Amy walked around the main hall, knowing roughly what she should do, yet not knowing enough. Spoiled for choice. She looked upon a skeleton of a ravenous being. Akin to the bio lizards of the nuclear swamps of Albany, just southwest of West Carolina.

  Not that she's ever been there, it's just what she's seen on the contentsphere. She pulls out her digiphone to take a photo, only to realize she can't.

  She wanders to the entrance, but on her way, spots Delta cradled in a ball against a wall, rocking silently.

  Amy approaches her apprehensively and talks to her.

  “Hey Delta… you okay?”

  Delta looks up at her, her eyes wide but blank. She says nothing and goes back to rocking back and forward. Amy gets uncomfortable and leaves, headed downstairs.

  She is greeted by no one, who all seem glued to their screens. She approaches a guy on the direct opposite side of the room who was navigating a website. “Hi there. What's your name?” She asks him.

  The man looks away from his monitor for just a second to see who she was. “Lou.” She drags a seat next to him to see what he's doing. It looks like he's editing a video together with subtitles.

  “How many views do your videos tend to get?” She asks.

  “One point five million.” He answers, monotone and monotonous. “But we don't know how much of that is real people vs online bots.”

  “Oh interesting.” She says, learning, though not particularly interested. “You seem quite busy. Is everyone usually like this?”

  “Yeah.” Lou admits. “The ocean will set on fire before a conversation breaks out in this room. Try again when someone leaves for a break or something.”

  Amy looks at the man's face, also quite aged. She's come to notice that the only people here who are noticeably young are herself, John and Delta. Maybe some of the others who she hasn't seen up close yet. “Excuse me if this is a little rude, but do you have a last name?”

  Lou looks at her with a side eye, and a smug grin forms on his face, drowned in the blue screen of an error message.

  “Lou Sckuntt.” He says.

  Amy gets up and taps him on the back. “Nice to meet you Lou Sckuntt.” She says cheerfully, hearing another snigger come from him as she leaves.

  She navigates back to Gary's makeshift office, seeing him as the only other person she can talk to at this moment. He's put on a black turtleneck under his puffer jacket-tank top hybrid thing, and looks out into the mural-esque walls of what they wish was real.

  “Hey, Gary? Can I come in?”

  “Sure thing sweetheart.” He tells her, still looking through the window. “What can I help you with?”

  Amy takes a seat where she was before, acting rather coy without John's presence. “Uhh… I saw Delta near the entrance just before. I'm not sure she's okay. She was curled up in a ball and cuddling herself.”

  Gary continues to look out the window, rather stationary. “Oh no. She must be seeing the gray people again.”

  “Grey people?” Amy asks, better able to understand his accent. Especially when compared to John. She tilts her head slightly as she recalls seeing… something similar. Gary elaborates for her.

  “Delta is a special girl. She uhh… I think she was lobotomized when she was young.”

  “Oh.” Amy says, a pit opening in her stomach. “Chemical?”

  “Mechanical. I think. I'm not totally sure.” Gary says, finally turning around to sit opposite her. Amy looks at the table sad. “But… but I thought people who are lobotomized don't feel emotion? She seemed quite happy and lively earlier?”

  “I don't know.” Gary says again, drinking out of a cup. “Lobotomies can do a whole lot of things to people. The story goes she had an insurance policy on her before birth because she was an intravenous baby. But, she popped out with a developmental disease and, well, her parents got their policy to cover it.”

  Amy looks at him with a deep sorrow in her eyes. “That's horrible.”

  “Yeah, well.” Gary says, taking another sip of his drink. “That's the kinda shit we're fighting against. It is horrible.”

  The room is silent for a second before Gary gets something off his chest. “Oh who’da fawk am I kidding? You've seen the people down stairs. We're barely even ‘complainin.”

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  Amy frowns even more at his sentiment. “You kinda seem like you've given up in a way Gary. But… know more than most people ever will?”

  Gary nods his head at the statement, waving around his cup.

  “Well pretty lady. ‘Dere's a funny coalition between how much people know and how jaded they become I'm sure you'll find.”

  As he takes another sip of his coffee, Amy stands and argues her point. “You know, waving your little cup in the air and complaining about how much knowledge you have isn't going to make a difference. You've just had two people you've been waiting on forever fall out of the sky for you. Feeling bad changes nothing.”

