Flow

July 7th, 6100

“Say cheese!” my father said with cheer, as he prepared to snap my graduation photo.

My mother and younger sister were posing next to me, as I held up my university degree. It was my crowning achievement during this once in a lifetime celebration. I remember the fairies and nymphs soaring in the sky above the courtyard; sharing in the excitement of us students. The amount of happiness that filled me then felt tremendous.

“Jonathan…”

It was the culmination of all my life’s work up until that point. To think that graduating from such a prestigious university would bring me such esteem… Oh who am I kidding, of course I knew that it would. Why else would I have worked so?

“Jonathan…”

In Elven society, graduating into the immediate workforce is the standard way of living. Many often end up studying magic, given our natural affinity for it. But that wasn't the case for me. Which is why I had to excel in every other category. I couldn't let such a phenomenon hold me back. Besides, don't real accomplishments come from those who have either rejected the norm or have been rejected by it? I almost feel sorry for those who took the typical route to success, I mean who would-

“Jonathan Peak! Wake up!”

My head shoots up the desk, causing the papers on my desk to fall onto the floor. In a daze, I pick up each sheet while rubbing the slight imprints left on my cheek from lying on my keyboard. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a few of them smirking and snickering, but that isn't a surprise. It's one of the many quirks that come with a competitive work environment; where many will kick you while you're down.

“Sir...I apologize for-”

“Enough with the apologies! Just get back to work.” boss shouts, before turning towards the door.

As he rushes out of the office, I take a deep breath. With work getting so busy lately, it's been a while since I've had a good sleep. But to slip-up this badly. And if that wasn't bad enough, I ended up dreaming about my graduation. No matter how demanding these last few days of overtime have been, reminiscing will get me nowhere. My efforts have always been straightforward, so there isn't a point in looking back.

After a few more hours of work, I end up finishing early. I guess a nap was all I needed. Though considering all the work we’ve done over the last few days, finalizing these new designs was a no-brainer. My hope is that this product line does well enough so I can lock-in my bonus.

Leaving the office, I press the button on the elevator keypad prompting it to open.

“Hey, wait up!” shouts a familiar voice behind me.

I place my hand against the elevator door, allowing him to make it inside with bated breath. It’s Melvin.

"T-t-thanks Jon! I'm kind of in a hurry. Wait, did I just call you Jon!? I meant Mr.Peak!” he says while straightening his dress shirt.

“No worries, I’m not really in a hurry anyway.” I respond, before looking back at my phone.

This young man is my co-worker Melvin. He’s a hard worker, but he’s a bit too high-strung sometimes. Actually, it’s more like all the time. In any case, we don’t really talk much, despite us working in the same department.

"Oh really? Thank goodness!” he says, now lowering his shoulders. “I’ll avoid making such a mistake again.”

“It’s fine really… besides, we sit next to each other anyways.”

“Right!” Melvin says with a pause. “...You’re much nicer than everyone says you are.”

“What gave you the impression I wasn’t?” I ask with a raise of my brow.

His shoulders tense. “It’s just that you’re such a hard worker, and I heard you’re practically overqualified for the work we do.”

“Sure, but I don’t see how that would make me a bad person. Shouldn’t you expect me to do my job?”

Melvin nods. “You aren't wrong...but then why were they talking behind your back? You only dozed off for a second.”

Well I can’t justify the gossiping, so I shrug. Melvin averts his gaze while the elevator continues its descent with a ding after each floor. I wonder why he’s concerned about me. Is he trying to cheer me up? He is relatively new here, so he’s probably looking for a confidant. Everyone else in the office takes advantage of his eagerness to please, including our boss. But I don’t really mind the slight jabs they make since it comes with the territory. I just need some sleep.

When the elevator arrives at the ground floor, Melvin starts twiddling his thumbs.

“Mr.Peak… sorry for asking you such bothersome questions. It’s just that we’ve never talked much before now.”

“Yeah, it's no problem. Why are you in a hurry anyway?”

