CHAPTER TWO
What Viggo calls a private residence is really a smart mansion instead, and it knows that they’re here. The lights outside and inside turn on, a blazing golden in walls of stucco white. The garage door opens folding at their arrival. The black sleek muscle car with the darkest tinted windows growls and takes its sweet time, rolling in.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyaDKD216Z
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hEO5OZkC0
Glad to get out of the car in one piece, Kirby grips his tattered jeans in the finest garage he’s ever seen. Viggo has already demanded in the car to return the tux. Viggo’s so wealthy, so filthy rich, that the rest of his garage lights up one at a time, illuminating a spectacular car show with silent fanfare.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJVvcgqeI8
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8aoW6bcbOV
His brother tells him that he’s been shitting cash. You are so disgusting, Kirby almost says as a joke. The garage door closes behind them. The castle is now secured. It isn’t the normal modern home you would see in a magazine. He takes a stroll, realizing this the moment he sees the white opaque glass door. It has no knob or handle.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzK99nxpGb
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyN93Nn5QnL
There’s one way to open it, one way to close it. Viggo presses both his palms onto the white glass. His psycho orange eyes gaze into the mini camera three times and averts his eyes looking to the left, the right, and then directly. The door slides open, receding into the wall.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAsMMfsQ0j
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPaxuWQ1Np1
Kirby hesitates at the entrance. A house under my brother’s complete control. My arms get sore from just thinking about it. Still, psychosomatic. All in my head.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWD9kZpUCgn
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8XsspZrXG
Don’t worry. No cameras here. Viggo says spinning his keys and enters the foyer.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3NEOwAzXS
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71JIBqaugM
Kirby’s eyes are glued to the striped skylights that bathe the foyer in white earth glow. So surreal. Plants rustle at the chilly vents, trying to be familiar and earthly. The door remains open behind him as they enter the house. He walks so silently that Viggo notices.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkMUy3XZ6O
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoM8vpevkZ
Why are you sneaking? Get in. Viggo guffaws and sneers, shaking his head. He kicks off his shoes. Barefoot he struts along the cold red stone floor. I forgot how bad your anxiety can get.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwQx4TmtwY
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBGfadrY0t
Kirby goes pink in the face. He drops his luggage, freeing up his hands.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19hrtld4yj
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpdjNkglWS
I walk … the way I walk.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uAJSfcLmn
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiX25Z1lvC
Viggo’s orange eyes close as he refrains from an eye-roll, “Oh.”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrOm6URTPg
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTSqkMD8Aj
That’s the hallway to my study. Off-limits.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7J0qCkigzU
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBG8OknEKf
Kirby gets tense at that phrase. It seems a boring, unpainted, distant area anyway. I bet that’s where he works and keeps all his creative projects and twenty-year plans. Probably a man cave to impress his friends.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUFclzOV7z
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutGiDQ1Dp7
Kirby and Viggo move on to the enormous red room stocked with white furniture and black electronics. Tons of video game consoles and collections. It’s like an entertainment room or a ballroom?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tphkVaubA
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD92kto9Be4
Club room, says Viggo. Off-limits.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbgQIlE6IS
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafmTsy1ZRk
Kirby sees a shrine to a movie poster on one wall. It’s not what made Viggo a break-out writer ten years ago but it’s his greatest achievement, almost. It’s Milton, Oscar-nominated but not worthy. It was a phenomenal biopic about the man behind Skyden, Garth Milton the one and only with his large iconic ears, played by Will Smith. And having his brother Viggo Hayes be the screenwriter and co-director nominated for the Oscars? That’s huge. By now, half the world knows the Hayes name.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprLk0T0u18
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PaVmNKPNe
He swells with pride. He remembers exactly how Viggo sat at the edge of his seat the whole time at the Oscars that night. The anticipation. He also feels sharp pain when Viggo learned on live television that applause and the trophy went to someone else.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yGNpSEYIi
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVl1mw48Mq
They point to the bar in the nearest corner and share a look. Nothing more needs to be said about that but Viggo adds, Off-limits. Kirby swallows his pride. He has got to be joking! They travel into the open kitchen.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2255fIjtEn
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWlSK7Zdnm
Before his brother could start, Kirby rifles through the empty cupboards. They’re stocked with nothing. That’s odd? Feeling watched, he matches Viggo’s unblinking stare. Viggo goes pink in the face too.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eoygwkoGv
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWoEurq12T
