'Ah, what a... beautiful day. The sun's burning my skin. I'm sweating like crazy. Not to mention...'
"What do you mean you left it at the front desk?!"
Currently, I was sitting on a bench in the shade, drinking an iced coffee to cool off a bit. The bookstore owner spoke to me through the device I was holding to my ear.
It looked like a black rectangle with smooth edges, a flat face and similar back. It was around the size of my palm and slightly less than a centimetre in thickness. It was called a linkframe.
Handy little things these were. Wallet, identification, map, camera and a way to communicate with voice, text and even images. All in one little thing that fits into your pocket. If only there was a way to play games or read something on them, they would have been perfect.
"Again..." I sighed, explaining what happened for the 2nd time now. "The buyer wasn't home, nor anyone else he lives with. So, the guy working the front desk told me I could leave it with him, and he would make sure it got to the buyer."
I took a sip of my drink, letting out a content sigh.
'Gods, I love coffee.'
Being religious isn't something I ever considered, but if you told me it was some god or goddess that gave coffee to the world...
Now that— that would be my religion.
"And you thought that was a good idea?" Judging from her tone Mrs. Walked didn't think so.
"What was I supposed to do? Wait there all day? I still have one more package to deliver."
She didn't answer me. I wasn't sure if her silence was a good or bad thing.
"The first one went alright though." I tried appeasing her. "The buyer was home."
Said buyer was a boy who looked to be around my age. He lived in a large family house with a garden, fitting into the norm of the districts closer to the edge of the city.
We talked a bit, and I learned he was 17 years old. That made him a bit older than me, given that my birthday was at the very end of the year. Or the start of the next one. Doesn't really matter. My parents weren't sure either.
"...yes, I know that." The bookstore owner answered eventually.
"Oh? Tracking me, Mrs. Walker?" I asked in a teasing tone.
"No, you idiot! When the package is delivered, it's set to send back a notification. That's why I called! I didn't get a second notification."
"Oh... Well, you didn't specify my job exactly so..."
I heard her groan on the other side of the call.
"Give me a few minutes. I will call you back."
'Oh joy...'
With that she ended the call.
I leaned back on the bench, taking a large sip of my coffee and taking in the sight before me.
Smelling the soft flowery scent coming from the park nearby and just listening to the sounds of people busying around was nice.
As someone who lived in the outer part of the city, I was less used to parts like this one. The 15th district was more like a transitional one between the smaller scale buildings on the edge of the capital and the skyscrapers of the inner city.
Buildings were taller here, with a few that could be considered smaller skyscrapers. Not to mention the colours.
Almost all of said buildings were light grey or white. Giving colour to larger buildings was hard I heard. Larger pieces of Etrine trees, the material used for most of the city, didn't respond well to it.
Family houses had more of a variety in that regard, though they were mainly white or grey too. Some had other soft colours to them. Our own was a light beige for example.
The greenery popping up everywhere, the shops, and other decorations did help to make it less bland. It fit the title people have given this place.
The Haven of Reason and Progress.
The streets had people running around. A young couple eating ice cream as they walked by, two middle aged ladies window shopping by a store on the other side, a father with his two sons running after him, laughing loudly. A few cars, sleek, quite vehicles, rolling on the wide road.
"How boring... Broad streets with not a single back alley, cleanliness, almost no crime...How absurd."
Hearing the voice of my less than dear companion, I turn my head to the side.
There he was, sitting on the branches of a tree a few metres from me. His voice was clear, like he was sitting right next to me. By the time I blinked he was gone.
I felt a certain sense of unease wash over me.
'He's been more active lately. He used to only speak to me a few times a week in the real world. Now he's been annoying me all day. I don't like this...'
Finishing the rest of my drink, I got up from the bench, throwing the paper cup into a nearby trash box. Even that looked all clean and orderly. The lid opening and closing automatically.
'It really does look too perfect sometimes. Full of weirdos though...'
I put a hand to my temple, pressing down and rubbing it for a bit.
'My headache is getting worse. I should be good for more than half a day still, so why...'
Shaking my head, I checked the time and started to walk towards the subway station. Better move.
"If I want to get home at a reasonable time, I need to catch the next ride to the 18th district. That's in.... 30 minutes. Should be good."
Strolling through this part of the city was something I enjoyed, even with the dreadful summer weather. Not exactly this district, but those closer to where I lived had some wonderful sight and activities during Fall and Winter. And as a bonus, I could also see my favourite spectacle from a new angle.
Far in the background, in the very heart of the city, stood a giant tree. It was the same greyish white as all Etrine trees, but it was clearly different.
Its top disappeared in the clouds, the giant branches peeking out from the see of white in a few places. The light danced on the almost transparent leaves, making them shine with a multitude of colours, like shards of stained glass.
The Tree of Babel. The Heaven Piercer. The thing around which the entire city was build, along with its 7 smaller children that stood in districts 6 to 12.
'One day, I will climb all the way to the top and jump down. I will fly, soar free through the sky.'
I felt my linkframe vibrate in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw the caller id, Annoying Woman, displayed on it.
"Hello? Who's this? I'm not buying anything." I answered the call with a grin on my face.
"...you know, dear Alexander, one day someone will grab that pretty neck of yours and just..."
I had half a mind to ask if my neck was really that pretty, but Mrs. Walker's tone didn't sound that pleased. And I did enjoy living for the most part so...
"Done joking? Good. I called the buyer. They forgot the package was coming today and went to the festival. They will pick it up at the front desk of their building later."
"So, everything's fine? Perfect!"
"Yes... Where are you now?"
"Heading to the subway now. Should be done with the last delivery in like an hour and a half. Two at most."
"Good. Anything else I should know?"
"Well, I got stopped by some officers like an hour after I left the shop."
The line went silent, though I did hear a small sound coming from the others side. It was like something just cracked.
"And you are just telling me that now..." Mrs. Walker sounded a bit weird, her voice lower and... quite a bit less cheerful than usually.
'Now that I think about it, she was way more easy-going when I didn't work at the bookstore. Guess I picked the wrong week to help out. Yes, must be that...'
"Well, yes. It didn't seem like anything really. They just asked for permits. Is the thing I'm delivering that dangerous?"
'I probably should have asked that before agreeing to deliver it.'
"It's just regulations and the likes. The government checks private businesses that sell stuff like this way too often. For safety they say." She scoffed.
'That didn't answer my question.'
Her voice sounded bitter, particularly at the regulations and safety parts, so I wasn't too keen in pushing the issue further.
"Anyways. I'm at the station. Call you later?"
"Yeah, do that after you are done. I'm going to lay down a bit..."
'Hm. Guess I was right. She must be under the weather...'
She ended the call with that.
I continued my stroll to the subway in silence, humming a jovial little tune. It was one that I wasn't sure how or when I learned, but it made me feel relaxed.
Before I realised, I was already at the station, walking down the stairs. The cool air underground a welcome change.
There were less people than I anticipated. Must be because of the festival.
Leaning against a clean white pillar, matching the rest of the place, I waited.
Glancing at the track, I half expected my hooded stalker to show up, standing there with a grin. Seeing him get hit by the approaching train would be satisfying. So of course he wouldn't let me have it.
'One can dream...'