Stone Of Matter

by B L Barkey

  This morning, though, Ammon was not feeling a workout at all. He felt far too relaxed and mellow to get out and run. He read some of his books instead, then grabbed some clean clothes from the drawer, along with his two breakfast bars made from his two favorite fruits, blackberries and kiwi.

  He crawled out of his cube and got himself dressed. He then went over to the closest bathroom and cleaned up. All bathrooms had deep ceramic bowls that were fastened into wooden tabletops, with mirrors fastened just above them. Bamboo walls and doors separated the toilets. Only bathrooms nearest to the Leviticum center had showers and bathtubs, along with clean towels and a chute to the cleaning rooms. All were kept pristine.

  He started for the kitchens, where he had been assigned to help clean for the week. He looked up through all the intersecting bridges, like tiers of a glistening spider web. All floors within the corridor were thinly carpeted, giving a homey feeling to all the bare feet that would brush it throughout the day. Small staircases designed to resemble vines stretched up the sides of the corridor walls, allowing access to other cubes. The bridges stretched between each floor, extending clear up to the seventh floor.

  He passed through the dining hall, known as the Centre, as it was located in the very center of the Leviticum, separating the corridors into two equal halves. In between the doors for the corridors and those for the Centre was a common area where students could relax, study, or visit for smaller meals and treats. Surrounding the rest of the Centre were the kitchens.

  Ammon walked through the lounge and entered the kitchens. After shuffling past some other students preparing their cleaning supplies, he found Krystal scrubbing the floors.

  “Early start this morning?” he asked, the answer obvious. “I guess that’s what happens when you’re the first one asleep.”

  She smirked and continued scrubbing. “At least I stayed. You bailed on us.”

  Memories of demons and ghosts the night before returned to Ammon’s mind. “Yeah, well. I should have stayed,” he said.

  Ammon pulled up his long sleeves and got started. It didn’t take long for his shoulders to ache. And I thought I was fit. They scrubbed the floors and baseboards, making it around the entire kitchen before time ran out. As they did so, Ammon observed the others around them. Some worked diligently, whilst others struggled to focus and refrain from talking the whole time. Others looked like they could be asleep.

  He splashed water at Krys, breaking up the monotony of the work. She splashed him back, flashing her prettiest smile, though he knew she would punch him if he were closer. She was a naturally attractive girl, though Ammon saw her in a different light than most other Cephasonian boys. She was basically his sister. Yet he knew whoever took her hand in marriage would be a lucky man.

  Ammon saw a boy named Ethan lying flat on his face, passed out. Ammon smirked, hesitated, then threw a soaking wet sponge at him. It hit his back with a splash, startling him awake with a cough. He jerked his head up, looking around with perplexed confusion. Krys stifled her laughter, and whispered, “What a bum.” Seconds later, Ethan was back asleep.

  After their two hours, he washed his hands and walked to the Centre. On his way there, he kept his eyes open for the Levitians. They were watching the young ones, alright. He could feel it. It was one of the more mysterious senses of human beings. We can feel when eyes are upon us. It was similar to the feeling Ammon got when he was outdoors on a cloudless day. As if he were being watched from the Sun itself. Yet the weight of the Levitian stare felt heavier today, probably because he would be trying for the Sector Guard soon. Let the Prelims begin, he thought.

  As he stepped through the doors to the Centre, he felt as if everyone was watching him now. Yet he reminded himself of the truth. One person was hardly the focus of attention here. There were always many captivating sights within the Centre.

  The ceiling of the Centre was retractable and would remain open with favorable weather, which was almost every day of the year. It was even left open on nights with mild conditions, creating a framed view of the stars above. When closed, three large glass panels would extend out from the surrounding walls, coming together in the center and forming a hemisphere of three parts. Magnifying components in the glass then allowed for an even closer look at the stars.

  Along the outer walls, rising up multiple floors, were ambianced spaces for romantic dinners and evening parties called Encounters. Ammon himself had been in one Encounter before, known as the Night Owl. It had been a pretty great experience, though he had been dared to eat a spicy green paste from a local plant. The ball had been the size of his fist. He had spent the rest of the evening teary-eyed and sweating.

  All Encounters were maintained by the cooking masters, who belonged to a branch of the Gardeners. Ammon would be visiting another Encounter with Mikael tomorrow. They had planned a double date, with Mikael setting Ammon up with a surprise woman. He wasn’t nervous. But he also wasn’t the most excited for it. He was sure it would be fine once he got there. Probably even fun. He just rarely anticipated social events with others outside his closest circle of friends.

  Ammon filled up a plate of food to the brim, then found his usual table near the middle of the Centre. There was a water spring nearby, creating a melody of trickling water rushing over rocks, then spilling into small pools of lily pads and omnivores.

  He loved water. The way it moved, felt, tasted. All the things you could do with it, around it. It relaxed him. He often had dreams of being able to breathe underwater, while swimming through spiritual worlds branching from his memories of the Corals. These were pretty fantastic dreams, especially when they went lucid and he realized he was dreaming. It was a rare occurrence, though sometimes not rare enough. For dreams like the ones he visited last night would stick with him all day. Haunting him for months at a time, altering his life decisions.

