After Image

Viola had a restless night’s sleep once again. Dreams were haunting her. In her dream, she woke to a strange eerie silence and a package sitting on the end of her bed. She tentatively opened it and saw a lacy white dress inside. It was just her size. She felt compelled to put it on and once clothed the world around her dripped away like water and she found herself in a strange city she had never seen the likes of before. She stood amongst a sea of people all wandering around the streets in a hurry to be about their business. She was the only one standing still. She noticed a skyscraper made of glass amongst all the low lying buildings. She was drawn to it like a magnet. When she entered the building all she saw were escalators endlessly leading upwards until she could no longer see, as if they vanished into nonexistence at the top, swallowed by the sky. She took the nearest escalator and zigzagged her way up the building until she too vanished into the sky. Another world appeared beyond this. She looked into the sky, felt the breeze. A woman came up to her and asked, “Are you new here?”

Viola looked from the sky towards the woman. “I suppose I am, yes. I came from below,” she said looking to the ground at her feet and noticing that the escalator had vanished.

“Welcome, then, to freedom,” the woman said and walked away. Viola stared at the world around her, confused why the woman thought this was freedom. Still trapped in a strange world, she thought as she saw the moon stick out its tongue at her and watched as people passed by a volcano erupting like it was not even there. They all seemed completely satisfied with the world around them. To them it was freedom. Not to me. Her thought caused the world to shift around her once again and she was standing in a man’s home watching the world she had been in on TV.

“You noticed it all right away. Never met anyone that could do that,” he said to her.

“Has no one else wanted to know the truth?” Viola asked.

“I will write your story,” He whispered and vanished with the dream as she woke up.

It was pitch dark in Viola’s room, early in the morning. Without turning on a light, she grabbed a notebook off her nightstand and felt for a blank page and began writing. A reflex, a habit she couldn’t seem to break. When the dream had left her fingertips, she set the notebook back onto the nightstand and fell back asleep.

When her alarm went off in the morning she felt groggy. She hit the switch on the side of her phone to stop it and pulled the covers back. As she grabbed her glasses, she saw the notebook unsettled on her nightstand and sighed. Dreams and journals are the only things I will write still. Those are real.

She could hear Eli making tea in the kitchen when she finally emerged from her room. She decided to wear one of her favorite outfits today. She felt her Steampunk outfit was an apt thing to wear on this day of showing Eli around her little world. She had put on a black chemise, lacing her leather corseted up over top of it. Buckles and straps ran across one shoulder “holding” the corset in place. She had put on her green cotton skirt pants that laced up on the side with massive pockets she could fit numerous books within. Her hair was pulled back with a scarf used as a hairband holding back her thick brown hair which had random braids laced throughout it. On top of the scarf she had placed her steampunked welder’s goggles. Little cogs studded her ears, with the left one restricted by a cuff from the top of the helix to the start of the lobe.

Eli handed her a cup of green tea when she emerged and she gestured for him to follow her back into her room. “Thanks. I always start my morning with a cup of tea, but I take it on the balcony off my bedroom. The best view in the world is had from my balcony.”

She opened the door and let the frigid winter air billow into her room. A thick fog had settled in during the night from the Kootenay and Kicking Horse Rivers which ran close to her house. They made a thick fog every morning in the low valley surrounded by mountains that she lived in.

“I like to watch the sun burn the fog off to reveal my favorite mountains in the whole world,” Viola said embracing the cold and letting it wake her up as she held her steaming cup of tea.

“Which mountains are those?” Eli asked glancing into the fog covered world.

“The Steeples,” she said pointing to the southeast. The sun was just starting to poke through the fog and both Viola and Eli watched as the majestic Steeples emerged from the fog, their snow covered faces reflecting the golden glow of the sun.

“That is breathtaking,” Eli said.

“Even better listen,” Viola said. They both stood in complete silence.

“It’s so quiet,” he whispered. He could hear the creak of trees as they swayed in the breeze and the rush of river water, and more distant, the sound of a passing train.

