Transcendent Ch. 01

Transcendent

Chapter 1 -- Prey

* * * * *

The sound of crickets. A hooting owl. The cool breeze against his skin. Sore limbs from laying on a hard wood and metal park bench for too long. Sean awoke, slowly, to find himself yet again in the odd, but strangely familiar circumstance. His pale blue eyes opened and peered up at the shimmering kaleidoscope of stars in the night sky.

'No. Not again. Please, not this again...'

He righted himself on the bench, grunting as stiff muscles flexed. His sneakers hit the pavement as he shifted into a sitting position. Sean's trim body hunched forward as the grogginess wore off. He held up his hands and glided his palms over his face, rubbing his eyes before smoothing his fingers through his short, brown hair.

He took stock of himself. Black cargo pants. Plain white t-shirt. Blue jean jacket. No keys, no wallet, nothing in any of his pockets. No indication of how he got there or why he was in this place. Just a vague feeling, a pull, towards the town that existed just below the ridge he was sitting near. Just like last time. Just like every time it happened.

How many times had it been now? Three? Four? It was hard to remember. Each time had been the same, more or less. He felt drawn towards the town. Even if he hadn't been, going there was the rational thing to do. Anyone in this bizarre situation would immediately seek out help.

And yet, there was more than just the pull. There was also a great sense of foreboding. A feeling rooted deep within him that he didn't want to go there. His mind and his gut went to war each time. Reason against instinct. Instinct won every time, so far.

Sean looked over the back of the bench toward the road not far away. A solitary street light illuminated the "lookout point." It blinked in and out of existence periodically, casting the area in darkness before re-illuminating the lonely scene. The road led in two directions. One way towards the town below and another up into the forests and mountains. As far as he could remember, he'd always taken the latter path.

He couldn't recall ever seeing a single car. Not in the many times he'd walked up into the wildness to... what? Darkness? Isolation? Death? The memories grew blurry after the first few miles. Would he do it again? Was he really so afraid of the mysterious town? Why?

*SQUAWK*

Sean jumped, startled by the sudden visitation of a raven on a nearby tree branch. His gaze darted to the ominous creature. Its beady black eyes stared back at him. The raven's neck contorted in various angles as it studied him from its perch. He couldn't escape the feeling that it was mocking his indecision.

"Yeah, fuck you too" he spat at the mischievous bird.

He stood, lifting his arms in the air and letting the blood flow freely to his limbs. He sucked in cool air through his nostrils, breathing out loudly and steeling his resolve. No, he wasn't going to walk alone into the wilderness again. He would head for the town this time. Sean ignored the voice in the back of his head beginning him to reconsider.

Below the ridge he could see a billboard in the distance. He couldn't read it from here, but its bright lights stood out clearly. Beyond that were just a few scattered lights in the town proper. It seemed odd there weren't more, but maybe it was a small town. At least it indicated there were others there. Perhaps he could get some information and at least begin to figure out what the hell was going on.

Sean left the slowly failing street light and the old park bench behind. His feathered critic cawed and took flight, leaving a gently swinging branch in its wake. He headed down the road and into the chirping blackness. His dark path was mitigated only by the subtle glow of the moon. Regardless of what happened, he hoped he never woke up in this place again.

* * * * *

The closer he got to the town, the more the clouds seemed to roll in. It was overcast now and the faint light of the moon and stars was all but gone. Thankfully, Sean was coming up on the massive billboard and entering the outskirts. With any luck it wouldn't be too much farther to civilization.

The features of the giant, well-lit advert were clear to him now. It pictured an idyllic middle class nuclear family. A mother in a sun dress, a father in a vest and trousers and two plucky children enjoying a picnic in the park. There were sturdy green trees and a bright yellow sun in the background.

'WELCOME TO CHRYSALIS!' it said proudly in big letters above the family. Below the picnic scene it read: 'The life of your dreams awaits!'

'Chrysalis... Why is that familiar?'

Sean's walk slowed to a stop and he studied the billboard.

'That's right! This was Mom's home town, wasn't it? I grew up here!'

