Dead Clouds

Chapter 7 (2/2): Regret of the Righteous

Nube City's western end swam in a sea of lime-colored safety vests. The streets were crammed with people wielding hefty black garbage bags and swinging trash pickers. Citizens verbally and non-verbally greeted each other. Camaraderie was as present in the atmosphere as nitrogen. People may have been strangers, but their purposes were united. The day was about doing service in the name of a teenager who went missing earlier in the week.

A barrage of emotions pummeled Gold. His face heated as he watched people of all ages assist each other in cleaning broken glass, applying fresh paint to dilapidated store fronts, and supporting electricians as they repaired flickering streetlights. Goosebumps dotted his skin as he heard music of all genres blasting from loudspeakers. He saw people step and twirl with delight. He saw others pretending they were majorette dancers as they spun their trash pickers in the air.

Swarms of people gathered around food trucks that flaunted bright colors and an assortment of dazzling lights. Restaurants kept their doors wide open welcoming anyone seeking food or a break from the cleaning. Hundreds of trash cans lined the streets.

Radius marveled at the number of people all concentrated in the city's western end. This was one of the largest crowds he'd ever seen. Major intersections were shut down and it was difficult to move any more than two steps at a time without bumping into a shoulder. Stretching his neck over the crowd, he only saw a sea of heads bobbing like buoys. Tens of thousands of people were easily spread throughout the area.

"What was the budget for this event?" whispered Radius to his ghostly companion.

Gold scratched the back of his head, "There was no budget. This was supposed to be a volunteer event. I only expected about one hundred people. Not ten times that!"

The ghost released a laugh full of exuberance. His body sparkled with golden light and a smile comically remained on his face. The attendance of major politicians, music stars, and various eateries were never anticipated. His event took on a life of its own when his life ended. Powerful members of the city utilized his death and the mysterious cloud attack to galvanize the community. He recognized that the event was as much about forgetting what happened earlier in the week as much as it was about remembering him.

Slipping away from the crowd, Radius and Gold stood outside of a steakhouse. Streams of people routinely entered and exited the establishment. The scent of BBQ sauce and corn muffins enticed every nose that walked by.

"I would have never guessed that more people would attend a clean-up event than one of my scientific conferences," said Radius, slightly offended by the fact.

Gold broke out in laughter, "Do you ever stop thinking about science?"

"Of course not," said Radius, "Science plays a role in every natural event."

The genius gazed up at the sky. A thick mass of gray and shapeless overcast clouds formed a blanket above the city. Radius recalled the blast of sunlight he saw when his grandmother opened the front door. That was only an hour ago. Why had the weather changed so drastically?

He also noticed the unusual pace at which the clouds were moving. Thick gray clouds swirled outwards greedily consuming the spaces of blue in front of them. It was impossible to spot the sun in the sky. The world underneath the clouds darkened. Gradually, the temperature cooled.

As Radius gazed upwards, a pair of ocean blue eyes gazed at him.

Across the street from the steakhouse, Katy stared at the scholar as her hands gripped the ends of her blue and white floral dress. The safety vest she wore clashed with the outfit. She recognized the young-man as Radius. He was the boy genius who spent all of his time cooped up inside the local library. But she saw more than Radius. She worried that her mind deceived her. The longer she looked at Radius, the more she began to see Gold.