"I can't remember what happened that night. I'm not talking slippery details or fuzzy-edged visions; I mean a complete and utter blackout. Like I wasn't even there. Except... I know I was."
Since the death of her boyfriend six months ago, Morgan Cai...
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"Holy shit, Morgan. You weren't kidding."
Adam's voice rings out across the rooftop; he spins around to face where I'm standing, several yards away, arms spread like he's taking it all in. Beside him, Fazia jerks to try keep the umbrella over his head—and more importantly, the expensive Canon camera slung around his neck. She's not overjoyed by this arrangement. Admittedly, Elliot and I have drawn the long straws, and we're taking refuge under the sheltered section of the parking lot while she braves the elements alone. For her sake, I hope Adam gets his shot quickly.
"It's nice, huh?" I call back.
"It's perfect," he says. "How'd you find it?"
I pause. Give a nonchalant shrug. "Tip-off from a friend."
"Well, I owe them one for sure. This is going to make for a great shot." Not wanting to waste any more time, he turns and wheels his chair further out into the rain, toward the concrete-block edge and magnificent view. Fazia hurries after him.
Elliot and I watch silently as he fiddles with the camera, peering through the viewfinder and adjusting the settings accordingly. Having never operated anything more complex than a smartphone, I wouldn't have a clue what he was doing if I was standing next to him, let alone set back this far. But it's nice to watch all the same. There's something calming about the methodical way he takes a test shot, peers at the result, then makes a slight tweak to go again. And once he's perfected the setup, it's a waiting game.
"How come you're not out there?" I ask Elliot.
"Ah." He scratches the back of his head. "I'm no landscape photographer. It's not really my thing."
"No? What is?"
He glances over at me, gaze flickering up and down my face. Almost as if trying to gauge my level of interest. "People," he says. "I'm into more of a candid style, but I dabble in portraits too. It's, uh... mostly for this specific project I've been working on."
"Is it a secret project?"
He looks confused. "No. Why?"
A smile plays at the corner of my lips. "So you can tell me about it?"
There's a slight shake to his laugh, and I think maybe he's a little nervous. It's kind of a weird feeling to be on the other end of it. "If you want to hear about it. I don't want to bore you with all the details."
I nod toward Adam, who's still adjusting the position of his camera. "I've got time."
"It's, uh... kind of like a Humans of New York style. All about people watching—capturing incredible stories in a totally mundane environment. But the thing about people is that they instantly put their guard up when the camera comes out. Even if they're completely confident in front of it. You look at them through the lens, and there's this mask they don't even realize they're wearing. It just doesn't have the same magic."