Perhaps 'growing up' was the wrong term. They'd lived here when he was a toddler, well before Sean was capable of retaining consistent memories. His recollections of the place were brief and scattered. He remembered a little of what his folks first apartment looked like. He was pretty sure they'd taken him to the park portrayed in the motif. He had loose memories of the place. Warm memories. Some of the only good memories of the family before his parents split.

Something about the billboard put him at ease. Sean wore a smile as he resumed his journey. The nagging voice in his mind quieted considerably while the picture of marital bliss and whimsical Americana remained in view. Even once it was behind him, it offered a slight comfort that his worries had been for nothing.

The next fifteen minutes passed without incident as he walked nearly a mile and the outline of buildings took shape on the horizon. The air warmed and a light fog began to roll in. The first building he encountered was the town hall, lying on the outer perimeter of the village. It was the only building in sight that had lights glowing by its door frame.

As he proceeded up the walkway to the sturdy municipal building, Sean was surprised to see garbage littered the sidewalk and lawn. There was graffiti spray painted all over the structure and many windows were boarded up. The sign above the archway read 'Town of Chrysalis' but the seal above it was marred. One could read 'Founded in' but not the year. The rest of the lettering had been destroyed; worn away by something other than time and weather.

Despite the odd state of the property, he was relieved to see the lights glowing inside and out. He hurried to the entrance, pulled open the cold, steel door and strode into the lobby. The inside wasn't much better. There was dirt and debris everywhere. Dust covered the frames of each picture that lined the hallway leading to reception. They were old photos of the town, many in black and white featuring residents who were long dead.

The main ceiling light flickered intermittently, not unlike the street light back at the lookout. Sean was pretty sure he could hear the sound of water trickling somewhere. A leak? Or just old pipes? He was briefly excited when he spotted a water fountain, but was immediately let down by the dirty "Out of Order" sign plastered on its front.

Sean proceeded in, growing closer to the reception area. The main hallway led to a T-junction that split into two other hallways to his left and right. The front of the reception office, where plexiglass would normally be was almost completely covered by plywood. Only a single hole at the bottom showed there was a light on inside. His footsteps echoed in the halls as he came to a stop at the counter.

"H-Hello?"

"Yeah?" a gruff male voice answered from the other side. He was clearly an older gentleman, and by the sounds of it, a smoker.

"Hi there" Sean said, bending down so his voice could travel through the brightly lit hole with more ease. "I just walked into town. Was hoping maybe you could help me get my bearings."

"Your bearings?" the man asked with a dry laugh. "What, you didn't see the signs on the way in?"

"I know this is the town hall, but I don't know my way around Chrysalis."

"Just walked in, huh? First time?"

"Yeah."

"You a vagrant? Homeless?"

"No. I just... I suppose I got lost."

The man snorted and laughed again. "You got no idea why you're here, do ya?"

Sean sighed. "That about sums it up."

"Listen, son. Since I'm guessin you aint got no money, let me give you some free advice. Turn around and walk back the way you came."

"What?!? But there's nothing out there!"

"Still better then what you're gonna find in this shithole."

"How far is the next town?"

"Ummm, I don't know. Like twenty miles?"

That was at least a six hour walk and most of it would be in the dark. Sean's frustration was growing. This guy wasn't being helpful at all. Sean lowered his face down further so he could look through the hole. "Is there a reason the front desk is all covered up? Why can't I see you?"

All he could perceive was the chest of a grown man sitting there in a dingy, white tank top. Then a chin lowered down to his eye level. A mouth appeared with a thick, black mustache just above it. The mouth opened and blew a thick, pungent stream of cigar smoke through the hole that blasted Sean in the face.

He gagged and coughed, recoiling and waving his hands in the air. Sean took a few steps back and waited for the filthy cloud to disperse. He leaned down and put his hands on his knees as he sucked in fresh air.

"Why don't you mind your own fuckin business?"

"Sorry..." he responded through another coughing fit. After a few moments he straightened himself and moved back to the front counter. "Any chance I could make a phone call?"

"There's a pay phone just over to your left."

Sean turned and looked. There it was, gleaming in the dim light of the hallway. He patted his hands over his pockets.

"I don't even have change."

"Then I guess you aint makin no phone calls."

Sean sighed again. "Can you at least direct me somewhere I can shelter for the night? Maybe get a bite to eat?"

