Torn Skies Chapter 3: R&R
The skies stunned me silent. I had hiked mountains before, and gone to old cities as well. None of them could possible compare to the combination of the two that I had before me. And I thought the PC graphics were unbeatable. The beauty of the old architecture coupled with the feeling of being over the clouds. The surreality of it all left me staring opened mouthed. Now I truly understood why people called this place heaven. It wasn't easy to see it sitting behind a screen with a mouse and keyboard (or controller, or whatever your poison is).
Continuing down the steps I breathed the brisk sky air. It might have been me, but it begun to feel the small sensations of short-breath. I guess the game doesn't really cover that part did it? In the distance I could make begin to make out the statue of Father Comstock, standing proud and heroic in the middle of a square, his hair and coat fluttering in the wind. I walked on and on, breathing in the sight, and what little air my lungs could take in. Stupid lungs, why now? Just when everything gets exciting you bloody fail. I continued for the amount of time I could until I had to stop and lean beside a hot dog stand. Turns out, if your short-breath/high altitude problems weren't handled by taking long deeps breaths, then breathing in sizzling meat would.
"You look like you could use one, boy." The hot dog man said. He motioned to one of the hot dogs he had sizzling on the grill. Only now did I feel my stomach growl. It felt like I had just ran a race on an empty stomach. Then somebody shoved a feast in my face. Hmm…
I took a Silver Eagle out of my pocket and traded it for the man's hot dogs. It took me only a couple of minutes for me to wolf it all down. I guess killing people takes a large toll on the body. "Fancy a soda?" I quickly nodded and handed over another silver coin. I gulped down the contents of the bottle and set it aside. While walking on, I felt the warmth in my stomach increase. I paused then remembered, in the game, soda adds to your Salt. I smiled of course, proud of having remembered this, and made my way on to the rest of the city. The game never really discussed this, and no other person else I saw had that problem. But it seemed my body had a difficulty trying to breath in the high altitude air. I never had asthma; I spent a lot of time doing sports and I never had breathing problems. However it was clear to me now that my lungs weren't working properly. More often than I liked my vision filled with stars. They were tiny and scarce, but it frightened me. Unless I was to live the rest of my days in Columbia in peace, this short-breath problem would likely get me killed in a fight. I got a feeling it wasn't going to be.
Columbia was breath taking—in every sense of the word.
Not a trace of the stormy sky was left, just clear skies. It cast beautiful shadows across the streets—the light refracting beautifully off of the trees and their leaves. I continued to walk under the shade. Until I arrived at the fair… I could hear a man shouting in the distance. Excitedly announcing the wonder that was Vigors. Two men dressed in red clothing were shooting Vigors of fire and electricity and lifting one another into the air. "…would you believe me if I said a man could shoot electricity from his fingers…" the man rattled on. I watched as the pair near the bottom of the stage entertained the crowd with their Vigor abilities. I walked on to the rest of the fair. Stopping at Hunt Down Vox, I decided to try my luck with the rifle. "Step right up boy, grab yourself a gun and give it a try. I'll even throw in a bonus if you hit Daisy Fitzroy!"
"Sure." I took a deep breath, which worried me, if I had to take breaths like this all the time how would my shooting fare. I shouldered the rifle, and racked the cocking handle back. I've gone shooting once, with my father and my uncle. I remembered as much as I could. Shooting was simple enough, the closer you were the easier it was. But this was a rifle, you shot things over distances with it, and the farther your targets was the more could go wrong in between. You had to adjust for bullet drop, you had to account for windage, even a miniscule deviation can be ridiculous if pulled over long distances. I pulled off a shot to the side, hmm I can handle this. The bell rang, and off I went. Bringing down the Vox Populi with air gun bullets to their tiny cardboard figures. "Oh look! There goes Dai—" I didn't even wait for him to finish. I blew her away with a shot and returned to the rest until the timer dinged.
"Well I'll be… we have a winner." I collected the first prize and smiled rather smugly. A small crowd had gathered around me, they clapped their hand a little before dispersing. Then I walked on to the next booth. Cast Out the Devil, the man smiled as I drank down the vigor. Bucking Bronco it said. The curtain lifted to a familiar scene, a woman and her child, with bold hair and blue eyes, and a man dressed in a red demon costume snuck up on them. I extended my hand at the devil. Nothing happened. I did it again and again and then the timer ran out. "You sure you know how a vigor works boy?" the man laughed heartily. "Care to try again?
"Actually I would." The man nodded as the curtain revealed the scene again. This time I didn't try to use it, I didn't even lift my hands. I thought. I felt the warm power inside me and then I imagined it channeled. I willed it, I would with my arms or my legs. I was working a muscle I had never felt before. And out it came. Not with my even with my hands, it just came and knocked the devil into the air. I did it three times, and though I felt the power in my gut deplete, using a vigor filled me with a sense of power that I never before felt. The sensation of being in control of such sheer force was awesome. I collected the prize and walked off.