“Lovely isn’t it?” Viola drained the last of her tea and stepped back into the house. Eli followed close behind her.

As Eli shut the door he spoke, “That beautiful white snow on the mountains reminded me of a waking dream I had last night.”

Viola was just passing the kitchen heading towards the living room to grab her jacket and keys. “Waking dream?”

“Yeah, I thought I was awake last night at the time, but I saw this strange ethereal image of a lacy white dress laying on the empty bookshelves. It was almost glowing. Then I rubbed my eyes and it was gone. I must have been half a sleep.”

Viola stopped halfway putting on her Victorian crimson jacket. “Eerie,” she said, “I had a dream about a white dress last night, come to think of it.”

“That is a strange coincidence, don’t you think?” Eli replied.

“The world is full of strange coincidences. Nothing to them though.”

“But don’t you think it is fun to speculate on the impossible? And, you have to admit, the past few days haven’t exactly been full of normal occurrences. Lightning strike, me with amnesia, you just accepting my presence in your home like nothing has changed or is concerning.”

Viola finished pulling her jacket on and was lacing up her leather boots when she finally spoke again. “I am really sorry that you don’t remember anything, Eli. But, honestly I just gave up all that weird unexplainable science fiction crap. I don’t want to think about it. The world is what the world is. There are no hidden agendas, conspiracies, wormholes, ghosts, or unexplained events. It’s not like I was about to turn out somebody when they needed help. That isn’t the way I am. If you turn out to be a mass murderer, so be it. I’ll be dead and won’t have to worry about it anymore. I just want to move on with my life, okay? No more strange things that could be possible stories. Just you and me helping you get better, and me going to work. Can you grab Makoto for me, I am sure she will be happier spending the day at Tytonidae’s Codex with us,” Viola said with finality. Eli could read that there would be no discussion. She was closing herself off to the strange and nothing he could say would pull her out of it. It was up to him to keep an eye out for the strange and unexplained if she wouldn’t. Something more was going on here than Viola wanted to see or admit.

Once they had Makoto in her carrier they headed to the car and began the drive into town.

“When we get to Tytonidae’s Codex I’ll give you my credit card. You are going to need more clothes than sweats and a T-shirt. You have got to be freezing.”

“Do you understand what you are saying to me?” Eli asked. “You want to give me your credit card, and this doesn’t seem like a red flag to you?”

“Stop it already. I already told you, I can’t turn away from a person in need, it isn’t in me. If you turn out to never come back I can always cancel the credit card. It’s no big deal, Eli.” Viola turned up the music in her car and tried not to fume. Eli stared out the window listening to the music and wondering about this strange girl that dressed outside of her time and didn’t think that it was strange to be caring for an amnesiac that had shown up on her doorstep. Are there really people in the world like her? Why does all of this feel like a dream? More importantly, why is Viola not trying to find answers to anything?

Viola smiled at Jerome as she walked through the door into the shop. Eli was steps behind her as she was letting Makoto out of her carrier. The cat immediately toddled off into the stacks purring contentedly. “I have a friend today, Jerome. I’m going to show him the ropes. This is my cousin, Eli, visiting from out of town. Well that’s what we think anyway.”

Jerome looked up from the sheet of paper he had been pouring over and looked over Eli. “Huh, you two are the spitting image of each other. Welcome to Tytonidae’s Codex, Eli.” Jerome went back to pouring over the list before him. Viola gestured for Eli to follow her into the back room.

“I usually spend most of my time back here,” She said plugging her phone into the speakers and shuffling through the music. She decided on Yuki Kajiura and let it play. Eli looked around the room. There were shelves lined with old musty torn books in need of repair surrounding the desk that Viola worked out. It felt like a comfortable place to be.

“You fix books for a living?” He asked as he wandered over to her workstation where a book was sitting in a book press, newly covered, waiting for the glue to dry.

