Weightless

PART 1: Spiez, Switzerland

There were no words to describe the view of the Bernese Alps from where she sat, and Lucia didn't seem to have them either as the train's stopping jolted her awake. Looking out of her window she only noticed the bright rays from the water, bending with each ripple. The bottomless blue was met with a plush alpine skyline, but she couldn't shake her feeling underwhelmed as she scanned the horizon of boats, shops, and tourists interlocked in between the two.

"Spiez." It was the only thought crossing her mind for the time being.

Well rested, she took an ample amount of time gathering herself in the privacy of her own bathroom. After making the final touches to her appearance, Lucia paused to appreciate the view around her suite. The gold window panels were perfect compliments to the panoramic view. In fact, most of her suite was gold. Every part from the bed frame, to the doors and floors, the shower to the shower head, the sink and even the toilet shined to perfection. She felt a sense of peace embarking on the day. Exiting the train Lucia felt a hint of motion sickness as she struggled to regain her balance on a still earth. The air reeked of freshly brewed coffee and sweet bread fresh out of an oven. Centering herself, she followed the smell into town. She stumbled upon a string of local shops and restaurants and decided on stopping by a quaint shop, known for its coffee and baked goods. She ordered.

"One breakfast tea, a blueberry muffin and two pieces of avocado toast please."

The barista replied, "Will that be all?"

"Yes."

"$14.57," said the barista. "Would you like some honey and lemon added to your tea?"

"Yes, thank you."

Lucia stepped to the side and didn't wait long before her order was complete. The baristas seemed chipper as they handled each tourist's order with genuine hospitality. She eventually found herself seated outside, overlooking the lake, once again. It was growing busier now, speckled with a few boaters getting an early start. Finishing her meal was an easy task, and it seemed as if her body appreciated the meal more than her five senses could perceive. She checked her watch, which read 9:31 AM in huge font, and 73 degrees Fahrenheit in smaller font in the top left corner. She scheduled a hiking tour the night before, which was scheduled to start at 10:30 AM, but the starting point was thirty minutes away by car, so she decided to enjoy the hardwood patio and cool morning air before catching an Uber to the trail. Upon arrival, she noticed a few hikers congregating, some stretching, others conversing, and others sitting on nearby logs and tree stumps. Her tour guide was a quirky gentleman with which seemed like infinite knowledge about the alps. He was already speaking with a couple of tourists, filling them in on every aspect of the Bernese Highlands.

"Sounds like he was born and raised in Switzerland," Lucia thought to herself.

The tour guide yelled loudly, "Gather around now everyone! We're starting in five!"

A group of around twenty people gathered closely.

"I'll take a head count first, just in case we lose anyone, and then we'll begin." He counted a total of twenty-three people. "That makes twenty-four of us, follow me this way!"

The guide proceeded down a trail teeming with pine and spruce trees hovering over the walkway. A sense of protection came over Lucia as she slowly fell to the back of the group. She began to lose interest in what the guide was saying, the effort was becoming too much as she lagged further and further. A man's voice interrupted her train of thought.

"Geez, this guy needs to take a hike himself. Feel like I'd enjoy this more if he did more walking and less talking," said the gentleman.

He was walking in stride with Lucia on her right-hand side, and three feet of space separated the both of them. He closed the gap to extend his hand.

"Vicci," he said.

Hesitant, Lucia reciprocated the gesture.

"Lucia," she replied.

"Pleasure to meet you. Hiking solo. By choice or circumstance?" he asked.

"Circumstance."

"Mind if I join you? I could use some company myself," he suggested.

"Seems like you've already accomplished that."

"Haha, after this hike is over, come join me and a buddy of mine for a private outing on the lake," Vicci suggested. "He owns a beautiful boat that'll give more of an adventure than you bargained for."

"I've known you for a total of five minutes now..?"

"Not long enough," Vicci stated.

"And I can trust you because..."

"You've already trusted a mediocre tour guide, and a group of twenty-three strangers to hike with. Why not give time to someone who wants to show you things you've never experienced?"

"No thanks. I have a train to get back to this evening," Lucia said. "So I can't afford to miss that. Plus, the last guy I trusted disappeared without a trace."

"Hahaha Lucia, slow down. I have no intentions of being romantic with you, I'm married. But I believe I'm on the same train as you... Oro?" he asked.

"Yes, Oro."

"Well let's pick it up a bit, this guide is in amazing shape apparently. But I'll get us an Uber to a local marina after this hike. The buddy I mentioned is the owner," said Vicci.

The tour lasted until 12:30 PM, and shortly after, Vicci ordered an Uber as promised. The thirty-minute ride back into the city felt shorter the second time around for Lucia. They arrived at the marina, and Vicci lead Lucia to the end of the main dock onto the finest boat there. He stepped on and reached back to assist her. She grabbed his hand.

"Vicci this is a yacht," Lucia said as she stepped onto the vessel.

The boat moved instantly, almost as if it had a mind of its own. The two took the steps to the upper deck and were met by the captain. It was Vicci's long-time friend, Alexander. Vicci and Alex embraced one another before focusing their attention on Lucia.

"Alexander, but you can call me Alex," he said, extending his hand to her.

"Lucia," she replied.

