To Perceive an Image

Fifteen: Images of Trespassing

Maryanland, September 15, 2040, 4:14 PM

"What about Maryanland's surveillance system?" I ask, thinking about Maryanland having caught onto us raises an intense fearful pressure in my gut.

"What about it?" he asks, taking another bite of his fifteenth Klecha if I'm counting right. If I didn't despise the sweetness of dates, I would've challenged him in a competition.

"When we were talking about the surveillance system of both worlds, and how they might've caught onto us, you didn't look all that concerned. Since your ingenious self already took care of the issue with the Image World, do you have any ideas about how we can do the same thing here?"

His mouth forms an o shape as if my words reminded him of something.

"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head about that. As much as I love Maryanland, its inner working systems are dumb as fuck. The government installed both security systems in the same software, a couple of lucky guesses with the password, and I had a field day." He says, looking at me while taking a humongous bite of his seventeenth pastry, I lost count, to be honest. What caught my eye was the expecting look in his eyes.

That'll have to wait, I'm too busy laughing.

A burst of amused laughter decorates the empty forest we thought acted as a good shortcut to what should be Flynn's home. He proposed the idea of taking this route, and I had no objections. The Image World's projected images of Maryanland do not do it any justice, the sight in front of me looks nothing short of delightful. The abandoned twilight of the buildings in the Image World must feel put to shame by the dazzling light each window of the same architecture cannot get enough of here. From a distance, tall, neutral-colored buildings house people and a plethora of luminosity. Equal attention dispenses itself amongst vintage and modern buildings. That's something I appreciate about Detroit. Yet the abandoned remnants of what used to be a vivacious neighborhood now resemble crumbled-down buildings which stand short behind the distracting green beauty.

Flynn's lucky it's still light out, or else I would've dragged him down the crowded street with me. I put my trust in him because I know he'll feel bad and sacrifice himself if my self-defense skills get rusty mid-fight with a black bear or coyote. The fight wouldn't happen because I want to save myself. No, it'll be a man vs. man battle against myself trying to resist the urge to hug them. If dangerous, why cute?

According to his encyclopedia, the cafe Flynn said he worked at as a barista back in the day is around the corner from this sketchy forest town. Perks of being a man. It must be nice to walk alone in places like this every night without fear.

A content smile decorates his post-nap self, oh my god, his dimple.

I can never forget the gratitude she has whenever I drop off groceries. It has become a habit, even though I've only done it twice thus far. I'm planning on making it a weekly thing.

Khalto would not let me leave their home unless I stayed for lunch and a rejuvenating nap after I told her I got back home late last night and for the groceries. Meetings at who knows where were becoming a daily event between Flynn and me. Despite being a tech genius, there's nothing he can do to allow our regular cell phones to work like regular communication devices.

While we were enjoying lunch at an Italian restaurant with my friends, he suggested we meet every day. When I asked why all he could say while mustering the courage to make eye contact was that it would be good in case of an emergency. Once again, I didn't question him and followed suit with his words. If I don't see him for at least six hours a day, lingering boredom will surround me. Sapphie and Lyly have caught onto this, but a few excuses later, they drop the subject.