Detroit was formidable by day; a complicated network of towers composing a mixture of rotted gray exteriors and sleek modern skyscrapers as if the two were competing for space. There was always something newer and bigger being built, standing bright and clean against the blue sky while below, the forgotten community continued to decay. There was no in-between in this city. People were either extremely wealthy, living in the sky with walls of gleaming white plastic and bright hologram screens, or they were living destitute in Detroit's shadow which was growing larger every day.
At night however, Detroit was a different story. The gleaming white walls were dark and the towering skyscrapers faded into the night sky as if they simply dissolved into the atmosphere. The only thing that existed were the lights. Thousands of lights in various sizes and colors outlining the shapes of the structures. There was no rich or poor, only the sparkling sea of dots that was the city of Detroit.
Deep within the city, bright lights created oases in the darkness where people passed between the buildings in streams. The storefronts blazed in different moving colors, giving the walls of the clearing an ocean-like appearance while the upper floors remained a stationary grid. Crowds gathered around the doorways, filling the insides of the stores with a flurry of movement. The city never slept. It never stood still. Detroit simply folded itself like a flower and brought its life indoors.
It was partially why Kate avoided the downtown. Night was easier although it seemed only to concentrate the activity to specific areas. Everyone knew eachother, and if they didn't then they went in search of more people. As if being around so many other humans made their existence more significant. Life needed life in order to validate itself. Which was probably why Kate found herself at the back of too large a group under the bright lights of downtown Detroit.
Jamie walked ahead with several people that Kate vaguely recognized. Jamie was always dressed for the occasion. Tonight was a glittering red dress that was tight to her body and stopped mid-thigh, complete with shiny white high heels and her black hair done into a messy bun. Jamie's friends were dressed in similar variations so that it was difficult to tell them apart.
Kate had actually made an effort on her part to wear something other than the usual old clothes. She wore her last pair of clean jeans and a black camisole underneath a loose cotton sweater which she'd left open. She'd even brushed her hair which had taken about twenty minutes of careful coordination and some minor pain but left her brown hair almost straight. Kate could never be bothered to go further than that, but that night she'd humored Jamie's suggestions and let her roommate apply eyeliner to Kate's eyes. It was slightly annoying knowing that she couldn't rub her eyes, but this night was different. And different times called for awkward measures.
"Did you pick this place out or did Jamie?" asked Matt. He was the only one walking with Kate at the back of the group, his hands in his pockets. He was the most normal-looking person wearing his usual boots, baggy jeans, and loose t-shirt. He also hadn't brushed his shaggy brown hair which curled out under his ears and around his thick glasses.
"Jamie picked it out," said Kate. "I just told her what I wanted and she planned the rest."
"Okay, that makes more sense," said Matt. The group was approaching a bright archway leading into a glittering environment within a tall building. "How come you didn't wear a dress?"
Kate threw him a sideways glance. "Are you serious?"
Matt shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just saying all the other girls are wearing dresses. You put on makeup but you forgot the dress."
"You'll never see me in a dress," said Kate. The group was coming to a stop at the large glowing archway blocked by a neon strip. Android stations stood at either side, housing three or four stationary figures each. Kate saw Jamie turn around to count heads, then Jamie held out her phone to an android that was standing at the booth. The android scanned Jamie's phone, a ring of yellow dancing on the android's temple.
"You'd look good in one, you know," said Matt in that soothing tone Kate was still getting used to. She looked at him as he gazed off to the side. He made eye contact with her, his deep blue eyes shining. "You look good now though. I mean better. You've been looking a lot better lately." He smiled and Kate couldn't help her own smile as she looked at the ground.
"Things have been better," she said. The group moved forward underneath the archway. "I've been getting more sleep, actually eating, getting my writing done…" She nodded as she walked with him. "It's been pretty good."
It was dark inside the building, with bright lights creating corridors that the group followed. The walls flowed with variations of different scenery, from swirling nebulas of outer space to windswept deserts. The corridors branched off into exits that offered a glimpse of the current activity: extreme laser tag, tennis, pool, and indoor skydiving were a few that Kate recognized.
