Negative Film

by Leonard Petracci

  “Be careful with that!” he shouted at the porters as they trickled in with the luggage carelessly left outside. “That camera is worth more than you are! And so help me God, if there is the smallest chip on the lens, there will be hell to pay. You hear? Am I clear? Hell!”

  “Yessir.” The porter nodded, averting his gaze. He’d learned long ago that it was the young ones that were the most trouble, the ones with an inheritance worth more than the hotel. Best to smile and nod now, then spit in their soup later.

  Lucio sighed then rang the bell again, directly under the nose of a waiting clerk dressed in a red blazer with her hair bound in a tight bun.

  “Are you finished dallying? Our flight was delayed six hours; will we be waiting the same amount of time for our rooms?” he demanded, while Arial reprimanded him on his arm.

  “Hush,” Arial said, with an apologetic look at the clerk before turning back to him. “You really can’t expect the same level of service here. Relax, honey. It’s just not in their culture; they really don’t know better. It’s how they were raised.”

  The clerk’s momentary smile flipped as she stared, her face turning a shade of deep red to match her attire.

  “Well?” demanded Lucio, practically spitting at her. “Well?”

  “Do you have a reservation?” she asked after a moment’s recovery. “What name is the room under?”

  “My name?” he asked, incredulous, and turned to face us. “She wants to know my name!”

  We laughed in astonishment, our bawdy voices interrupting the pianist once more. I considered dropping another glass of water to further irritate the staff but decided against it— the first attendant had looked daggers at me when I snapped my fingers to clean the mess.

  “Do you really not know who he is?” hissed Darian, leaning over the countertop. “There truly is no culture here! I told you all, we’re spending the next few weeks living with barbarians running amok.”

  “If there’s no caviar at breakfast, I’m leaving,” wined Lola from on his arm. “We could have spent this weekend in the Barcelona with my parents. They would have caviar.”

  “Please, bring me someone competent,” demanded Lucio, waving his arm at the clerk. “Is there a manager here? Someone who can handle this properly?”

  “One moment, sir,” said the clerk, her voice low and struggling to hold an edge. She disappeared into a back room, then was followed back by a rotund woman holding a stack of papers atop a clipboard. When her eyes met Lucio’s, she gasped, dropping the papers in a flurry of white, her hands covering her mouth as her eyes widened.

  “My god, Marissa,” she whispered, turning to the clerk. “Did I ever give you the penthouse suite reservation last week?”

  “Why, it was booked out just three days ago,” responded the clerk, her face confused. “You never told me—”

  “Did you double-book our room?” shouted Lucio, throwing his hands down to his sides. “I am appalled, no, astonished at the sheer incompetence here. Do you have any idea how far we traveled? Do you have any idea who I am?”

  “Of course, sir, of course we do,” started the manager, leaving the papers on the ground and rushing forwards to placate him. “Our greatest apologies, I’m sure another room—”

  “I am Ambrose Ficher, son of Alex Ficher! Do I need to rattle off the movies he directed that topped the box office this year? Is this hotel such a demonstration of human inadequacy that I should be compelled to make a documentary about it? Perhaps that will be my entry to the contest this year! I’d probably have to classify it as a comedy after this combination of errors. We’ll take no second-rate room— we reserved the penthouse, and we shall get the penthouse. My father was already charged— unless you somehow botched that too? Do I need to check?”

  “Of course not, sir!” she stammered, now at the center of attention of every guest in the lobby. “We’ll have it covered. If you paid, of course it is reserved to you. Melissa, contact our other guests and inform them of the situation as well as complimentary beverages for the weekend. Now, sir, if you’ll follow me—”

  “We can find the way on our own,” Lucio snapped, swiping the keys that she handed him. “Our baggage, please! Careful, careful, old man. Watch that camera! Top hotel in Brazil, my ass. This place is a laughingstock.” We stalked to the elevator, leaving the clerk open-mouthed, and followed by our procession of bags. Lucio jammed his finger into the button for the top floor, then screeched through the sliding doors at the cringing manager before they closed.