“Boss invited everyone in the office out to celebrate. We did finish the preparations for our new product line ahead of schedule.”

“Oh nice. Well have fu-”

“Hey! Why don’t you come along too? You know how to mingle during these events right?” Melvin asks, tugging on the sleeve of my dress shirt.

I glance at the time on my phone. “Sure, why not. I was actually about to head home for today, so I’m free for the rest of the night.”

“Oh, thank you! I’m terrible at these types of events.”

As am I, but I can’t mention that of course. Its not like I have an issue socializing, it’s just that I have a troubled past when it comes to holding my liquor. And since the boss is known for his excessive drinking during these occasions, I suspect he won’t go easy on us. But if I already know that, why did I agree?

Noticing Melvin's nervous expression as we’re walking through the main lobby, I sense a strange resemblance between him and I. Which is odd, because while I am his senior at work, we’re only three years apart. I’m only twenty five.

After meeting up with the rest of our co-workers, we head out into the city. Gazing at the skyscrapers that reach towards the dazzling night sky, lit up by fairies and sprites that dance amidst the endless high, I take a deep breath. Walking along these streets, seeing all the densely packed shops and businesses at this time of night, I once again realize why Borgframi is known for it’s vibrant nightlife.

“Oh, my goodness. I’m so happy for you!”

“Wow, you’re so lucky! I’m jealous.”

And it seems that along with the celebration tonight, many of us will be sharing in Jenny’s excitement for her upcoming wedding. It’s about time she tied the knot with her fiance. She never stops talking about it. She’s always showing off her dream dress to everyone at the office, since it’s apparently similar to the one the elven princess wore. Even Boss is excited for her.

Having to deal with the Boss’s temper on a daily basis is troublesome, but his sense of humor isn’t any better. And judging from the three mugs of kiwi ale he’s downed already after just sitting down at this bar, I can tell he’s gonna be especially unpleasant tonight.

“You don’t seem to be having fun Melvin my boy! Here, have another one!” shouts Boss, sliding yet another mug towards him.

“O-okay Boss…” Melvin says, making sure not spill the foam that’s floating that the top of the mug.

Just like the many outings before this, he sheds his stern demeanor in exchange for one that’s typical to a town drunk. His rough sense of humor turns into boisterous ravings, as he forces copious amounts of alcohol onto everyone in the vicinity. All while everyone from the company joins in at each other's expense and eggs him on further. Which is honestly the worst part, since everyone sees it as an opportunity to score brownie points. Just to avoid looking like the odd ones out, even if they themselves don’t want to drink.

“Good job Melvin! I knew you had it in you!” Boss chuckles with his face flushed red.

“Urgh! T-thanks boss…” Melvin hiccups while swaying side-to-side, before tipping over to the side during everyone's applause. To which I grab his shoulders mid-fall.

“It’s your turn, Johnny!” Boss shouts while sliding one towards me.

Seeing the little bubbles rising up as the foam trickles down the side of the mug, I begin to weigh my options. And with everyone chanting, my reluctance only deepens. Melvin is a trooper for drinking five, but looking at him now leaning against my shoulder, I’d rather not end up in a similar state.

“Come on, it's my treat! What? You don't drink?” he insists.

Amidst all their chanting, I notice a few of them snickering with each other. Are they mocking me? Yes, and they’re also plotting against me. With the pressure stacking against me, my chest starts to tighten, so I take the plunge. Gulping down the entire mug, leaving everyone wide eyed in astonishment.

“Johnny...that was amazing!” Boss shouts in awe. “All those years of college made you more than just book smart, huh?”

I burp. “...It’s Jonathan-”

“Way to go Johnny! I was afraid you weren’t feeling celebratory tonight!” Blaine says before reaching over to pat me on the back.

I don’t care for their congratulations, I just needed to show Melvin how it’s done. I put one hundred percent into everything I do, so drinking should be no different...but is that a good thing?

After a few more hours of drinking, Boss and some of the others decide to call it a night. While keeping hold of a nauseated Melvin when leaving the bar, I too am attempting to collect myself through my own queasiness. I even chose to help him so no one would catch on, but my mind isn’t where I’d like it to be. I’m doing better than him, but being tired and drunk isn’t a good mix.