  Surrounding him were many different assortments of benches and tables. Some of the benches were U-shaped and high backed for secluded booths. Others were just a small concrete picnic table surrounded by trees. Plenty of light made it into the Centre from outside, and not just at high noon. Mirrors were located all over the Leviticum, discreetly placed so as to most efficiently scatter sunlight. This provided a happier atmosphere for all of the Cephasonians. It also sustained the abundant plant life growing throughout the Leviticum.

  The indoor plants played a significant role in replenishing the air quality. They also brought a feeling of life and intelligence into a world that would otherwise be full of inanimate objects. The Levitians were the keepers of this plant life. Any attempts to harm these plants were met with the fury of a Levitian, which was never a pleasant experience.

  From the open ceiling, birds and small geckos would often make their way into the Centre, and eventually into the entire Leviticum. Despite this fact, there was rarely evidence that the animals ever laid waste. The Levitians were too great of caretakers to allow for disorder.

  On the walls were more crawling vines, with some trees rooted in contained patches of soil, and nourished so well that their branches reached the third floor. Some parts of the walls were not made of glass, but stone made from either onyx or marble, carved and colored with either red or blue paints. This was consistent with the rest of the Leviticum.

  It was made up of two wings, the north and the south. The North wing was made almost entirely of onyx, decorated with different wooden furniture, and accentuated with red paints. The South wing was made instead of marble, outlined and crafted with many different shades of blue.

  It would seem that one wing would be much brighter and welcoming than the other, but this was not so. The North wing had its share of lighter grays as well, and plenty of light through outside windows to reflect off the glossy onyx. In contrast, many dark blues purveyed in the palate of paints used to decorate the South wing.

  Both wings were seven floors tall, including the corridors in the center. It was atop the South wing that the Levitians lived, and atop the North wi
ng that they trained. How these chambers were accessed, only the Levitians knew. None of the stairs or elevators extended up that high, and never was a Levitian seen leaving or entering. It was a complete mystery. One that Ammon hoped Jonah would share with him someday.

  II

  After finishing his food, Ammon started for the fourth floor to meet Jonah. He had promised the boy some gaming time. On his way, he was caught up in a crowd of younglings. From the sound of it, they were receiving a tour of the building. A deep, rehearsed chorus was calling from the front.

  “If you make a mess, you will regret it. The Levitians will see to that. Now, follow me and we will go over the floors of the Leviticum, and their purposes.”

  As the group shuffled along, Ammon caught a glimpse of the group leader. It was a younger Levitian who Ammon recognized, though her name remained clouded. Ammon was then swept up in waves of both younglings and nostalgia. As he gathered his thoughts, he heard echoes of his own name, mixed with words that had recently become familiar.

  “It’s him.”

  “…summoned the wind!”

  “It called to him.”

  “Our story, of stardust.”

  “Gen. No, Torin.”

  The last word was strange to Ammon, but he ignored it, his cheeks surely radiating like ripe strawberries. Curious and flattered, Ammon decided to follow the group instead of resisting the social current. As he did so, he caught another glimpse of the group leader.

  It was Leilani, the girl from Chalice’s group the night before. She looked different when outside the aura of bitterness created by Chalice. She was also wearing her professional clothing for the occasion, with her hair neatly tucked into a bun. She looked stunning, actually, and eventually she caught him staring. He smiled at her, slightly embarrassed. She smiled back with a wink.

  Soon they approached the elevators, where an illuminated map of the Leviticum spanned the entire back wall. Leilani spoke then, demanding all their attention. “Gather around and listen well, for I’ll only say this once.

  “The first floor contains our athletic facilities. This includes weight rooms, cardio machines, combatives equipment, swimming pools, saunas, hot tubs, and various fields for different sports. These sports are re-enacted from gliscs and scrolls found in the Index, most often involving a ball, two teams, a target on each side, and a point scoring system.”

  “The second floor is called the Index. I’m sure you have heard of this one. This is where all of the archives of the ancient world are kept. This includes all the gliscs for knowledge and entertainment, along with books and other forms of ancient recording. Though it might not sound that exciting to you younglings, believe me. That place is special. Go find out for yourselves.”

  Ammon agreed with a nod. He loved the Index. The peace that existed on that floor was unparalleled. Many different nooks were nestled there where one could kindle a small candle and read with sublime focus.

  “The third floor is where research and production is accomplished for the entirety of Cephas. Products from soaps, paper, pencils, leather bags, and furniture are created here. Research for better products is also performed here, but for the most part, research from the ancient world is recreated to produce items from those times.

  “The entirety of the fourth floor is used for classrooms and film. This is where students gather for large lectures during the day, followed by cinematic adventures during the night. Others even use the technologies within the classrooms for entertainment. Yes, I know. Settle down. This is also the floor where the video games and virtual reality simulators are located. Undoubtedly many of you will get lost in this floor, forgoing sunlight for an unhealthy amount of time. But you’ll break free. Eventually.”

  Many of the young ones laughed at this. Ammon laughed as well, though he also cringed. He had been caught on this floor himself once, addicted to its grandeur and appeal for just over three months. It had been very hard to break the habit, and though he still visited, he refrained from spending more than a few hours there at a time.

