The Secret World of Ophelia Fontaine

Part Six - Not all is at it seems

A slow half grin crept across her glossed lips. Ophelia had known he would come, and see that he had done exactly that brought a sense of victory to her. For several days he had followed her around, had trudged along the stale life she led outside these walls. After their little encounter earlier that day, she had been able to determine that he was of noble character, if not but a little lost. It was then that she decided to introduce him to her secret world, purposely leaving her phone behind to allow him an opportunity to pry.

Now Darien St. Clare stood within her domain, perplexed beyond comprehension at what it was that he witnessed in the midst of Copper Station. And yet, the funny thing was, he did not even the half of it. He had been hired to discover her secret, maybe it was time he learned that not all was as it seemed.

She extricated herself from her circle of admirers and went to the old fashioned, yet slightly modified, bar at the back of the room. The mahogany bar, with its beveled panels, stretched from one wall to the other. The back wall was lined with glass shelves stocked with every known liquor, including a shelf dedicated to varying brands of absinthe. The sheer backdrop showcased an exquisite composition of gears and pipes of various shapes and sizes, all craftily creating the image of the front of a  locomotive, Copper Station emblazoned across the smokebox cap in copper piping.

The crowd parted as she made her way to the bar, each patron giddy with anticipation. Two gentlemen assisted her up as she took her place on the bartop, a cheer speading across the room in welcome. Ophelia soaked in the reassurance of their jovial appreciation. Here, in this mystifying place, she was loved and respected. Something the real world had never, and would never, offer her.

"Welcome, my friends! Welcome to the Copper Station!" she shouted in announcement, raising her arms in reception as the masses below enlived further. "Tonight, we shall revisit the Copper Station in her infancy. Before, well, before she was the magical place we have all come to know and love. But next week - oh, next week we are all in for a treat! My dearest friend, Theo, has found us a grand place to visit. But, alas, I must forgo any further mention otherwise I shall ruin the surprise!"

Glee and encouragement resounded throughout the room with fierce vivacity. It took Ophelia several minutes to calm them all down again, and she adored every moment of it. She searched for Mr. St. Clare in the crowd, and found him standing at the back of the crush with Theo. His arms were folded across his chest protectively as he fought for understanding. Theo winked at her, giving her the okay to proceed. Their visitor was tough enough to handle what it was to come next.

She promenaded along the polished length of the bar, nearer to the wall that possessed the panorama of the train. One by one, she loosened the fingertips of her satin gloves so that she could easily slip them off. "Keep in mind the rules, I daresay, or you shall never find our haven again. This is not a threat, nor a promise, but a sentencing. Agreed?"

"Agreed!" the crowd shouted in unison.

"Then let us begin, shall we?" Encouraged by the fervent applause, Ophelia took a deep breath and pressed her bare palms against the cool surface of the wall. As the warmth of energy languidly consumed her form, she brought her gaze around to meet the questioning eyes of Darien St. Clare. She smiled at him, doing what she could to ease his disquiet.

Beneath her touch, the wall came to life. It shifted and bowed under her fingertips, transforming like a catepillar shedding it cocoon to reveal its newly acquired wings. But in this case, the new shell was being cast off to reveal the wealth of history within. The wallpaper became covered with dark paneling, the bar beneath her feet morphed to a brand new design, a more intricate design.

A flash of light spread throughout the room, transposing everything in the room save for its patrons. When the soft vibrations of the energy passed and became still, Ophelia took her hands from the wall and quickly put her gloves back on. She turned to face the excited expressions of her friends and guests, as well as the stunned men and barmaids of the establishment.