“So, what do you guys do for fun?” Roami ran up to stand amongst a small group of teenagers hovering on skateboards in front of a candy shop. They wore the same business outfits as everyone else but in neon pinks, greens and blues. One sported a fluffy pink frohawk hairstyle which seemed to contradict the stuffy business attire.
Robin noticed the small nuances of their clothing that showed that even in Wongswited, teenagers always found a way to rebel from the status quo. Their undershirts hung outside of their pants and skirts. Roami noticed that instead of the standard issue black shoes, they all wore shiny lace-up black ankle boots.
The group of young adults whispered to one another laughed aloud then raced away. Roami watched disheartened as they disappeared into a nearby Akwo tunnel during rush hour. Robin just sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes at the teenagers. She watched Roami return to her side, all the while shaking his head in defeat. Her heart went out to him. It was not easy work, putting yourself out there and getting rejected, but they really did not have a choice if they were going to reach their goal.
“How long have babies come here from the City of Fitz?” Robin and Roami had spotted a lawyer leaving his office. They raced across the street to confront him then quickly blurted out the question.
By this time they had spent all day asking questions and were starting to feel a little desperate. The bald man with piercing blue eyes and a gray business suit looked at them in surprise. In an instant he jumped onto the back of a passing strangers hover scooter. “Leave me alone you strange ones!” He yelled as he rode past them.
“Do you know why you were born purple and not green?” This question had made the beautiful young woman dressed in lavender, sitting in a popular Bobble café look at Robin aghast. “How dare you?!” She yelled at them furiously.
Everyone in the café stopped what they were doing and curiously looked at their table. Turning dark purple in embarrassment, the girl with the long silver hair falling in silky waves about her, glared at them with her pink eyes. She did not say another word but angrily huffed, grabbed her shopping bags and marched away.
No matter how many questions they asked and how many cryptic answers they received, Robin and Roami could not seem to put the pieces of the world together.
They could not help but think they would be stuck in Wongswited… forever.
***
“Do you think the answer lies within the unused floors in all the buildings?” Roami asked Robin one morning.
He fidgeted with the collar of his sky-blue shirt and smoothed out his black suit jacket uncomfortably. “I have to admit I do miss the more breathable clothes of Fitz. Why must everyone wear these rigid suits?”
“Yeah, I have to admit this dress suit is annoying too. It looks like silk but I seriously think it’s really made of wires it’s so itchy and stiff!” Robin rubbed her hand on the dark purple knee length dress and vest over a black shirt. Her shoes were way too hard and pinched at her feet mercilessly.
“Now, about the unused floors in the building… well... I’m pretty sure there are no answers there...well, at least not Mika and Tika’s building.” Robin said slyly. Roami had grown to know Robin’s facial expressions well after spending so much time with her. He was sure her current face screamed ‘guilty’.
“But how can you be so sure? It is not like you have been to any of the upper floors in Mika and Tika’s home.” Roami’s words began to gradually slow as he finished his sentence and came to an obvious conclusion.
When he realized Robin had remained quiet and sported a guilty look on her face he stared at her with both shock and hurt. “You went up there alone and didn’t tell me!” he said with a look of disappointment on his face.
“Well you know how curious I am. I just couldn’t live another second without checking it out and so…one night I couldn’t sleep and I basically…” Robin grew quiet but Roami urged her on. “Well, I basically checked out each of the one hundred and fourteen unused floors. Long story short; I didn’t find anything out of the ordinary.” Robin finished.
“Wait a minute. One hundred and fourteen? You mean One hundred and thirteen and the second story and main floor make a total of one hundred and fifteen.” Roami reminded her.
“No.” Robin said simply. “There’s a basement as well.” She smiled proudly at her acquired knowledge.
“Unbelievable!” Roami said but laughed a bit as Robin would always be…well… Robin.
“Okay, so we know it is not that. What else could it be?” He said dejectedly while pacing back and forth. When he realized he was pacing, Roami sighed loudly then sat down beside Robin. The two were sitting on a wooden bench in a small park near the city center.
There were little if any trees or grass in the city except at little sitting parks like this. Here there was fake brown colored grass and the same sculpture trees they had seen when they first arrived. Robin looked at the clear slender trunks and beautiful rainbow crystal leaves on each.
Hopping from branch to branch were a few very odd little flying creatures called Hindrits. Robin thought they looked like hand-sized blue teddy bears with rainbow colored wings. She had been afraid of them at first sight but after seeing the Wongswiteds feeding the little creatures bits of popcorn, she realized they were really very harmless.
Robin and Roami remained quiet. Both were close to drowning in their thoughts for some time. “You know. This is the quietest park I’ve been to in a long time. Back home we would have been hit in the head by at least two Frisbees and run over by countless crazy little kids by now.” Robin said without truly thinking about her words.
“Yes… You have a point. There aren’t many kids in this park and hardly any in this world at all. Isn’t that odd Robin?” Roami said.
“Yes it is a little strange...” She admitted while throwing a handful of popcorn at a group of nearby Hindrits at her feet. They made odd little giggling noises that Robin could not help but think were utterly adorable. In her mind the cute sound made up for their completely ridiculous physiques.