Why do I commit to things like that? What did I accomplish from any of that? Because this feeling sucks… man I’m tired.

“Hey Jonathan, Wait up!” Blaine shouts from the entrance of the bar.

“...Hello Blaine, tonight was fun wasn’t it?” I ask, noticing his usual posse next to him.

“You bet it was! Hey, me and the guys are heading to ‘The Strip’, wanna come along?”

“Sorry, but Melvin needs help getting home.”

“H-h-help? I don’t need help! I can go for another round…” Melvin shouts from his drunken stupor, before dozing off again.

“Wasn’t he just downing drinks? I’m sure that lightweight will find his way home.” Blaine says, as his posse giggles behind him.

Blaine is the most sociable person in the office, which just means that he’ll likely talk about you behind your back. When it comes to rumors and gossip, not only is he the first one to know about it, but he’s somehow always gotten the last laugh. Some of our colleagues were even forced to resign or fired as a result of him reporting them to Boss. I’ve been lucky enough to avoid his line of sight, but today just hasn't been my day.

Under normal circumstances, I would agree to go when invited out of necessity, since it’s a late-night routine for many of them. But I’m more concerned about Melvin’s safety.

“...Huh? Where am I...Mr.Peak!?” Melvin says, waking up in a panic before pulling away from my shoulder. “Were you helping me? Thank you!”

“Hey, welcome to the land of the living! Meet any ancestors?” Blaine asks, while wrapping his arm around Melvin’s shoulder. “So, you joining us at The Strip or not?”

“Oh, you guys are going to The Strip? I’ll come along!” Melvin slurs, while attempting to straighten both his dress shirt and his posture. Maybe in the hopes that he wouldn’t seem like a burden.

“See Jonathan, Melvin is a big boy.” Blaine chuckles, before patting him on the back. “Now come on! We’ve already wasted enough time.”

Melvin and I follow behind Blaine and his posse, leaving behind the rest of our colleagues. And as we’re walking, each of them carry on ridiculing Melvin. But instead of shrinking into embarrassment, he smiles and laughs it off. Doesn’t it bother him?

The Strip is the nocturnal hot-spot, frequented by both men and women, where either can wallow in blissfully immoral acts. In contrast to the dazzling lights that brighten Borgframi’s skies, it’s the neon signs that light this pathway towards perversion. With the various nightclubs, hotels, bars, and hostess clubs scattered parallel to each other, it’ll take a lifetime to enjoy all it’s wonders. Since many of the experiences can be enhanced with elven magic, which can range from self-duplication to body augmentation. Rounding out many of the experiences with a bit of a sideshow.

And after declining numerous offers from the businesses we’ve passed by, we arrive at The Golden Leaf. A masquerade nightclub that assures it’s patrons secrecy, which is crucial when trying to avoid potential scrutiny.

The receptionist behind the enclosed desk presents to us a collection of masks. Deciding that it would be interesting to mix it up, we choose an animal theme. And before long, they hand each of us our masks through a small sliding door. I ended up choosing the wolf mask, while Melvin chose the bunny, which feels appropriate somehow.

The moment we enter the main floor, a bunch of girls rush towards us.

“Welcome master!” They greet in unison, with high pitch voices.

So it’s one of those nightclubs. While they’re showing us to our table, I overhear the soothing mix of jazz and classical melodies coming from the musicians on stage. Seeing all of the staff dressed in their alluring outfits that range from maid garments to decorative lingerie, I expected a more intense atmosphere. But I guess that’s part of the allure for this place.

Each of us slide into the cushy black lounge booth surrounding our table, with Melvin caught between two Blaine and I. Looking at the patrons at other tables, conversing with either each other or the staff waiting on them, I somehow feel indifferent. I only tagged along to maintain an amicable relationship with my associates, but is that a good reason to take part in this? Shouldn’t I be enjoying this?… Maybe I’m still a bit intoxicated.

