The persistent aroma of wine still lingers in the hallway downstairs. It also creeps into my living quarters, but I've somehow gotten used to it. Perhaps when the smell disappears completely, I'll notice something is missing. Thus, everyday life slowly returns to this small moon orbiting Saturn, to the extent that everyday life ever exists here.
I find myself blending into this small community, and the corners are starting to feel like home. That's convenient, since this is my home. Upon my arrival, I was filled with fear, but that has been replaced by curiosity. These feelings are fundamentally different from each other. One is heavy and dense like lead. The other is light and tingling. Not too light, though, but something you can build on. Like a piece of safety you can rest on.
A feeling of security is something that was missing from my life for a long time. On the street, peering over my shoulder became second nature. There was nothing to steal, but violence erupted over the smallest things. Either the selected place to sleep was on somebody else’s territory, or someone was jealous of the sleeping bag I had received as a donation. Now that this emotional void has gradually been filled here in the café, I realize how big that empty space really was.
Even though I’m in an extreme environment, orbiting a gas giant in a café built on a small rock, fear isn’t present despite the circumstances. I'm not really afraid of anything else. There are three other humans accompanying me. At least, I assume they are humans. There’s Pearl, a talking cat, a sentient music player housed in a jukebox, talking creatures that resemble shoeboxes, creatures that walk the borderline of reality, and who knows what else. That's all I need.
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When my thoughts start to drift off track, I can always pop into the café’s restroom. Last time, there was a train track in there that led to the relief of some strange species' physical needs. The café bouncer seems to deliberately leave the modular toilet in some strange configuration. Even though he is an organic bot, he is surely betting with someone on my tolerance.
I'm supposed to become an observer. According to Pearl, I'm further along than anyone would have dared to hope. Helping the Friips was obviously some kind of milestone. Although Pearl played a big role in this, she claims that she only knew how to point me in the right direction. She said she only saw a pile of random blocks looking for their rightful place. I was the one who put them in place. Something makes me suspect that Pearl is downplaying her role. My former self would not have been able to sense something so subtle.
If I stop to think about myself, to be honest, I do feel very different. Being different is not an unfamiliar feeling, but now it is more pronounced. There is a distinctive sense of clarity in my conscious mind. I'm able to organize my thoughts without the strange stressors of my previous life clouding my vision. I'm surrounded by people, friends, creatures unlike any I've ever known. All my new friends are real mysteries, but safe ones.
Speaking of mysteries, I should probably meet up with the person with the shaggy hair who was behind my abduction. I'm looking forward to that moment more than I dare admit to myself. That confusing nighttime encounter in the dirty back alleys changed the course of my life. To be precise, it saved my life. This makes my stomach tingle in a way that makes me suspect there are other insects there besides butterflies.
But now I'll take a moment to relax and rest my head on a rather unique feather pillow. Mrs. M brought me the pillowcase she made for me when she came to do the cleaning next door. When I stuffed the feathers into it, it became the perfect pillow for a little nap.
Till next time.
- Johnny