The Spectrumverse

Issue #10

Out here, it felt like it. Unsure how many people were going to be inside, Billy pondered what kind of reception he’d get. Walking past different groups of people, Billy noticed every kind of social clique a high school had to offer, but with the sheer number of people, there were too many for Graphic High. Most people there he didn’t recognize. Looking around, he saw the occasional familiar face, but they were few.

Heading up through the parking lot, the trio made it to the doors of the warehouse. Approaching a large pair of steel doors, they saw one of them was being held open. Going through the pair of doors, Billy found the narrow passageway deeply depressing. The cheap wallpaper reminded him of hospital wards. Behind another pair of doors, loud music could be heard from as far away as the main doors they came through.

Making it to the next set of doors, Freddie pushed them open and held it open for Billy and Flo to walk through. Entering the warehouse, Billy’s worries were quickly laid to rest. Inside, people were much like that outside. Between the groups of people talking, some were dancing to loud music. Far at the back of the warehouse was a platformed area. Composed of wooden platforms, someone had set up a DJ station and brought speakers to project the music for all to hear.

Billy felt a hand on his back. Turning, he saw Bridget. She was excited to see him. Unlike before, she wasn’t in sports attire. Instead, she had opted for a tight dark red dress. His mind blanked for a moment when he noticed that the dress was strategically cut to emphasize curves and show off a sporty, toned physique, but he quickly regained his senses when he recalled her usual grey gym kit.

“Billy, I didn’t know you were going to be here,” she said ecstatically. Billy felt a little stunned but soon adjusted

“I didn't know you’d be here either.”

“Oh, some of the girls from track wanted to go. Figured it would be a good semester send-off.”

Flo came past Billy and greeted Flo. Freddie stood and watched as the two girls hugged and went on to inspect their outfits.

“Good to see you,” Bridget said to Flo.

“Billy decided to join me and Freddie at the last minute.”

“I’m glad he did, Look at this blazer. Suits him,” the athletic student said placing her hand on Billy’s sleeve.

“I know. Makes him look smart.”

Freddie managed to nose his way between the two girls and placed his hands on his best friend’s shoulders.

“Glad to see you girls think he looks good,” Freddie shared while slowly pulling Billy away from their clutches, “now, we’ll leave you two to catch up.”

Walking away with Freddie, the two looked at the sea of people. All of them were having a good time. Billy hardly recognized anyone here. It felt refreshing. Even among the hordes of strangers, he felt unsure what to do next. With such an opportunity to meet new people, Billy didn’t know where to begin. All around him were hundreds of people enjoying the party. Billy wasn’t sure how to feel.

While he was at a party, it didn’t feel like one he’d ever find himself at. Not in a million years. Freddie tapped Billy on the shoulder, trying to gain his attention.

“You seem nervous,” Freddie said over the music.

“Just not used to this kind of thing,” Billy replied.

“Don’t worry. Let’s go get a drink or something.”

“Alright, but I’m not getting drunk.”

“Bro. Relax. Loosen up. This could be your chance to meet someone new.”

In the distance, Freddie saw people getting beer from a keg. Without hesitation, he led the way for his friend. Pushing through the crowds, Billy lost track of Flo and Bridget. Seeing someone else he knew there helped calm his nerves, even if it were one person. Making their way through the crowd, the two came to a keg. Perched on both sides of it were two large stacks of red plastic cups, Freddie took two of them. Using the tap, Freddie started to fill the first cup.

Once it was full, he handed it to Billy. Looking at the golden-brown, fizzy liquid, Billy could hardly smell any alcohol. Pressing the cup to his lips, Billy took a sip of the beer. While it was cool and refreshing, it wasn’t at all tasteful. Everyone else didn’t seem to mind. After all, beer was beer. Freddie on the other hand simply tilted the cup back and downed the entire drink. Afterward, he crunched up the cup and threw it on the ground. Doing so provoked a cheer of approval from the other teenagers crowded around them.

He seemed to be the only one who wasn’t impressed. As Billy looked around, he saw someone striking just a few feet away. Standing all by herself was a young woman around his age. She wore a flattering fitted dress that hugged her figure. With a nipped-in waist, three-quarter length sleeves, and a crossover neckline, the dress created a beautiful silhouette.

