Swimming in Rapture
Chapter 3
Mercury Suites, Rapture 1954
"Hello."
"Hellooo."
"Hellooo."
"H-E-L-L-O."
"H-E-L-L-O."
Rosie Lynn continues to try and coach her daughter's voice into becoming a more girly one. But Joyce simply can't do it. She was born with the voice of a boy. She didn't mind these sessions with her Mother though, she was free to project her voice like she always liked doing. But it just didn't work.
"Mommy, I can't do it. I talk like a boy!" Joyce complained.
"Now now darling. Things will change for you. You're growing up. And always be thankful you're growing up in Rapture. Get ready for bed; your Father will be home soon." Her Mum was assertive but kind in the way she brought up her daughter.
"I'm always thankful Mommy…C-can I go to Arcadia tomorrow?" Joyce asked, hoping her Mum would let her. Even though, either way, she wasn't planning to go there at all.
"Sure darling, as long as you've done all your school work and your chores." Her Mother spoke, knowing that Joyce would not disappoint her.
"Thank you Mommy." Joyce smiled. Hating her voice at every syllable.
Joyce entered her room, turning off her lights. She admired the green moonlight glow shining in from the large glass windows of her room. She looked over the city of Rapture, marvelling at it daily as an engineering miracle. Joyce was about to get ready for bed in her en-suite bathroom but stopped. She turns around and flicks on her phonograph. A soft sweet record begins to play. Taking a deep breath, Joyce steps onto her tiptoes and begins to ballet dance. She'd preferred to have been wearing her dancing dress but continued anyway. Spinning in perfect circles, Joyce keeps an amazing balance as she performs popular dances she'd seen at ballet shows back on the surface. There were no dance schools in Rapture, only a club at school. But Joyce didn't fancy the thought of that. Even she shamefully cringed at the thought of seeing a boy-voiced ballet dancer. She sighed at she danced, and Mr Ryan still hadn't made good on his promise to give her a private audience with the famous Sander Cohen. Leaping and skipping around her room she was able to clear and organise her thoughts in her mind. It was peaceful to her. She hoped with a passion that she could one day preform on stage.
Joyce dares to hum along to the record but ceases almost as soon as she'd begun. Even her hum sounded boyish and croaky, she suddenly felt very self-conscious and embarrassed at herself and this made her turn of the phonograph. Hanging her head, her thoughts drifted to Tony. She was going to meet him tomorrow at the pub in Neptune's Bounty. She was going to get her ADAM injection and then, hopefully, she'd get to "splice" for the first time with an EVE hypo. The thought was scary, but kind of exhilarating. Looking down at her wrists, she hoped it wouldn't hurt. After a while of silence she heard her Father enter the house. This prompted her to get ready for bed. Tomorrow, she had big things happening…
The Fighting McDonagh's Tavern, Neptune's Bounty, Rapture 1954
The smell of the pub was revolting. The scent of booze and cigarette smoke fills the air around them. Joyce was afraid of coming to the pub without being told to get out. But the large number of sweaty drunken workmen kept the bartenders busy enough. Tony is sitting in-front her, he's holding an over-sized syringe in his hand. It's filled half-way with a glowing red liquid. The loud noise of the people at the tavern begins to chirp at Joyce's senses. She tries to feel cosy in her seat up against the wall near the back of the pub. But she can't quite feel it.
"You ready?" Tony asked with a definite sense of care in his voice. Joyce didn't know what to make of him. He was nice, she guessed, he didn't bully her because of her voice at school. That was nice. They didn't really know each other either. He was just making good on his promise to give her what she asked for.
"Yeah… Do I just… Give myself the ADAM?" she asked. Curious about this new thing for her to do in Rapture.