“Why hello gentlemen! What can I get for you tonight?” one of the waitresses asks in her nurse getup.

“Lets start with five shots of your hardest liquor, and an apple juice for the little guy over here.” Blaine says with a nudge against Melvin’s shoulder.

“No… I’ll have the same thing as well…” Melvin protests.

“Huh? You really think Jonathan will stick up for you every time?”

“Well… not really, but I won’t be a burden this time! I can take care of myself.”

Blaine leans in towards Melvin’s face. “Oh really? Look me in the eyes and say you won’t.”

“Why would I have to-”

“Okay, so five liquors and an apple juice. Anything else?” the waitress says, penciling down Blaines order on her notepad.

“Hey, wait-”

“No, that’ll be it for the drinks, but I’ll take a healthy serving of you.” Blaine says, staring at her slender figure. “What do you say doc?”

The waitress scoffs, “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that one today, but sure love! By the way, my name is Penny. If you boys don’t have a girl in mind yet, you can check our catalog. And please be polite when introducing yourself to those on the floor.”

As she’s walking off, Blaine and his crew look over the catalog while Melvin slouches in his seat. So with a deep breath, I get up to peruse the main floor. If I’m going to go along with this, I’d like to at least meet my choices face-to-face. And it’s then that I realize the appeal of this place. Seeing some of the spectacles the staff are pulling off, I can’t help but be impressed. From fire breathing and water shaping, to temporary transformations, along with other requests that are a bit more depraved.

“To think that some people chose to use their magic affinity for stuff like th-”

“Oh sorry!” the waitress apologizes, having bumped into me.

“No, it’s my fault. I wasn’t watching where I was going.” I laugh with a wave of my hand.

“No, I should be the one that’s sorry! I could have injured one of our valued customers.” she insists with a bow.

This is my first time here, so isn’t this a bit much? I know it’s her job, but her well-mannered approach still comes off as a bit overwhelming with that belly dancer getup on. It almost feels out of place with her kind and careful demeanor, that for some reason reminds me of Melvin. Albeit, far more composed. There’s also something else familiar about her, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

“I appreciate your concern, but you should take it easy. Why don’t you accompany me for the night?” I ask, with the hopes that it’ll lighten the mood.

“As you wish master, I am in your care.” She says, placing her hand on her chest with another bow. “My name is Polly.”

“There’s no need for that, you can speak to me normally. I’d also like it if you enjoyed yourself as well.”

She smiles with a nod, before following me back to the table with the others. All of us continue ordering drinks by the dozen alongside the hostesses we’ve chosen. Each pouring drinks for us while taking part in the merriment. And while it is their job, their enjoyment does seem genuine. With their unspoken commitment to coddle Melvin; almost as if they’re aware of his inexperience.

After an hour or two, all of us decide to go to a private room with the girls. This supposed finale to an otherwise eventful night out leads us towards the back of the club, where we split off into our own rooms. Only now do I realize how much Polly has warmed up to me, with how tightly she’s clinging to my arm. But the second our door closes, she makes those feelings known by rushing towards me with a kiss.

Her soft lips peck against mine, until her sudden use of tongue intertwines with mine. Bringing about a sensation that causes my brain and the rest of my body to melt. Maybe it’s because of the alcohol, but the longer she pulls our faces closer, the further I sink into her passion.

After making it to the bed, I pull away. “You’re really taking your job seriously, huh?”

“Forgive me, I usually don’t get this excited, but there’s something about you. You remind me of someone.” She explains, her face now blushed as she straddles my lap.

“You tell every client that?”

“Hey… I’m serious.” She says, looking almost as she averts her gaze.

“Don’t worry, I’m just kidding.” I say while rubbing her back. “So, where would you like to start?”

“...Take off your mask first, your secrets are safe with me.”

Going with the motions, I pull my mask off. Though the moment I do, her look of anticipation twists into one of dismay.

“Oh goodness…” she mumbles, jumping off my lap.

“What’s the matter?”

