Arcade and the Golden Travel Guide

by Rashad Jennings

  “Arcade Livingston.” I held my hand out to shake hers. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

  “Arcade? What a magical name! Follow me, you two. The building narrows here, so you have to change to an elevator in the center to make it all the way to the top.”

  “So it’s just like the subway, huh? I love it! Lead the way.”

  “Yeah, just like it.” Zoe laughed. “Except we’re above ground. And there are fewer people. And we’re traveling vertically, not horizontally. Other than that, and a handful of other differences, it’s just like the subway.” Zoe cut in front of me, jostling me into the wall of the narrow hallway.

  “What I meant was, it’s like the subway because we have to change cars. When are you gonna start thinkin’ like me so we don’t keep having all these arguments?”

  Zoe stopped and turned, crossing her arms. “Umm, never?!? And I prefer to call them debates.”

  “Of course you do.”

  Marjorie led us to a special elevator in the middle of the building. “Here you go, young people. Enjoy the rest of your ride. It’s a beautiful day. You’ll be able to see forever. And make sure you come back and check out the 86th floor open-air observation deck.”

  “We’ll do that on the way down. Thank you, ma’am.” I stepped into the elevator car and Zoe followed. The doors closed.

  Ding!

  I reached for Triple T. It was cool to the touch, just like it had been ever since the middle of June when Zoe and I returned from our cousins Celeste and Derek’s house in Forest, Virginia. Cool was perfect. It had been the hottest summer ever recorded in New York City, and I needed some time to figure things out.

  The display above the doors clicked away. 100, 101, 102 . . .

  I opened my mouth and tried to yawn. “Are your ears plugged?”

  “Huh?” Zoe pressed her finger in front of her ear and wiggled it.

  Ding!

  “WHOA! That was the quickest elevator ride of my life!” I stepped forward. The doors opened, and this time a smiling gentleman apparently named Reynold greeted us.

  “Welcome to the top of the Empire State Building! You’re in luck, you’re the only ones up here. That hardly ever happens.”

  “Really?” I stepped out of the elevator to have a look around. “This is dope!”

  Zoe chewed away on her nail. “Are you sure there’s not a married couple up here? Our parents are supposed to meet us at one o’clock.”

  Reynold shook his head. “Haven’t seen ’em yet. And I see everyone who makes it up here to the top.”

  “Hmmm. I wonder if we should wait here for them.” Zoe looked around and took her pink and purple tie-dyed backpack off her shoulders.

  Reynold led us toward the enclosed, circular observatory. “Not necessary. Go ahead and enjoy the view. When they arrive, I’ll let them know you’re here.”

  “First one who finds the Times Square ball wins!” I yelled, and we both charged in opposite directions.

  Zoe headed to the left side of the building, and I went right. No surprise there. I scanned the horizon filled with skyscrapers, water, ferries, and bridges below. I found the Statue of Liberty. It looked like the size of a chess piece!

  “Whoa.”

  “There’s the Brooklyn Bridge!” Zoe pointed out. I’d been over it in a taxi only once, but there was no mistaking it.

  I wanted to keep staring out, but I had a game to win, and from all my study of the geography of Manhattan, I knew I was looking south. Times Square was north from here. I turned and made my way toward the other side of the building so I could beat my sister to the ball.

  I raced alongside the windows, focused on the New York City skyline, but before I reached the north end of the observatory, I ran right into a little old woman wearing white sweats and a . . . Triple T ball cap! My mouth hung open. I had seen her only a few times before. And the first time I would never forget. It was at the Ivy Park library right after our move to New York City. The day she gave me the Triple T Token and wished me, “Happy travels.”

  She sat there, knocked to the ground, her ball cap glowing with gold and silver glitter. “Arcade, you’re getting big.”

  I reached out a hand to help her up. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you there.”

  She stood, brushed herself off, and stared at me.

  I looked around. Reynold was nowhere in sight. “How’d you get up here?”

  “Elevator,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “Just like the subway.”

  I laughed. “I like how you think.”

  “I like how you think. That’s why you have the token.”

  “Yeeeeaaaahhhhh. About that. I have a LOT of questions for you, like—”

  She put her hand on my chest. “Sorry, no time. But I do have to tell you one thing. Things are about to heat up. In all areas. To test your mettle.”

  My metal?

  “It’s all part of the process.”

  Process?

  “Trust the tester . . .”

  Tester?

  “Arcade!” Zoe’s voice echoed in the distance. “I found the ball! I win!” I turned to see Zoe standing by a window in the corner of the observation room. She had her phone out, taking pictures, no doubt to record the moment and have proof that she won.

  “No! I hate losing to my sister!”

  When I turned back toward the old woman, she was gone.