"Yeah you give yourself a small dose. Some folks here say the more ADAM the better EVE but… I would recommend it. EVE has enough faults." He hands Joyce the ADAM syringe. Joyce connected his attitude to what her Dad said about Plasmids being a helpful but dangerous drug. She notices the red marks on Tony's forehead, almost becoming bumps. She ignored this train of thought and turned her attention to the glowing ADAM. She pulled it up to her wrist, just realizing that she was shaking… Hesitating.
"Want me to do it? It does feel a bit weird, stabbing you with one of those." Tony reached over with his large hands, wrapping around the syringe, clamping Joyce's hands into position.
"Yeah…Go ahead…." Joyce was having second thoughts. Was there a going back? "Ow." She grunted as the syringe injected the red liquid into her. It felt strange, the liquid running under her skin, swimming with the blood in her veins. And then, it stopped, Tony removed the syringe.
"And now," he started, "for the EVE." He pulls out a slightly smaller syringe filled with a glowing blue liquid. It's labelled: Body Boost for Women (Now with more EVE!) by Fontaine Futuristics Joyce squints at it. Tony notices her look.
"It's the only one I had on me. My Mum's been using it regularly." He confessed. And Joyce believed him.
"So how does this work? Another injection?" Joyce asked. Feeling the ADAM refreshing everything about her. Inside and out. It felt good.
"Yeah, same thing. People say some of these Plasmids will one day just be used in the form of tonics. I guess like that they'll be more presentable where you're living." Tony said.
"What do you mean?" Joyce enquired.
"I mean you know… You're living it up in Mercury Suites and stuff. I dunno. Richer places and people probably don't want to be injecting themselves with syringes all the time." Joyce kinda understood what he meant. But didn't follow through on it. She took the hypo from Tony. The ADAM somehow giving her encouragement.
"I'll do this one myself."
She took up the Body Boost, wondering what the difference between men and woman Body Boosts could be. Men get the muscles? Women get the…Bodies? It didn't matter to her. If this worked she could see into using some sort of a Plasmid or tonic that would help with her horrible curse of a voice. She injected herself. It burned. She felt her body become rigid and she began to lose her breath. She struggled on her seat, feeling like she was having a seizure. She tried looking around at the people in the pub who must've been looking at her. She fell over onto the other seat, shaking uncontrollably. She was about to lose consciousness… And then, it stopped. Her body felt energised now, she felt more flexible and free. She looked at Tony who was calmly looking back at her.
"Oh wow…" She inhaled a large breath and stood up, twitching.
"You like it?" Tony asked, picking up the ADAM syringe.
"Yeah I fe-feel…J-just wow." She was wiggling her fingers, feeling the ADAM and EVE running through her. Making her feel…Superior. She practically danced towards Tony, who was standing up as she came over. "Th-thank you T-Tony." She smiled. She hopped up and down in her dress. Tony was happy for her, he guessed, and led her out of the Tavern.
"C'mon, let's go. Need a walk home?"
"No n-no thank you." Joyce was twitching a lot more now. But she didn't care. She liked the feeling. Her face controlling itself.
"Okay then…Uh… Bye then." Tony mumbled. Joyce grabbed the hypo from the table.
"BYE!" Joyce shouted in her boyish voice as she skipped away through the halls of Rapture, barely even noticing Tony or anyone else as she went…
5 Days Later, Mercury Suites, Rapture 1954
Joyce hops around her room. Finding it easier than normal. Continuing to master her list of ballet moves. She performs an elegant demi plié, followed by a swift tendu. Sliding her foot behind her until it becomes pointed. Keeping a perfect balance and posture. After a moment of stillness to keep in time with the music, Joyce enters a releve position, standing up on her tip toes. The energising effects of the EVE had left her now, but the outcomes had stayed. Her body had a boost. She was thinner now, more agile and had much stronger bones. It was wonderful. She wasn't afraid to wear her tight fitting ballet dress to dance anymore. And all because of ADAM and EVE, she felt very much a part of the daily life in Rapture now. Spinning, she was wondering about Mr Ryan and Sander Cohen. Maybe I should ask Daddy. The record playing on her phonograph stopped playing, the song over. Joyce finishes her dance. Perfectly.