“I mean there are a few kids here and there but not as much as you would expect given how many married couples there are. I wonder how they give birth. Do you think it is similar to the people of Fitz?” Robin asked Roami.
“I do not know but we definitely need to find out. Come on!” He grabbed her hand and brought her to her feet. The bag of popcorn fell to the ground and a flurry of little Hindrits fluttered towards the delicious bounty. Ignoring the mess Roami pulled Robin behind him as he raced towards the city center.
“Where exactly are we going?” Robin asked breathlessly as she struggled to keep up with him.
“Actually… I’m not sure, really.” Roami said just before bumping into someone. They stopped and realized the stranger they had just smacked into was one of the people who they had seen from time to time on the streets of Wongswited.
The skinny man fell to the floor and the two children helped bring him to his feet. He wore a brown suit similar to that of King Philtu, but his shirt beneath was pearl white with thin peach stripes. He wore white rimmed glasses in front of intense black eyes and his white hair stood out straight and spiky all over his head.
“We’re sorry.” Robin said sincerely.
“No problem. Just please watch where you are going. I am a very important part of this town and it would be hard to replace me if I was run over by the likes of you two!” He said as he brushed his clothes off.
Before he could walk away Robin asked quickly, “So what is it you do, exactly Sir?” She smiled at him and gave her most interested face.
“You don’t know?” He laughed incredulously. “I am the town Reposer of course.” He said this haughtily and with a hint of annoyance that the two had not already known who he was. Without another word he sniffed disapprovingly then turned to march away.
“Reposer?” Roami looked at Robin hoping she knew what that meant.
Robin shook her head and said, “Perhaps he’s some so
rt of pro-wrestler or something… I don’t know.”
“Well I am almost sure we must find out what he does. It seems like part of the puzzle.” Roami said excitedly.
They spent most of the day asking the city people what a Reposer did. They did not get a straight answer from anyone.
“Oh, he sort of reposes… I guess.”
“He takes care of repositing…”
“Reposterousreposity and all that jazz…” were just a few of the odd responses they received during their quest.
By the end of the day, the two were tired and mightily confused. They figured they would have to try getting their answer in a less straightforward manner.
“Let’s just get some sleep and take care of this tomorrow morning.” Roami said as they returned to Mika and Tika’s home.
“Well I just hope we solve this riddle soon. I can’t stand another moment at Mika and Tika’s home. They are definitely hiding something. There is a room on the second floor which was locked…” Robin began and made that sly guilty look Roami knew too well.
“Was?” He asked with a smirk.
Laughing slightly Robin continued, “Well, yes. I of course found a way in only to find it filled with children’s clothes and none of it appeared to be for Brifton. I think they once had a child but won’t tell us about it. Isn’t that strange?” Robin said through a yawn.
They had made it to their temporary home and now spoke in hushed tones so as not to be overheard. It sometimes felt as if the walls had ears in Mika and Tika’s home.
“Yes, very strange. But we will decipher all of this tomorrow.” Roami whispered as they stood in the elevator and made their way to the second floor then walked down the long corridor to their respective rooms.
Roami yawned and could think of nothing more than jumping into his bed for the night. Neither he nor Robin had been getting much sleep.
Each night, in the dead of night; they would hear loud moaning sounds and sad melodies that seemed to be coming from the heavens above. It was an eerie sound that haunted many of their dreams and had Robin running into Roami’s room more nights than not.
“Get some rest my dear friend.” Roami said as he entered his room then stood in the doorway to ensure Robin made it into her own suite safely.
“Yeah, hopefully. I don’t think I can take one more night of that odd moaning...” Robin walked into her room. She turned to smile sleepily at Roami before shutting the door.
When the door shut her smile faded away. They were in no way closer to discovering the riddle to Wongswited and she was starting to feel frantic.
What if they never left this place? What kind of life could she and Roami make together here in a world where they were still considered ‘the strange ones’?
Sighing sadly Robin dressed in her bright yellow pajamas, god knows who, had left at the foot of her bed. Mere seconds after she dove into her bed and snuggled within the beautiful purple covers, Robin was already drifting into dreamland. But had a very restless sleep. She could not fight the feeling that she had left one dream world only to step into another…
***
That night Roami was awakened by the sound of horrific screams. The sounds jerked him from his slumber and out of the bed in a flash. His orange pajama pants crumpled up his legs and his hair was plastered against his head. Roami’s was erratic from the scare so he paused a moment to get his bearings. He listened closely.
The noise seemed to be coming from somewhere far away, in the general direction of the town center. Just when he thought of racing there to verify the source of the shrieks they ended abruptly.
This was a first. While their nights were plagued by the sad moaning every now and then, neither he nor Robin had yet heard such blood curdling screams as he had just heard.
Opening his door slightly Roami searched the hallway then checked in on Robin to ensure she was okay. She slept soundly so he returned to his room.
He however, found it difficult to fall back asleep. His mind kept racing with possible explanations for the gruesome sounds coming from outside during the dead of night. He and Robin had to figure a way out…before it was too late.
