A journey through human nature
By Angel Dollface at 2021/09/24
Chapter No I: A strange encounter
Mika was tired. She was standing at the counter of a bar that was around the corner of her flat. With a Long Island in front of her and a cigarette clasped between her lips she was enjoying being alone and enjoying the night. She couldn't think straight and didn't quite know where she was and why she was there. All she knew, was that she wanted to finish her drink and cigarette, sleep and not talk to anyone. She had just quit her job as a model for a big agency in New York City. She felt empty and lonely. The bar, The Divine Comedy, was owned by an Italian called Santo. She had known Santo for some years now and would come after castings and shoots to have a quiet drink and a quiet smoke. She liked to be left alone and have her peace. Her line of work tired her enough. She wondered what to do next with her life, at the tender age of 22.
It was while she was letting these things go through her mind, that a young girl of about fifteen approached her and asked her what she was doing. Mika answered that she was just relaxing and asked the girl, whose name was Angelica, where her parents were. Angelica pointed at the ceiling. She was dressed as a fifteen-year-old would be. There was something creepy and supernatural about Angelica. She told Mika that she would like to show Mika some of her friends.
Mika drank up and finished her cigarette. She was about to get up to leave, when Angelica stretched out her hand and offered it to Mika. Mika wasn't sure what was happening but she hadn't had anything else planned for the evening so she took Angelica's hand.
Chapter No II: Heaven
They left the Divine Comedy. When they stepped out of the Divine Comedy Angelica asked Mika whether she believed in god. Mika said that she didn't. She continued to explain if there were a god, then evidence of his existence would have been there before humans entered the equation. Angelica smiled and told Mika that the divine one thought that humans might say this but manifests his presence in a number of ways.
They walked some way down the street, until the came across a man sitting on a piece of cardboard. The man was shabby, wearing a dirty khaki coat, some dirty brown pants and some ruined black boots. 'Do you have change, ma'am?', asked the man. He was looking at Mika. 'Don't touch me you dirty old man.', replied Mika, flinching away disgustedly. Angelica gave Mika a questioning stare and gave the old man a gold ingot. Mika was surprised. 'Where did you get that from?', she asked. Angelica calmly said: 'The lord moves in mysterious ways.' They walked on.
Chapter No III: Purgatory
They came to an Internet café. Mika asked Angelica whether she wanted to go in. Angelica answered in the affirmative. They went in. The café stank of stale sweat and beer. The café was built up of rows and rows of teenagers playing computer games on big old-fashioned computers from the eighties. The café was lit in a neon-light glow of red and blue. Mika asked one of the gamers what he was playing. The gamer answered that he was playing Snake on an Atari VCS 2600. Mika asked whether she could join him. He said 'Sure!'. So, they played. Angelica stayed in the background. Three or four hours must have passed. Mika lost track of time. The alcohol and nicotine were kicking in. She was just focussed on the white dots moving around the screen.
Suddenly, she could feel someone tugging on her hair. It was Angelica. 'We must leave, there is still much to do.', she explained. They left the café.
Chapter No IV: Hell
'Hey, why d'you pull me away?', Mika asked, somewhat angrily. 'There is still much to do. Those people were lost souls, searching for meaning in their lives. Killing time by moving colorful boxes on a screen.', Angelica explained. Mika didn't know what was going on. She wasn't sure anymore that they were in New York City. She still saw the yellow cabs and people going out to bars and clubs. But somehow, they seemed far and distant, like they weren't there, like she and Angelica were the only solid people walking down the street. She wanted a glass of water or alcohol or both, she didn't care.
As if reading her mind, Angelica led Mika into a hole-in-the-wall bar and brought her a glass of water. 'How did you know that I needed a glass of water? Don't tell me that the lord moves in mysterious ways.', Mika said. Angelica smiled apologetically.
While Mika was sipping her glass of water thoughtfully, she saw a group of girls who were dressed to go out and were taking selfies. She recognized one of them as a famous Instagram model she adored and wanted to imitate. She walked up to the group. She said: 'Aren't you Abigail Ratchford?'. One of the girls said: 'Yes, yes I am.', smiling at Mika. 'Oh my god, wow, sorry I've been following you since 2014! Can we maybe take a selfie? I adore you.', Mika exclaimed. Abigail blushed a little and moved over on the bench she was sitting on and said: 'Sit here, the light is good.', putting her hand next to herself, on the plushy bench. They took a selfie and Mika thanked Abigail and wished her a good and happy night.
Angelica had been sitting at a table where herself and Mika had originally sat. When Mika came back, Angelica asked her: 'And, got what you came for?' Mika nodded. Angelica got up: 'One last thing to show you.'
Chapter No V: Coda
They left the bar and went out on the street. 'We need to cross the road.', Angelica said. 'Fine.', Mika said. They were in the middle of the street when Angelica suddenly stopped and said. 'The lord moves in mysterious ways and he wanted to show you the three types of people there are in this world. He has been testing you.' Just as Angelica said these words, she was suddenly gone. Mika panicked and looked around. She'd lost Angelica.
At that exact moment, a yellow cab came speeding towards her and she didn't feel, see, or hear anything.
The traffic flowed around her. She thought she was flying above New York City. Her lifeless body was on the road. She was dead.