She walked over to large glass window in her room. Taking off her ballet shoes and placing them neatly by her bed. The schools of fish were swimming by. She smiled at them, still her only friends. She puts her hand on the window, getting as close to them as she could.
"Hello…" She said. Her boyish voice still embarrassing her, but no one else was here.
"Joyce! Me and your Mother would like to speak to you!" Her Dad called from the other room. Joyce considered whether or not to put on some shoes. She didn't. She went to see her parents in the living room. They're sitting on a couch, together, smiling at her. Siting opposite them on the other couch, Joyce was wondering what this could mean.
"Now darling, we have good news for you." Rosie Lynn chirped. Joyce got comfortable, looking at her parents.
"Really? What is it Mommy? Daddy?" Joyce was getting gradually more excited. Her Dad speaks.
"We have just been informed that you are getting a private backstage meeting with…The Great Sander Cohen!" He spoke loudly with the same amount as enthusiasm that Joyce was feeling.
"Really!? Ow wow Daddy that's brilliant. I can't wait! Thank you!" Joyce was leaping with joy inside. Her boy voice being drowned out by the surge of happiness she was feeling. Her Dad smiled.
"Now now Joyce, don't thank me, thank the great creator and leader of Rapture. Andrew Ryan!"
"And be sure to be polite and respectful to Mr Cohen when you see him." Her Mother added.
"Don't worry Mummy I will." Joyce said. Feeling a new sense of achievement in her life.
"Good. Now get washed and changed, we're going shopping soon." Her Mum said.
"Yes Mommy. When will I get meet Sander Cohen?" Joyce asked, standing up.
"It's not been decided yet, Mr Cohen is a very busy man. But he has said he would like to meet you as soon as possible Joyce. You're a wonderful dancer." Her Dad answered.
"Ok, thank you Daddy." Joyce said, walking to the door. Just before she left the room, her Mother called to her.
"Joyce."
"Yes Mommy?"
"Make sure you wear your good shoes around the house." Her Mother said. Joyce nodded with a smile.
"Yes Mommy."
Entering her room, Joyce decided she wanted to do some more dancing before they left for the shops. And before going out, she wanted to give herself some EVE so she could buy some stuff on her own without being afraid of using her voice in public. Rummaging around underneath her bed, Joyce found the magical glowing EVE syringe. She whipped it out, staring at it with glee. On day she planned to buy a proper EVE hypo, instead of this Body Boost/EVE version.
Before she injects herself, Joyce decided to turn on some music. Walking over to her records she wonders what to listen and dance to. Then she saw what she wanted, perfect. She plays the song on her phonograph. The record she was playing was titled, "Rise, Rapture, Rise." The song was written and composed by Sander Cohen himself. She was listening to it as a sort of mini celebration for herself. The song wasn't good for ballet dancing as such, but it was nice to listen to at the time.
The song began.
Oh rise, Rapture rise!
We turn our hopes up to the skies!
Joyce lifted the used syringe and injected herself. Feeling a sense of relief as the EVE spread through her.
Oh rise, Rapture rise!
Upon your wings our dreams will fly.
She groaned in satisfaction. She felt it going through her. Making her better.
A city in the oceans deep
A promise that we'll always keep
She pulled out the hypo. It left a red bleeding hole in her wrist. But it healed instantly, the ADAM working in her system. She looked around feeling a natural high from the thought of meeting Sander Cohen, the possibility of performing on stage, the dream of becoming a star in Rapture. This was her "Good Luck" celebration. Joyce looked out the window, the shark was swimming by. As if her other sea dwelling friend wanted to join in on the party. She waved at it. She was optimistic.
To boldly turn our eyes upon the prize.
So rise, rise, rise!
Oh rise, Rapture, rise!