Station, стр. 38
Tale of woe complete, Hadder's rotations around theSpeck halted. The pulsing light began to swell, encompassing Hadderin energy that warmed his soul and greased his smile. Safely bathedin the Speck's light, Hadder could feel the grief, anxiety, guilt,and anger drain from him through infinite pinholes. Soon after, hedrifted in the luminescence, emptied but not empty, a man with losswho was no longer lost.
"Thank you for sharing," boomed the Speck, voiceemanating from everywhere all at once. "Now live."
On that cue, Hadder was thrust violently from theSpeck's light, watching as it disappeared from sight, leavingHadder in the dark once more. Until he opened his wet eyes.
The Samsara was before him once more, sittingsilently on its foundation of white sand. Hadder was lying on thesoft grass, his head cradled in Lilly's lap as she stroked hishair. Sitting up, he noticed the wet spots on Lilly's jeans andoffered an abashed apology, which she waved away. While Hadderrecovered from what must have been heaving sobs, Lilly satpatiently, silence the greatest gift she could have given him.
"Was I talking out loud that whole time," he asked,unsure of what had just transpired.
Lilly smiled sweetly. "Yes, but I only listened tomost of it. I'm sorry for what happened to you, Marlin. I truly am.How do you feel?"
Hadder took a moment to evaluate. "Better. Muchbetter." He took a deep, shaky breath, let it out slowly. "Howabout you, Lilly? What's your story?"
"Later, Marlin. Time for that later." She put herarm around Hadder's shoulder's, pointed at the Samsara. "Look atwhat you've done."
Hadder looked on in astonishment as the Samsarabegan to change. Its expired coat slowly turned from black to brownto beige to white, matching the sand found beneath it. TheSamsara's decrepit arms grew thick and durable, giving birth tolarge blossoms that ran the spectrum of colors. Hadder's eyes wentwide at the metamorphosis, from the remnants of what was to thepinnacle of what was possible. Lilly held him tight as the Samsaratowered over them, vibrant and healthy, its brightness warming theentire courtyard and stealing residual negativities from hismind.
A breeze entered the courtyard, and the Samsaradanced at its introduction, its large blossoms moving to and fro intime with a muted melody. The breeze became a wind that whippedthrough the courtyard in a counter-clockwise direction. Blossompetals leaped from their perch to join the wind, riding itscircular currents. More and more fell until a cyclone of colorsurrounded the Samsara and filled the air, raining color uponHadder and Lilly.
Hadder stood, and Lilly joined him, transfixed bythe scene playing out around them, grateful to be backgroundcharacters in a living Van Gogh painting. Petals tickled theirfaces, many sticking to Hadder's tear-slicked cheeks, and helaughed loudly, an honest sound that came from a place justrecently rediscovered.
Lilly, her face a chromatic work of art, cuppedHadder's face with her hands and brought him in for a kiss as theystood in the blossom storm. It wasn't a deep, passionate kiss likeReena's, but rather the warm, comforting kind that Hadder hadthought off-limits to a wretch like him.
As they separated, the wind died down, and the stormof petals became a gentle snowfall, scraps of color falling to thegreen grass and white sand, only to disappear seconds later. TheSamsara, its show concluded, darkened again, shedding its lastremaining blossoms as it thinned. Minutes passed, and it stood darkonce more, an inkblot on the white canvass.
"Well, what do think, Marlin," asked Lilly, one armstill over Marlin's shoulders.
"I think I'm ready to see the rest of your world.All of it."
"You sure? You might not want to leave."
"I'm counting on it."
CHAPTER 12
Lilly Sistine led Hadder across the Bridge Gab'Rielonce more and due south along one of the more significantthoroughfares that Hadder had seen. Just off the street and down amedium-sized garden path, they eventually passed into a largeclearing. To the left, a group of residents was playing volleyball,enjoying the fresh air and heatless light of the Solay. To theright, a man with four arms played a double-neck guitar for anenthralled audience that surrounded him on the grass. In the centerof the clearing stood a large three-story wooden Bar bordered by alush, manicured garden on its sides and back. Five steps led up toan impressive porch and the main entrance, which were below anoverhang that was supported by four wooden columns. Although thebuilding looked to be an antique theater, the front overhang wastrimmed with yellow neon, and the words The Royal Jelly werespelled out in matching neon of vibrant blue. The Bar was unlikeanything Hadder had encountered in Station to date.
Lilly stopped on the small footpath that led up theBar and extended both arms towards the building, cracking a smilethat lit up her face and melted Hadder's weakened heart. "This ismy home, Marlin. This is The Royal Jelly. Come on!"
Taking Hadder's hand, Lilly pulled him towards theBar. Twin golden bees, standing on opposite sides of the footpathjust before the stairs and standing at twice Hadder's height,welcomed them. As they neared, the statues' golden wings began toslowly flutter, reflecting the Solay's rays in small explosions ofbrilliant light. Up the stairs they went, and through the largedouble doors.
Hadder walked into a warm, open space that was litwith what almost seemed to be natural sunlight, and he was besiegedby Sunday morning memories that almost caused him to trip. He movedforward, investigating this place that obviously meant so much toLilly. On each side were comfortable seating areas, many of whichwere presently home to residents, wrapped in dark leather thatbegged for someone to enjoy them. Beyond the sitting areas,centered in the room, was a small bar that looked mightily stocked,carrying much more than Station's standard numbered offerings.Stairs descended on both sides of the small bar to another level,where another small bar backed into the one above it, creating aninteresting dual-level effect. The second mini-level also containednumerous seating areas in addition to a long counter that lookeddown to the last lower level. Several more residents occupied thisbench, engaged in quiet conversations over cold drinks.
The final level, reached via cascading steps