikins that service Station."

  "But what are they? Slaves?" Hadder involuntarily shuddered at the idea.

  "Oh no, dear man, you have to have a soul to be a slave. Manikins are just human-shaped husks preprogrammed with instructions. Wind-up men and women. They tend the gardens, prepare our food, pour our drinks, and clean up our filth."

  "They do more than that, Jonny."

  "Quite right you are, my exotic berry. The more advanced ones can do wondrous things, like creating breathtaking ensembles such as those being worn by your two guides."

  "Who do you think made me this Light Crown?"

  "Some can play moving music that will make you sob like an infant. Others can paint haunting portraits of loved ones from the Before." Jonny leaned in close to Hadder's ear. "And others can bring you to the mountaintops of sexual ecstasy."

  "Jonny! Oh my god, gross!"

  "Sorry, love, just an observation," stated Jonny, throwing a wink towards Hadder for good measure.

  "So, manikins do all the work in Station?" asked Hadder, still trying to come to grips with these creatures.

  Reena responded, "Well, Station wouldn't be much of a Xanadu if we all had jobs to do, now would it?"

  Hadder halted the walk. "Is that what this is supposed to be? Some kind of Utopia?"

  Jonny and Reena exchanged wary glances, the first crack in their otherwise optimistic projections. Reena answered with a question. "What is a Utopia, Marlin? Is it a place that is perfect for everyone all the time? This seems impossible. Or is it a place that merely offers the complete freedom of life and expression, the elements necessary so that one may craft the perfect life for hersel
f? I think you'll find like so many of us have that Station is not the former. But it can be the latter."

  Hadder still looked confused.

  Jonny took his hand. "Come, maybe it's best you see for yourself. We're almost there."

  As the trio walked, their shadows were becoming simultaneously deeper and yet less defined. Hadder looked up to find that the Idol Moon was marginally smaller and giving off noticeably less light than when he first entered the city, clearly transitioning from Solay to Haela.

  The broader path they were now on - Hadder thought it resembled more of a road than the small paths through the gardens - was lined with large trees whose many branches went up, out, and down in gentled arcs. At the end of each branch were baseball-sized fruits that emanated soft, purplish light, lighting the way for Station's transient populace.

  Jonny, following Hadder's eyes, commented. "These are Monarch Trees. They can be found straddling most of Station's larger walkways. If you observe them carefully, you can see how their fruits grow brighter as Haela falls and dim during Solay. Just another of Mister Rott's wonderful creations."

  "Who is this Mister Rott? Miles mentioned him as well, but I didn't get anything concrete out of him."

  Another nervous exchange between Jonny and Reena. "That's a difficult one, Hadder, old boy. Like describing Starry Night to a blind person or trying to hold back a river with your hands."

  Reena snickered. "Those are terrible explanations, Jonny. Someone explained it to me at a party many Haelas ago. Mister Rott is like dark matter. We rarely see him, his true impact is nearly impossible to measure, and yet he pulls all the strings on this contained universe of ours. Therefore, we know he exists. We know he crafted all of this. We know he handpicked each of us. But the why of it all?” Reena shrugged helplessly. “Many theories are floating around, some plausible and most others preposterous. But these are big questions, sweet, handsome Marlin, better left for later times, to be digested piece by piece lest you choke on too much awareness."

  "Well said and quite right," said Jonny. "You have eternity for these philosophical queries, old chap. This upcoming Haela? This is a time for jubilation! For meeting new friends and grabbing up new lovers!" Jonny jogged ahead to stand under a large, darkened archway that marked the end of the current thoroughfare, which was opening into a vast courtyard beyond. "This!" He threw his arms up dramatically. "This is the Celebration Cluster!"

  On cue, the archway lit up like a Roman candle, forcing Hadder to shield his eyes in the growing dimness. Upon adjustment, Hadder found that weaved throughout the arch was a medley of glowing flowers that released all the colors of the spectrum while systematically discharging fiery seeds that disappeared skyward before exploding into blasts of light, creating the perfect backdrop for Jonny VV's immaculate pose.

  Reena stood on her toes to kiss Hadder's cheek. She smelled like vanilla cookies fresh out of the oven. "In case you couldn't tell, we're here." And with that, she screamed into the air, ran, and jumped into Jonny's waiting arms. Together, they beckoned Hadder forward, dragging him deep into a Haela he would never forget.

  CHAPTER 6

  Hadder passed under the blinding archway and into a paved central clearing that was vaguely circular, and onto which were situated nearly a dozen Bars of differing sizes and shapes. In the center of the clearing was the largest of the buildings, a nine-story monstrosity covered in vines and red roses whose glow made the entire structure look as if it were made of pure fire. The sign over the entrance, although unlit, read Inferno.

  "Is that where we're going?" Hadder asked, pointing towards the conspicuous Bar. Jonny and Reena shared a nervous laugh.

  "Not there, my virgin friend. Inferno is the craziest, most grotesque Bar in the Celebration Cluster. Best to stay away from there, or you'll end up catatonic on one of your first Haelas. In fact, just stay away from it forever. That's the best policy. But not to worry, we'll have a grand time elsewhere."

  The trio walked to the left of the clearing, keeping Inferno on their right. Two Bars passed by on the western edge of the Cluster, one smaller establishment called The 1999 and the other a majestic building whose sign read The Soiree Noire. In direct contrast to Inferno, The Soiree Noire was a classically built marble building bathed in beautiful white light by barrel-shaped bushes with shining megaphone blossoms that surrounded the Bar, spotlighting it. Hadder recalled Reena mentioning a Bar with a similar name.