"There's no halfway houses in Chrysalis, if that's what you mean. No soup kitchens neither."

The exasperated young man threw his hands in the air before letting them slap at his sides. He turned around and looked about, wondering what to do next. "Great..."

"Look" the older man started, the tone of his voice indicating the slightest hint of pity from behind the barrier. "Keep goin down the main drag about ten blocks and you'll find Rick's. Nice little diner, open 24/7, except for when they feel like closing. If you're lucky, they're open. It's Ruby that runs the place now. A real bleedin heart, that one. Bet she'll fix you up with somethin."

"Thanks" Sean began. "...I didn't catch your name?"

"Call me Jim. And don't thank me. You're still better off gettin out of here."

"Well, thanks anyway, Jim. I'm Sean."

The weird old man ignored his reply. "Always liked that name, Jim. Good, solid, old fashion name. Commands respect, ya know?"

"Yeah, good names are definitely how you get respect" Sean replied sarcastically. "Before I go, you got a bathroom I can use?"

"Over to your right" the deep, raspy voice huffed.

He turned and saw a sign hanging from the ceiling, pointing to the bathrooms. His bladder ready to burst, Sean started off toward the restrooms urgently.

"But the men's room is busted" the voice called behind him. "Plumbing's no good."

Sean stopped in his tracks, turning again. "Is it alright if I use the other one, then?"

"What?!? NO!" Jim blustered from behind the wall. "What are you, some kinda sicko?"

"There's no one else here, right?" Sean asked, his tone growing annoyed.

"It don't matter! Go piss in the bushes for all I care. You're not using the ladies room."

He wasn't about to give the crotchety old fuck the satisfaction of another sigh. "Whatever" he shot back before stalking toward the front entrance. His first few steps echoed off the floor before Jim replied.

"Have a pleasant stay!" His snarky farewell was punctuated by another chuckle before taking a drag on his cigar.

Sean didn't respond. He kept on marching till he got to the doorway, leaned into the metal bar-latch and pushed it open with a loud clank. He shot outside, hurried down the steps and turned, pulling up to the set of bushes closest to the walkway. Sean unzipped his fly, whipped out his dick and began peeing all over the shrubs.

"There you go, Jim. Just like you asked! Maybe I'll come back later and take a shit."

He shook himself below when he was done before zipping up and making a hasty exit from the desecrated grounds. Sean rounded the corner onto the sidewalk and resumed his journey into town. The fog had grown thicker, but he could still see a few blocks ahead of his position.

Half the street lights in the town didn't work. Of the ones that did, many were blinking or faded. It wasn't just the town hall, the streets were also littered with garbage and filth. Empty, overturned shopping carts and old, rusty car parts littered the streets along with other junk. The doors and windows of many buildings were also boarded up or outright broken and hanging open. Sean was just starting to get a sense of how portentous his new surroundings were when...

*SSSSSCCCCRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHH*

He stopped in his tracks, eyes open wide as a bone chilling shiver slid down his spine and spread panic to every cell in his body. The sound had been distant, but terrifying. He'd never heard a cry like that in his life. It didn't sound quite animal or human. Almost like some disturbing combination of the two.

*ssssssssccccccccrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeecccccccccccchhhhhh*

It came again, echoing in the distance. It seemed even further away the second time. Less loud, but no less frightening. Sean resumed his march and quickened his pace. He wanted to be indoors again as fast as possible.

* * * * *

Glowing neon in the distance confirmed that he was close. As he continued walking, the mist parted and his destination was revealed. A conventional one story diner. Larger than you would expect for a place like this, but then again, the town didn't seem to have many eateries. It was just as dirty and run-down as the rest of the buildings he'd seen thus far. The brightly lit "Rick's Place" was the only feature of the building that wasn't in disrepair.

As he drew closer, Sean noticed that most of the cars in the parking lot were rusting into the ground. What was left of their paint jobs was streaked with gristly brown and patches of faded white. It was obvious no one had driven them in a very long time. Collected around every car and strewn across the lot were patches of junk and pockets of refuse.

'It couldn't have been like this when we lived here. What happened to this place?'