I do eat. It’s a habit of ordering take-out. What the hell do you want? Mexican, Italian, Mongolian, or Greek?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9PHcQnPeC
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZpvbMZKNO
Anything. I’m starving. Kirby approaches the windows, drawn to the backlit aquamarine pool. It even steams. Silhouettes of the palm trees rustle like a small jungle. What shatters the illusion of normalcy is the roaring cloud tapestry for a sky. He stops breathing each time he looks at it.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRxOfLI11K
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVzNGbI4MF
The other side of the sky.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeuI77ojRz
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlj744w3qLS
Kirby sees Viggo on a call. He obsesses on the glaring fact that if he weren’t deaf, he could listen to the kind of man his brother is right now. Even if it is just for something as ordinary as dinner. But he’ll have to find out through other means. He’s accepted that. Charades can be fun, sometimes.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEbBs0rzGH
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObl49sB08Z
Viggo opens up his laptop as well, to his surprise. He looks too busy and restless or hasn’t yet lost his need for control. He looks like he’s working!701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzlXiyQyOm
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3T4swtVsxC
Kirby squints. I see now. Is this my competition?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngNq5imRfZ
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwU3tgoCezv
But I don’t want him to be competition.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZKdCF8LWd
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYh5PldwHB
Kirby snaps out of it and his face lights up. He waits for Viggo to end his call and asks him: Hey, do you remember? We had to be what, like seven and eleven, back in the cornfields of good ol’ Iowa. We made popcorn at the concessions that summer. Man, it was so hot from the sweltering sun and the punishing zings from boiling oil and burning kernels from hell… 701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHXYHRExOY
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7kJ6IbxpZ
Why remind me? Viggo pinches the bridge of his nose.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvd0sLP5JAY
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzWTRBvRaD
Let me finish. So you remember. Kirby scowls. You should also remember this. We went to the train tracks even after our mom and pop said not to…701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd019HX4T90
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDNStStHYD
Viggo’s face goes blank so Kirby hurries. But of course, along comes a train.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8khxIg2zS
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82pn6mpdJ0
An enormous, wailing black train. A dragon of midnight fury leaving behind a mountainous trail of volcanic smoke. Pebbles leap up. The tracks rattle.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMCbvPfOj4
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFALJJtzYQi
I didn’t hear it, but you did. And I was too far across the bridge too busy gazing down at the river beneath the wooden planks. We were so high up. 701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFApcNngAG
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadon0NT5bt
The river was too far down and too shallow that a jump would mean fatal.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20kAyhNS8f
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWSu3WoYvo
I was just lucky to look your way. You weren’t good at sign language. In fact you sucked! They laugh as Viggo starts to clap hands.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZh0dUeKkAZ
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7171E31ulr
I was trying to say “Train!” Viggo pounds the counter several times. “Train!”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCg3QAHaU3h
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwGpHomCWq
You said “Sit! Sit!” They laugh harder.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbY3FIV3tLC
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5l8UE764T
Seven year old Kirby Hayes sits cross-legged, smiling and waving and signing “Sit!”. Behind him, the monstrous train rams oncoming. Now, the twenty-five year old Kirby would pause the romping suspense to slow motion. The smile on that kid’s face, slowly but surely, falters and drops.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kw0iJCOQV
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrknarx3Gz
Why are “train” and “sit” the same handshape? AND in the same position? Viggo’s neck starts showing veins. Senseless! Enough of this. Pool is off-limits. It’s Mongolian, and they deliver in twenty minutes. Guest room is that way. He points to the east wing of the house. That wing becomes split-level. I’m going to change. My bedroom is there. Off-limits. He points to the west wing of the house which also is split-level. Viggo feigns a smile.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXdyVK63P4
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqX1YN3uWtp
Don’t feel free to look around. Your dinner might get cold.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmDGKh1iGc
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMr2BziOWyL
Whatever you say. Kirby walks down the east wing. So much for bonding.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeSDD9OP2N
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjQJMQ5N1w
The television ceiling seems to open up the place like a museum, and the mirror walls help reflect all the color beams. Teasers and tv spots play with dramatic fanfare. Pure octane. His back rumbles with the hallway’s volume from the surround speakers.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXVvUoW1RC
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2vEicNzeu
