Fragments of the Neon Purgatory
Fragment 4
The screen flashes “GAME OVER”. The scoreboard appears before him, as he sees he got third place, behind the tags AHM and MAX. Luke’s fist slams against the board of the arcade in frustration, and yells.
Luke: Damn it! Max and Ahmet, every damn time.
He growls under his breath. After such a scene, he only wanted one damn win. A scared whimper and a shush reach his ears, but he's focused on the machine in front of him, still bitter about the scene past. As he inputs his own signature into the scoreboard, LKE, he feels a touch on his shoulder.
Hai: Make some silence. I’m trying to teach Emile how to meditate.
Luke turns around, and he sees Hai, with some traditional Chinese clothing on, a sharp yet calm gaze on her eyes, and some burning incense in her other hand. In the corner, he sees a broken mess that’s supposed to be called Emile, her hands trembling violently, covering her crotch area with her hands as she whimpers pleas in old French. Luke's frustration evaporates immediately, as the bitterness from before seems like just a doodle compared to the image in front of his eyes.
Luke: I’m sorry, I-I didn’t see you there. - Luke’s voice softens, and he steps back a bit. How could he have been so careless? - It’s just… it's been a rough day.
Hai: Lower your voice - She says calmly, but dismissively. She then tries to approach Emile - Calm down, just hear my voice, and feel the nice smell of incense flood your lungs.
Hai’s voice is soft like silk, almost hypnotic, but underneath, there’s a cold note in the background, something detached. Emile shrinks against the wall, her breaths coming in sharp gasps, as Hai invades her personal space. Emile shakes her head wildly, like a crazed animal. Her eyes lock on the burning incense, pupils blown wide with terror, her expression hollowing out into something distant. A sharp, hopeless sob escapes her lips, as beads of sweat form in her temple. Her mind was no longer hers, it was one of a trapped animal.
Emile: Non… non… si vos plaist! - She begs, staring with wide pupils directly to the burning incense, her voice cracking, - Please, please- she gasps, her breath hitching. Her lips part -Not the torches! -Her words spill out in a broken, trembling French accent, thick with fear.
The incense was something more to Emile than just an innocent smell. It was something more, it was coming for her, ready to take it all from her again.
Luke noticed the emotion in Emile's eyes, the antithesis of calmness. He can't look away, seeing in Emile a panic he can't ignore, even after failing to protect Ani earlier. He steps in next to Hai and clenches his fists, but his voice remains soft.
Luke: Emile looks panicked. Your methods aren't-
Hai: Shut up. She'll get used to it. - A light frown appears in her face as she dismisses his resistance outright.
Luke has had enough. He rips the burning incense and throws them on the floor, stepping on it and putting it down.
Luke: She's terrified, Hai! Don't burn things in front of her!
Hai's head turns suddenly to stare at Luke, her eyes wide, her face a deep frown, as her hands fly up to take the hem of his tunic.
Hai: And what's your solution, you empty-headed chǔncái?! - She says between teeth, with an expression of pure anger.
Luke pushes her away, as Hai falls beside the gasping Emile. Hai is about to get up and fight, when they hear a low whistle.
Joan: Relax, schat. You're all killing the vibe.
Joan stumbles into the scene, bringing with her a weird scent that clouds their sense. Emile now turns her gaze to Joan's left hand like a deer staring into headlights, where a lit blunt of weed rests between her index and middle finger. Emile flinches and presses herself against the wall, trying to put distance.
Joan: What Emile needs is a puff from one o' these. A little toke and all that bad juju just floats away, ya know? - She says, her words slurred.
Luke: Are you insane?! - Luke's eyes widen in disbelief.
Hai: Ugh, you junkie! Now the room doesn't smell like incense anymore! - She gets up and straightens her dress, spinning on her heel. Then, she storms out of the room, while muttering - Yěrénmen...
Joan drags her feet towards Emile's huddled figure in the corner. Luke quickly moves to stand between them.
Luke: No, Joan! Just... - He takes a deep breath, trying to control the anger boiling inside him.
Joan: Come on! I won't get mad if you two take one each.
Before Luke can even respond, one of the workers of the arcade comes over. Luke turns to her.
Luke: Lucy! Please, help-
Lucy: Joan, stop smoking. Now. - She says in a soft but firm tone.
Joan: Tsk, okay, goddamnit... - She tosses the blunt down, and steps on it, looking annoyed.
Lucy's eyes linger for a moment in Joan, then, her head turns to Luke.
Lucy: Sweetheart, tell me, what happened with Joey and Ani?
Luke shrinks and sighs, as he looks away in shame.
Luke: I wanted to protect Ani. Joey wanted to buy her...
Lucy: You did nothing wrong, sweetie. - Lucy ruffles his hair with a motherly smile.
Luke smiles softly, as his intense shame melts away with Lucy's natural warmth. But then, his eyes widen again, as he remembers.
