Breathe

Chapter 18 - Bright and Sparkling Lights

Not so secretly, we made our way back to the capital—where all the fun was. Dressed in casual wear, we definitely stood out. While everyone wore their season trends, we followed our own trend, which was really not a trend at all. They wore their clear, plastic boots—we wore our shaggy, torn sneakers. They wore their cashmere sweaters and tight tube tops—we wore our baggy tees stained with God knows what. Actually, they were probably stained with grass; it only made sense, after all.

But tonight was brighter than any night before. Tonight, the city was alive—literally bursting with color. There were tents erected all around the road, and barriers lined the city limits. There was music in the air, polluting the world with a mix of electronic and what was possibly pop music. Either way, it was loud, it was proud, and it was making my ears bleed. Families were walking around, carrying strangely shaped foods and drinks, and couples were walking hand in hand, carrying oddly shaped toys and figurines. Then, there were the screams. But they weren't like the screams in Middle Libentina—no, these were happy screams. Almost joyful screams.

Not wanting to waste time, I continued walking. Passing through the outskirts of the city, I stopped only when I felt Phil tug against me. I looked back. Phil's eyes were bright—just like the carnival lights. And they reflected them, too—his bright blues now radiated purples, pinks, yellows, and greens. Without a word, he pointed to the sky. I followed his finger. What made his eyes glimmer and shine was a tall structure, spanning the size of two—no, three—buildings. It was rotating in a seemingly never-ending cycle, only stopping briefly to let other people on and off.

"There," he said, eyes shining, "let's go there." I sighed and tried to pull him away. He didn't let me go. Instead, he stood his ground, his eyes still glued to the Ferris wheel, and his face still lit. Again, he repeated, "There. Let's go there."

"Phil, we don't have time—"

"You asked if I wanted to go on an adventure, right?" His eyes were finally on me. "Al, there's nothing more adventurous than going on there, where the sky is only an arm reach away." He pointed at it again. "And honestly, who knows when we're going to have a chance to come to the capital at night? This is the first time, and it could be the last time. Why don't we spend some time on there?"

"We don't have money." He shoved his hands in his pockets and twisted and turned in them until they re-emerged, holding at least forty libets. A little shocked, I asked, "How do you have so much money?"

He shrugged. "I always carry some on me just in case. You know, in case an opportunity—you know, like this—arrives." Shaking them in his hands, he continued, "Al, all I'm asking is for you to go on it with me. It won't even take that much time, I swear—look." He pointed downwards. My eyes followed his finger. He was pointing at a practically nonexistent line. "The line's short. It'll be fine."

"Someone might recognize us."

"I doubt it," he replied, "it's late, and no one would expect someone from Lower Libentina to be here, anyway—it's too dangerous and expensive, especially at night." With a begging voice, he said, "Please, trust me. I swear it'll all be okay."

Sighing, I gave in to the boy. "Okay," I murmured, "but only for a little bit."

~.:.~ ~.:.~ ~.:.~

Where are we going? I asked Eve.

To the fair.

The fair?

She audibly sighed. I suppose you would not know. You do know what tomorrow is, correct?

Yeah, it's the day of the establishment of Libentina, I replied, but I thought that no one does anything on that day. It's like a labor day.