“DON’T. LOOK. BACK.” A screaming Amy McAdams runs away from someone, anyone, in a flashy chase sequence, and then comes the crashing title, Don’t Look, by everyone’s favorite remake-ruiner Blaine Tabs.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuAJVPh8hN
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVJywH7KH8
The mirror walls turn out to be tall storage closets with mirrors as doors. Kirby checks in them. They’re big enough for three people to stand and hide in. What are they even used for? When he learns that each and every one is vacant and unused, he has to wonder.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZgy7sTHvQ
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmy8uIrTHRX
But the hall narrows and twists, adding to the number of black doors to his agitation. These doors all happen to be locked, requiring Viggo, except for that laundry room.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQEG04LjLl
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdDH4Yu5IX
The television ceiling strip, along with the ceiling fans, movie trailers, and news channels, is getting addicting to watch. His leaned neck and dropped jaw start to hurt. Oops, drooling. Kirby looks back and thinks he’s seen a shadow.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MojSNymHy
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1f7ZsFYd75
Nah. Nothing. Just the fans. What’s worse, he’s lost sight of the living room.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9XpvY2P6Y
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEnNlDyGY2
Somehow there are two hallways back... His eyes widen. Am I seriously lost in Viggo’s house right now? It doesn’t even look like a house.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqOiJEizes
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOqsUmktM3
The corridor rumbles with a suspenseful chord heralding another villain or doomsday coming next week. Dun, dun, dun!701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡur6dCdbQHU
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41aWO78io5
One square of the ceiling zapped to jumping static beans. Kirby’s heart does a skip.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUwi2fP3s2
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7sKf5LKzx
Bzzt. His phone vibrates.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0o6PUQz17F
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHjuL7Uwmi
It’s another text from that private number.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCAgTtCUsb
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACLMlDgekF
He asked Chance Gott an hour ago how he found his number.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhq1xSivfM
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQhcPc4XkO
I work for Skyden as tech support. I hack for a living. That’s why I brought up spooks on the flight. I look for them. Found your number from the manifest. Sorry if it disturbs you, you can ask me to leave you alone. 701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTvNaHwv5o
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvAlnqfyad
If you really are who you say you are. Who else could it be? Um, someone among the paparazzi who’s excellent at extracting inside scoop. Or it still could be the gorgeous one-in-a-trillion potential husband Chance Gott.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4hRkoX84q
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgK65KVIm6
Kirby fires back several texts. No, but thanks for explaining. Actually, this is an emergency. I’m lost somewhere in my brother’s house.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiegPv5Tn24
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbRVWDQCtr
Bzzt. That was fast. You’re lost in a house?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVDTEhtGIH
Bzzt. Use your nose.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGgRrMMdAH
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtn52qDczhV
I’m in the east wing which looks and smells like a shoe store. Do not laugh at me. Kirby sighs wandering upstairs. He sees a darker hallway dead with inactivity.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfW3B8MoJp
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQVCoVvBzJ
Is someone there?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjqjAUhL8N
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkbpvxJbKa
Bzzt. His phone lights up in time, so he shines away the dark. No one’s there. Just an ajar door to a dark room. For some reason, he expects to see Viggo. Huh.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWeCj2QIgn
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwtLqdCcZC
He rolls his shoulders to take the edge off and checks the phone.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5tsS5U3pP
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEhwKTWlpW
Chance says: Lol! We’re men, we both should know something about architecture.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4wTc6JBGl
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb71g3iqMxN
The heat ducts and windows are for external walls and cold air vents are for internal, I know that much. Kirby pauses to look. There are none to be found. Due to Skyden’s synthetic environment and perfect weather, there’s not much need for them.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzy6TDAvfMS
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CfcMEA4Ei
I see your point. I’m new here as well.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzP5HKEjg3
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXMEKOj2l7
Kirby thinks of the explosion and the body parts colliding into Skyden. In space, nothing holds death back. That theme’s the point of his movie, that’s why he won the internship, and that’s how he’s here. Kind of creepy.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbluTxGyZz
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEXFJMDwaA
He texts Chance a question that’s bothered him for a while. Do you know what happened with that jet?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CmiIVDKlA