  They came upon the ivory Bar but, to Hadder's surprise, continued past. "Aren't we going in? To The Soiree Noire, I mean."

  Reena answered this time. "We will, for sure, but not yet. The Soiree doesn't open until full Haela, so we have some time to kill."

  "And a better place to ease ourselves into the true night," piggybacked Jonny.

  They kept walking, continuing past several more Bars; Inferno was now at their backs. During the stroll, Hadder could see the plaza begin to fill as residents started to pour in from other thoroughfares that fed into the Cluster. Each resident, from what Hadder could tell, was as smartly dressed as his two companions, with colorful designs, illuminated fabrics, and exotic materials. Most yelled out in greeting to Jonny and Reena, who were obviously well-liked. Hadder sighed deeply, feeling for the first time since the accident that he was in good hands, being taken care of.

  The Celebration Cluster woke up as they walked, reacting no doubt to the Idol Moon's reduction. The world grew darker and brighter in succession as radiant moonbeams were traded for opening petals that released a Solay's worth of pent-up spectral energy that painted the Cluster. Looking around, Hadder held back tears, imagining that such a canvas would be more at home in the Louvre, for these places didn't really exist, especially for wretches like himself. Hadder heard his name from far away but growing closer.

  "Hadder. Hadder." It was Jonny. Hadder didn't know how many times he had called him. He realized that he had stopped walking, was now merely standing and staring wide-eyed at the wonderment of his surroundings.

  "Sorry, Jonny, I was…" Another loss for words, a growing habit.

  Jonny smiled sweetly. "No, I'm sorry. We've been here so long we all forget how truly remarkable it all is." Jonny and Reena joined Hadder, and together the three stood in silence, staring at an alien realm as it transitioned from bizarrely beautiful to beautifully bizarre. Finally, Hadder turned to his new friends. "I'm ready."

  Together, they swept Hadder away towards a simple two-story Bar that looked as if it didn't exist. No flower lights were highlighting the building, for none were needed. The entire exterior looked to be made of mirrored glass, which powerfully reflected the breathtaking portrait of the Celebration Cluster and created a startling effect on the observer.

  "Here we are, Hadder, my boy. This is Morning's Echo, the perfect place to start another memorable Haela."

  Hadder looked at the building, and in it, he saw himself, Jonny VV, and Reena Song as they approached. He smiled at the image, three friends backlit by a psychedelic, fantastical Vegas, ready to take on the night. "I'm ready," repeated Hadder. They were the first confident words he had spoken in years.

  Although entirely dissimilar, the inside of Morning's Echo matched its exterior in terms of attractiveness and warmness. A large central, ovular bar dominated the main room, behind which were three manikins who took turns either frantically pouring beverages, cleaning, or staring blankly into space. Everything was made from a light-colored wood that gave the area a relaxed, calming appeal. Looking up, Hadder noticed that he could see clear to the beamed ceiling, for the second floor was nothing more than a 360-degree mezzanine that allowed those above an unencumbered view of the first floor.

  Several groups sitting at various tables, sipping colorful drinks from geometric glasses, greeted the trio as they entered. One woman stood up. With dark caramel skin and an afro that was blown back into a tear shape, she looked like she had stepped out from the pages of a leading fashion magazine. Her tailored white apron dress contrasted perfectly with her dark
skin and showed off her athletic, impossibly long legs. "Reena! Who is that dingy, Reality Bites, tasty morsel you got with you? Hey boo! Long-time, never see!"

  Hadder could feel the blood rushing to his face in a blush. Jonny swiftly came to his defense. "Not yet, Sonja," he called out. "We'll do a proper introduction in a bit." Jonny now appeared to be talking to everyone in the Bar. "When Echo fills up, I'll introduce our new man here to everyone."

  Sonja looked confused. "New man? What's that supposed…" the words faded out as realization settled in. "Oh, child," were the last words Hadder could hear as Sonja covered her mouth and dramatically collapsed back into her chair, falling into hushed conversation with her tablemates. Hadder couldn't help but see all the other occupied tables falling into similar quiet talks that were followed by furtive glances in his direction.

  Jonny walked him to the circular bar, helping him into a tall stool that was topped and backed with cushioned white leather. Hadder settled in as Jonny and Reena took seats beside him.

  "That was necessary, old chap, or you'll be facing the firing squad all night. Honestly, you still will, but after I announce you to an audience, I'm hoping you'll later be staring down one barrel at a time rather than an arsenal. Glume!"

  Hadder was forced back into his chair as one of the three manikins approached from the other side of the bar and waited. It was nearly identical to the one he had stumbled upon in the garden, only this one had spiked white hair atop its head. A head that held a face that contained no mouth.

  "What will it be, Hadder?"

  "Just beer is fine."

  Another chuckle from Reena. Jonny worked to address Hadder's confused look. "This is Station, Hadder. The miracles don't stop with our surroundings. The drinks provided have all sorts of properties, can make you feel any number of ways. Uppers, downers? Want to think more or less? Need to calm down? Need to cheer up? Want to sleep? Want to wake up? Need to remember? Have to forget? Behind this bar are potions carefully crafted to match whatever mood you're in - or want to be in."