The group slowed as they moved further into the building, and Kate could see Jamie at the front looking back over her shoulder. Jamie raised a hand up.
"Katie!" Jamie motioned with her hand. "Katie get up here!"
"Oh god…" Kate instinctually moved closer to Matt and shifted behind his shoulder.
"Nope." Matt moved out of the way and Kate found herself being pushed forward. "This is your party."
"This isn't a party," said Kate. She spun away from him and stepped backward, but yelped as her feet left the ground. Adrenalin shot through her as she wrapped her arms over Matt's shoulders in an attempt to stabilize herself as he carried her.
"Happy birthday, Kate." Matt walked to the front of the group, each of his footsteps oddly jarring. Kate clenched her eyes shut, her stomach in a knot of anxious flutter at being so close to him, but she let out another yelp as she felt her legs drop and she was swung down into a standing position. She stood still, biting her lip in a mixture of frustration and giddy nervousness.
Jamie grabbed Kate's hand, and Kate could see her smile in the dark. "Come on, girly." Jamie pulled her forward through the corridor. "There's so many things to do here. Have you tried the rave room? It's wild!"
"Oh, we should check out the undersea cafe!" said one of Jamie's friends. "They serve this rainbow margarita. So freaking good."
"Do they have any hot tubs here?" asked someone from the back. "We could all get naked…"
"Oh my god, not unless I'm totally drunk." Jamie's messy bun swung as they moved from one side of the corridor to the other. "What haven't we tried here? I mean I've basically tried everything─"
"Miniature golf," said Kate.
Jamie looked back at her and rolled her eyes. "But that's so boring."
"Miniature golf," Kate repeated.
"Why don't we go to the zero gravity bar? You might have fun floating around."
"Miniature. Golf."
"Katie, no one goes miniature golfing."
"Exactly."
Jamie sighed. From behind, a few of her friends laughed. "Can't you at least try something else before you just settle for the most boring deck?"
"No."
"Katie…" Jamie cocked her head to one side. Kate felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Matt move up next to her.
"Don't worry, I'll keep her company," said Matt. "Pretty sure she'll get bored really quick and come looking for you guys."
Kate made to snort under her breath but felt a slight relief as Jamie moved away.
"Fine. If you want to find me later, I'm going to the rave room."
Jamie's friends moved with her, each of them continuing to bicker over which was the better rave room. Kate watched as the group merged into the distance amidst the flickering colors and shadows. Despite the group leaving, the corridor wasn't any quieter.
"Are you really going miniature golfing?" said Matt. Kate could see him analyzing her.
"Yep," she said. She strode off down the corridor following the flashing lights. "If I can remember how the hell you do this.."
Matt sighed behind her, but Kate could hear the smile in his voice. "You really haven't been here before, have you?"
Kate threw him a glance over her shoulder. "You think I spend most of my weekends here or something?" She gazed at the contrasting lights for a sign or arrow, but found herself being tugged sideways by the hand. Matt's stocky frame came into view as he led her to the nearest deck. He paused next to the blue panel and typed something into it. Kate stepped sideways to peek at the panel. Almost as if by intuition, she found herself becoming increasingly aware of his hand grasped over hers, and she felt him let go.
Before she could say anything, a well-dressed android approached them. The android smiled.
"Thank you for choosing VR Miniature Golf," said the android. "Please enter the deck. Your stylus are in the blue dispenser. Feel free to ask me any questions or make any requests. Enjoy!"
It took a moment for Kate to realize that Matt had already moved into the empty room ahead. She followed him in, gazing around the domed room. The walls were a matte black and seemed much further away than they really were, and the floor stopped about a foot from the walls in a kind of platform.
She paused behind him as Matt fumbled with something. "So… what are you going to pick?" she said.
