Unison (The Spheral) (20 page)

I was roused from my sleep by a rapping at the door. I picked up my lantern and shined it on Shisa. She was still asleep on the floor. I slid open the door and was met by Sutara, who appeared terrified.

“You must return to the cabin now,” she said.

“And do what?”

“If I tell you, it begins all over again. I’m getting tired.” She cried. “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

“I’ll go back…after I see New Athenia.”

“Stop wasting time! You’ve already seen it before!”

“When? I never even set foot in the old tunnel.”

She stomped her foot on the ground and threw her hands in the air. “You’re so infuriating!” She ran away.

I chased after Sutara, but she disappeared into the blackness of the tunnel. Shisa’s barking woke me up. I had run about a kilometer while asleep.

“Thanks.” I leaned down to pet Shisa. “I might have run all the way to the other side of the tunnel if you didn’t wake me.”

We ran into Sephroy on the way back to the trainlets. He tapped his cane on the ground in three short bursts as he said, “Easy, easy, easy, Chap. The way you were running—thought a fire broke out in your ‘let.”

“I was out for a walk.”

“Looked more like a run.” He shined his lantern on Shisa. “Change your mind about the dog?”

How many times do I have to tell you Shisa is
not
for sale!” I walked away, annoyed and shaken. A starlit sky always comforted me, so I left the old tunnel and set up camp on the beach. I fell asleep under a clear and spacious sky and dreamed about a beautiful woman with raven hair who accurately verbalized my mood for the evening.

“I picture myself as one of the stars, distant, unnoticed, and beyond capture.”

ANOTHER UNITY

N
ew Athenia was in the midst of their summer festival that kicked off on Foundation Day. For thirty days, the repository was the polestar of music, art, and theatre. Concerts and plays took place almost daily, and the downtown arena sponsored weekly sporting events.

I had to learn a new piece of music for a performance, but too much was going on to remain inside. Wandering the crowded streets, I listened to music, admired artwork, and watched dancers, mimes, and actors performing in the central park. When the concert was two days away, I locked myself in my flat to practice. After I learned the music, I rejoined the festivities and ended up at my favorite cafe where I drank wine and watched pedestrians pass by. While listening to some patrons discuss the latest play at the amphitheater, a familiar voice called out my name.

I looked up at the last person I’d expect to run into outside of Unity. “Lidian?” I stood and shook his hand. “When did you arrive?”

“Two d-d-days ago. And you?”

“I’ve been here for almost one year.”

“Why did you l-l-leave?”

“Too many reasons to state over dinner.” I extended my hand to a vacant chair.

“Thought you’d never ask.” Lidian sat. “I ha-haven’t eaten all day.”

“What brings you to New Athenia?”

He surveyed the diners in the restaurant as though he didn’t want anyone to hear him. “Master Tyrus di-did something awful, and I got blamed.”

“Doesn’t sound like the Tyrus I remember.” I noted the sweat that started to form on Lidian’s face.

“He’s very good at hiding wh-who he, wh-who he is.” Lidian talked softly. “He ki-ki-killed a crailer, and ne-next morning it was m-m-my face on all the city screens instead of his. I thought about turning myself in, but they never would’ve believed me. The Corporate Hierarchy ne-never turn against each together.”

“How do you know it was him?”

“I was with him the night the girl disappeared. He took me to a satiation center to celebrate my in-in-du-ction to maroon sleeve. After we h-had enough to drink, we decided to hire a couple of crailers for the evening. A four-seater pulled up with two women, and we left with them. Master Tyrus got off with his date—two stops be-before I got off with mine.” Lidian picked up a napkin and blotted the sweat off his face. “Th-they found the woman, wi-with her throat slashed, ho-holding the medal of merit Tyrus gave me after my induction. I still don’t know how he managed to steal it wi-without me noticing.”

I thought it was peculiar how Lidian stopped using Tyrus’s formal title, but I did the same thing with Kai. And with no memory of what he did to Flora, I didn’t suspect anything unusual. Lidian always stuttered when he was nervous.

A server came by, and Lidian asked for berry ale.

“They don’t have that here,” I said.

The server gave Lidian a menu and left.

“Berry ale is the only thing about Unity I miss…along with mystery date.” I picked up my carafe and poured some wine into Lidian’s glass. “How did you hear about this place?”

“A weird Outsider in the old tunnel s-sold me a map.” He picked up the napkin and wiped his face again.

“Are you thinking of staying?”

“What kind of work is available here?” Lidian asked.

“I’m with the Orchestra. Do you still play?”