  “Two weeks ago we called! That was ample time. I’ll be back down in an hour, and the guides and permits we requested had better be ready! I’ll be leaving for my first excursion at first light tomorrow, and if there is any delay, my father will be hearing about it. Maybe this year, he’ll choose your competitor for the film convention!”

  Then the doors slammed shut, we began to rise, and our entire group released a collective sigh.

  “Now that,” I said to Lucio, his eyes closed as he leaned against the polished wall. “Was a acting performance worth recording.”

  “Let’s hope,” said Darian. “Fingers crossed that she doesn’t start poring through her records.”

  “She will, but she thinks we booked the room for three weeks,” said Lucio. “The last thing she wants to do is piss off a high-paying customer more, especially when she thinks we’ll be sticking around. And since her memory agrees with our story, she’ll make some phone calls, making sure that she’s absolutely mistaken before she makes a move. Then when she gets suspicious enough to confront us, we’ll be long gone. But all of our luggage will still be in the room, and she’ll think we’re coming back, so she’ll wait with the bill— but really, she’ll never see us again. We’ll be long gone.”

  Chapter 43

  “It’s as if you took our subway and made it fit for a movie star. You’re welcome for a room fit for royalty,” said Lucio with a sweeping bow as we entered the suite.

  “I don’t know about that,” said Lola, scuffing her foot on the carpet. “But it’ll pass.”

  I struggled to keep my mouth shut as I stared around the expanse, my eyes darting between each of the rooms’ features. There was enough food that we could have barricaded ourselves in the room for days— baskets of individually wrapped snacks far superior than anything I had ever seen in a vending machine, complete with strawberry-dipped chocolates and warm cookies on the pillows. The mattresses were even softer than the cookies, bordering upon uncomfortable after my experience with stiff sleeping arrangements. But the windows were the room’s main attraction— spanning an entire side in an unbroken sheet of glass, they showcased the spires of the city, the sparkling lights of the restaurants far below, and the edge of the forest in the distance.

  Flowers decorated the room, dozens of types in a variety of colors that draped over the wall, and Arial cupped one in her hand, sniffing it as she pulled it out for us to see.

  “Oh, it’s Vibrant decorated,” she said, her finger tracing the stem to the wall. “The plants aren’t just on the walls; they’re rooted in them. And look in the corner— see those thicker branches? Fruit will grow on those in the morning for breakfast, as fresh as you can get!”

  “That’s annoying,” said Lola. “If the Vibrants are coming in at dawn to grow you breakfast.”

  “Oh no, they thought of that!” said Arial, her face brightening at the opportunity to lecture Lola. “You see, there’s passageways behind the walls to give them access to the root. You’ll never see them! Just you watch, there will be a show as the day moves on.”

  “So they’re just there without us seeing them? Creepy,” said Lola, and Lucio raised a pointed eyebrow at her.

  “Yeah, creepy,” he said, turning to face the Amazon. “Imagine that, someone you don’t know is there. Now, for scene two, we’ll need to choose a guide from the selection our host will be most graciously preparing for us.”

  “Lola, do you have any recommendations on that? You have made thi
s journey before, haven’t you?” I asked. “Now that we’re here, you owe us more information. We’re about to spearhead into a jungle for you searching for the unknown, and if you keep us in the dark, it’ll only make us a danger to ourselves.”

  “Don’t pretend that you’re making this journey for me,” she retorted then sighed. “But you’re right. First of all, it’s good that we have a proper guide— otherwise, we’d have to find someone on the black market or the streets, and those are almost always trouble. There’s plenty of niches to hide a body in the Amazon after you’ve fleeced them, and shady guides know all the best locations. Anyways, no guide in their right mind will take us where we want to go, so it’s best we stick to our cover up until it is too late to turn around. We’ll want someone experienced, but not so experienced that they smell trouble.”

