Tool

Chapter Nine

Following Tara down a narrow alley around to the back of the building, Aurelia could feel trembling. At first, she thought it was her legs. The fear of what she was about to do was getting to her. But as they got closer to a metal door, she realized the ground itself was vibrating.

"Stick close to me, okay?" said Tara over one shoulder.

Shouldn't be too hard, Aurelia thought. Tara was dressed in some sort of shining fabric with light panels that shimmered as she walked. She wouldn't be hard to miss. The girl stopped in front of the door and knocked in a complex pattern, and the panel was immediately opened.

"She be with me," Tara said to a tall youth, who simply nodded and stood back to let them both in.

Dense music played, a steady rhythm beating through the walls of the dank corridor they now stood in, and the light was dim and red. It was like being inside a giant heart. Aurelia could hear nothing but the music. Tara took her hand, leading her down a wobbling set of metal stairs. And then she saw it.

The huge cavern was full of elite teenagers, a writhing mass of colors winding in and out of each other like a nest of snakes. For a moment, it was breathtaking, a constantly changing kaleidoscope of patterns. Music throbbed around her head, and Aurelia felt her body respond, her muscles discovering some innate connection to the beat that surrounded her. She wanted to . . . dance? Was that the word? Tara was looking at her and laughing; she said something, but Aurelia didn't catch it. The girl once more pulled Aurelia by the hand. Threading their way through the crowd took them to a smaller room off to one side.

The music was still loud, but at least Aurelia could hear Tara when she leaned in and shouted to ask if Aurelia wanted a drink. She nodded, and the girl signalled her to stay where she was. Obediently, Aurelia remained rooted to the spot, afraid that she'd be lost. In the web of color that ensnared her, Tara wouldn't be as easy to find as she'd first thought. Thankfully, it was only a couple of minutes before she saw the familiar purple hair and a raised hand beckoning her. They went to a corner of the room.

"Here." Tara pushed a container into her hand. "Listen, there could be someone here to help you. I gotta go talk to some people. I need you to stay here where I can find you again, got it?"

Aurelia nodded, then turned her attention to the container she'd been handed. Tara shook her head and grabbed the cylinder out of her hand. She shook it vigorously, then pressed a small slider on the side before handing it back. Again she told her to stay put before disappearing.

The room was spinning with people, the music seemed to have no end or beginning, and Aurelia wondered what it was like to live this life. To have nothing to fill your days with but music and laughter, parties, drinking. She lifted her drink to her lips, swallowed, and grimaced. It was bitter and citrusy, obviously alcoholic. Not wanting to look any more out of place than she already did, she kept the cylinder in her hand but drank nothing more.

A tall boy dressed in a blinding white suit and wearing glasses that glowed in a series of flashing colors smiled at her from across the room. She smiled back, and his glasses glowed green. Gesturing to the dancers, he nodded at her. Confused for a moment, and then realizing he was asking her to dance, Aurelia thought about agreeing. There was something in the raw energy of the dancers that she wanted to be a part of. But no. It wasn't why she was here. Regretfully, she shook her head, and the boy's glasses flashed red for a second before settling back into their repeated series of hues.

She waited, her legs growing tired from standing. The cylinder in her hand at least made her look like she belonged, but she was beginning to get scared. What if Tara didn't come back? Aurelia had two options: attempt to get out and get back to the hospital, or try to figure out how to get into the rest of the tunnels from this cavern. She decided to go with the second option which included not knowing when she'd get the chance to be down here again, when Tara pulled on her sleeve.