Friday, July 25, 2014

NIGHT NOISES IN THE MOON .... 7/24/14

A person looking out across the twenty one hundred mile diameter of the Lunar interior would see things with amazing clarity. Polities on the opposite side appear finely etched and crisp. Cities raised by strange hands shine like filigree. The view is occasionally hidden by clouds, near ones above the observer's hear, or more distant manifestations far away over kingdoms on the other side.

The resurrected former vampire, known as Tomas, or Jonathon is one such observer. But he looks out into blackness. The small, sun-like thing at the center of this hidden world is dark now. A few star-like pinpoints of silvery light shine here and there in the globular void. Doctor Franklin says they have no mass, but are very real just the same.

Everyone else is inside, the inn locked snug against the night.
Sarah reads old volumes in the small, circular library, many brought out from old estates in The Home Counties, or The Mainline. She loses herself in Edith Wharton....The Age Of Innocence and all that. Vampires appreciate the timeless dignity of it. The other comely vampirina, Luna sleeps with a human traveler. Not a newcomer from Earth, but a native descended from the First Crossing, brought by Franklin approximately one hundred and seventy years ago.... a businessman of some sort. She enjoys him. He lets her take little drinks.... not too much. Mustn't stain the sheets. The blood tastes good... not a full measure... not a true meal.... no one dies. Luna makes due.

Doctor Franklin sits by the glowing hearth with the landlord. They sip brandy, an old decanting brought from Spain during The Spanish Civil War. The landlord is a tall man. Most of the Selenese (as people from Selena, the inner surface of The Moon, are called) are tall. Low gravity does that. Bones grow straight and long. The man wears knee britches and a full, white shirt, though with Gucci loafers. Franklin introduced eighteenth century garb in the middle of the nineteenth century, but small mutations violate the norm every now and then.

FRANKLIN - How goes the hunting hereabouts?

THE LANDLORD - Two last time. What do you think you just ate?

FRANKLIN - (chuckles) That's why I asked.... Any 'two heads?'

THE LANDLORD - Skull drying out back. Gave the other one away. Had a ninety pound Labrador in its gut. Swallowed with the eyes open and everything. You should have seen the look on its face. Ribs intact. Not crushed. Breathing, it was. They say one down by New Chester had a fresh, whole fat lady inside. Kin knew her... a bit bleached out and shiny, but otherwise OK. Dead, but OK... Like she had a real strong facial. That's all. Want to see? (fishes out phone) I,I,I got pictures.... 

FRANKLIN - (takes phone) stares at image for a while. nods. hands it back.

THE LANDLORD - None 'round here. Not yet... too close to Baby Philadelphia. Got to go 'cross the river... Look for 'silver tracks,' slime trails. Got to listen too....

FRANKLIN - For what?

THE LANDLORD - Like a hiss. Like a hiss. Like how an old fashioned, cast iron radiator goes. And sometimes a high pitched whoop thing too.

FRANKLIN - Lord, I haven't been back in years. A whoop? What kind of whoop?

The Landlord - Like a whoop. Like a whoop. Like how Prince goes.
.

FRANKLIN - (shakes his head) I...I, uh???

THE LANDLORD - Like a whoop. Like a whoop! Like a...

They hear a 'whoop' in the distance, outside 

THE LANDLORD swallows. FRANKLIN listens real hard.

THE LANDLORD - (whispers) that...

FRANKLIN - (whispers) shit... Where's Tomas?

THE LANDLORD - (whispers) outside...

They hear another whoop.

THE LANDLORD - (whispers) Jackson, I meant Michael Jackson...

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