“Jonathan, what are you doing here?”

My heart drops. “How do you know my name?”

“Wait, you knew it was me didn’t you? I was wondering why you were so kind to me, you...cheating bastard!” She shouts while pointing her finger towards me.

Wincing through the pain of my immediate headache, she continues to berate me further. Which isn’t helping my intoxicated train of thought. Dammit! This is why I don’t drink; I don’t understand why she’s so mad. And how does she know my… Wait. I’ve heard screaming like this before, but it’s never been hurled towards me. My neighbor Kellam has a wife that always complains about their bills and… His wife… No way…

“Alyndra?”

“Oh, so you’ve finally sobered up. I thought you’d be the last one to do something like this behind Solana’s back! I mean for goodness sake, she trusts you!” Alyndra shouts. “And to think that you would try your hand at the next-door neighbor. Isn’t your ‘perfect marriage’ not satisfying enough?”

“No, it isn’t like that! I love Solana, I-” I manage to say to her, before another sharp pain rushes through my head.

“To think that you would say that after everything that’s happened here. You’re a mess, you know that?!”

“Huh, well, what about your husband? Wouldn't he feel some type of way knowing that you’re working in a place like this?”

“Oh, he knows, but he wouldn’t dare question it! It’s because of all his debt that I have to resort to this to make ends meet. That useless sack of shit…”

While trying to think of a way out of this, my mind goes blank. Damn this alcohol! Lay of me for a sec.

“You’re not gonna explain yourself? Well I suppose it won’t matter much, since I’m telling Solana anyways.” she admits while turning towards the door.

That’s right, she has nothing to lose; that’s the difference between us. Her and Solana have been friends for a longtime, so there’s no way she’ll keep this from her.

The moment she walks out of this room, my life is over. All that I’ve worked for will have been for naught, and for what? My head is pounding and I feel dizzy. Am I about to faint? No, I need to reach out to her. I cannot just let her walk out of that door.

I only joined Blaine and his group to stay in their good graces. Work is hard enough already. My colleagues still talk behind my back as if I have no merits, all while working long hours just to please a world that denied me an affinity. But despite all these hardships, it’s the reality I’ve come to accept. Please don’t take it away from me. I never wanted to risk my livelihood for shallow desire. I was just going with the flow.

Going with the Flow

Going with the Flow

Going with the Flow… Flow.

This… This light in front of me, is that Alyndra? I’ve almost caught up to her. I just need to reach out and…

The second I grab hold of Alyndra’s shoulder, she’s reduced to a puddle of liquid in an instant before my eyes.

“Uh… Alyndra? You can undo your magic now, haha…” I say while glancing at my hand and the puddle on the floor. “Alyndr-”

Taking a step back, flashes of white assault my vision as yet another sharp pain rushes through my skull. An awakening to a water affinity, at my age? No, this has to be different. I end backing up against the nightstand, causing it to deplete into a puddle as well.

“Mr.Peak! Mr.Peak!” shouts a familiar voice from the hallway. “Where are you?!”

It’s Melvin, sounding drunker than before. I can’t worry about him right now. I need to run before they figure out what happened here, so making sure not to turn this entire establishment into a public pool, I kick open the door and run out of the room.

“Huh? Is that you Mr.Peak? Hey, wait up-” Melvin slurs, right before slipping on the liquid seeping from the room. “… Yay a kiddy pool!”

While he’s sitting in the puddle, blissfully waving his arms about, I make a turn down the hallway. Keeping my hands tucked underneath my arms, as I run through these narrow halls with the hopes of finding a quick exit. But since this is the rooming area, so finding it might be difficult. And luckily I haven’t run into any of the other patrons, since most of them are too busy getting their moneys worth inside their rooms. Which is good, because with all their moaning and groaning, they aren’t hearing my footsteps.

After turning every corner, I end up finding an emergency exit that leads me to the alleyway outside. Having made it this far, I wonder if anyone has noticed she’s gone. Though even if they do, they won’t find anything. So with no one in sight, I head for the nearest street corner.

