Ozwald updated by listening to each flavorist-call from the hall speakers. He had just fifteen minutes!
"Grade 11, Jupiter. Give it up for... Rylan Simons!" buzzed a staticky voice ('Grades' simply meant how many years a flavorist had been working; planet names gave their place of work). "Grade 12, Mars..." started another.
Ozwald stopped. Hold on... he thought, hearing the speakers repeat these same three words. "Alicia is in the twelfth grade.." he said to no one, "and is in Mars, yes.."
Realizing he had only minutes remaining, Ozwald dipped into his energy reserve, cracking off like a bullet. He cleared the star-studded halls in just a minute, thrashed open the final door, leapt in the air, then crashed into a couch.
"Great!" he buzzed, his view sinking into the great drain of light at center-stage. A pleasurable, full-body sensation occurred, making him giggle deliriously. How had one glass already got him slurring?
Ozwald looked up, almost falling out of his chair after seeing Alicia enter the aisle. She dressed in a milkweed, green gown and wore a jade tiara. While striding down the aisles, she passed Ozwald a smile, then continued down the road. He didn't understand the continued applause until a light showed on Hirashita, revealing the pixelated tuxedo on his stomach-display.
Ozwald shot up the platform steps, clinked across the shaking glass bridge, then stood against a ledge for a better view of the moment. A frail old woman followed his friends through the aisles. She wore a wrinkled, pale-green hat and used a jade-tipped cane; this appearance made her seem capable of transporting Alicia and Hirashita to Oz.
Hobbit slid in-between Alicia and the random lady, repeating the "historic color change!" before shifting his focus onto Alicia, tirelessly praising her contributions to the flavorist world. Hirashita giggled beside her.
During this, Alicia unmistakenly shot him a look that asked 'Do I look good?' Remembering what Anastasia told him, he nodded vigorously, making her tear and cheeks burn. He almost swooned.
Beside her, the old woman smiled; Alicia shared her look for a minute. In those moments, Ozwald's heart panged with the memory of his dead mother. Finally, Alicia received her Certificate of Excellence, her two jade necklaces, and an emerald watch. Giving everything to Hirashita to hold, Alicia happily skipped along the aisleway with her certificate in hand.
Ozwald awaited Alicia's return, preparing for her a small congratulations in his mind. But while doing this, he failed to recognize his calling from the crowd. As it grew, their chant grew monstrous in only seconds. Their invigorating clave even summoned the high vocals of the orchestral, multiplying its effect tenfold.
Ozwald looked up, finding all eyes on him. Flashing grins became indistinguishable from the lights, all a dizzying blur to him.
It wasn't until Alicia tugged at his lifeless shoulder that Ozwald finally understood what must happen.
~
Certificate of Excellence
Dr. Alicia Preston Justine Turnup, A.F
Esteemed member of the stupendous Jupitorian Society.. well respected artifici-flavorist... has hereby been nominated most efficient worker of this Celestial, with recognition of Society officials and Jovian president, his excellency, Albus Smirkings.
Signatures
Hobbit Cheerly Albus Nexus Smirkings J. Miystro
YOU ARE READING
Brilliant Man/Vir Clarissimus (Latin)
Science FictionIn only the span of a year, Ozwald Bowens, successful Artifici-Flavorist, has lost his family to the calculated destruction of a manic Dr. Otis Zed of Border Patrol. Quickly learning that Zed is in frenzied search for the mysterious substance Onyx...