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuSPEbn7rX
This time, no reply. Instead, the air vent somewhere whooshes cold wind in his face. Kirby draws closer to the room at the end of the hall. Inside the lights turn on, revealing the guest room. He hops on the king size bed, already cherishing the plush pillows. Ack, thank the Lord. He’s completely dogged tired.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63vLC22i8X
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCS9jtsPlKK
One entire wall becomes the television. The channel is set to happy teary audience dancing on the Oprah show, but he’s more interested in Iris Frisk’s webcast. Upon finding the keyboard remote, he shuffles through websites and brings up her face full-screen. He double-checks. The phone remains dormant. And no one stands at his doorway to spy on him. Now relax and watch, he tells himself.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nNaFu7Akl
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOb25XM7lv8
Iris Frisk looks somewhat like Emma Stone with her dark auburn hair, squealing hysterical laughter. She somersaults in her zero-gravity room.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNQ5Zv5VBH
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡne006r6kif
She looks at the camera through her ridiculous reading glasses and snickers with her perfect teeth. English subtitles translate every word: “Hello everybody hello, I’m finally settled here in my dorm room … on Skyden... I sure hope nobody turns this off!”
Her checkered neon yellow sneakers kick off the wall. Her knee-high sock-wearing legs tuck in, transforming her into a drifting crumpled ball of paper that lands in a laundry basket. Her messy red hair gets really ruffled when she emerges. “Score! Just kidding. Even if someone turns off the zero-gravity, it takes time to wind down. That way, nothing breaks. Smart.” Her index finger taps her temple with neon yellow fingertips. She floats mid-air again.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwzafNX6ag
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9FSsqresi
Kirby starts searching his room for the zero-gravity button. “Hi, I’m Iris Frisk and this is my cat Bunny and this is our webcast. No rimshot this time because actually I’m going to address the recent Skyden tragedy.”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpnlTMUOUN
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiZ194B8mJ
She leaps into her swivel chair as her white hairy cat Bunny sails in the air. “My thoughts and prayers go out to families and friends of the fifty-plus victims. Bunny, get out of my face. Okay here’s what we know and what we don’t.”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWLu9y9r1B
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUPzmb786G
She points to overlaying bold text seeming to shout: WHO DIED?
“Most of you scrambled back to your lives, in record time thanks to our ‘outstanding’ (corrupted) ‘commercial’ (subliminal) ‘media coverage’ (... control). “What you didn’t realize was that unfortunately a lot of celebrities died tonight While it wasn’t the first time, it certainly is the worst. The claimed passengers have become the Buddy Hollys and Aaliyahs of our generation and I have here with me a copy of the manifest. So brace yourselves.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJkqdSDb9v
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghnsW25Q0u
“We know that, Bunny move it, uh we lost Robyn Byrd. Known for her eleven best-selling romantic detective novels about everyone’s beloved widow Mrs. Harper. We may never know if Mrs. Harper will consider sweetheart Mr. Tuff’s marriage proposal or if she catches and arrests whoever killed her secretive husband. No rumors yet whether or not if someone will pen the last book. Farewell, Byrd. You left us too soon.”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WhQasIQBu
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYA03Pwdmc
Meh, no offense to anyone who knows Robyn Byrd, thinks Kirby. I didn’t really care for the Harper series. Too many adverbs and open-ended chapters. However they had nice book covers with scantily clad men to gaze at. Sometimes her name was one of the highlights for a gay teenager walking through a sleepy bookstore on a summer day. Still tragic to lose her, all around.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1D9hLMWwq
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6rJdV3cWM
“We also know that we lost, wow. It’s as if fate went lengths to deliberately upset the fans. Again, brace yourselves. We also lost … Blaine Tabs.”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAPzvwaznB
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrMFuWvskL
No way. Kirby leans forward, rubbing his goosebumps. Pegasus Studios won’t be the same after this. And if Skyden won’t be the same after this, then neither will the world.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxB8XUkVKO
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIgknDJvDa
“That’s right. Famous for slasher remake ruiner Don’t Look and long-awaited sequel Argonauts 3: Nova War, the still-in-production third chapter from a meticulously planned seven-part project supposedly set to release this July. Does this mean the date will be pushed back? Either way, major disappointment and despair for the world over! We weep. I can just see every Facebook wall post, every Tweet hashtag mourning the precious yet mysterious life of Blaine Tabs. Will the Argonauts chain stay afloat without its genius creator? Damn it comic nerds, you better cross your toes, sacrifice lambs at your altars, and pray. Because chances of another Blaine Tabs blockbuster coming by every two years? Too slim at this point, mi amigos. Tsk, too slim.”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5E1fVd6ihM
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYq13AH3GL
She chomps from her blueberry pie. “Mmm! Bunny, out of my air space.” After having gone down a long list of fifty-plus names and their feats of success, Iris Frisk moves onto the next overlaying bold text seeming to shout: HOW AND WHY?