"What do you mean 'what am I gonna pick?'" Matt held up what Kate recognized as a stylus that the android had pointed out. "You think I'm some kind of pleb?"
Kate shifted her weight as she stared at the walls. "Just… not Disneyland. Anywhere but Disneland."
"Alright, Disneyland it is," said Matt. Kate felt her jaw tighten and moved toward him as Matt pressed something on the stylus, holding it close to his mouth. "The Enterprise 1701-D."
The room exploded into bright colors, causing the walls to disappear and the ceiling to expand outward. A red carpet spread out underneath Kate's feet, meeting the white curved walls that displayed the massive outer space viewing screen. Display panels flickered into existence, flashing red warning signals that coincided with the siren overhead. An analog style countdown ticked in red numbers on the corner of the viewing screen, starting at ten minutes. As the room solidified, a deep rumbling shook the room.
Kate stood frozen for a moment, her brain struggling to accept that she was standing on the bridge of the TV show. She hardly noticed as Matt tossed a stylus to her.
"You didn't really think I'd do that to you, did you?" said Matt. Kate couldn't help the childlike energy overtake her reserve. She clicked the button on the stylus, causing it to lengthen into a neon golf club.
"You're a god damn asshole," she said, pointing the golf club at him. Matt raised his stylus, producing a red neon golf club.
"Don't take that tone with me, Number One!" He moved towards her, swinging the club. She swung hers with both hands, the neon clubs passing through one another. There was a loud electric ringing sound.
"Please use the stylus only for its intended purpose."
"Oh shut up." Matt swung the club through one of the operating stations. "Looks like we're gonna blow up in nine minutes anyway."
"Not if we get all the balls into the right holes," said Kate. Matt snorted behind her as she looked along the floor, scanning for the starting line. There was a tapping sound, and she glanced up at Matt who was sitting at the helm, tapping the panel. She let out a sigh. "What are you doing?"
He twisted in the chair to look at her over his glasses. "Are you seriously not going to at least try to fly this thing? Look, we're heading right into the black hole!" He pointed at the screen which displayed a bright swirling vortex.
Kate rested the stylus over her shoulder, staring at the drifting colors. She tilted her head slightly as she examined the viewing screen, then turned and moved up the ramp to the security panel where on the floor was marked a holographic neon circle. Without hesitation, she lowered the golf club to the circle, aimed, and gently swung the club.
A bright ethereal golf ball rolled down the ramp, skirting the edge of the room, and plunked through the viewing screen. The ball floated through space for a moment, then caught the end of one of the wispy tendrils of the black hole, bounced off, and fell away into darkness.
The room chirped, and another golf ball appeared in the round circle. For a moment, everything was quiet.
"This is miniature golf?" Matt stood up and stared at the screen. "How the hell are we supposed to make that?"
"Watch me," said Kate, taking a better stance near the round circle. She swung the club again and the ball rolled down the ramp, plunging through the viewing screen and not even making it to the swirling lights before fading in the darkness.
"God you suck," said Matt.
"Fuck you, Matt."
The room chirped again and a new ball appeared. "Are you sure that's where you should be hitting it?" Matt asked as he moved up the ramp. Kate stared at him as he approached.
"Where the hell else would I hit it?" she said. Matt stood next to her, then bumped his hip into her in what was an attempt at a small push out of the way but sent her tiny frame nearly tumbling to the floor. Kate grabbed onto the wooden panel to steady herself as he readied the golf club, aiming this time in the other direction towards the opposite ramp. Kate watched as he swung the golf club harder than he needed, sending the golf ball ping ponging down the ramp through the viewing screen where it bounced off of several bright tendrils before falling away through the stars.
Matt looked at her. "I hate this game."
"That's because you're doing it wrong, genius," said Kate. She moved towards the circle and Matt pivoted into her way. "What the hell─"
"Just let me try it again." He swung the club awkwardly as Kate tried to move past him. She knocked the ball off course, sending it bouncing against the wall. They both stumbled forward, swinging their clubs.
