It was September, and I was sitting in my room, completely absorbed
in my laptop and the class assignments I had to finish. Out of nowhere, a
portal popped up right where the monolith usually sits, catching me completely
off guard. To my astonishment, Melanie stepped out of it. My heart raced, and I
could hardly believe my eyes.
"What are
you doing here? My parents are downstairs, and as for my brother—well, forget
him; he’s not around," I exclaimed, a hint of irritation creeping into my
voice as I pondered his mysterious whereabouts. It was puzzling how he had
spent nearly the entire summer out with friends, while I had been preoccupied
with Mr. Smith and now this surprise visit from Melanie. It seems we both have secrets.
With a swift motion, she slapped it onto my wrist and secured it tightly. “So, how does this thing work?” I asked as I rose to my feet, curiosity piqued.
“You just have
to hold my hand while we travel,” she explained, her tone both reassuring and
excited. “And where exactly are we headed?” I pressed, eager to know what awaited
me on this unexpected journey.
"How about
we take a trip to the 1920s?" she suggested, her finger dancing over the
button of her quantum time manipulator. In an instant, we found ourselves
standing in a vast, desolate field.
"What just happened? Where are we?" I stammered, a wave of nausea washing over me as I fought the urge to be sick.
“So, there’s absolutely nothing here, where do we even go?” She pressed another button and grabbed my hand, and suddenly we found ourselves standing right in front of the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles.
Once a posh spot, it fell from grace during the Great Depression and turned into a rundown hotel notorious for all sorts of shady dealings. The hotel boasts seven hundred rooms and three hundred one suites, a massive space that holds a lot of stories from its colorful past. “Wow, I can’t believe we’re in the 1920’s,” I paused and added, “But our clothes?” I looked at my clothes. “Yeah, they do stand out,” she said and added, “We will go to the nearest boutique clothing shop and buy clothes that fit this era.” She waved down a taxi. The man driving the taxi looked at us skeptically. “Take us
downtown,” Melanie said and gave him an extra fare. "How did you manage to
get that cash?" I murmured, settling into the seat beside her in the taxi.
With a playful wink, she replied, "Zyrius always said to be ready for
anything," and she squeezed my hand gently. “I took
some of the money from every era that he had stashed hidden in one of his
drawers.” I glanced over at her and couldn’t help but think, “Hmm, perhaps
that’s why he’s so mad at her, aside from the fact that she managed to slip
away from him.” When the taxi pulled up in downtown Los Angeles, Melanie
and I stepped out and began to wander the streets in search of a boutique.
After a short stroll, we discovered one that caught our eye and decided to
enter. As we walked in, the woman at the cash register looked us over with a
puzzled expression and asked, "Can I assist you with something?"
“Yes, we need clothes to wear can we browse to
see what there is?” Melanie asked. The woman who was dressed in 1920’s clothes gave
us a nod and smiled. The boutique seemed very elegant. I mentioned to Melanie,
"Mr. Smith typically keeps clothes in the monolith, all set for
wearing." Melanie replied with a hint of sarcasm, "Yes, Zyrius is
always ready, isn't he?" Her eye roll suggested a complicated past between
them, possibly one tinged with resentment. We selected several outfits from the
racks and headed to the dressing room to try them on. Most of the clothes
suited me well, and Melanie looked stunning.
“Can we wear what we got on?” She asked the
clerk. “Sure, as long as you pay.” Melanie pulled out money from her messenger
bag, it was 1920’s money. The woman’s eyes widened; she is overwhelmed by the
amount of money Melanie is carrying. “Um, I am
an explorer; archeologist, and this is my assistant,” Melanie told the cashier as she gestured toward me. The woman breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, of course that is why you both were
wearing those other outfits.” She smiled and accepted the money. We walked out
wearing fine 1920’s attire. Melanie waved down a taxi and we went back to the
Cecil Hotel.
“We’ll get a room here,” Melanie said. We walked into the lobby; it was very distinguished and classy. Melanie paid for one guest room, one bed and we went upstairs.
"What
are your thoughts on this place?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with
curiosity. I found myself captivated by the vintage charm that
surrounded us, despite everything being brand new.
"This is
really impressive," I responded, my voice filled with enthusiasm. “But in
my time, the Cecil Hotel is rather rundown and has a dark history,” I added. As
I approached the ornate mirror, I realized my hairstyle clashed with the
historical ambiance, prompting me to quickly roll my hair up and secure it with
pins to achieve a more fitting look. Turning back to her, I nodded
appreciatively and said, "It's truly lovely. I really enjoy it." A
broad smile spread across my face, and Melanie's eyes lit up with delight at my
reaction. She let out a playful scoff, her own smile mirroring my excitement.
"I think I know why Zyrius, or rather Mr.
Smith, finds you so captivating." I looked at her and asked, "Why do
you think?" I sat beside her on the bed.