“Before we get back to what this means for Pegasus Studios’ future, Horizon Airlines claim that nothing was wrong with their planes. There was no misfire or malfunction of any kind. No drunk pilots either. So, was it cyber terrorism and were these people direct targets? Was the jet hacked and then rigged to blow? If so, then how? And why?” Iris ponders pulling a red curl, relieved that it isn’t white or even her natural color, strawberry blond. Her bovine hazel eyes stare listlessly into her desk.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG57H9Z0dDm
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKoQpb0p4k
Finally she plucks her cat face to face. “Tell me what you know, Bunny. What do you know?” The white hairy cat shrieks a pitiful mew, as if put on the spot. “Then again, for a tuna dish, you could say practically anything.”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqFEOZRsqm
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdJEdL57Op
Bzzt. Kirby pauses then decides it’s a good time as any for a toke. He pulls out a prescription bottle and a pipe from his luggage. He checks his phone.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPKDHV2mJo
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvB119t4uIo
Sorry. First day on the job. What do you want to know... stud muffin? 701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfM7ug31Mql
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5vWskpeqL
He blinks, smiling but faltering. Is this really Chance?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUg3QKLQJrj
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGeRkjCXgCA
Cute. :) That is all Kirby can think of to text back.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUORpRQvj3
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡytLSaoVEir
Ah, sounds like you got a girlfriend? Or boyfriend? :( 701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5v99eYnguw
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgrw9Du86W
He breaks into an embarrassed smile. This sounds like inquiring. His smiles falters once again. Or interviewing. Kirby texts: How do I know you are who you say you are? No reply. Kirby scratches his head, stir-crazy.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0SJ3VS7kv
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0JDC3x0CR
Bzzt. It’s a photo! Definitely Chance Gott, and surprise, shirtless in a poorly-lit gym. His v-line, black mesh shorts, and brick biceps are signs that he’s been playing football all his life. Of course, he flexes one arm, his left one, and poses with a low come-hither stare with those arrogant and wild jungle green eyes. His mouth is either snarling or slacking, hungry like a wolf.
