Vindemiatrix

This is sickeningly more normal than I anticipated. When a person says, in their rhythmic British accent, “surreptitious meeting of researchers”, you imagine something a bit more ominous. Y’know black cloaks, organ music, aged and worn textbooks bigger than my torso. Maybe I’ve been watching too much television lately.

I sat quietly waiting for the meeting to begin. Or for Alexandra to take notice of my patient dedication. I tried not to stare. She just sat there, almost suspiciously still, with her tiny hands clasped together. I resisted the urge to run my fingers along the edges of the circular table that stood between us, restless and childlike. It was large, burgundy-colored, and wooden. I wondered how heavy it might have been, just out of curiosity. My stomach roared, reminding me that noon had clearly come and gone and I’d now missed both breakfast and lunch, today. Was I really this interested in her secret meetings? Or was I just hopelessly drawn to the curve of her hips as the violet-colored material of her dress clung to her body. My mind wandered as I challenged myself to perch just as motionless as she did.

Just as I was beginning to rethink my being here, I heard heavy footsteps approaching the door from the hall. I could hear the loud metals clinking as the knob turned. The sound of air whipping through the doorway as it rushed to shut itself yet again.

He was the tallest man I’d ever seen. Wearing a gray alpine hat with a navy blue feather sticking straight up from the navy and gold braided rope that rested around the band. I only saw it because he leaned over to gently place a large white box on the table. His gray suit matched perfectly with the color of his hat. Navy shirt and pocket square, I looked down but I already knew. Yep, navy shoes. Suddenly, I felt a wave of uncertainty wash over me. I knew Alexandra dressed very well, but I couldn’t imagine it as part of the clandestine society. I was dressed in brown slacks and a white button down.

“Good afternoon, Alexandra.”, he said, he had a slight accent, but I couldn’t place it.

“Good afternoon, Eduard.” Alexandra said as she stood to greet the man with a hug. I tried not to stare at her silhouette, looking away as the hem of her dress began to rise, revealing more and more of the skin on her thigh.

My stomach rumbled again.

“This is a colleague of mine, Adrian.” She spoke as I stood and extended my hand to greet Eduard.

“Hello, Adrian. It’s good to meet you. Alexandra tells me you might be interested in some of our peculiar research topics.” He lifted an eyebrow as he spoke, shaking my hand and looking so intensely into my eyes that my knees slightly buckled at the sight of the piercing blue color.

I opened my mouth to respond, desperately searching through a mental catalogue of appropriate, yet impressive responses. But before I could speak, I heard the metal clinking again and a wave of new voices began flooding the room. Eduard turned and began hugging and shaking hands. Alexandra did the same. So, I did, too.

“Good afternoon, everyone.”

There was a woman standing at the head of the table now addressing the group. She was about my height and heavy. Her black pantsuit hung loosely from her body. Her appearance was very clean and detailed, not a hair out of place. Just like everyone else and her voice echoed from the walls in the way I’d imagine hearing a Goddess speak.

“Yet again, I want to thank you all for being here. For dedicating your body and mind to the betterment of the knowledge of humankind.”

“Aye” the crowd shouted in unison, startling me.

Everyone was sitting around the table. The white box Eduard brought in had been opened to reveal the most magnificent looking chocolate cake. My mouth watered as I watched Alexandra cut through the slices, the velvety texture springing to life with every touch creating the perfect base for the silky, reflective chocolate icing. The icing seemed to part on its own as if surrendering to the will of Alexandra before the knife could even reach it. Eduard placed a slice in front of each of us along with a tiny dessert fork and shot glass full of Bourbon. I was so enticed that it took every ounce of self control I had not to immediately stab my fork into the slice and finally satiate my almost ravenous hunger.

The woman continued to speak, “Today we are faced with the prospect of four new minds joining us. Together our combined intellect, both known understanding and unknown understanding will make a mark on this world so impactful it might never be erased.”

She lifted her glass of bourbon and the tiny dessert fork placed on the white plate in front of her. A part of me was curious as to who the other three newcomers were to this meeting, but I was too excited about the cake to place my focus elsewhere. The rest of us followed her example, lifting our glasses and readying our forks to dig in.

“To sharing all knowledge”, she said.

“To sharing all knowledge”, the crowd repeated. And I watched as everyone monstrously devoured their slices of cake. Even Alexandra, who was always the perfect picture of civility; had crumbs falling from her violet-painted lips and icing smeared on her fingers. Her cheeks bulged as she stuffed more cake into her mouth without having swallowed the last bites.

Was this some kind of trick? I was too hungry to do much questioning and the soft buttery texture of the cake sent me into a whirlwind of ecstasy. My fingers and toes tingled with every bite. I wanted to stop and savor a bite or two, but my body called for more cake after every portion. It was as if the aroma had unleashed some insatiable animal inside of me and all I wanted was to eat more and more… and more of this perfect chocolate cake.

And then it was gone. A soft whimper escaped my lips as I tried to reckon with the desperate sadness felt.

She spoke again, “And to meeting, as one, in the afterlife.”

I began repeating robotically, “and to meeting, as— wait, what?” I stood up frantically looking around the room. Everyone’s eyes were closed as they held up their shots of bourbon. A small, dainty man with wiry, brown hair and glasses peered up at me with panic in his eyes. A woman two chairs from me whimpered silently as tears spilled down her round and rosy cheeks. Another man angrily held both hands open, as if hoping the answer to all of this would somehow fall into them, as he stared, open-mouthed, at the empty white plate in front of them.

“No! What is this!” I tried to shout, but my voice was barely above a whisper. I could feel my body giving in to gravity as I slumped back into my chair. My eyelids felt as heavy as bricks. My body no longer had the energy to sustain my fear.

Am I dying?

~

“Welcome to Vindemiatrix.”

It was the woman’s voice from the meeting. I’m not dead? I fought to open my eyes, but the heaviness I had felt earlier was gone. They shot open, darting around for answers. The space was empty. A bright whiteness expanding in all directions as far as I could see.

“Meagan, Dominique, Adrian, Bryan. You have all entered the Grapevine. Upon entry, you have been granted the power of sight. What is it that you wish to see?”

It could feel my face contorting as I wrestled with confusion. I paced walking back and forth looking for something. Anything. A wall, a corner, a face, a mirror. Anything!

That couldn’t be my answer. I knew the other newcomers were just as perplexed as I was because none of them had answered either. Or had they? Would I even hear them? I had so many questions and the more I searched through them trying to pick the right one, the more my skin became hot with anger.

“What kind of poison did you put in that cake!” I demanded with a roaring menace.

A chef appeared. A table, then a bowl. There was a mixer and an oven. Soon an entire kitchen had appeared. I watched as the chef included a combination of Psilocybin and Peyote in his recipe. He looked up at me, directly into my eyes.

“Researchers ask better questions ” He said as he and everything that came with him disappeared again.

~

I woke up in bed. There was no way that was all a dream. I considered seeking out the group again, if it even really existed. What if it was all just my imagination. What if it wasn’t? I contemplated what I would do when I went into work today and saw Alexandra standing there looking perfect, as usual.

I shook the image of her from my mind, rolling over and turning my alarm clock off completely.

I thought to myself. I’m not going to work today. Today, I’ll go to the bakery down the block from my apartment and take my time with a nice slice of chocolate cake. And tomorrow, I’m not sure, but I think I need some time to smell the flowers.

“Let us know what you find.” I heard a familiar voice say.