  “And why, exactly, would they want to bail?” asked Darian. “What’s so dangerous?”

  “We’re going deep, deeper than any right we have to be,” continued Lola. “Both in forest and superstition. We’re seeking a city older than history can remember, one built by my ancestors.”

  “If it’s older than history can remember, then how do you know who built it?” asked Lucio, while Darian rolled his eyes.

  “Because there are those with memories older than history,” Lola responded. “But this city is what Lacit seeks, and he cannot be allowed to find it. He would pervert it, would use its power for the first time for the unnatural. That’s why he wanted me, because I’m the key to it.”

  “To finding it, because you’ve been there before?” I asked.

  “Partially, yes. And partially because even with surprise, it would be incredibly difficult to attack,” she said. “I was born there, and I’ve made the journey. But more importantly, he wanted me as a ransom.”

  “A ransom?” asked Darian. “You’re saying that they would pay to get you back?”

  “Dearly,” she answered, then continued, flustered. “That’s, well, that’s one detail I left out. I’m a tad bit famous there. You see, my grandmother is their queen.”

  “Which makes you—” started Darian, but Lola completed the sentence for him.

  “Their long lost princess,” she said, the words coming out in a rush.

  Lucio’s jaw dropped while Darian tilted his head, and Slugger stood completely still. We were silent, shocked as pieces of her story clicked into place. But beyond staring, none of us had a proper response as she started to blush, though she held her nose in the air.

  “Look!” said Arial, breaking the silence and prying our attention away from Lola. “The Vibrant show!”

  Around us, just as the city clock tolled, thousands of flower buds formed on the walls, elongating from writhing stems. They burst open in a dazzling array of color, each species with its own flair, creating an effect that made it feel like we had already entered the forest. Fragrances exploded forwards as the flowers continued to spread, then the petals detached themselves, spinning down towards the ground to cover the carpet in a fine layer of life.

  “Enjoy the view,” said Darian. “Because none of us will ever be able to afford this again. Except maybe Arial and the princess here.”

  Chapter 44

  “You’re actually royalty?” asked Lucio, then he cackled, the pitch of his voice making her flinch. “To think you’ve been spending the last few months basically living in a sewer!”

  “Aye,” said Slugger. “Except her living arrangement didn’t decrease the real estate value.”

  “I hear the rat homeowner’s association has been leaving letters in your mailbox to clean up, Lucio,” added Darian. “Though they appreciate the crumbs.”

  “Alright, alright, you don’t always have to pile on,” said Lucio. “But a princess, that makes you a celebrity. Not just any celebrity, but now an actress! It’s all coming together now for my movie!”

  “So you would only want to cast me if I’m famous, huh?” she asked.

  “Well, you just wouldn’t look that great on camera,” Lucio started, then froze as her face lit with fury, and he immediately backpedaled. “Not like that! No, you’ve got a great… face! It’s just that you’re transparent. It’s hard to capture you!”

  “Are you saying her beauty could not be contained in a simple camera shot?” Darian asked, his voice dry, with a wink at Lola.

  “Well, no, the camera is a top-of-the-line model. It could capture that,” sputtered Lucio before Slugger’s hand came down on his shoulder and he pulled him aside.

  “You’re diggin’ yourself deeper, lad,” he said. “When someone gives you a soft pitch like Darian just did, you swing. Back away while you still can.”

  “Right,” said Lucio, avoiding Lola’s eyes. “Anyways, the memory I planted downstairs means that our selection of guides should be ready in an hour. Be ready and back in character by then— remember, we can’t give the hotel any reason to be suspicious until we’re gone. They’re our ticket to a guide and the permits. All we have to do is have them fooled until tomorrow morning.”

  “And while before we jump into that one,” said Slugger from the other side of the room where he had been inching during Lucio’s update, “I claim the first hot shower that isn’t in a subway janitor closet.” He slid the door behind him as the group’s attention turned to the second bathroom on the other side of the room. For an instant, everyone was still, and Darian and Lola locked eyes. But then Lola flashed out of existence, and before Darian could reach the door, it shut from the inside.