Another text: Satisfied?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiELybcbLR0
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBE3FZc0Tog
Kirby lets slip loud laughter. He grabs his mouth, dropping the phone. So that’s what’s under the grey jumpsuit. Snatching it, he starts to worry.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnyBFWWXB4
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjx6a1hMX2H
Anyone on that flight could have seen them talking. Anyone could have a trove of pictures of Chance Gott to send. Kirby realizes his mind is prepare to wage war with itself over this. How fun is that.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotVZpjcEqa
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiezPbnW31
He’ll just have to arrange to meet, so he can stop wondering. But for now…701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1ODzzeBkD
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnZJE388X2
Kirby texts: Was the jet hacked? Do they know who did it?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7muoMW25OB
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWI1GvB0xh
As far as they can tell, no. Mostly radio silent. They salvaged the wreck and there’s no sign of the system being tampered with. Something detonated inside. A carry-on. I can find out more but knowing this city, someone can leak it any second.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdqOnkkG6Y
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkcjCvGoEV
A carry-on. Was this a suicide bomber? 701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFNZy4LZwo
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHt43m0jeQV
He waits for a reply.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWADEabvvLV
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpx2g5DeW1
Viggo pats the wall and gives Kirby something like a heart attack. He’s wearing a different black and orange suit and looking wired awake. Like he doesn’t run on sleep. But Kirby knows otherwise, maybe starting to worry if his brother’s a workaholic.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpptpWGORzz
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlTwdTJOyA
That smells like weed.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZplpaLcmi
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulZzbl0ciZ
Kirby blinks. It is. Want some?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPUQWmxKOQ
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVojZlGAau8
Mine’s better. They have better strains here. Viggo hands over a steamy plate, looking distracted. I microwaved it. Your dinner got cold.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9SUCUzJTk
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumKUVQmL49
It hits him. I’m starving! Kirby grabs it and chows down.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡal7QIyUXiN
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7HZrcR90j
What are you watching? His brother looks at the wall and goes pale.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5yvszxshFE
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2teoYQcdy6
That strikes Kirby odd since Iris just got here. You know her, Viggo?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeLHuU3fD9
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMakcssaSw
He snarls before composing himself. We dated.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3KEyUfwXA
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhgmwiXL0i
Kirby doesn’t react other than: I see.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzFU8ZpJc3
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPUYTTo8Kl
Iris Frisk laughs harder, spinning halfway to the ceiling with Bunny pouncing after her. The phone ringing gets her attention. She flies to it and blurts, “This just in! It is now being reported that body count is sixty and we lost another person of relevance.” She listens. “They’re saying it’s… ”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmyYLpVzIE
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88IwVD2SFw
Kirby and Viggo stare, hanging on every word. “Dr. Taylor.”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkvFY3d8zw
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAULDTaABb
Iris sits upright. She turns off the zero gravity. It winds down, and her cat lands like a plane. She looks devastated but determined, an inner strength forged from fire with Viggo? Kirby sobers. “He was a great man known for his classics and discovering the world’s modern writers and actors. What a tremendous, earth-shattering loss. Dr. Taylor was an overactive board member of Pegasus Studios who co-founded the contest with Viggo Hayes.”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oBZZNiRmH
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQaZAGUXWc
The Hayes brothers stare ahead.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ofWvDpLnq
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRLSxWRDVb
It shows on her face how the future goes somewhat blank. She processes it. “Excuse me. Dr. Taylor was supposed to be my mentor this year. Ours. Kirby Hayes and the interns, myself included, would have met with him tomorrow. For some of us, that dream is surely crushed. But his death begs the question: Why did he leave? And who will replace him? Reporters must be swarming around the Hayes brothers by now. This is field day for the press, and one hell of a storm coming your way, Hayes.”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIZTXfhXJb
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzOCFrEvyX
“Oh shit,” says Viggo. Chills trickle down Kirby’s spine. But there’s no time for that.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5usOom6KP
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCJ5S6LntH
Viggo goes to an app that blacks out and locks down the entire residence. His phone lights up their faces and he snaps his fingers. Kirby, focus. Let me take care of this. I know how to handle the sharks. Pay attention. Don’t talk to them. When they approach you, you say ‘I have no comment at this time.’ Got that?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZBjOJpEz2
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfQcQUefJf
Kirby nods but that’s not enough.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5lWSkCnbG
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjNRygN4JL
No! Say it to me. 701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgk9nUI5SZp
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKQNtndTBT
