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A quote: “Trust not too much to appearances.” ~~ Virgil
I’ll start with a story …
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The airport was being renovated. We moved quickly down windowless corridors following signs to our temporary gate, past the “excuse our dust” posters.
I laughed, “It’s like a corn maze. Or that hedge one out of The Shining.”
“Ew. I’m completely turned around, now. East? West? I can’t tell.”
I laughed again, “Our trust in signs is funny, you know? There could be anything at the end, even an alien spaceship.”
She stopped, right before the last blind corner, as people moved by us. “Not The Shining but The Twilight Zone! ‘How to Serve Man’.”
We then noticed the silence.
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Now, it’s your turn.
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. featured image, cropped, Adobe Stock standard license.
Dianne Booknona says: Rain. Drumming on the metal awnings. Pooling in the small depressions in the lawn. Cascading down the small gulley at the edge of the yard, swirling at the edge of the storm drain, then falling, rushing into the drain. The warm water soaking through her hair, bathing her arms and back, dripping from the tip of her nose and her eyelashes.
The sounds, the scent, the warm gentle touch of the rain brings him back to her.
She gasps at his touch, only to realize it is just the warm caress of the rain. Her tears flow, hidden by the rain.
Navig8r says: “Now I see the downside to nepotism in selecting your interior designer. New building, beach front location, and guests checking out after the first night of one week bookings.”
“Yep. It leaves my inner voice screaming I wanna be somewhere else. Kinda like the deliberately sub-optimal ergonomics in fast food joints. Makes people not want to stay any longer than it takes to eat fast.”
“It’ll have to be torn out and redone.”
“Could be a profit in that, though. The city is leasing prime hotel space for homeless shelters. Income for the duration, and the demolition work is free.”
Dupin says: It’s like I’ve been here before, but I’ve never even been to this city. Did I dream it? Fourth door to the left, but why do I know this?
It’s my dream job, hardware and software, AI and nano-tech, all rolled together, but this is strange. It’s like I’ve already done the interview, accepted the offer, and ready to find a place to rent.
Is this deja vu of some sort? Heisenberg and Schrödinger playing with my mind? Uncertainty. Am I the observed or the observer…both?
It was the fourth door to the left. I’m about to find out.
Sheila Garrett says: The hallway stretches to infinity. The nurse opens the door. “Come in Mr. Henderson. It’s time.”
“How lucky,” you think, and walk in.
Hands grab you, thrusting you through the plate glass window. You fall, wind roaring, ground rushing up, screaming into the black.
The hallway stretches to infinity. The nurse opens the door. “Come in Mr. Henderson. It’s time.”
“How does she know my name?” you think, but it’s time for your appointment so you walk in.
Hands grab you, thrusting you through the plate glass window. You fall, wind roaring, ground rushing up, screaming into the black.
The hallway stretches out to infinity. The nurse opens the door. “Come in Mr. Henderson. It’s time.”
“Wait.”
Cameron says: “So what did you see?” he asked.
“A two story structure that needs to reduce the number of rooms it has, modernize its amenities, put a brighter coat of paint everywhere so it feels welcoming and new carpet that doesn’t look garish.”
Obviously, he didn’t expect that. “How much do you think that could cost?”
“Seven to 10 million as a ballpark guess. But the work can be done in a month if you agree to the contractors working two separate shifts.”
Apparently, that was good enough. We finished under budget and early and he made that money back quickly.
Vegas, baby.
Take your pick of chapels and have your wedding officiated by an Elvis impersonator. It’s legal in Nevada, so your marriage is valid in all fifty.
Now for a night in the honeymoon suite. It’s so cool to walk hand in hand down that long hallway to that door. If anyone meets us, all they’ll see is a couple of cosplayers, dressed as Kemaju and Iraniko from Plum Blossom War. Nobody needs to know they’ve just seen the notorious Spartan, leader of the fighters of Sparta Point.
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