“Oh, hey Jonathan, how was Polly?”

… That is, until I encounter the worst person I could have.

Standing on the street corner outside of The Strip, is none other than Blaine. He shouldn’t even be out here. He’s supposed to be in his room.

I shake my head. “She said she had to go, so we had to stop early.”

“Really? Well damn, that sucks.” He says while stuffing his phone in his pocket. “But man, that girl Diane was a real fire-caster. The way she moved those flames was awesome, but I couldn’t get into any of the other stuff. Keeping faithful to my lady, you know?”

“Yeah, same here. It’s about respect.”

He doesn’t seem to know what happened, so he must have been waiting for us outside. And if that’s the case, I have to keep my responses to a minimum. Just like I always do.

“Exactly! Getting to enjoy a natural-born fire dancer for cheap was definitely worth the trip here…” Blaine laughs, before looking at me up and down. “Say, you don’t know magic, right?”

My heart skips a beat.

“No, I was born without an affinity.” I respond with a shake of my head, as my palms start to feel clammy.

“Well, not everyone is born lucky…” Blaine says with a grin. “Which is the thing I’d say to someone without one.”

“What do you-” I manage to say, before Blaine places his hand on my shoulder.

“Your heart just skipped a beat didn’t it? I can hear it with my affinity for sound. Even now, your heart can’t help but quicken.”

“So everyone that left the office, you…”

“All I did was ask them questions, and just like yours, their body told me the truth. I also heard you running too.” He says, gripping my shoulder tighter. “Jonathan Peak, the magic-less liar and cheater. You did something with Polly didn’t you? I don’t know what, but don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. It would be a real shame if everyone knew about it.”

Noticing his sly grin, I know that he’ll likely hang this over my head. And if I don’t do what he says, word will get around the office. It could even get back to Solana. Although, while he can tell that I’m lying, he doesn’t know what happened to her. He can only assume that I’m not telling the truth based on my increased heart rate, which is a result of my own uncertainty with everything that’s happened. So while it’s true that I am lying, the basis for his judgment is as flawed as a polygraph test.

Blaine pats my back. “Come on, why are you so quiet? I won’t tell anyone. Honest!”

And having an affinity for sound isn’t exactly common, so you wouldn’t expect someone to be able to perceive something like that. Just talking to him puts anybody around him through a litmus test. But if that’s the case, then why would he go through the trouble of telling me? No, that part is simple. It’s because he knows that I have far more to lose.

“Here!” Blaine says, putting his hand forward. “Let's shake on it, as new best friends.”

I know full well what will happen if I were to return his hand shake, so I do. Leaving the puddle that splashed on the sidewalk to slowly trickle down the sewer grate, like the remaining water after an unexpected rainfall.

Just like Alyndra, he was a person. But they both needed to disappear. I’ve worked too hard to have the rug pulled out from under me.

“Vrrt Vrrt… Vrrt Vrrt… ” goes my phone. It’s Solana.

“Hey honey, its getting pretty late, when are you coming home?” She asks.

“Oh, I’m sorry honey, Boss took us out for drinks. We’re finally done with the new product line for this quarter.”

“That’s great, but hasn’t that man worked you enough? Aren’t you tired?”

Very much so.

“Just a bit, but you know how it is.” I laugh. “Anyways, don’t worry, I’m actually on my way home now. So make sure to get your beauty sleep, remember, you have work tomorrow too.”

After further reassurance and wishing her goodnight, I hang up the phone. Looking up at the crescent moon, I for some reason don’t feel as tired. Even though it’s been at least two days since I’ve had a good-night's sleep, I feel like I just had a week's worth. And while I would like to think that it’s because of her angelic tone of voice, that just isn’t the case.

It’s because, despite all of the things that have transpired today, I now have an affinity to call my own. And while I want to say that it’s a water affinity, I never heard of one doing something similar to what I just did. But I can’t help but wonder...

“… what are it’s other uses?” I say to myself, looking at my palms while making my way home.

As the puddle continues flowing into the sewer, with none the wiser.