Kirby says: ‘I have no comment at this time.’701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuJ0veyu6v
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOscqdAPiN
Perfect, that’s half the battle. Viggo’s eyes are darting everywhere. He paces the floor in the dark. Kirby could hardly make out what he’s saying. No talking with anyone, I mean anyone. Don’t be careless with public posts and private texts. Eyes are on us that much harder. You’re here for one thing, your internship. Okay! Okay?701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YcDGyh7Ih
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmccBGWdi1J
Kirby nods, having a hard time following. It’s too dark to see.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Oq6NdlS6r
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡni1ygXktFE
Viggo grabs his wrist. Okay?!701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyz0EddVKYz
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4tWugWCtX
Kirby stares wild-eyed. His face turns ugly in the small glow. He jerks back his wrist. Touch me again, I’ll break your face.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyWZSaEJCR
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpc2Y9neIo
A crazy smile ignites on Viggo’s face. He looks excited.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthMT1HeMuQ
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRypO8PKQz
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTV3np9QKYi
The murmurs are restless.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xlcDGpF5G
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtLeC2LCdS
The rest of Skyden stare at their television screens in their rooms, on their phones, and all over the skyscrapers. The murmurs spread like fire to kerosene. Breaking news on CNN and Fox of Dr. Taylor’s passing. Hushed rumors spread like a thunderstorm, a pulse of irrevocable and irreparable plague.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAntpijU4BB
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswXzwE7gzg
They talk, talk, talk. All about Dr. Taylor.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumGvHqQ0bO
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVIPqTVvfl
On the ledge of one of the roofs, a masked person kneels. The brown mask is a wooden drama mask with two faces: an upside down smile on the top and an afflicted frown on the bottom. If rotated 180 degrees, it is a placid smile. But right now, the mood is a pained, twisted, and agonizing sorrow.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0x3CIyGJe3
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPuPcrEpjx
Two rivers of black ink stain the mask, streamed down from eye squints.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1CMdTEn1p
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwe5WqDMT8
Next to the Spook’s thick black dusty boots is a music player. In front of a glorious rectangle of bokeh light, a black-gloved finger presses play. Suddenly, opera wails full volume with awe and horror! The Spook stands before an enormous rainbow-burst television screen on a building under the gloomy mist of Earth’s endless clouds. Inspired by the crying crescendo, the grieving Spook raises both claws. They ball into shaking fists.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RbksbaTF6
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCd3TUKzqef
“BREAKING NEWS!” The television shouts with alarm. That gets the Spook’s attention. As the opera plays on, the reporter booms the city at a rapid pace, “The shocking leak regarding the suicide note that was found at Dr. Taylor’s residence is in fact not a hoax. Confirmed by the FBI. Dr. Taylor’s last words are... ”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFLmsRQyc8
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWL3ArPYy4
“God help me!” The Spook says with a guttural garble. It’s like a small electric guitar solo or a razor whine. A horrible sad face looks down at the little people in the streets. Both black gloved hands grip shoulders of a husky jacket in a frantic hug.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOxKrEs9wM
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAPJ493Mxa
“‘God help me,’” reads the reporter with a flat face.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNH4ZzGuBN
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYYN870wSQ
“No, with feeling, idiot. It’s ‘GOD!! HELP ME!! This can’t BE my life.’”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9DPUN5aNn
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoQ3nSu7YZ
“‘This can’t be my life.’” The reporter hems her throat and struggles to say it word for word, “‘It is too stagnant. It is too complacent.’” The music swells to such perfect pitch that the Spook has to howl off the rooftops, “Too stagnant! Too complacent! Too old! Something HAS to explode! Might as well make it me." 701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtho2bNawQ
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjxSAibKoQ
“‘Something has to explode. Might as well make it … me.’ You can find the rest of the manifesto online. It alludes that the explosion was orchestrated by none other than beloved, legendary, and now mass bomber Dr. Taylor?”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3w2JcxjBgT
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK32HhhsAsy
The Spook turns off the music then claps. “Don’t quit your day job.”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnQnNDA4Gp
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmFgY6GoIW
The reporter continues with several guest speakers as the gloved fingers clamp to the side of the building, clearly with magnet clips built in. The Spook scales down, hanging above the vivid city of Skyden.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wo7WlCwdi
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8F7YInlrw
Halfway down twenty floors, the Spook remembers something and halts, hanging from one hand.701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYFmBkjVcU
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfrh9gY2Xt
The other gloved hand brings out a smartphone and a Twitter account with zero followers. The sad Spook’s mask tilts as an overwhelmed dog would, completely on the verge of tears. The right hand thumbs in a message. “Hashtag. Day. One. Frown…”701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqOF345W5r
701Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRnDMtMHms
#dayone :(
THE SPOOK IS SAD
Jack Steele Adams
ns18.221.231.89da2
