First World(37)

He finally released my mouth. I ran my tongue along my lips. They felt strangely swollen.

Lucy raised her eyebrows, a sneaky smile on her face. She mouthed. “Abby and Brace – L.O.V.E.” She mimed each letter as she said it.

I grabbed her before Brace noticed. “You’re a five-year-old.”

She laughed. “Six, actually.”

We moved as a group through the outskirts of the small town. It looked like we were heading for the centre of the city. Not that it could really be referred to as a city, more like a country town. New York, full of massive derelict sky-scrapers and warehouses held the ugliness of ‘big city’.

This town was lovely.

Almost every building was large, but only single- or double-story, with incredibly detailed architecture. A variety of colors and styles – very individualized. But it was so quiet. Besides one or two people in the distance, hurrying along, the streets were empty. No vehicles, and not even a stray piece of paper floated past. I couldn’t trust any place this clean.

Brace’s next comment held an air of dejection. “This town used to be vibrant. They’d have the most incredible street parades, and each family would organize elaborate displays. They worked hard to keep their lives free from the darkness, but in the last year everything’s gone to hell.”

I didn’t know what to say. But one thing was clear; our worlds definitely had some parallels. The last year had seen an even greater downturn on Earth. And I felt the same unnatural sense of unease here as well.

We continued through the town. I could hear the crashing of the waves in the distance, much louder than I’d anticipated. A saltiness in the air coated my tongue. I liked it. The air was also much cooler here. The sun was starting to descend toward the horizon, out over the ocean. This just added to the excess of colors intertwining through the depths.

“Want me to teach you how to swim tomorrow?” Brace had noticed my fascination.

Lucy’s eyes lit up, but then worry crossed her features. “I think I’ll stick to getting a tan.”

I smirked at her; she was worrying about sharks, for sure. I wondered if they even had any here. Not that I cared.

I clapped my hands. “Are there waves – can I surf?”

Brace laughed. “Maybe we should stick with learning to swim first.”

I frowned. How hard could it be?

“So who are the Frayres?” Lucy changed the subject.

A true smile crossed Brace’s face. It changed his entire persona. The dark beauty he often displayed was softened. He looked a little different in that moment, though no less beautiful.

“In some ways I grew up in their house. Sammy, their son, is ... was ... my first and greatest friend. There were never too many children on Itowa, but we had so much freedom.” Sadness shadowed his words. “He’s been missing for almost a year now. We were supposed to go fishing, but he never showed. The Frayre’s are one of the oldest magical lines in First World. They’re descended from the royal house.”

He cleared his throat. “Disappearances are common, but Sam – he’s intelligent and powerful. Considering his family called in every favor, and used their sizeable influence and gifts – I don’t want to think about what must have happened to him.”

We resumed walking, but the silence was heavier, filled with the weight of unspoken thoughts. I was momentarily distracted by a large blue and yellow house which dominated the street. Once again it was made from the seamless material, although it wasn’t reflective. Instead, the colors were so vibrant, with no signs of chipping, peeling or fading.

“Whatever Angelisians build their houses from is remarkable. I’ve never seen such material.”

Brace was again confused; he’d get that a lot around us. “It was my understanding that Alestrite’s mandatory in every city now, after winning ‘invention of the century’.” He laughed a little. “I’m not sure if that really happened, or if it was just claimed by its inventor, Great Uncle Marke.”

Lucy laughed. “This material is one of your ... our ... greatest inventions? What does it do, build itself?”

She stepped away from my side, and up to the house for a closer look. I stole a swift glance at Brace.

He looked intrigued ... or suspicious ... it was hard to tell.

He still answered. “Uncle Marke should have considered how convenient that ability would be.” He smiled, flashing his gleaming teeth. “The updated environmental laws were passed over two thousand years ago – mandating that the protection of the environment was above all others in importance. Alestrite’s a non-degrading and impenetrable plastic that utilizes the power waves of the sunlight to store energy. It powers our lives without the burning or consumption of fuel, just pure sun energy.”