The Human Experiment

All That Glitters

Chapter 8

           Coming into the new construct was more disorienting than the others. Cameras were flashing incessantly from all direction. Some were hovering in the air above the lit up platform for aerial shots. Large screens circled the venue. Pictures flashed across them of the different celebrities in attendance as they stood for pictures. They had all been dropped in the middle of some kind of ceremony. Good looking men strutted around in designs that accentuated their muscular charms. The women were made up with vibrantly colored faces. The clothing they wore were daring and overly revealing. The whole thing was overwhelming to all of them except Luca.

           Stumbling back, Scarlett would have fallen if it hadn’t been for his hand on her elbow stabilizing her. Looking at everyone in the group she concentrated on their reactions as she tried grounding herself. Ian’s eyes were squinted in a glare as his gazed moved about the area. His stance had become rigid as if readying himself for an attack. Luca was scowling at the circus around them. Lydia seemed to be shrinking in on herself. She was using her arms and Luca’s large form to cover herself. The various lights were causing their outfits to be nearly as see through as when they had been wet. Luca glanced at Lydia in her embarrassment. Shaking his head, he turned to address her.

           “If you’re that uncomfortable, change your clothes.” Lydia glared at him raising her wrist with the band on it.

           “They don’t work remember?” Luca huffed a laugh that sounded anything but amused.

           “We have magic.” His tone was more exasperated than angry.

           “This isn’t my construct. I don’t have control of anything here.” She agreed with Lydia. Although there was the point of fact that the bands would need to be functional if any of them wanted to exert change. Even if they had been in their own constructs. 

           She should have been wearier of the two fae creatures fighting. Especially since she was in close proximity to them. The curiosity of what would happen didn’t allow her to fear either one. These weren’t character types that were familiar to her. Fantasy wasn’t the genre she typically read nor wrote. Luca snorted at Lydia’s response. Reaching out he danced his fingers down his counterpart’s arm. A tingling shimmer shifted the air around the two of them. Dropping his hand, he turned away from Lydia wearing a smug expression as he looked around.

           “Wow.” Scarlett hadn’t meant to say anything aloud. She was relieved that her awe couldn’t be heard over the noise of the event. Lydia was now dressed and made up much like the other women in attendance. Luca likewise was adorned in the latest men’s fashion. If it wasn’t for the otherworldly attributes of their characters they would have blended in perfectly. Ian to his credit hadn’t even been fazed by the display of power. Rolling his eyes, he turned his attention back to the crowd around them. She would have as well but found all the lights were too dizzying. Instead, she opted to turn her gaze behind them. If she hadn’t, she would have missed seeing Vincent heading their way. Squeaking she turned around ready to bolt to Ian’s side for safety.

           Before she could react, a hand took hold of her arm pulling her seamlessly into the throng of people. She had been effectively separated from the others. Moving her eyes to the person who led her away she was speechless. A gorgeous blonde dressed in a rich red dress was attached to the arm that had possession of her own. The way the cloth moved with her body was as if the thing was liquid given form. The shoes were transparent alluding to the misconception that she was walking on air. The lights glinting off them occasionally was the only thing to break the illusion. The woman had yet to cast a look in her direction as she led Scarlett away. There was a tingling across her skin causing the little hairs to lift. Her heart raced as she followed silently behind. Partly because of the woman’s hold on her. She would be lying if she said it was the only reason though. The woman probably thought she had grabbed someone else and had accidentally taken Scarlett. It had to be a simple misunderstanding. If they got too far away from the others she would speak up before the mistake got out of hand. Her writer’s curiosity however kept her quiet as she walked.

           Once the two of them had cleared the boundary of the crowd the woman finally let go. Scarlett was about to dispel the stranger’s blunder when the words froze in her throat refusing to form. The woman turned around to face her. She was unbelievably stunning. It wasn’t her looks that made Scarlett cautious though. It was her eyes. Or lack thereof. Instead of an iris and pupil there was nothing. Not even the white part that should be there. They were simply pure black. The only color in them were glowing rows of ones and zeros that moved like they were water running down. A sardonic smile stretched across the woman’s overly bright red lips.

           “Hello Scarlett.”