Luke: Emile! She's-
Both of them turn to Emile's still trembling figure. Lucy crouches down beside her, taking Emile into her arms, cradling her and shushing soothingly.
Lucy: There, there. They're gone.
Emile's trembling finally stops, her fear melting with the warmth coming from Lucy.
Emile: Merci, Lucy…
The air is filled with only the sound of a soft lullaby coming from Lucy's mouth:
Hush now, darling, close your eyes,
Moonlight's dancing in the skies.
Dream of rivers, soft and wide,
Drifting slow with the rolling tide.
Stars will guard you through the night,
Holding you in silver light.
Sleep, my love, till morning’s new,
I’ll be here, watching you.
Fragment 3
After eating two pieces of the "sweet khlib" as she calls it, Irina retreats back into her plushie corner, laying in the pile of plushies and clinging to the biggest one, a big pink bear that's tall enough to engulf her completely. She puts the arms of the teddy bear around herself, simulating an embrace. After a silent while, a younger african girl sits near Irina, breaking the silent atmosphere with a soft whisper.
Ani: Hi Irina…
Irina nods softly acknowledging Ani's existence. Ani stays silent, drifting her thoughts elsewhere, as she stares at her hands, sensing the flicker that only she has seemed to notice.
Ani: Do you think I will remember? - Ani says, holding back some tears that threaten to come out.
Irina doesn't respond immediately. Instead, she looks down for a moment, before finally looking at Ani without changing positions.
Irina: Do you think you want to remember?
Ani shakes her head, looking back at Irina, and then returning her gaze to her hands, as silens dawns upon hem again. But it's broken again, this time, by a boy with aristocratic clothing, approaching to them with a ticket voucher.
Joey: Hey, uhmm… - he looks at Irina, and says - How much for the n****?
Irina's eyes widen slightly, as she looks at Joeym totally silent. Meanwhile, Ani herself is in shock, and her hands tremble slightly, looking as if they flicker away, for instants. She tries to respond with almost a whisper.
Ani: I'm not….
Joey: You have a chain? My granpappy tol' me new ones I bought needed to be chained so they don't escape.
Ani: But I'm not-
Joey: I've seen you're kind of shy. My papa used to teach n******* things, maybe I can teach you how to be brave! - Joey says, with somewhat of a kind smile, which seems like an insult to Ani - Come on! Come with me! - Joey takes her hand, carefully pulling her out of the plushie corner.
A boy with robes, who was exploring the arcade, looks and listens to the discussion. He rushes to Ani and Joey and pushes Joey away.
Luke: Ti eípes?! - his body tenses like a spring ready to snap, his fists trembling with immediate fury.
Joey: Hey, watch! - he backs down a bit, laughing nervously, as he then looks up at Luke - I just wanted to-
Luke: To what?! Buy her and put her in your damn cotton plantation?!
Joey: B-but I-I'm trying… I wasn't-!
Ani: H-he didn't mean to, I think… – Ani tries to defend Joey, as she trembles at Luke's loud outrage.
Luke: You weren't thinking?! Weren't-weren't what?! You ever had iron on your throat?!
After managing to get up, Ani looks at Luke and tries to gather some confidence. She rubs her wrists and speaks up, while her body gives the contrary signal, shrinking back.
Ani: L-Luke, I-I think you're overreact-
Luke: You know who actually felt those chains?! ME, PAÍDI! I have been sold, like a sack of grain, like a pig for slaughter! And you come here with a- what?! A ticket voucher?! Buy her like a teddy bear?! - Luke ignores Ani outright, as he takes Joey's shoulders, fury flooding his face.
Joey: I didn't-
Luke: Then LEARN!
Luke pushes Joey and he falls to the floor. Joey quickly rushes and tries to get up, running off the scene, his face etched with fear. Ani flinches when Luke yells, and then tries to follow Joey.
Ani: Joey! Wait! I-... - Ani sighs, and turns to Luke, her hands trembling, and her face almost breaking into a sob - I… L-Luke… You… You were mean too, Luke! I could… - Ani gets up of the plushie corner, and she runs away too.
Luke stands here, in silence, completely stunned by how things turned. His chest is heavy, as he slowly lets go of the breath he held since he heard Joey's words. Irina softly scoffs, looks at him without making positions.
Irina: You let yourself slip there.
Luke looks at her, with disbelief, as he seems bitter and angry, and starts walking away.
Luke: Sometimes people are incomprehensible.
17th of February of 2025
Fragment 2
Hans and Carl quickly run down the hall, following the trail of the scent of food. A small gril, just a bit taller than the, stops them, standing at the door with a toy gun.
Luz: Halt! Where 'cha think you're going?
Hans tries to look over her shoulder, standing on his tiptoes.
Carl: Nico told us that there was cake!
Hans: We want a piece!
Luz: Negative, this territory has been claimed by the glorious republic of-
Hans: Then why is Irina inside?
Carl: She has a piece already!
Luz turns around in disbelief, looking at the lithe, starved figure in a corner, covering her food with her arm as she eats desperately.