  “The fifth floor also holds sources of entertainment, though it is for those with more refined tastes. Essentially, this is where art is allowed to spread its wings. Dancing, singing, musical concerts, live theatrical shows, and any other forms of art can be found here. This is also referred to as another research floor, where the research involves reviving the arts of the ancient world. This blends well into the next floor.

  “The sixth floor is a museum. It houses many different artifacts salvaged from the ancient world, most of which hold great significance in their importance to the history of Proelum. This is a very quiet floor, kept so by the Levitians. I suggest you don’t provoke the Levitians here. This is in part to respect the reverence of the spirit within the relics. It is also to maintain a peaceful atmosphere for the last floor above.

  “And that brings us to the seventh and final floor. This is where the medical wing is located. All sorts of examinations, treatments and procedures occurred here. This floor is where the medical masters practically live, as it contains some of the most advanced technologies ever utilized in the ancient world. However, such extravagant techniques are rarely necessary. As you know, we Cephasonians are hardly ever ill. The medical wing, usually just called the Seventh Stair, is used for bandaging up you knuckleheads who are too dense to keep from harm.”

  Ammon grinned, catching her sly jab towards himself. He knew from personal experience that the healing capabilities of the Seventh Stair were astounding. Some injuries that would normally take months to heal, such as broken collarbones or vertebrae, would instead take only a few days, leaving nothing but the smallest of scars.

  Mikael had been the first of the brothers to visit the Seventh Stair. When he was nine, he had fallen from a tree about fifty feet up, landing straight on his arm, resulting in breaks in his right leg, left arm, and collarbone. After being rushed to a family doctor in High Forest, he had received a firm splint to secure the re-adjusted bones into place, before being carried by Father to the Leviticum.

  By the next week, the brothers were out climbing trees again. Quite a few doctors worked from their homes in High Forest, providing convenient aid for those in need. All were professionals in the practice of childbirth as well, allowing for smooth home deliveries.

  “To wrap up our tour, I will leave you with this. Each floor is a world of its own. Sound and air is kept separate to each, either blocked out completely or purified from level to level. This is also the case with the experiences and feelings you will receive there. Cherish each floor for what it has to offer you. Take advantage of this wonderful place of learning. Know that you aren’t too cool to improve a little more each day. And if you do exactly that, you will one day become what you decide to be.”

  Leilani looked at Ammon one last time. As she did, he brushed a fake tear from his cheek. She laughed and stuck out her tongue. He did the same, then broke from the crowd.

  III

  Ammon rarely used the elevators. There had been two weeks here he had nursed a broken femur, which had then made the elevator a necessity. He also preferred it over stairs during late nights. The echoes in the empty stairwells were quite disturbing.

  Located on the elevator panel were seven distinct buttons for each floor, along with four additional ones that required keycards to access. Each of the four buttons led to additional floors purposefully left out of Leilani’s tour. The first three led to the basement levels B1, B2, and B3.

  Ammon had never heard of these floors before his elevator experience, curiously enough. All he knew is that the basement floors housed many infrastructures that allowed them indoor plumbing and electrical energy, from the Leviticum all the way to High Forest. The last button was unmarked and unknown.

  He headed out into the corridors, then exited into the south Marble wing. The floors were either tiled with marble or carpeted in dark blues with modest patterns. The lights on the border of the carpeted path were turned off during the day, unle
ss rain clouds covered the skies. He swung by the windows then, hoping to see gray clouds. He found none. He loved rainy afternoons. They made him feel both relaxed and tranquil. Perfect moods for napping or reading.

  He walked along the path, winding through small tables and lobbies that sat outside of the main gym and pool areas. He could smell chlorine in several places, which was a substance separated from salt rocks for keeping the swimming pools clean. Apparently it was also used in their drinking water, though this thought grossed Ammon out. He swallowed enough chlorine from swimming in the pools. He saw a few of his friends, offering a smile and quick greetings. He made it to the stairs, then ascended to the fourth floor where Jonah was waiting for him.

  “Hey Ammon, you came!” said Jonah, sounding surprised.

  “Of course I came. I said I would, didn’t I? Ye of little faith,” Ammon quipped,, grabbing a gaming controller and falling on the couch next to the boy. Jonah had black hair that stood up in a similar fashion to Ammon’s but was a bit shorter. His stature was also shorter, but that was probably because he was seven years junior to Ammon. He had bright green eyes, wide open and ready to learn.

  The boy was bright, driven, and hilarious. Not to mention energetic. He was courageous and up for any of the wild adventures his elder friends would drag him into. Ammon genuinely liked him, and loved being a role model for the boy. He felt like it helped him be a better person as well. The only thing he wished for the boy was to have more trust in others. His surprise when Ammon had shown up was not due to Ammon’s slight tardiness, but to an insecurity of his own.

  They often stuck with the classic games, which required handheld controllers. The alternative were virtual reality chairs, or VR Chairs, created in the Ancient World to hack into the nervous system of the body, intercepting the signals sent from the brain to the body parts, translating the language, and then directing them to the virtual character in the game.