"What the shit, asshat!"
"Don't push it into the vent!"
"Just let me hit the fucking ball─"
The golf ball rocketed off the end of one of the clubs and blasted through the viewing screen. They both watched as it caught the end of one of the brilliant tendrils, flowed along its edge perfectly, then rolled off the edge at the last moment and skirted the rim of the black hole before falling off the side.
"Fuck..." Matt violently swung the ethereal club through the security panel. "That was so close..."
"Please use the stylus only for its intended purpose."
"And fuck you, lady in the sky!" Matt swung the golf club upwards through the air. Kate leaned back against the wall, clutching her golf club to her chest as she shook with laughter.
Matt rested against the security panel, breathing heavily. "Are you having fun?"
"Watching you have a mental breakdown? Yeah, I'm having fun." Kate swung the golf club idly back and forth.
"Great, that's all I asked for," said Matt. He passed the golf club over the circle, activating the golf ball so that it rolled slowly. "Because you─" He stomped on the holographic golf ball. "─didn't want─ to float around with your friends─" The ball rolled away unaffected by Matt's stomping.
"You mean Jamie's friends?" Kate watched as Matt pushed the ball around with the club. He looked up at her with his eyebrows furrowed.
"You could share, you know."
Kate let out a small laugh through her nose as the ball came rolling towards her. "TNG is the only friend I need." She knocked the ball back his direction along the floor.
"TNG is a TV show, Kate," said Matt as he hit the ball back towards her with his golf club. "And it's not even the best one."
"You can have Seven of Nine," said Kate as she scrambled to knock the ball back to him. "And Chakotay. Chakotay's an ass." She looked up and saw him laughing as he chased the ball with the club in one hand. "What?"
"You," he said, pushing the ball towards her. "Even when you're happy you're pissed off."
"Just because I'm not full of glee doesn't mean I don't have to be happy," said Kate. "Didn't know other people were so dependent on me not being miserable all the time." She putted the ball back towards him, and looked up when he didn't knock it back towards her. He stared at the ground as he pushed the golf ball around.
"You know tha─" He paused for a moment, then knocked the ball towards her slowly. "People do care."
"Why." Kate hit the ball with a little more force than she intended. "Why do people care."
"Because we're human beings, Kate." He moved to the other side of the ramp as he caught the ball with his club. "I don't know if you've noticed but you're a human being too and when you're miserable… it makes the people who like you feel like they're letting you down."
"Those people are idiots," said Kate.
Matt knocked the ball towards her and straightened, his face lined with slight tension. "You're calling me an idiot?"
"If that sort of thing affects you, yes."
Matt let out a breath of laughter but Kate could detect the frustration in his voice. She knocked the golf ball against the wall.
"Do you…" Matt paused again and Kate looked up at him. His blue eyes were focused in a tight frown. "Do you want me to stop trying?" He looked at her and the corner of his mouth rose. "You know what I mean?"
She stared at him for a moment, a slight tingling sensation flowing through her body. She clenched her jaw to keep control. "I know what you mean."
The ball rolled silently across the floor between them. Matt caught it with the golf club. "Look I… I know you like your independence and all that─"
"I do." Kate could feel the familiar frustration building inside her.
"─ but for fuck's sake, how hard do I need to try, Kate?"
She felt a pang of intense shame at the tone of his voice, but forced herself to keep staring at the ground. She let out a harsh sigh. "You're doing a good job."
Matt let out a laugh that seemed to border on anger. "Obviously I'm not. Or maybe you've just got a wrong idea of how relationships are supposed to work."
"What do you want me to say, Matt?" Kate straightened, a weak strength flowing through her that was instantly stifled as she locked eyes with him. He was staring at her with that deep blue gaze behind his glasses, his thick eyebrows narrowed in a kind of soft scrutiny. Kate made an effort to stare back at him but couldn't help that feeling of exhilaration and terror that pushed at her resolve. She knew this was exactly what he wanted from her, and at the same time, she wished she would just give in to it.
