the hunt

It was his first time at a nightclub. All he had seen until tonight was pictures from books and scenes from movies and tv. And because they had all been so varied, he told himself to keep an open mind. That proved to be a good thing.

Starlight was in many ways what the name suggested, and in many ways also not. For starters, it was a plain looking building in a corner of a neighbourhood in the middle of the city. A quiet corner. With quiet businesses surrounding it. So, it could be loud without arousing complaints from bothered neighbours. Yet, it wasn't very loud. The entire building was properly soundproofed, so the outside was no different from the neighbourhood however noisy the inside was. And because the nightclub operated in the night, the lines of people waiting to get in didn't really bother the businesses around. The building was brick on the outside, like those old buildings from the previous century. The inside, however, was a whole other story. The overarching theme was black, like the night sky. Speckled with shiny stars of all colours. And neon. And lasers. And lights that were darker than brighter. And the music was incessant. Within a second of stepping the mood was setup.

And Idris was determined to enjoy it to the fullest.

He was disappointed. He thought he'd seen something. In her. Hope. Will. He allowed himself expectations. He allowed himself anticipation. And it was all for naught.

He needed some cheering. Asked around and learned that Starlight was the most popular nightclub recently. And so, here he was. Thankfully, Starlight hadn't failed him.

It wasn't just that Starlight was exactly what he had pictured. The music, which he hadn't heard before, was easy. The fun was infectious, and he couldn't keep himself apart. He found a seat in a corner, asked the waiter to get him whatever she liked. She got him a clear drink served in a cocktail glass with a name he couldn't bother to remember. And he sat in his corner, sipping the smooth drink, and looking at people glowing green and purple and red, and having fun dancing and laughing and drinking.

And just as he decided he had gotten a complete taste, he saw something dash past his eyes. Someone unlike others around. Someone with a darkness inside that was comparable to the theme of Starlight. Someone he started looking for.

*

Mike was studying the newest drawing. He thought it was a nightclub. But he wasn't sure. And even if he was, he wasn't sure how to put a name to it.

When he didn't have an answer, he only had to ask for help. Which was why he went up to the rooftop bar. The sky was clear, and so the outdoor seating was open as well. And the bar was full enough. He went to the bartending counter. He wasn't here to enjoy the night sky with a drink. He didn't drink. And so, he wasn't going to get distracted. He ordered a soda. Waited until the bartender was free enough. And then, showed the drawing.

"Do you recognize this place?"

The bartender was a man in the late twenties named Rod. The name was on lapel of his shirt's pocket.

"I think so," Rod said. "Is this some sort of game?"

"A hunt," Mike said.

Rod nodded. Studied the drawing a while. And nodded more vigorously.

"Yeah. It's Starlight. Those are stars on the walls. And the ball shooting lasers from above, it's called Moon. Definitely Starlight."

"Is it nearby?"

"Not really. Not far either. About twenty or so minutes by taxi. You'll have no trouble finding a taxi."

"Thank you."

The two shared a smile. And then Mike was off.

The night was still young. He could definitely make it. And so, he went straight down. Left the hotel. Found a taxi easily. And twenty five minutes later, was standing outside Starlight. There were a dozen people queued up. He joined the back. About twenty minutes later, he was inside.

*

It was a girl. She looked young. Almost too young to be here. But she was here. And she was drinking. And she was in a short dress that bared more than it covered. A mature dress. She must be one of those lucky women who looked far younger than they actually were.

Didn't matter to him though. He wasn't trying to grab her attention. Just catch her eye. For the briefest moment. That would let him in. They must have met already, unknowingly. How else could he have gotten a glimpse of her darkness. And so, he kept looking. Waiting. For her eyes to leave her friends, and scan the area, and pass by him. He didn't move as she started looking around, and her eyes headed toward him. He was calmer as the anticipation grew, colder. And just as her eyes were upon his, there was something.

A ripple. As real as the black light of Starlight. A ripple originating in the middle of the lake. And he felt it on the bank. Something had changed. Something that didn't affect anyone else in here like it did him. The ripple cut through him like a red hot blade, and with it taking away a piece of him. He reached behind him, as if grabbing for that piece of him flying away. And when he grabbed empty air, he turned around to have his eyes help.

And in that moment, as his eyes drew an arc to his back they met hers. A frozen moment, like an accident. A moment whose briefness was enough for the piece of him to fly away beyond him. And as his eyes continued along the arc, hers were gone as well. And he was left standing in between. Lost.

And then, the water flowed over. Under his feet. Rising to his calves , and then his knees, and then swallowing all of his legs. The ground fell away underneath. And he was in the lake. And another ripple broke the still surface. A ripple originating in the middle of the lake. And not very far away.

*

Starlight was just as it was in the sketch. Only much darker. And everybody had black light paint on their faces and necks and arms and shoulders and every exposed part. They were all glowing like celestial bodies. And Starlight truly felt like the universe aglow in starlight.

Mike enjoyed the sight just long enough. And then got to work. He wasn't here to play, like them. He didn't need black light paint, which the nightclub was offering. He went in. Bought himself a soda. And walked through all of Starlight. Shade wasn't there.

But the familiarity was unmistakeable. Shade had been here. He had seen all of this through Shade's eyes. And in one corner, he could smell Shade. A distinct scent. Sweet. Tangy. Dark. Shade. As he breathed in more of the scent, he could see the dark mist taking the shape of Shade. Sitting in the corner. Looking lost. And into his eyes. He held Shade's eyes, and grinned.

"Got you."

*

Idris looked toward that point of origin. And found himself staring into a pair of eyes that were like the heart of the night itself. Eyes that were familiar, even though they were beyond his memory. Eyes that were nothing like any he had ever seen. He didn't need to look into those eyes at the inside to see the darkness. The eyes were themselves darkness.

He trembled. "What," he mouthed, unable to find his voice, and unable to continue. He was silenced by the voice that seemed to come from the other end, from another world.

"Got you."

Those words were the trigger. He felt space shift around him. Returning him to the bench outside Rika's building. Looking up at her balcony. To two nights ago.

And right in front of his eyes, the night was changing.