“Yeah, Book Doctor Viola. Says so on my card,” She said sitting down at the table. Gentle music floated in the air. She dug around in her Steampunk Stories purse which was shaped as an old book with cogs twisting and turning on the front and pulled out her credit card. She tossed it to Eli. “The pin number is zero, nine, eight, four. Now go find something to wear. Buy a few outfits too. We don’t know how long you will be staying here, right?” She turned back to her station, dismissing Eli with her sudden silence. Sighing, he left the back room and wandered out the door.

“Where is Eli going?” Jerome asked.

“He lost his luggage. He needs to buy some new clothes,” Viola shouted.

An hour later, Viola was completely entranced by her work, absorbed so fully she barely registered Jerome as he asked her to watch the front of the shop as he was going into the back of the stacks looking for some of the books to fill the orders. The sound of the bell often was too muffled back there for him to hear. Viola muttered a reply and turned down her music a bit to more clearly hear the bell. About ten minutes later she heard its distinct clang as the door opened and closed. She put down her sewing needle, flipped up the magnifying glass she had clipped to the side of her glasses, and wandered into the front room.

She was expecting to see Eli there, back from his shopping trip, and instead saw Will, the delivery man.

“Good morning, Will. What exciting thing have you brought for us today?” Viola asked looking at the larger than normal package sitting on the counter. She loved getting packages, especially when they were an old book. She loved trying to guess what was inside. Even better, the first breath of air that came from within always carried with it the smell of either history, the smell of an old book - a smell she relished above all others - or the smell of supplies which was equally as wonderful. She sometimes thought that her favorite part of coming to work each day was because inside this shop was a plethora of all the best smells in the world; instant transportation to bliss for her.

“Let me guess,” Will said handing her the electronic signing pad. He paused and looked Viola up and down.

“Guess what? The contents of the package? That’s my job,” She replied.

“I would have to say, Steampunk Pirate?” He finally replied.

Viola opened her mouth in sudden shock. There weren’t a lot of people in the world who knew what Steampunk was - a futuristic spin on the Victorian age where steam was the main source of power.

“So close,” Viola replied handing the electronic pad back to Will. “Steampunk airship engineer.”

“Right, you don’t seem like the pirate type.” He chuckled.

“Don’t get me wrong, I like a good pirate like the next person, but I like fixing things more. You, sir, may call me Meg Dioptra.”

“Dioptra? As in the third century instrument used to measure the stars?” Will asked.

This prompted a grin from Viola. “Will, I think I like you.”

Will smiled. “Enough to go for a coffee?”

Viola’s heart fluttered a bit in surprise. She hadn’t dated or been interested in anyone since she had been in high school. She had learned that she was quite content being independent. Freedom was much better than having the love of another person for her. Her sudden thought about her last date left a sour look on her face and Will looked slightly embarrassed. This caused Viola to turn a shade of red.

“Oh, no. Um, well. I don’t really date,” Viola finally stuttered.

“My loss I guess,” Will said and gave a small wave heading towards the door.

Viola looked a little stricken. “I’m not opposed to coffee though,” she finally got out before he disappeared through the door. You are changing your life, remember. The thought made her stomach sink. She absolutely abhorred change. Even when it was good change, it was still change, and change made her mind reel for days. She had once watched a movie that had completely changed her view of herself and she was physically ill for days trying to adjust. She hated that about herself, but at the same time had completely no control over the way her body reacted to change.

“My coffee break is right now if you like,” Will replied with a smile holding the door open.

“Well I… I’m kind of watching the shop right now.” Viola replied and at that moment saw Jerome emerge from the back stacks holding about six books. He looked up when he felt the frigid air drifting in from the door.

“You going out, Vye?” Jerome asked.

“That okay with you?” She asked Jerome, silently hoping he would say no.

“Of course it is. I’m not a slave driver.” Jerome popped into the back room and tossed Viola her coat through the doorway. She caught it, her stomach giving a lurch once again, and turned towards Will.

“Common Grounds is just around the corner from here,” Will replied. Viola took a deep breath of air to try and give herself courage and stepped out the door following Will into the cold street.