So that means I don't even have to use my hands. It was a motoric skill. But one that was invisible and required salt at the same time. It was as simple as moving a finger, but not all things simple were easy. "Hey handsome," I turned to see a gorgeous young woman with basket filled with a batch of green vigors, "Ever been cheated by those things of metal? Ever lost a penny to a vending machine? Has a payphone ever refused to connect to with a beloved spouse?"
"Well no." I said blushing, No! take control, "but then again I never tried to call you before?" now it was her turn to blush. I took the bottle she offered and screwed the cap off. "It's time to take back control from the men of metal! With Possession. downing it I felt my vision blur around me. A green wraith of a woman flew circle around me. The girl blew me a kiss. "One whisper and they're all ears, honey." I blinked and pulled out some silver dollars. She stopped my hand with hers, "No need…"
"It's free?"
"For you handsome, almost everything is." She winked. I might just settle down here, maybe…
I handed her the money anyways and thanked her before I walked on. It wasn't long till another view took my breath away. Though normally I wasn't afraid of heights standing on the edge of the street still put on edge (no pun intended). The city floated along the sky, with clouds both above and below where I stood. The sun was still shining brightly. Two officers conversed about their Skyhook in the distance. I could help but lean in and eavesdrop.
"Neat ain't it? and they upped the RPM too!" the man Brandished his Skyhook.
"Puts harmless tool myth to rest." The man laughed heartily.
"Yeah sure…" then he gave it a good spin. "So this button here activates—" the man's companion however could not help but interrupt excitedly.
"The magnet. Then the other one turns if off. And you squeeze the lever on the handle to adjust the speed of the rotation. Dang it I want one…" when I had heard all there seems to be heard. I took a step, but then felt my knees buckle. I fell to the street. I hung on to the railing, not only to support myself but also for the fear of falling off the city itself. I felt my head throb and my vision fill with stars, not good.
"Son… son. You alright?" the two officers I eavesdropped were helping me up. I almost felt bad at that point. Almost.
"Yeah, just not too fond of heights," I lied. "I think I'll be fine."
"Yeah I had a friend, he had the exact same problem. But he eventually realized that the only way to heaven was up. Think he's gotten over it." he chuckled to himself, but I wasn't paying much attention to him. One of them had the skyhook still in his arm.
"Say where do I get one of those."
"Sorry, but you only get these if you join the force. However, I figure if you join the Columbia Youth You can get your hands on one even sooner. You're a new comer right? I think they'll be glad to add you to their numbers. The Columbia Youth will always accept strapping white lads like you." I couldn't ignore his emphasis on the 'white'. "Now off you go maybe you'll be in time for the raffle." The raffle? Oh bloody hell… that. I nodded vigorously and started to walk as normally as I could manage only collapse onto a bench. It was under a statue of… what the hell? The Statue that was one of a man changed into that of a woman, first the air around with rippled, then the air filled with energy, electricity surround it it and it changed. "Lutece…" I whispered to myself, still a bit shaking that it changed before my very eyes.
I let my head fall between my knees and sucked in as much air as my lungs would take, then another, then another… how did I get here. Breath, How am I going to get back. Breath, My family am I just going to vanish? Never to be found again? Breath, and Columbia? Breath, How in the blazes did I arrive in Columbia. Breath, it's not in a different time, nor in a different places Breath, it just doesn't exist. Breath at least that rules out time travelling and teleportation. Am I in a different world? A Video Game? Breath breath breath breath…
"Excuse me…" I looked up. "I'd like to leave something there." A little girl of about stood with a basket in her hand. "May I?"
"Of course you may." I gathered as much strength as my dying body would allow me, and stood up. "What's you name little girl?"
"Constance, sir. Constance Field." She brandished a Voxophone from her basket along a rose. She set it on the chair. "Who's that for?"
"It's for the Ms. Lutece." Then she pulled something else. It was a plush toy in the form of none other than Songbird. She cuddled with it a little then left it near the rose. I smiled before I had to take another big breath. It was only getting worse. "Are you alright?" I nodded reluctantly, "Were you baptized? I was baptized when I came here. I hated it but mom says if I didn't I would get sick. Anyways, have a great day sir." I sighed as the little girl ran off, then sucked in another big breath. Here we go…
I arrived at the raffle seething with anger. Then I watched the raffle burning and aching to use my crow vigor on the monsters. There Jeremiah Fink stood shouting expletives and encouraging the cheering and raging crowd as they threw their baseballs
"Don't be shy throw! Ladies and gentlemen today is a small step. For today we throw baseballs, but tomorrow we burn the Sodom below." The Chinese couple on the stage had stood had little chance against the juggernaut of a crowd. They stage grew more and more bloodied, the couple staggered and fell beneath the endless wave of baseballs. "Don't worry about the stage, ladies and gentlemen. We'll mop it all up. WITH THE HAIRS ON THEIR HEADS!"
