I woke up to the steady feeling of the van coming to a top, raising a hand to block the light of the morning sun. I at up, looking to the driver side to see Rigel chugging down a cup of coffee, tossing the empty cup to the side as he turned the key, shutting off the engine. I heard stirring coming from the seat in front of me, two feminine hands stretching out before falling back down.
"Where are we?" I heard Jon say beside me, yawning. Admittedly, I thought the events for the past day had all been a dream. Waking up in the van with them again, I felt the reality kick in.
"Jensin City." Said Rigel, "We detected some sort of anomalies here, mostly just the quakes and a bit of weird occurrences according to the local coffee shop."
"You had coffee without me?" Saiph huffed, reaching for the empty cup and looking inside.
"To be fair, I tried waking you up for some and you proceeded to give me a very rude sign with your finger there." countered Rigel, looking to her with a smile. They seemed to be acting differently than before. I sat up more, looking out the window to see a small building, a small logo of a bird with a twig in it's mouth, the words written in a cursive font. Blue Bird Inc. The building seemed to be dated back at least 40 years. Its stone structure cracking in the sides with windows looking to have been replaced several times. I looked down the street to find similar buildings in the same disrepair. I remember the name Jensin City from one of the maps I had hanging on my wall in my childhood home. One of the closer cities from Centra and Everrock. I reached for the handle, jiggling it but failing to open the door.
"Did you child proof us?" I joked, looking to Rigel. He looked at me with a face that hinted I wasn't too far off. I sighed as he flicked the unlock button and I popped open the door. I stepped out, feeling my legs cramping as I stretched, taking in the fresh air of the city. It smelt of fresh bread and coffee. I looked down the other end of the street to find a small bakery opening it's doors, people entering with smiles on their faces as they are greeted by the owners. I always heard it was a very friendly city, but to see it in person felt so foreign to me. Living in Centra, a large city where it's nearly impossible to know everybody even if you've lived there your entire life. With new people coming and going, your best chance on making friends was to head down to your local pub and kicking back with a few of the local workers. I never fancied it too much, a lot of the city people there aren't the friendliest. My thoughts were broken with a pat on my back, turning my head to see a very tired looking Jon look over to the bakery.
"Think they'd shoot us if we headed over there for a quick breakfast?" he joked, reaching under his pants to scratch what I could only assume to be his dick.
"Go ahead guys," said Rigel, looking to the direction we were. "We're going to be in here dealing with another one of you."
"You say it like we're some sort of entity." I spat. "We're still human."
"I have no way of knowing that for sure," he said with a sassy tone. "However, I apologize for the disrespect." With that, he threw open the back of the van, a messy haired Saiph joining at his side.
"You heard the man." Jon said, punching at my side lightly as he headed his way to the bakery. I hesitated a bit, feeling my stomach growl in protest before deciding to follow.
"Welcome!" said the lady at the front of the entrance. "You two look new here."
"Yeah," said Jon, looking inside. "Just stopping by for some business, thought we'd grab a quick morning snack."
"Well don't let me stop you too much!" she said, handing us a piece of laminated paper that seemed to show different pastries and beverages.
"Thank you madame." Jon bowed before walking in, me following behind giving the lady a quiet nod. As I crossed the threshold, the sweet aroma of fresh bread and strongly brewed coffee hit my nose like a truck, sending a very calm feeling through my body. I parted ways with Jon, feeling myself being pulled to a small shelf by the register loaded with freshly made doughnut, the steam still flowing off of the top, catching the light of the morning sun. Its glaze falling softly down the side like a gently flowing waterfall frozen in time. I wiped my mouth, feeling saliva pooling on my hand.
"Would you like one?" Said a man at the counter, catching me off guard with his sudden appearance.
"Y-yes please." I said, clearing my throat, looking to the side to see a small sign labeled 'Worlds Best Orange Juice.' "I guess I'll also take some orange juice." I said, finally realizing how dry my mouth felt. Eating a doughnut would be a choking hazard otherwise. I waited for a moment, investigating the people around. I watched all their faces as they happily ate their foods and sipped their drinks. A few minutes later I heard the cash register ding, turning around to see the man handing me a wrapped doughnut and a glass of clear orange juice. I walked to the dining area, finding a seat next to Jon, setting down my items carefully before seating myself.
"Find some goodies?" He asked, taking a bite into a large bagel, his face going into pure bliss as he sank his teeth into it. I looked at mine, unwrapping it and holding it up, it warmth in my hand comforting. I took a bite into it, feeling the sensation of complete happiness and stress relieved in an instant. I thought about all the problems I solved and all the ones I was unable to fix, feeling the guilt and sadness wash away from my mind. I picked up the glass of orange juice, tipping it back into my mouth. A wave of citrus and sugar passed over my taste-buds, a river of comfort and bliss wash down my throat, filling my stomach with light and happiness. I can understand now why the people here seemed very happy and content, hell I barely want to leave this place as is. All the stress from yesterdays adventure seemed to dissipate from my mind.
"Amazing." Said Jon. "What in the stars do you think they make this stuff out of?" He asked, diving back into his bagel with a satisfied sigh. It feels like it's been ages since I've had a perfectly home cooked meal. I lost myself in thought, savoring the flavor of the pastry and the sweet taste of the orange juice. I knocked the cup back all the way, drinking every last drop of the sweet beverage before setting the cup back down softly on the table, patting my stomach with a content sigh. The taste somehow felt otherworldly and magical, as if brewed from the elves of Feinheart themselves. The door suddenly burst open before a very tired Saiph headed our way, holstering a small handgun into her side.
"We got to go." She said, a slight annoyance to her voice.
"What happened?" I said, my mind still in wounder at the food before us. The feeling quickly sank again with a sharp look from Saiph. I looked down to her hands to find fresh blood on them, suddenly understanding.
YOU ARE READING
Art of Creation: Enlightened (Novella)
Science FictionTime travel is something that shouldn't be taken with a grain of salt. There's a careful art to it and many rules. Rules of which Connar specifically laid out in his online add, offering his services to people in need. However, a clouded judgement...
