Weapons Grade Matcha Latte

SynchroniCity

They sat on a concrete bench just outside the Tate Modern building and watched the grey waters of the Thames roll past.

"How do you do it?" Mel asked her companion.

Jamie glanced at her, blinking to keep the cold wind from drying her eyes. "Do what?"

"You know."

"No, I don't. What?"

Mel pulled her coat close and shifted on the bench so her back was to the wind. "Everywhere we've gone today, everything just seems to have worked out. for a start, every tube train we've got on, it stopped with the doors right in front of you."

"If you look, you can see where the tiles have been worn down."

"And we never had to wait more than a minute for a connection."

"This is London. Public transport is better here than in Manchester."

"Really? And what about that time we had to stop to top up your Oyster card? I thought we were going to miss the train, but something delayed it."

"Pure luck," Josie said, and shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her jacket.

"Luck. Right. Do you really expect me to believe that?"

Josie shrugged - a gesture that was lost under the layers of her clothes. Mel grimaced and slapped her friend across the shoulders. "Hey! Pay attention!" She brought her face close to Josie's: close enough that the scent of her bodywash mingled with the smell of wet stone and dirty water. "You know what I think? You're a witch."

This time it was Josie's turn to aim a blow at her friend. "You don't have to be rude about it!"

Mel raised her hands to ward off any more attacks. "I said 'witch'!"

Josie pouted. "It's the same thing."

"No it's not. Honestly, it's like you've got some sort of superpower or something. Everything has gone right for us today. The trains. The tube. Even the people. It's uncanny."

"Ah." Josie turned to face the buildings on the opposite shore, looking up at the glass and steel towers. "Promise you won't laugh?"

"Promise."

"Alright." Josie relaxed, letting her shoulders drop and her back slouch. "I've always been able to do it. When I'm in a big city I just get a kind of pressure in my spine. So long as I can feel the pressure, I know I'm doing the right thing."

Mel started to giggle, then raised her gloved hands to stifle herself. "Sorry. Didn't mean to."

"Hmmph." Josie glared at her. "Don't do that again or I'll lose you somewhere. Embankment. Or maybe Bank." She took a deep breath. "Look, I just trust my feelings. It's like the city is telling me what to do and all I have to do is listen."

"Wow." Mel looked wide-eyed at her friend. "You're like a Jedi - you know that?"

"What?"

Mel rolled her eyes. "Jedi. You know. 'Trust your feelings. Use the Force, Luke.'"

Josie folded her arms. "I know what a Jedi is, but I don't think you'd want me to be one."

"Why not?"

"Because Jedi aren't allowed to fall in love. That's why."