***
“I can’t believe this? Do you see this Roami?” Robin gasped in awe as they stood in front of what had to be one of the largest buildings in the entire town.
The outside was made of dark blue marble and each of the thousands of windows were framed in gold. They had come to realize golden window frames were the norm for the more expensive and important buildings in Wongswited.
A sign ran along the front of the building just above the glass entrance and read, “Makabee Mall”. The two had decided to visit the popular Mall everyone had been mentioning to them since their arrival. They had quickly gotten dressed that morning with the intent of goring directly to the Mall. Robin wore an apple green suit with a hot pink undershirt while Roami sported a gray suit with a light pink undershirt. Although, she had been a bit rushed, Robin had taken special care with her hair and appearance. The small braids were pulled back into a perfect bun and she let a few purple and black strands out on either side of her face to add effect. She was not sure when she had begun to care about her outward appearance so much. Back in the day, she had dressed down to avoid male attention as she was well aware how dangerous that could be. However, she felt safer now and for some odd reason, wanted Roami to feel proud to have her at his side… She fidgeted slightly and grew uncomfortable with her line of thought. Sighing, Robin decided to leave off any deep thought for the time being and just focus on enjoying the mall.
“How many floors did they say there was?” Robin asked as she arched her head back in an effort to see how far it jutted into the heavens.
“Five hundred and eight, I believe.” Roami said as he ushered her into one of the ten pair of revolving glass doors which made up the entrance. Robin had never seen so many revolving doors side by side. The flashing glass panels and colorful crowds of people flowing in and out, made for an awesome sight. She was so blown away by she seemed to have lost her ability to think so was complacent as Roami softly urged her forward.
Once inside they were awash in hundreds of sounds, colors, and sights. Robin forgot to keep walking yet again and nearly started a pile up. As people exited the revolving door behind her they each crashed into one another.
“Hey move it!” Someone said angrily.
Roami took her by the hand and they made their way further inside to stand before a large map of the mall. It was stenciled into a large slate of black marble with lettering and maps all etched in gold. The large rectangular sign, held between two gold metal poles, looked as if it were a beacon shining for all to see. Robin realized it actually was shining once they came close enough to inspect it. Flat pieces of Akwo stone were attached to it along the edges and helped to illuminate the important visual aid for visitors. On either side of them were large stores with various types of merchandise. All the stores were made with high ceilings to accommodate patrons as the Wongswited were all extraordinarily tall.
Bright blue lights lit the interior of the mall. The main entrance was absolutely breathtaking. A row of elevators were located at the very rear. The center had a maze of hover stairs which ran through every one of the five hundred and eight floors.
Hover stairs, Robin noted; were just steep inclines of black marble with water canals running through just like in the Akwo tunnels. There was one for up and another for down. These zig-zagged their way like escalators through the center of the mall all the way to the top. People rode on them with their shoes or other hover devices.
Inside each store the lighting from the ceiling came from Akwo stones as well. Most if not all the stores had aisles of wooden shelving that looked similar to bookcases. On each of these lay thousands of consumer goods.
“This is absolutely out of this world!” Robin said as she focused on the map of Makabee Mall. “I can’t even begin to imagine how many stores and restaurants are in here!” She sm
iled up at Roami before squealing with glee.
“Where do we start?” Roami said with a smirk. He knew without a doubt where she wanted to go first.
Robin and Roami both said it at the same time, “Bobble Juice!” They laughed when they realized they had spoken simultaneously.
“There’s a Bobble cafe on the twelfth floor. Let’s go!” Robin pulled Roami towards the hover stairs and hopped on.
When they arrived at the Bobble Café, they noticed the long line wrapping throughout the store. Robin sighed but said, “Maybe I should find a seat while you order?” Roami nodded in agreement.
Robin smiled at all the Wongswited she saw as she made her way throughout the beautifully decorated shop.
The blue lights shone brightly, behind the counter where three staff members stood. All personnel were dressed in matching pink aprons and brown suits. A plethora of delicious pastries and other sweet concoctions were placed within the glass displays along the counter. The floor was covered with sparkling golden tiles, while the table and chairs were golden painted wood.
Robin finally saw an empty table near the store front window. It would be a perfect spot for her and Roami to drink, talk and stare at the people passing by. She could not help but step back and look at herself at that very moment. The old Robin from Brooklyn, New York would never have recognized this new version of herself. She felt, somehow, lighter and more ‘in the moment’. Before she could really delve into this spectacular epiphany she realized she had to focus if they were going to get a good seat in the crowded café.
With a smile she quickly made her way towards the table before anyone else got it. Robin, however, was not fast enough.
A very tall and beautiful Wongswited woman dressed in an immaculate white suit, with a matching short miniskirt and gray undershirt made it to the table just as Robin was about to sit. The woman sat down and stared haughtily at her with a quirked eyebrow.
Robin noticed the table thief’s’ numerous designer shopping bags were placed on a large circular metal hover device with a clear glass cover. Poor Robin slowed her steps and dejectedly stopped beside the table. She looked at the table usurper in exasperation.
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