The length of her dress was just below the knee. Her long black hair had a streak of purple reaching from the tips of her fringe right down to her roots. Whoever she was, she looked like something out of a Raymond Chandler novel. Her pale complexion and dark make up seemed alluring. All the while, no one else was looking at her. For a moment, they both looked at each other. He saw her golden eyes and felt them pierce through his very soul. Then for a second, he forgot all about his worries and uncertainties. Thinking back to Freddie’s words from earlier. At a party and seeing a lovely lady, he decided to see what could happen. Taking another sip from his cup, Billy then handed the cup to his close friend.

“Take this,” Billy blurted out to Freddie while holding his cup out to him. Freddie took the cup

“Where are you going? You’re not leaving, are you?”

“No.”

“So, where are you going?”

“I saw this girl and…” Billy said nodding his head back in the direction of ten o’clock.

“Say no more. Go and talk to her,” Freddie spoke while nudging him with his elbow.

Freddie looked in the same direction Billy was facing. He could see the same girl Billy had, but he saw other girls too. All dressed for a party, most of them were enjoying the music and talking amongst themselves. Freddie then realized what Billy was intending to do. With a cheerful nudge on Billy’s arm with his elbow, he gleefully smiled at his friend with boyish charm. Freddie went over to a group of drinking teenagers and joined in with their merriment. Billy, with some liquid courage coursing through him, decided to go over and talk to the young lady. Walking through the crowds, Billy looked around seeing nearly hundreds of people all around him. He could feel the excitement of others spreading to him. With some anticipation, Billy made his way toward the gothic girl further along in the crowd.

As he got closer, he saw the mysterious girl walk away. Billy looked around for her. The poor lighting in the warehouse didn’t help and neither did the crowds of people in his way. Looking for one person in this sea of faces proved to be a test of his visual acuity. Just then, in the far distance, he saw the purple streak in her hair. Just as he pushed through the crowd, his heart skipped a beat. Standing by one of the kegs stood Walter. Unlike before, he was wearing everyday clothes. Not wanting to interact with the thug, Billy tried his best to avoid him, even going as far as walking around the group and. trying to keep his face in the opposite direction in case someone was to spot him.

Narrowly avoiding an awkward encounter, Billy turned his attention back to this mysterious girl. From a distance, he saw her. Gracefully moving away from the crowds, Billy saw her approach a wall and ran her hand along the wall in a tender manner. He didn’t understand what exactly he was doing.

Billy felt a sudden nudge. He looked back. Some hipster-looking d**k backed off in a passive manner, not wanting to start a fight.

‘Sorry bro,’ the stranger conveyed in a passive manner.

Billy wasn’t too upset. Looking back to where he last saw the girl, he was bewildered as to where she went. No matter where he looked, she was nowhere to be seen. All around him were young people dancing and drinking their troubles away. No one seemed to notice him at all. Billy, once again, felt his heart sink. All that disappointment from earlier re-emerged. Unlike before, they seemed just as unpleasant. Lowering his head, Billy strolled disheartened through the crowd and broke away from the partying teenagers. Going over to the wall where he last saw the girl, Billy rested himself against it.

As he looked about the whole warehouse, he had never felt more alone. Isolated. He felt sharing his lack of luck would only ruin the enjoyment of the party for others.

As he was about to slide his hand into his pocket, he felt something like an oddly shaped brick. He heard a clicking sound. The wall gave way, Billy fell backward. Hitting the floor at sudden speed, Billy’s ears started to ring. While his senses were distorted, he rolled his body into a ball, in efforts to accelerate his recovery. Once his ears stopped ringing and sight cleared, Billy looked around. He had no idea where he was. Unlike the warehouse, the layout of this room was much different.

Here, the walls, ceiling, and floors were metallic silver, high quality and to a professional standard. Before he knew anything, Billy saw the door rapidly slam shut. He hardly knew it was there in the first place. He probably missed it. Looking to his left, he saw a spiral stairwell leading up to another section. Turning right, he saw something else. Built into the wall stood a machine unlike any other. A gas canister was attached to the front section by large iron clamps. Atop this cylinder was a single pipeline.