"It's
because you perceive the world with such innocent and refreshing eyes,"
she replied, a hint of admiration in her voice. A gentle smile crept across my
face as my brown eyes locked onto hers, filled with curiosity. "I hope
it's not too forward to ask, but what happened between you and Mr. Smith? What
led you to part ways with him and how did you acquire the body?" She took
a deep breath, her expression turning serious as her brow furrowed. "Are
you certain you want to hear this?" I affirmed with a nod. She gulped, “As
you already know, I was with him from the start. When he took on a physical
form in the 1500s, his desire was to find me a vessel of my own. Unlike him, I
was not inclined to inhabit a body, yet he was insistent on the matter.
“It horrified the poor woman, the sound that the monolith made was otherworldly; she turned to run but suddenly Zyrius touched a crystal on the matrix table and the woman froze, she couldn’t move. Suddenly, she collapsed to the ground, as if an invisible force was pulling her legs down, making it impossible for her to stay upright.
Zyrius had completely transformed
his appearance; he wasn't in those old 1500's clothes anymore. We had made our
way to Tarislee, where he picked out a whole new wardrobe, got rid of his
beard, and even had a fresh haircut. The change was striking, he looked nothing
like the disheveled peasant he used to be.”
“I imagined
he had treated himself at the day spa, where he was groomed and pampered,” I
said to myself. Melanie gave me a nod, “You’re right,” she said and continued her
story, “He emerged from the monolith and approached the terrified woman. Tears
streamed down her cheeks; she pleaded for mercy. “Hello, I’m Mr. Smith,” he
said, pausing to kneel beside her. “Are you interested in joining me on an
adventure through time and space?”
His gaze lingered on her, thoughtfully assessing her, while his fingers gently caressed her flowing, curly locks. I was observing from within the monolith on the screen, noting how his eyes glowed with a predatory allure, suggesting a desire that was far from innocent. Paralyzed with fear, she could only stare at him in confusion, yet her hands remained free to resist as Zyrius seized her by the hair, forcefully pulling her into the depths of the monolith.” Melanie released a deep, weary sigh, and an uncomfortable silence enveloped us. I remembered that Mr. Smith had mentioned the same thing when we first met. It makes me wonder, if I had turned him down and not gone with him, would he had taken me anyway?
I heard cheerful sounds floating up to the room, it’s probably in one of the rooms, next to the lobby. I think in later years, they ended up getting rid of that party room. I wasn't sure if it was a private event going on, but I had a feeling Melanie would be interested in joining the fun.
To fill the void, I asked, "What happened after he took her inside?" She let out another heavy sigh before replying, "After he brought her inside, the AI recommended that he examine her body. He gently stroked the woman’s cheek, then hoisted her over his shoulder, carrying her into his room while she screamed in protest. The AI revealed the horrifying details of his actions to me by showing me on the holographic screen," she paused, taking a moment to collect herself, a pained expression crossing her features, a blend of grief and distress.
"He raped that poor woman." My jaw dropped in disbelief; I was stunned that he could commit such an atrocity. “After he was done with her, he turned to the screen on the wall and asked me, "So, what do you think, Ona? She has a body that’s just perfect," he said, his eyes glued to her while a chilling smirk played on his lips. “Ona, come to my room,” he demanded. I found myself standing in his room, revealing my true form to the poor woman. He forced the woman to look upon me," Melanie hesitated, shifting uneasily on the bed.
A knot formed in my throat as I asked, "What happened?" I took her hand in mine. Deep down, I was reluctant to hear her response, leaving the air thick with unspoken tension. “The moment her eyes fell upon my true form, she was struck blind, a piercing scream escaped her lips. The AI embedded within the monolith revealed to Zyrius the course of action he needed to take, and I doubt I need to elaborate further; the outcome is already clear to you.” An uneasy quietness enveloped us, and I could sense the discomfort she felt as the memories of that incident resurfaced. “The experience of merging into her body was excruciating, a sensation that pierced through me like a thousand needles. Though her physical form lay lifeless, I could feel a surge of my own energy intertwining into her body, as if I were trying to breathe life back into a shell that had long since departed. The struggle was palpable, a haunting reminder of the thin veil between existence and oblivion, as I fought to connect with something that was no longer there yet still resonated within the depths of my being.”
I interrupted, “I hate to bring this up, but when you took her body, did you find it difficult to adapt?" Melanie let out a soft scoff, a subtle smile gracing her lips.
"It was tough, but Zyrius was there to help; he had more experience in his body," she said, her eyes wandering as she reminisced about their cherished moments together. “How did you manage to restore the woman’s sight?” I asked her. “The AI handled that in the infirmary,” she replied. A sigh escaped me, a blend of understanding and frustration rising within. "Ah, I understand," I said quietly.
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