Couple of minutes in and the city towers over me, trailing the mysterious driver deeper of this strange ecocity. Mirrored buildings reflect blinding sunlight, forcing me to squint. On the sidewalks swarms of people bustle by, with their eyes glued to a glowing tab-shaped device, oblivious to the world around them, they don't see me pass.
The rhythm of this place is alien, the beats off-tempo from what I'm used to. I see transport without drivers, pedestrians strut along crossing bridges, their attire with luminous augmentations.
We take a couple of sharp turns into what felt nothing efficient, angular streets that seem designed to disorient. It's chaotic, messy, filled with odd smells and noises.
I try again to reach him with my comm, to no success. I have questions. Where are we going? My heart pounding in my ears as I follow him into the shadowy maw of a parking garage attached to one of the faceless towers. I trail close, easing my vehicle in behind him on a metallic sounding surface, the overhead doors shutting out the cacophony outside, plunging us into gloom flickering with the sticky green glow of indicator lights.
We turn our headlights on, the dank, echoing shed smells of ozone, exhaust and stale motor oil. Pockmarked concrete and cracked floor tiles gleam wetly under the anemic bouncing light of ours.
"Where on earth are we?"
"..." he turned to me.
"My AI said this ecocity is uncharted and you have that mark."
"You know we've been waiting for you."
"We? Waiting for me? How did you know my name back there?"
"We are," he said, pausing, "the ones who's going to change your life."
Oh, great, one of those nuts. I thought. "Look, pal, I'm flattered and all but i've got a promotion to secure. So if you don't mind..."
Elevator's gates slide open with a pneumatic hiss beckoning us forward into it. The mysterious driver guides his vehicle inside, and I follow suit on first gear, my pulse quickening, as the exits seal shut behind us, I've just crossed an invisible Rubicon.
"So, spill it," I demand, my voice edged with equal parts curiosity and trepidation. "Is this Megalopolis? I thought that was just a ghost story they told us to keep us in line. And what about those people out there? Are they outcasts from New Eden, like you?"
The elevator ascends smoothly, its low hum barely audible over the purring of our engines. Through my window, the recycled air from the shaft washes over my face.
The driver meets my gaze, his eyes filled with amusement. "Let's just say that everything you thought you knew about the world by New Eden is about to be flipped on its head. As for those people out there? They're the ones who chose to live life on their own terms. Kind of like you."
His words really hit home.
The elevator continues its relentless ascent, each passing floor bringing me closer, my heart pounding like a geothermal engine.
"Where are we going?" just in time for the lift ding.
Doors open to into another garage, buzzing with activity. Rows upon rows of modified vehicles lined the walls, and men and women in greasy jumpsuits scurried about, tinkering with engines and polishing panels. The smell of oil and ion-fuel permeated the air.
We drive a bit out of the elevator.
"I can see the gears turning in that pretty little head of yours," his fingers drumming an impatient staccato on the steering wheel. "You're wondering what's waiting for you at the top of this ride. Well, i'll give you a hin—"
YOU ARE READING
Dream's End at Reality's Gate: The Freeway Fare Between Worlds
Science FictionMari never wanted to be a leader, but now she's stuck at a critical point in New Eden, a place that's supposed to be perfect. Fed up with the limits of this utopia, she breaks away, setting out on a journey that will change her life. Her adventure l...