  “Don’t take too long in there!” he shouted through the door. “Princess.”

  In response, a shampoo bottle poked through the still shut door, spraying him with floral scented liquid before he could move out of the way. He cursed, staring down at the goop on the front of his shirt as the shower turned on inside the bathroom.

  “Oh, it’s fine when she does it,” he muttered, using a paper filter from the coffee stand to try and clean himself. “But if I were to try and jump through the wall, it’d be bloody murder.”

  “Can you do that?” I asked, looking at him. “Replicate her power, that is?”

  “I could shimmer, but I doubt I could jump through,” he answered, letting his hand start to turn transparent. “And I’m not sure I’d want to try.”

  He and Lucio scavenged the hot cookies off the pillows while investigating the rest of the room, and I joined Arial at the window. Her head was tilted slightly upwards, and she gazed just above the treeline, her expression lost as it reflected blue sky.

  “My father is going to like you even less when he finds out about this.” She sighed, tapping the glass. “And he’ll probably lock me in my room with a tutor. I’ll be lucky if I ever see daylight again except through the bars in my bedroom window.”

  “Since Roland is your father’s friend, I think he’ll approve if you take down Lacit. Besides, your father loves rare powers, so I think I’ll grow on him eventually. And who can resist my charming personality and pure lineage?”

  “I forgot, tell me again about your family’s business empire. I’m swooning,” she said, the sides of her lips turning upwards. “I’ve always suspected mother married for money, so she’ll approve. No marriage she can't fix.”

  “Let’s just say there might be two people descended from royalty here. If I look back far enough, I’m bound to find something!” I shot back, and her smile froze, her face turning away back towards the sky as she bit her lip.

  “Hey,” I said, the air between us now cold. “What’s going on? I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “Don’t worry about it; it’s not you,” she answered, though her voice had turned hard.

  “Look, I already told you I don’t like her, so if you’re jealous—”

  “I said it’s not about you,” she repeated. “And I don’t think you like her, so stop suggesting that. Let it go, SC.”

  “Sure,” I said, perplexed, and we stood next to each other in silence. After a few minutes, the arms she folded ov
er her chest dropped to her waist, and the glistening around her eyes faded. I stepped closer, my mouth working as it mulled over words to say, though none made it out of my throat. Instead, I reached down, slowly letting my hand brush against hers.

  After a moment of stillness, hers reacted, the very tips of our fingers intertwining. Then the bathroom door behind us opened and Lola stepped out, squeezing the excess water from her hair. “All yours, Darian!” she said. “I used all the shampoo since you already have some.”

  At my side, I squeezed Arial’s hand, whispering her.

  “Right now, there’s something I have to take care of. But if I did something, I’m sorry about it. I didn’t mean to make you angry.”

  “You didn’t,” she whispered back. “It’s fine, SC, I promise.”

  Then our hands broke contact, and her soft eyes hardened as I walked towards Lola, pulling her into one of the side bedrooms with me. I made it a point to leave the door open, then spoke to Lola, my voice low enough that the others couldn’t here.

  “Lola, I think we’re on the same side here. But I need to know before we enter the jungle. And I need to know if there are any more secrets you have. We’re risking our lives here— and I accept the risk of my own life, but I can’t lead my friends to their deaths when I could have done something to stop it.”

  “We’re on the same team, SC,” she said. “My priority is to return home. When that happens, we can warn them about Lacit, then my people can defend themselves and we both win. You keep Lacit from becoming more powerful, and I protect my people and their secrets.”

  “And your people, are they going to hurt us once we meet them? To keep their secrets?”

  “They would never hurt those who return me to them,” she said. “It’s been years since I’ve been home, but I remember their culture. They do not believe in violence or intervention unless absolutely necessary.”