Luz: Ah... I-how? - She turns around, and puts up a facade - I-I let her in! Yeah, that's it. I mean, look at her! She obviously needs it. Meanwhile, you two are fatties. Not apt to receive help from great General López!
Carl: That's not true!
Hans: I'm starving!
Carl: Why do you have two broken nails tied to your shirt? - He says, about to touch them.
Hans: Who's General López?
Luz: Enough! Don't touch my nedal of honor! it's the highest honor in the army, and I-
Hans & Carl: Maxwell!
An older boy wearing a jacket and sunglasses, walking with confidence, his left hand in the jacket of his pocket. The twins quickly go and cling to him, burying their faces in his embrace.
Hans: Luz is being a meanie!
Carl: She doesn't let us into the diner!
Maxwell: That's bogus! - Maxwell goes to luz, as the little soldier tries to stand tall, even when Maxwell completely towers over her.
Luz: Sorry, captain, I got orders from General López himself to protect the diner from the wretched brazillians.
Maxwell: Dude, just let us in, Luz.
Luz: Not a shot captain!
Maxwell: Then why is Irina there and not us, hotshot?
Irina looks up, her eyes wide, and her mouth full of cake.
Irina: I wanted to taste, whatever this is called, sweet khlib...
Luz turned back to Maxwell.
Luz: General López had compassion for poor people.
Maxwell: Luz, the food is for everyone. - He says, smilin a bit, trying to convince her.
Luz: Nonsense! The diner is the rightful territory of-
A boy with an ottoman military uniform comes walking from the hallway, the steps of this boots resonating through the now silent diner, as all kids turn his attention to him.
Luz: Mi Coronel! - She gets into a military salute position.
The boy pushes Luz away, almost making her fall with her force, passing to the diner. maxwell, Hans, and Carl go behind him, getting in.
Maxwell: Jeez Louise, Ahmet. Be a little more gentle with kid.
Ahmet, the kid with the janissary uniform, stops in his tracks. and turns around to look at Luz.
Ahmet: She should know that in war there's no place for gentleness. - he says, with a bitter voice and a thick accent.
Hans and Carl quickly run to the cake and serve a piece to each. Maxwell helps them, while ahmet serves himself a plate of pizza and potato chips.
6th of February of 2025
Fragment 1
The air is filled with the eerie humming of machines, neon lights decorating all around the decaying building. While the ample room is full of attracting sounds coming from the arcades, there's an undercurrent of silence that only the souls that have stayed for long inside can feel. A single child is on the room, hunched over a book, ignoring the machines that surround him. Suddenly, a sharp scream of disgust comes from the other side of the room. Two giggling kids run around, escaping from the crime scene. A neatly dressed girl, red with fury, storms behind them.
Edith: I demand you come here this instant, you uncivilized peasants! Give me my doll back!
She walks quickly, following closely behind the smaller children, with a fake plastic frog in her hand. Meanwhile, the twins run with a porcelain doll as they giggle, finding Edith's fury amusing. Suddenly, a door of the bents falls in front of the two brothers and stops them in their tracks.
Nico: Hans! Carl! - He drops down from the vents, falling down gracefully, in front of them. - Ye puny rascals! What did yer do this time?
Hans: We stole Edith's doll!
Carl: And replaced it with a frog! - he continued, both with a mischievous grin.
Nico: Mio Dio! I 'eard 'er scream from beyond the horizon! Come on, gimme-a the doll, there's-a cake in the diner, and I saw irina starin' like a vulture!
Hans & Carl: Yay! Cake!! - they leave the doll in Nico's hands and rush to the arcade's diner.
Edith slows down after seeing Nico handle the situation. She goes to him, and rips the doll out of Nico's hands.
Edith: Oh, Janisce, my dear, sweet Janice... - she clings to the doll tightly - Are you saying something? Speak to me...
Nico: Ye sound like-a wind in a storm, ya little princess.
Edith: Your words don't faze me, Nico. i know how to stand my ground.
Nico: Well, seems-a like the little ones know 'ow to invade it! You should loosen up a little! Learn' how to flow with the waves!
Edith gives a mocking laugh.
Edith: The waves! Your precious waves. Can't you learn how to stop daydreaming yourself?
Suddenly, the boy with the book looks up, interrupting Nico as he was about to respond.
Hisham: Edith, you should stop and reflect here. Nico got your doll back, be thankful.
Edith: Just great! - She says, her voice dripping with malice - You're learning from that annoying slave?
Hisham: It's called "common sense".
Nico: Which yer seem to not have. - he says with a smug smile.
Edith looks at them, offended, but seems to hear something, and retreats out of the conversation.
Nico: That girl-a makes-e me... 'ow did Maxwell say? "Blinds my tears"?
Hisham: "Grinds my gears", I think.
Nico: That-a. Thank you for speakin' uppe, ol' chap.
Hisham: No problem. - Hisham returns his gaze to the book, as Nico climbs back up to the vents.