The City under the Sky of Stone Part Two - Original fiction

by Michael Warner Molema

I stepped into the vast chamber which held the statue of the man bearing the neon sign proclaiming: We Chart our own Course. The chamber was round and the path went around the statue. The roof was a glass dome that showed the dark cave far above my head.

A new voice broke all twenty of us from our thoughts of Illumination’s grandeur. “Greetings,” cried an obviously American woman with bouncing blonde curls. “I am Venessa Mire, companion of Nathan Strauss.”

She was beautiful, my heart skipped several beats and my mind began to think impossible thoughts of a relationship between Venessa and myself; But my face was not my own and I knew we could not even be friends.

“I don’t often greet new arrivals to Illumination, but today is special. Elenore Briggs, my cousin, has come here from England!”

Venessa was like a giddy school girl as the British woman from the elevator stepped forward. They embrace in a hug of familiarity. From where I stood I saw a ring on Venessa’s finger that told me she was who she said she was.

After their embrace Venessa gestured to us all to follow, “Everyone please follow me. I will lead you all to Registration.”

I picked up my briefcase and placed my stovepipe hat upon my head. I join the others as we flowed around the statue of who I assumed was Jonathan Strauss. We followed the cousins Mire and Briggs out of the entrance chamber to a new room that was spanned by ten booths that had a large sign above that read, in bright neon and cursive: Registration for Illumination. Individuals came out of the booths and called for families first. While the booths were full with three families of three, and seven other individuals, the four of us waited; one of us being Elenore and her already registered cousin Venessa. Two booths opened and the other two people were called.

As we sat there Venessa Mire began to watch me, knowing she would not recognise me, as my face was not my own, I sat there comfortably waiting my turn.

Moments before I was called Venessa excused herself from her cousin’s company and walked over to me. “Do I know you, sir?”

I stood up and held out my hand which bore no ring, “Mr Nathanial Jade, Miss Mire. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Nathanial Jade? As in the Mammalian?”

“Mammalian? My dear I am human am I not? I am definitely a mammal.”

“Do you know I am an Avian.”

“Surly not a bird, my dear. Pretty as one, but surly not one.”

“Indeed,” said the beautiful woman with suspicion on her light blue eyes. “A pleasure to meet you Mr Jade.”

“Likewise.”

Venessa excused herself and I was called into a booth. There my papers were checked and my briefcase searched for weapons and contraband. I entered the city of Illumination as a registered citizen. I took a transport directly to my new home.

Locking the door behind myself I made my way directly to the ablution room. From my coat pocket, I pulled out a ring, similar to Venessa’s but different. From a pocket in my shin-high sock I pulled out a short length of wood. I placed the wand on the counter top and slipped on my ring. I muttered a word in the magic tongue and the face-that-was-not-my-own transformed into a wooden mask. I removed the mask and the face of the Mammalian Magician Nathanial Jade was revealed.