  Gary looks at her, choosing whether or not to feel offended or amused. He chooses the latter. “Oh okay young lady. So you're tryna tell me ‘dat after all ‘dis time my feelings ain't even valid.”

  “Ughhh, no.” Says Amy, trying to recalculate her approach. “Look, what I'm trying to say is that just because you feel bad doesn't mean you should give up. And it's totally understandable to feel bad. But that doesn't mean you have to give up.”

  Gary's face tightens a little and he nods as he takes a last sip of his drink.

  “Wow. You are some preacher, sister. I truly am moved.” He remarks sarcastically, even if only part of it is sarcasm. It’s unusual to have someone give a shit.

  “Exactly!” Says Amy, now a little happier. “And now… I know it's been forever since you've been outside the cube because of how you talk about it.” Gary's eyes dart to her as she speaks. “So how about you come join me out there and you can tell me a little more about the history of this place?”

  Gary puts his cup down rather harshly and shakes his head.

  “Nuh uh sister. I ain't going out there.”

  “Why not? What's stopping you?” Amy prods further.

  He readjusts himself in his seat, and the conversation continues.

  “That ain't happening sister. Haven't gone out there in ages. Don't wanna go out there for ages. Not happening.”

  Amy asks again. “Why not?”

  The room is filled with just the ticking of the clock again as Gary can find no real answer. “Ahhh fawk it! You wanna drag me outside?! Fine, drag me outside. See if I fawkin’ care.” He whines getting out of his seat, walking to the exit and passing Amy.

  As he reaches the doorway the two exchange looks, Amy still seated. He barks at her. “Well, what the fawk you ‘waitin for your highness? Let's go get ‘soakin wet and piss cold why don't ya?”

  The two accompany each other through the museum exit and into the cubic obelisk surrounding. Despite his bitchiness, he still has the class to open the door for her and let her walk through.

  They hear an engine roar outside, making Amy a little nervous. As the approach to the exit, Gary stops and takes a deep breath.

  “I know how hard this might be for you Gary. You've got this.” Gary turns his neck to look down at her from being. “I don't think you do sis, but I appreciate the thought.”

  He puts his hand on the handle and pushes it open slowly. But, the wind catches and it flies open, almost taking him with it.

  Amy runs out the door quickly and Gary slams it closed behind him. He looks around, seeing the lightning in the sky as opposed to just hearing it. He sees the decay of Hastings, yet again.

  He smells the chemical tar that is now the dirt, and sees fuck all else because it's too dark when lightning isn't striking.

  “Ahh, il mio piccolo cavolfiore… It's just as fawkin’ shit as I remember it!” He complains.

  “Well, at least it hasn't gotten worse, right?!” Amy yells back.

  They hear a horrible squealing coming closer from their left. Amy looks to see a bright white light coming from a roaring vehicle.

  Gary power walks towards it and slams on the roof. The internal light comes on and the driver winds down the window, who appears to be John. Amy comes next to Gary to eavesdrop on the conversation, and to be closer to John before he leaves.

  Gary pipes up. “Aye! What tha’ fawk do you think you're doing?! Are you trying to burn through’da tires?!”

  “Sorry officer, dropped the clutch!” John jokes from the driver's seat, Jimbo laughing like a maniac in the passenger seat.

  Gary leans in to hear him better. “Yea, real funny, dick! So, what's the plan for you now? You've got work soon I assume?”

  Amy and John glance at each other, both giving a brief smile.

  John answers him

  “I've decided I'm gonna take this puppy to work, and take Jimbo with me most of the way. I'll drop him off in Centennial on my way to work and pick him up on my way back. I know a few people from work who I think would love to join our cause. Productive people. Good people.”

  “Well shit! Sounds great!” Gary says, genuinely surprised and happy. “Just don't kill yourself or my best man, got it?”

  “For sure.” John replies “Oh, and another thing, it's kinda hard to use the clutch and accelerator with only one functional leg.”

  “Yeah, ‘wateva.” Gary says. “Is there anything else you wanna say missey?” Gary moves for her and the two make eye contact. She feels put on the spot. “I— uh— not really. Just be safe please John.”

  “I will.” He says. “I'll be back before you know it.”

  The two smile at each other and he winds the window up, setting off slowly before promptly stalling the car.

  “Ahhh, fuck it!” Can be heard, muffled and drowned out by the rain, along with a faint giggling.’

  The car starts back up again, and sets off. Smoothly this time.