Friday night. The possibility of two days off from work stretched in front of Carson. He smiled, sipping his daiquiri at the Salt Lake Bar & Grill not far from the office. He was alone, but Goldie was plenty company. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmQ9vQAlaO
Three true things you'd never say out loud, Goldie suggested. Go! copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CG2QS4uXI
Carson pondered. They loved this game, and since Goldie was inside his head, there was nothing he couldn't answer. I was born above ground. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AIXtHaz8y
Ooh, why'd you move underground? Goldie asked. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4U1eqSOL3
My mother murdered my father. Then they moved me here. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUFjWvb009
That's an interesting one. Next, Goldie said. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5Jr3d8dNh
Um, I hate high places, Carson admitted. Yeah, I know it's silly. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYmGZA7RoS
Well, you've got a good reason to, David. Okay, two, Goldie said. Last one. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1MzkJ5wK5
Well, I guess Tex is kind of good-looking, he thought. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtbpUeD3sq
I knew it! Goldie said. I told you, she is so amazing! copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeoHVnh2fG
Shut up, now! She's my boss. It doesn't matter, Carson said. Besides, I think she's married. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9HHJ2rOzb
Too bad, Goldie said. But you don't actually like her like that. You just agree she's pretty. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfE4EzjhDL
Yes. Carson took another sip, watching the ball game. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYZ6FUuWWJ
You guys are so awkward, Arc complained. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRSkzBn0qW
Aren't you busy being bored? Carson jabbed. Shoo! Arc complied. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjbRoQqH84
What're you going to do? We've got two days, Goldie asked. Are we going up to Denver? copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQ2sXHmrEj
Nope. Carson took a sip of his daiquiri. We're staying put and having fun. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡahb3CKF0L5
"Fun"? Goldie asked. What sort of fun? copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXp8ONZfv8
Not sure. Just going to hang around town and stuff. Nothing big, he responded. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXZlpW3MnI
Got a girl coming over? Goldie asked. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yZhCC2iCN
Come on, I've told you, no, Carson said. I'm going to do what normal people do. Sleep in, watch my feed, and maybe take a walk. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyLNHABHP6
You're not a normal person, Goldie said. You've got Arc and me. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡP94OvuLyh8
Carson smiled, finishing his drink. Let's visit one of those cool places you keep suggesting. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnHgFkSHCu
Like New York City, Goldie hummed. That's where I met Glace. She's so awesome. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡv13hPLRqsH
Carson shuddered from the onslaught of indecent memories rolling off his mind guest. Okay, fine. Let's go. He paid his tab and jogged home. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhQC6l6RUn
The projector machine hummed as it scanned Carson's mind. Goldie provided the details to Manhattan and the landscape formed before them. The program filtered out the people, boats, busses, and other things, and formed an empty city of buildings in water. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bLIsq2k8F
"This is amazing!" Carson exclaimed. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEHTVwEMX7
She was a taxi boat driver, Goldie said. That's how we first met. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡuupk6vGdnA
"You miss her," Carson realized. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnMl6eM9zU
A lot. But I don't blame you. It was an accident, Goldie said. I know how this weighs down your soul. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpyvit2XgZ
"I'm sorry." copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Ktu5A0LNn
Shut up. Let me introduce you to my city, Goldie said. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoL9KRnw1X
They flew through the city, Goldie telling Carson everything about the city of her youth. It was beautiful, but above that, it was sad. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPmZlFtnCJ
This was my first apartment. I had a punching bag hooked to the ceiling and I'd practice all day long. My mom thought it was unhealthy, but I didn't care, Goldie said. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIuQcArcmf
"You seem to have a nice mom," Carson said. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIDmRoefUf
Had, Goldie corrected. She died of cancer fifty years ago. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡck5ykrdNOQ
"My mother's in a cell in Santa Barbara Penitentiary. I visited her about five years ago," Carson said. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡwby12LCuYY
I'm sorry, Goldie said. Your mother's a real jerk. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzGnVyLaNF
"Yeah." copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡp00vzlWM8L
They flew around Central Park, a large lake that used to be a vast green park in the distant past according to Goldie. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFXcGZYitW
"Isn't it called New York Lake now?" Carson asked. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdvXArwmBk
Yes, but who needs post-war names when you remember pre-war? copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21k3xTotGw
"You remember pre-war?" Carson asked. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡekbbxSbvbF
I was three. So not really, but kind of. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡssSXqtpXP1
They slid to a shady alley and Goldie stopped. She tinkered with the software and a scene from her memory started playing. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡhR3CVAwj3c
Goldie and Glace were walking down the alley, their arms linked and heads together. Glace whispered something and Goldie laughed out loud. This was it, Goldie said. The end of our innocence. Some days I wish I had stayed home for this, and other days I don't regret anything. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡQix1u4UFz6
A strange man appeared at the end of the alley. Goldie screamed, clutching her beloved. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2ycZZFpWv
"Give me all your money!" the man shouted, pulling out a gun. "Now!" copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡrenuQi4mC8
Hesitantly, Goldie moved to reach for her purse. Glace stopped her. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsq6uUbpAL
"Come on. Stop dawdling!" the man demanded. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUN37N3NdZ
Glace pulled it out of her pocket and it was done before Carson could blink. His eyes widened. "What?" copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEeG84YdrB
Glace had shot the mugger in the face with her Glock. His spirit floated off his body and joined Glace. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡl03M7yHjXi
"Sweetie. What?" Goldie muttered. "What did you just–?" copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4scSwkFz7S
"Don't," Glace whispered. "Don't speak of this. Ever." copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqwN6FS5Sj
I knew there was something different about her after that, Goldie said, ending the playback. The alley returned to emptiness. She told her about it, and I got so excited. This could be the thing I was waiting for. We could live forever. But at a price neither of us ever expected. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡGejK1riJKf
Carson nodded. "And then the greed came, and the boredom, and to elevate boredom…" copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OIeGeymOF
Yeah. After a while, we did it for fun. Nothing more, nothing less, Goldie confessed. I look back to the girl who was saved by her girlfriend's quick action and… I don’t know anymore. I don't even know who she was. Somedays, I believe we really did die there, that day. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡen6Lbcq3hj
"Glace," Carson said. "Let's get a good night's rest. It's over. You're with me, now." copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYxGIz70iR
Don't do what we did, Glace said. Don't give into the false promise. Follow Tex. Find a better path. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkGYynd7K1
"I won't, I promise. After what my mom did, I can't," Carson said. "But thank you. For everything." copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYpSKA5aDm
It's the least I can do, now that I'm bodiless again, Glace joked. copyright protection285ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0l2G3BN4U
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