Once they had both ordered, they found a table tucked away in a quite nook of the coffee shop. Viola sipped at her tea nervously, not knowing exactly what to say. She was a terrible conversation starter. She absolutely detested banal chatter and didn’t regularly converse with other people because of it. She had a tendency to be blunt and straight forward, getting to meatier subjects quickly and it often made her sound cold and rude. She was glad when Will started talking. Responding to peoples questions was much easier to do than to ask ones that interested her.

“What got you into Steampunk?” Will asked.

Viola gazed off to one side of the room in thought. “I guess I always had an affinity for it. It wasn’t until recently that I even knew such a subculture existed. I grew up playing the Myst games and I just thought that it was so wonderful visually. Modern society is all about function and building things geometrically for efficiency, not caring about how aesthetically pleasing things are. I have always liked function with form. Why can’t something looking beautiful while also being useful? What about you? What made it catch your eye?”

“Well first, we Brits did invent it. I also love the idea of alternate history,” Will replied. “I love that it gives you all these possibilities. I also like the etiquette when you go to a convention. Have you been to one?” Viola nodded. “Well then you know. There is no rudeness involved. Seems so much more civilized than what modern society has now. Also, it’s a great excuse to wear a top hat and a monocle.”

Viola laughed. “Brilliant!” She looked at Will and could see him decked out in a Victorian era suit, a warm winter jacket buttoned up, a monocle in his left eye and a bowler hat on his head. The image shimmered around him. Her imagination had a way of superimposing itself on the real world in a way that she was sure would sound schizophrenic to any one she told.

“I think you are more a bowler hat guy,” she replied and let the image vanish from her mind to be replaced by the postal outfit that Will was actually wearing.

“Bowler hat, eh? Might have to try that at the next convention.”

“Why wait until a convention?” Viola asked. “I never understood the whole: people need an excuse or important event to dress up. If you like something enough to want to wear it, why not wear it whenever you feel like it? Make every day special instead of one moment special. If it makes you feel good to wear a top hat, then wear it. People stare because they are wishing they had the courage to wear what they like instead of molding themselves after everyone else.”

“You don’t care that you stand out?” Will asked.

“Truthfully, I find people staring at me very uncomfortable. But I refuse to let their condescending gazes define who I am. If I can’t be me all the time, I might as well not be me anytime.”

“That’s really brave of you.”

Viola laughed at that. “Never thought of it as brave. Defiant, yes. Brave, no.”

“It really is though. Most of the world is made up of pillocks, too scared to stand out in the least. Here you are, uncomfortable being different, but refusing to let them change you. I think that is really brave.”

“Well thanks for that,” Viola mumbled. Praise from someone made her feel just like when she was being scrutinized by everyone that saw her: completely uncomfortable. “You should probably be heading back to work, right?” Viola said, changing the subject.

Will looked at his watch and sighed. “I guess it is that time.” He looked up at Viola and gave his infectious grin. “You think you might want to do this again?”

She suddenly felt like she needed to set some ground rules. “I should let you know that I think kissing is disgusting. I am in no way ever sharing the saliva in your mouth. Do you know how dirty people’s mouths are?” She shuttered at the thought.

Will laughed. “So you were thinking of snogging me?”

Viola flushed red. “No. I just didn’t want to, you know, lead you on. If you think this is a romantic thing, then it is best if we just shake hands and never see each other again. I don’t do romantic is what I was trying to say. I don’t want a boyfriend. I just want friends. I’m not opposed to guy friends, actually I get along so much better with guys for the most part; it is just the way I have always been. Actually in high school–“ Will put his finger on Viola’s lips to stop her from talking.

“I get it. Fine. No romance. I will admit that it will always be in the back of my mind, but mates is good too.” He gave her a little wave and disappeared out the coffee shop door. Viola was left standing in the middle of the shop holding her half empty cup of tea. She stuffed the paper cup into the bin and ran out of the shop and down the street back to the safety of Tytonidae’s Codex. She felt like she needed to bury herself in her work and hope that she never saw Will again, regardless that he delivered packages to the shop.