That is it! You're going down you son of a bitch! I charge forward at a brisk pace, but before I could break out into full sprint I staggered. Falling to my knees I felt my vision cloud more than ever before. Everything was shining, like light being refracted through diamonds. Oh no oh no oh no! I knew I was going to hit the ground face first. Even before that happened, as I tilted forwards, I was already out.
"What do you think?" said a woman.
"I think he's rather smart and at the same time—" said a man.
"He's stupid."
"I wouldn't say stupid."
"Idiotic?"
"Ignorant."
"I suppose," the woman said, "The less you know—"
"The more you don't and the more you do."
"The less you actually feel…"
I knew that voice. I didn't even have to hear them, they way they talked gave it away. "I was hoping I wouldn't meet you too and at the same time I did."
"He might be ignorant brother, but he sure is wittier than DeWitt. No pun intended." I chuckled nonetheless. And drew in a sharp breath—the air in here was back to normal. I sat up to see where 'here' was. It was tailor shop. There were waist coats and trousers and coats. I looked up to see the two Luteces standing to one side. Robert took Rosalind's measurements as they talked in front of a mirror.
"I think he's noticed it sister."
"He was bound to soon enough."
"Notice what?" I asked. They both gave me a look that you gave a three year-old who just drooled on your lap. I took another deep—oh that's right. "The air you mean?"
"It's safe to say you've noticed it the entire time you've been in the streets of Columbia."
"What my brother is trying to say, is that you've been given the answer for as long as you have had the problem. Now stop and think about this for a moment." I blinked, I've always had the answer. I must have missed it then. Think! I remembered as much as I could from the moment I came unto Columbia. I still could not see it."
"He's still not seeing it… should we help him sister?"
"No… but I do think that his lungs should learn to love the air more."
Wait! Our Prophets fills our lungs with water so they may better love the air. The man at Church. Were you baptized? I was baptized when I came here. I hated it but mom says if I didn't I would get sick. Constance field. "So you think I should—" The space in front of the mirror was empty.
"I say you better get going." Robert said. "You have to hurry if you're going to make it in time." they were at eh counter with a large vat of water.
"In time for what?" I said slowly approaching the counter, the sign said Lutece & Lutece Tailor Shop.
"To save Booker of course!" Rosalind said as if listing the groceries.
"How am I do that?" I took of my coat and waistcoat and shirt. As the two held my sides, lowering me into the water
"Just get to Monument Island. Things will sort themselves from that point on."
I nodded, "Wait! How did I get here? How will I ever get back?" Rosalind lifted her eyebrow at her twin—or her alternate self or whatever—he nodded. Then she looked down at me. "We weren't the ones who got you here. We were involved but… we weren't exactly the ones who got you here."
"Then who was it?" But they didn't answer, the just shoved me under the water.
"The anarchist was first witnessed wrecking havoc at the Columbia Raffle & Fair. He attacked the raffle assaulting women and children and brutally murdering the men and women of the Police…" I ignored the radio as I came to. I was already in my shirt, and my waist coat was neatly folded next to my weapons. I glanced at the counter, the Luteces were gone, the vat of water was nowhere to be seen, even the sign now said. Lowell & Sons. Tailor Shop. All that showed they were ever here was box of ammunition, a Devil's Kiss Vigor, and a not saying good luck, signed R&R. I collected the ammo and drank down the vigor.
I felt spicy coming down my throat, then I saw my arms burn. The pain excruciatingly passed. I ran outside knowing I had little time to lose. The streets were littered with bodies. Booker had been here.
"Hey! Who are you?" Police woman came forward with her pistol, and I came forward with my Revolver. I drew then fired, I missed. She fired and missed and I fired again. This time I didn't miss. I ran as fast as I could knowing that booker has had a far head start and that the Police were bound to come to see the ruckus I just caused. I sprinted all the way to the Blue Ribbon. Running to back of the shop, I didn't see any of the Luteces. But that wasn't the surprise.
The surprise was to see that the map of the city had already changed. The entire roof tops Booker fought through was gone.
"The City is in constant change, so you have to be as well?" Rosalind was right behind me all of a sudden.
"We were told you improvised well?" Robert asked appearing right beside me as well. "Something about being dishonored or something like that." I caught the reference even if he didn't. Robert pulled a box from his side then opened.
Skyhook.
"Remember Simon, the more you think you know—" Rosalind said
"The less you do." Robert finished.
