Phoenix: Remembrance, The Fourth

in
Two Cities

Post: 10.23.2007
Date: 02.04.2196
Time: Morning

Last Chance

Phoenix walked along the side of the road. The vegetation was already starting to block his view of the quickly brightening sky. The wind blew through the trees, causing them to sway and dance. The shaking of the green leaves drowned out any noises from the nearby city. The wind wasn’t cold, but it induced a sort of ripple effect on Phoenix’s tattered jumpsuit, which he found to be mildly annoying.

For the past couple of days, Phoenix had been asking around, trying to gather information about Ellis Island. Nobody had heard of the place. Eventually, he wound up finding a small library. Unfortunately, the library had become completely nonfunctional after the fall of cyberspace. However, he did manage to discover that the librarians, in search of work, had traveled to a larger nearby city called Privity. This is where Phoenix was now headed—in the footsteps of the librarians.

Frankly, he was happy to be going anywhere. Glad to finally be out of…It suddenly occurred to Phoenix that for the last few days, he had been so distracted by life-altering revelations that he hadn’t even noticed the name of the town he was in. He stopped and turned around, looking back the direction he came. It was barely readable through the foliage, but a large sign over the gates to the town read “Last Chance”.

Why didn’t I notice that sign coming in? Phoenix scratched his head, then smiled as he finally remembered. That’s right. We didn’t go in though the gate. Aran blasted a hole in the wall. Phoenix turned around and continued walking.

Aran…Lattis…my father. It was all so confusing back there. And (2)syl…she didn’t help things, either. Did I leave just to escape facing those things—those people? It doesn’t matter. It’s too late. (2)syl and Aran were already gone before I left. I may not see either one of them again.

Phoenix pulled the Skreamer out of his pocket. It was silent. (2)syl still hadn’t activated hers. She doesn’t need me now…if she ever did. Phoenix looked the Skreamer over once more before putting it back in his pocket. As he did, his hand brushed against something else there. He felt the square shape of the cube. No, I’m not just escaping. I’ve got a job to do.

Post: 10.23.2007
Date: 02.10.2196
Time: Morning

Privity

Phoenix stood in the center of what seemed to be a semi-functioning city. When he first arrived in Privity, he was shocked to learn that it had not descended into total chaos as had the island and many other towns he had encountered in the last two months. True, it was only a quarter of the size of the island, but society here seemed to have recovered from the shock of matrix-less life much quicker. It even seemed to be more functional than some of the smaller towns that he and (2)syl had visited. Water still flowed, as did electrical power and taps at bars. People seemed calm as they went about their normal lives.

Now, at midday, Phoenix sat on a bench, enjoying a mouth full of cinnamon-flavored pastry while he observed the life of the city. People were scurrying in and out of tall buildings that surrounded the small park-like area where Phoenix was sitting. Some seemed to hurry to make it to their next appointment. Some slowly sulked back to work. Some relaxed on benches, eating lunch served from temporary food stands set up on the sidewalk. Nearby, one of these stands sold pastries of the type that Phoenix was currently finishing off. He decided that the pastries here didn’t taste nearly as good as the ones that he used to eat back on the island, before it was destroyed. At least this proprietor had the decency to honor the same five-fingered discount, though.

When he first arrived, Phoenix asked someone why the city was doing so well despite the fall of cyberspace. The man didn’t know, but surmised that part of it had to do with the city’s age. In fact, Privity was founded shortly after the comet fell. Apparently, older technology was less dependant on the matrix.

The same man had also directed Phoenix to the building he was now sitting in front of. The building was several stories tall and appeared to be made of marble and other stone. It had three rectangular wings that radiated from a large cylindrical central core. It was an older style of architecture, which lent some credibility to the man’s story.

Phoenix shoved the rest of the pastry into his mouth and got up. He dusted off his jumpsuit and started walking towards the front entrance of the building. Nearing the building, he paused in front of a set of oversized glass doors. Off to the right, a metal plaque inset into the stone wall said “Andrews Memorial Library”.

This is the place.