The glow
It’s really late at night. Near the river, there’s not a single trace of life in sight.
Nobody goes there, except for a few choiceless homeless people who brave the unknown of the Husdson’s banks, but only for one night. There’s a rumor saying that if anybody goes there and stays longer than you should have, you will be confused and drained from all energy, your head will explode with thoughts of another world as you sink in the gray waters.
No one knows where this rumor comes from nor when. Most new-yorkers think in the early 2000’s, after the collision of the twin towers, a breach through space and time was lying under there. Feeding on the forgotten last moments to not rip our reality apart.
Meh, that’s something right of a Doctor Who episode, if you ask me! I often come here to think, since there’s less noise and people bother me. But it's true, the whole atmosphere,down there, was nearly insupportable to anyone not familiar with the city. Not a sound, even from the proximity to the town’s center, came to bother your thoughts. Only the calm flow of the water can be heard.
As I was thinking about what to eat tonight, a weak glow was visible at the bottom of troubled water. Think, little brain, think, as I tried to convince myself.There’s no way it’s actually possible! People just like science fiction, they do not actually believe it,dumbass!
I knew I was correct, of course. I was more clever than anyone in New-York. Well, that’s what everyone says. But it wouldn’t harm to get close to it, I think?
Closer, and closer to the liquid, the warmer the atmosphere felt. It is quite comfortable, I must say. No one was around, no cold breeze, just me and the warm air outside the waters.
Something grabbed my arm.
Swim back up! Now!
Honestly, was there a reason to go back into that world? Does my existence have any value to the people? I’m just another rich kid in a rich city. Not that I’m not happy to be wealthy, but few people talk to me like a normal person.
I’m not that clever. People consider that I am, only because of my parents.
I sank deeper.
Deeper.
Deeper.
The subtil glow became more and more bright, but it is alright.
What? You would never say that, stupid. And I was right.
Those aren’t my thoughts. Something is definitely trying to drag me in the light.
I just kept getting closer to the shiny rift, swimming back up was harder than I thought and the air in my lungs became rarer. I have seen many things in my short life but the huge silhouette of a man through the light is something I expected at the end of it. Maybe an hallucination due to lack of oxygen?
No, there’s something else. That corpse seemed very real. Maybe someone got stuck there like me? I approached the rift on my guard. One of the arms of the person seemed reachable, I grabbed it, trying desperately to get the body out.
The silhouette was slowly getting out of the rift.The other arm, then what seems to be the head. Both of us got projected into the air seconds later.
I fell on the floor and hopefully I didn’t get a scratch. I looked around to find the silhouette, and was left to a tall man with four gigantic metal limbs stabilising themselves.
-Hello..stranger. Greeted the old guy who was at the bottom of the river a few moments ago, completely fine like nothing happened.
The huge structure on his back looked like snakes made of cold steel, the guy himself must be quite strong to hold so much weight.
-Hum,where or when are we? It appears that I have been travelling again. I-..I’m truly sorry to interrupt whatever you were doing at the bottom of the river,apologised the man.
-We are on the Hudson banks, near Manhattan. Are you okay? It seems like you had a big shock, I asked calmly.
There was, in fact,no reason to be so fucking relaxed. A huge glowing guy stuck deep in the canal emerged out of nowhere, big ass threatening features all over his body.
-You’re right I was probably...I don’t even know. The cyborg-like person started to look nervously around, probably trying to find a landmark in the large landscape of New-York.
Where’s the world trade center?
-What? Sir-
-Doctor, please. Interrupted the tall man with a serious glare, even when he was in shock he still had his priorities straight.
-Yes, right, sorry. It was attacked years ago, you know, 9/11?
-..No?..Look, kid. I think I’m not from here. Literally.This is very important,said the so-called doctor. He pinched the bridge of his nose and loudly sighted. His glasses slipped from his nose and got quickly caught by one of the metal snakes. In his eyes, I could recognise what was a strange mix of frustration and fear. What happened to him? How can a man so intimidating be so frightened?
As the man tried his best not to lose control over his stress, I did try to not make a big deal out of the situation. The two of us had absolutely no fucking idea of what was going on, and we both probably needed to unpack that later. I shook the man out of his intense staring at the nothingness by sticking my hand in front of his face. I greeted him with a bright smile, trying to make things less awkward.
-You can call me Mx Octavius,if that doesn’t bother you.
-What? questioned the Doctor. It did make things more awkward.
This revelation seemed to have brought him back to life. The calm robots behind him were now standing next to their owner in an active position. Standing still, each one of them were analysing, calculating, and staring straight through me, all of them in completely different orders.
-What, you never met someone who was like me, did you?
-No, no, no, dear! It’s not that, nervously answered the man. His serpent-like arms were now hiding shyly against his back, like they knew he made a mistake. It’s hum, huh…yes, it’s true,I have no idea how it works, said the doctor, like he was trying to convince himself. Anyways, I..am…Osborn, Doctor Osborn.
-Yes… Well, pleased to meet you, Doctor Osborn.
-Pleased to meet you too, Mx..Octavius.
I don’t think he had any idea what I was. Which didn’t really bother me. Most of the time, when old people like him didn’t know about gender identity I would try to explain it, but it didn’t seem like it was the biggest problem at the moment. Dr Osborn definitely needed a shower right now.
- This is definitely more interesting than anything I’ve seen before, those things in your back. I think you could have been friends with my parents.. I paused for a moment, the man did in fact look like what my parents would think very highly of him. The way he stands proudly would totally make him easy to find on a busy street, robot snakes or not.
-Those are actuators, they help me with my projects, explained the adult, he didn’t look like he wanted to talk about it for now. I nodded in understanding. It does look like something someone would hide. Their designs were very rough and aggressive. Definitely something you wouldn’t want the NYPD to see.
-Tell me, is there something I can do to help you? I think we may find a few answers to your problems if you rested a little bit. Why don’t we go to my home? I got a free bedroom to spare.
Mister Osborn seemed a bit surprised by the proposition. He tried to convince me he was fine, and he would abuse my hospitality and kindness.
I didn’t give him the choice. He WILL come with me. His appearance here, the glow at the bottom, and the spreading rumors are no coincidence. No matter how weird the situation gets, I need answers, quickly.
The giant took off his big leather coat and pressed it against his “actuators” desperately trying to dry it. The walk back was very quiet,but agreable. Even if he was on his guard the whole time. As the sun came slowly out of the reflected skyscraper , we both started to walk faster and faster near my building.