Odyssey of the City of Lights

Odyssey of the City of Lights - Book 1 - Chapter 7

After breakfast, we headed to the art competition that Aaron had invited me to – the one where this whole adventure started. I mean, everything else that I experienced in a day or so that I was here was a bonus. I came here specifically for this art competition.

As we reached the door, he paused, looked at me, and said, "Did you take your phone? Wallet? Darn, I feel like my dad." I shook my head, patting the empty pockets of my new clothing. Walking back to where I had slept, I picked up my stuff from the floor beside my bag. Putting everything into my pockets, I hurried to catch up with Aaron.

I was starting to recognize a few landmarks here and there. Today, we drove in the same direction as the stores we shopped at. But instead of parking in the garage building, we were on the other side of the cluster. From this entrance, I saw a lake, parks with trees and bushes, and people walking dogs ranging from the size of a chicken to a pony. A group of people were playing various sports games, of which I only recognized something like basketball. Aaron grumbled, annoyed, "Can never get a good parking spot whenever I'm not an hour early."

"Is it always like this?" I asked, trying to wrap my head around the bustling atmosphere.

"Only during the competition days," Aaron replied, scanning the area for a place to park. "The rest of the week, it's pretty chill. But there's something going on every week or two. This is one of the community centers in the city,"

Finally finding a spot, we parked and started making our way through the throngs of people. The air buzzed with excitement, and the scent of food, flowers, and other random things I didn't recognize filled my nostrils. My eyes darted around, taking in the colorful displays and unique outfits of the attendees.

"Stick close," Aaron warned, his voice tinged with humor. "Don't want you getting lost in all of this, and have to ask the police to send a search party for you."

I followed close to Aaron as he navigated through the bustling community center, the sound of laughter and excited chatter filling the air. He led me to a booth where two people were already setting up their display.

"Sorry I'm late; here you go, Masson." Aaron apologized, handing over some device to a short, dark-haired guy about Aaron's age. "I modified it a bit. But for the most part, it's the same."

Mason frowned, looking irritated. "Oh, come on, this better not be the same as last time. It messed everything up."

A slim girl with lengthy hair shot Aaron a sympathetic glance. "Mason, that was as much my fault as Aaron."

Aaron blushed and smirked. "Thank you, Amelia. But I scuffed the last one. I triple-checked this one"

Without saying anything, Aaron tapped something on his glasses, and suddenly, the air above their booth came alive with the scenery of a breathtaking forest. A giant waterfall taller than I'd ever imagined cascaded in the background, lights shimmering in the water while mist created a stunning rainbow. I couldn't help but stare, slack-jawed, at the fluttering butterflies, soaring birds, and trotting deer that populated the scene. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a fox peering out from bushes adorned with flowers.

"The birds aren't bad," Mason conceded grudgingly, studying the display. "The motion is def better than before, but the colors are janky!"

"Come on, Mason, it's fine!" Amelia interjected, rolling her eyes. "It matches the butterflies and other insects! And it contrasts with the rainbow."

"Eh, um. Yeah, kinda, Amelia," Mason mumbled, still scrutinizing the artwork. "I just really want it to be close to perfect. I don't want to get bumped for stupid reasons. And for the next one, let's start tomorrow with a quick meeting."