“Brought my trumpet with me.”

“I can set up an audition, if you like.”

“I still have to learn Knosian. I can’t become a resident until I pass the written exam.”

“I got in without speaking a word of it. I’ll see what I can do for you.”

“I’d appreciate that. Got nowhere else to go.”

I sponsored Lidian so he could remain until his audition, and I helped familiarize him with the orchestra’s repertoire. He had some trouble mastering the baroque pieces, and I didn’t think he’d pass his audition. I recommended he use his musical skills to instruct children and got him a job at the conservatory.

Lidian and I regularly visited the Rock Room. It was a bar that played loud Ancient music called rock-n-roll. Manolis hated it, saying it probably brought on the Great Cataclysm. I enjoyed the loud and raunchy style enough to buy my own electric guitar, which was the main instrument of this genre. Impromptu night was the best time to visit the Rock Room. Every musician had a chance to go on stage and show off. I’d usually perform something from my favorite Ancient rock band, Tearing Nations.

After I finished playing a set, I returned to the bar and found Lidian standing beside two women. He came over and whispered in my ear, “The blond woman said she wa-wa-wants to go home with me. Wha-what should I do?”

I inspected the woman. “Have fun.”

“I wa-want to, bu-but, I’m not a good talker like you.”

“Don’t try so hard, and you’ll be fine.”

He nodded his head and returned to his date.

I ended up talking with the blond’s friend. Dina was an artist and had an exhibit at the repository. After we discussed her work, I took her to my flat to get a critique for a few of my own paintings. I had started taking some art classes, and I wanted some constructive advice. Dina fixated on a portrait of the woman with auburn hair, whom I dreamed about the night I slept on the beach.

“What do you think?” I asked.

“You paint like a man with abundant passion.”

The critique led us to the bedroom where I freely expressed some more of my abundant passion. Dina and I fell asleep in each other’s arms, and the rest of the night would’ve been peaceful had it not been for the pounding fists that woke me up. When I opened the door, a police-guard shoved me against the wall and restrained my hands behind my back.

“Damon 1300-333-1M, you're under arrest for murder.” I hated hearing my Unitian identification number, but I had to use it on my entrance form as I had no formal surname.

“This is a mistake. I didn’t murder any—”

“You’ll remain silent until you have legal representation.”

Dina entered the foyer, still half asleep. “What’s going on?” She yawned.

Security took Dina and me to headquarters. They realized I was innocent after a few hours of questioning. Luckily, Dina was with me all night, or I would’ve been charged with murder. The victim was Lidian’s date, and I reported him as the last person to be seen with her. He was arrested, and the presiding judge revoked my residence pass because I was Lidian’s sponsor. Manolis told me I could appeal, but I reached my threshold of inequity. The similarities between New Athenia and Unity were greater than the differences. Everything seemed to be about conforming to prejudicial laws. It seemed that the only way I could truly live free was in isolation, so I decided to head back to the cabin.

The murder troubled me during my journey back west. Unfortunately for the victim, I failed to detect Lidian’s mental instability. My psychological engineering skills were proving to be inadequate outside the dome. I doubted whether they were any more effective from within.

When I arrived at the cabin, I was relieved to find it uninhabited, although I wasn’t surprised. An entry in Old Woman’s journal revealed that Torrin chose this portion of the valley to build his cabin because of its desolation. Most Outsiders relied on being in close proximity to each other for trade relationships. Torrin had to hike long distances to procure the items Strikers couldn’t get to him. After he died, Old Woman preferred to make do with less.

I cleared away the cobwebs, and restarted the solar trap. I didn’t have to wait long for power as it was sunny outside. Tending to the garden took longer. I had to pull out the weed growth and dig out the irrigation ditches that were almost completely refilled with dirt. I brought back some seeds to plant new crops, including figs and barley, which I had come to appreciate in New Athenia. After I settled into my hermetic life, I took long walks with Shisa, familiarized myself with the neighboring paths, and introduced myself to the local Outsiders. I traded my own crops for apples, pumpkins, and pears.

Before the snows came, a Striker found me fishing by the river bank. In exchange for supplies, Roth asked for my help leading Unitians across the old tunnel. Still remorseful over Harmony, I thought it was an effective way to absolve my conscience. Every four weeks, on Fifthday, I’d meet up with Roth who had Unitians for me to transport through the old tunnel. He’d also bring me a fresh pack of supplies for the cabin. The most unexpected transport I met was Tyrus. It took him a few moments to identify me and then another few moments to get over the shock.