He moved towards her and Kate felt herself swallow as she forced herself to stand straight and hold his gaze. He stopped a few inches from her so that he had to look down at her, his shoulders casting a light shadow. Kate's heart was racing as she became aware of how close she was to him, noticing all the small details that she couldn't see from far away: the angle of his eyebrows, the intensity of his blue eyes, every unshaven hair that traveled from his jawline to his neck. And she knew at the same time that he was studying her too, taking in all of her details. All of her flaws.
His intense expression softened and the corner of his mouth peaked. "I want you to say yes," he said.
Kate shook her head slightly, desperately holding on to that last shred of defiance. "Say yes to what?"
A flash of that intensity returned to his eyes, and he shifted slightly towards her again. Kate felt a brush against her neck as he held onto the point of her jaw. His thumb grazed her cheek, bringing with it that electric sensation that nearly overwhelmed her. Her defenses were down now, and for the first time, she didn't care anymore. She let a breath escape her lips as she leaned into his hand, holding his gaze.
"Say yes to this," he said, his voice in a soft, quiet tone that she hadn't heard before. Kate shivered slightly against his hand, feeling more exposed than she'd ever been. She watched him helplessly now, noticing his expression shifting slightly as he seemed to fade in and out of the same entrapment that he held her in.
She knew what would come next, and part of her still clung to that bitter stubbornness that she didn't understand. This did make sense. She did want this. She wanted to be this close to him. To know what it was like for someone to make her completely vulnerable despite how badly she needed to reserve herself. If there was anyone who could do that, it was him.
She felt her gaze soften as she surrendered to it. Matt's eyes seemed to ignite with a kind of energy, and his thumb grazed her cheek again as he slowly leaned in─
A deafening roar shook the room and the lights dimmed, causing Kate to jump in shock. Bright lights flashed against the walls and a loud siren blared. She struggled quickly to reorganize her thoughts after being in such a trance-like state. Matt's hand was gone.
She moved forward to reach for him, and caught a hold of his shirt. She felt him put his hands on her shoulders.
"It's okay, it's okay…" he said over the sound of the sirens. "Apparently we're dying."
Kate looked towards the viewing screen where the timer had expanded, counting down six seconds. The red light of the timer strobed brightly, causing the room to pulse in flashes of red as the viewing screen revealed the vortex swirling closer. Next to her, Kate felt Matt laugh.
"Forgot this thing was timed. Fuck, we're never going to get a break."
Kate shook her head and felt a miserable laughter take over as she watched the lights of the viewing screen. The timer pulsed faster as it reached closer to zero, and the warning lights flashed incessantly. Despite the perfect timing bringing her back to a state of defiance, she felt a sad regret. That had been so close…
The countdown hit zero, and the room erupted in lights. The room shook as if they were caught in an earthquake. Matt held on to her as they struggled to steady themselves. Kate laughed and put her hand up against the bright lights. If this was what it felt like to die, it wasn't so bad.
The lights were beginning to blend into eachother. Kate closed her eyes but found her eyes still flashing. She clung on to Matt a bit harder as the room began to rotate. The simulation was starting to get erily real…
Her neck began to ache. She raised her hand up higher although it felt as though she was reaching as far as she could. With a frantic jolt, she realized it was getting difficult to breathe. The room continued to spin and she rotated with it, reaching out with arms that seemed not to work in a sea of flashing lights. Someone seemed to be calling her name but it was so hard to hear over the sirens. If everything could just stop… if it all would just slow down…
Her body erupted in agonizing pain as if every muscle were on fire. She tried to speak, and hearing nothing, she strained to yell. The electricity began to take over, and she lost all perception of the space around her. All that was left was the jolting. The constant jolting that threatened to shake her thoughts right out of her skull.
Then came a sheet of blackness. The empty nothingness, sweeping over the electric flashes. It was the only solid thing amidst the storm of electricity. And before she could decide whether or not to embrace it, it swallowed her.