He was relieved to see that not only was the diner still open, but there was at least one patron sitting inside. A dark haired woman was visible through the final window on the left. She looked like she was enjoying a nightcap; lost in thought between sips.

Sean hurried to the entrance, opened the door and let himself inside. The door closed behind him with a dull clank as he drank in the atmosphere. The building was lit better than the town hall, but it wasn't any cleaner. There was dirt and grime along the floors, corners and ridges of the counters and tables.

The upholstery for the scarlet red booths was ripped and deformed more often than not. The circular seats lining the front counter were no better. Rather than delicious food and drink, the only thing Sean smelled was a faint odor of mildew and a stronger scent coming from a garbage can that clearly needed to be emptied.

The woman at the left end of the diner looked up upon hearing his entrance. Sean's gaze found her and he watched her lips extend into a smile. It seemed like she was the only one in the diner at the moment. She set down her drink and waved, before gesturing him forward.

"Hey! Cmon in!"

Sean started in her direction, apprehensively at first, but her warm expression became clearer the closer he got. He walked down the left corridor, passing many tables before stopping at hers. She was a tough looking woman with a kind of severe beauty. A bit older than himself unless he missed his guess.

The left side of her head was shaved clean. Her jet black, shoulder length hair fell over the right side of her head, crashing in a luscious wave against her right shoulder. A small, silver ring was looped through the bottom of her nose and a single black teardrop was tattooed under her left eye. Her shoulders were bare, except for the two thick, black straps holding up her leather corset. The shiny garment housed an ample bosom and a curvy, medium build figure. Her upper arms were also tattooed, an upside down cross trailing down each of her sides.

He nodded to the grinning goth. "Hi there. You Ruby?"

"Me?" she chided. "Do I look a restaurant owner? No, Ruby's in the back somewhere. Not a lot of customers, especially this time of night, so who knows what she's up to." Her gaze shifted to the side, scanning the kitchen for the woman in question. "HEY RUBY! YOU GOT A CUSTOMER!!!" There was no answer from the back. "Yeah, she's probably out back having a smoke. Or taking a nap."

Sean held up his hands, defensively. "Oh, umm... I wish I was a customer, but... This is really embarrassing. I kinda got lost on the way here. I don't have my car, or even my wallet."

The woman leaned back. "Don't worry about it. I've never seen Ruby turn someone away. Have a seat." She gestured to the other half of her booth.

He smiled sheepishly and slid onto the aged pleather cushioning. The old seating was flat as a pancake and borderline uncomfortable, but Sean was just glad to give his weary legs a rest. The woman raised an eyebrow as she studied him up and down.

"I'm Delilah, by the way."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Sean."

"Sean? Hmmm... So, you're new in town? Just wandered in?"

"Yeah. You don't seem surprised?"

"That's how most people end up here. Chrysalis has an odd way of bringing people together. People who need each other, if you know what I mean."

"I haven't the slightest idea what you mean."

She laughed. "Stick around and you will." She took another sip of her drink.

Sean looked around the establishment, a thought occurring to him. "Just out of curiosity, what happened to Rick?"

"Rick?"

He gestured outwardly. "It's called Rick's Place, right?"

"Oh..." she nodded. "Yeah, I don't know. I guess he disappeared years ago. Ruby's been running it ever since."

"He left it to her?"

"I don't know the details. She'd already taken over when I got here."

"And she never changed the sign?"

Delilah nodded at the darkened window to their side. "You saw what it was like out there, right? It's a depressed area. Run down as fuck. Fundamentally broken, but also kind of beautiful..." She added the last part wistfully as she gazed into the pitch black. "In any case, it's impossible to find help around here. There just aren't enough people. A lot of businesses and services have been abandoned."

"I see" he replied with a nod.

A pair of swinging doors flew open in the kitchen and a plain looking red-head walked up to the front counter. She had the remnant of a nearly finished cigarette in her mouth and her bushel of auburn locks was constrained by a thin, white disposable hair net. She reached below the counter, extracted a container and began opening it.

"Hey, Ruby! We got someone new in town!" the dark-haired woman called out enthusiastically.

The proprietress stopped what she was doing and looked up briefly, scanning Sean. "Mmmhmm" she murmured before looking back down and returning to her work.