"You two, go make yourselves comfortable anywhere you'd like. Mi casa su casa! I suggest going to the promenade deck for freshly made hors d'oeuvres, they should be ready any minute now. The chef is a mastermind! I'll join after I get this yacht anchored in one of my favorite spots on the water, you'll love it!" Alexander said.

Lucia was looking around in complete awe. She'd never experienced this much luxury in a day. The boat seemed as if it were purchased that morning.

"So much fine leather and gold trim..." she thought to herself.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Vicci asked, noticing Lucia’s inquisitive demeanor.

The hors d'oeuvres arrived as soon as they sat down on one of the couches overlooking the lake. The boat had stopped in a cove a few miles from the marina, and Alex came down to join Lucia, Vicci, and the chef to eat. He brought down a bottle of chardonnay and poured a glass for the gentlemen. He turned to face Lucia.

"Would you like a drink?" Alex asked.

"No thanks," Lucia replied.

"Well then, how the hell did you become friends with this degenerate?!" he asked, referring to Vicci. "Ahh wait, you must not be old enough. Vicci what's up with you bringing a minor on my boat?"

"I'm twenty-three and I don't drink because I've been pregnant for the last three months, guy," Lucia snapped.

"Vicci, how do you know this young lady?"

"I met her on a hiking tour earlier, we're riding Oro together," Vicci replied. He turned toward Lucia, "And this is news to me too." He turned toward Alex again, "Twenty-three and three months of pregnancy... she's a responsible lad I guess."

"Wasn't trying to offend you or place any peer pressure on you," Alex stated genuinely. "It's a friendly gesture of mine, I'd do the same for anyone else... except a minor of course."

"None taken," she said. "Nice boat."

"Why thank you!" he said, joyfully. "I designed it myself. “

"Alexander here is one of, if not, the best architect in all of Europe. He's designed aquariums, battleships, Jet Skis, yachts, fishing boats, sailboats, canals and bridges. Pretty much, any aquatic-based architecture in Europe, Alex has his name written all over it," Vicci interrupted, facing Lucia.

"What brings you through Switzerland? Wait, let me guess... you're riding Oro to find the life of your dreams in one of these tourist traps," guessed Alexander.

"You could say I'm looking for the life of my dreams," Lucia explained. "The guy who left me with this child I'm now nurturing was from Portugal. He spoke of a train that takes me to a land so beautiful, and only a few people know of this land. My goal is to reach Lisbon and tell him about my pregnancy. I want him and me to reach that land together. He told me he'd wait for me."

"Seems like you've got quite the journey ahead," Alex said. "For now, enjoy the downtime. Oro is the top train in Europe, and before you know it, you'll be in Lisbon with nothing but memories and that guy of yours. Cheers! After these drinks, we'll turn around and head back to the marina. Don't want you to miss your departure."

Part 2: Geneva, Switzerland

Jolted awake by another stop, Lucia awakened to another large body of water. The previous night had been a blur, and between the couple hours she spent hiking, and the next several she spent on Alexander's yacht, it's no wonder she fell straight asleep after being escorted home by Vicci. She sat up, checking the time and opening the blinds all from the gold-encased monitor, located at the foot of her bunk. The clock read 9:28 AM. She proceeded to open the automatic drapes letting in the blinding rays reflecting from Lake Geneva. The lake was teeming with boats, kayakers, and swimmers.

"Geneva," she thought to herself.

She then swiped to the event screen on the monitor, reserving a paddle board for another two-hour excursion. Her stomach grumbled shortly after, sparking the thought of where to eat before paddle boarding in a few hours. Taking plenty of time to get ready, once again, she was able to leave at 10:45 AM, but not before she paused to appreciate the scenery bleeding through the golden panels in her suite for the second day in a row.

"I think I could live like this forever," she said to herself, "minus the tourists and tourist traps."

Exiting the train, she spotted Vicci to her left. He was chatting with a woman from about fifty meters away. Vicci and the mystery woman were standing next to Oro, but they were closer to the front, where the movers of the train resided. Vicci happened to catch sight of Lucia and with a huge smile on his face, he waved her to come to meet him. She began moving toward Vicci, signaling her agreement. As Lucia was almost halfway, the woman embraced Vicci and left in the back of an all-black Suburban, with pitch black tint concealing the chauffeur's identity. Vicci then walked to meet Lucia as the Suburban disappeared into the city.

"Good morning young lad, how was the evening? You sleep well?" Vicci asked enthusiastically.

"Well enough. The dreams I'm having lately, they feel so real," she vented.

"It's because you're living the dream. Spiez for a day, then straight to Geneva the next?" Vicci said, mirroring her curious manner.

She punched him in the arm playfully.

"You know what I mean," she snapped.

"Ow!" he laughed. "You must be hangry, how does breakfast sound? I was thinking coffee with a light brunch for myself, but you're welcome to join me," he offered.

She stared at him blankly.

"Actually, come on, I know of a place," he said as he started walking into the city.

She followed and they eventually made it to a busier restaurant near the water. They wound up sitting outside on the patio, overlooking the water. A waitress approached them, bringing water and fruits to their table as starters.

"Are you both ready to order? Or do you need more time to decide?" she asked.

"Give us a few minutes pl..." Vicci said before being interrupted.

"I'll have some breakfast tea along with avocado toast and oatmeal," Lucia said.

The waitress noted their orders and left, allowing Vicci more time to think.

"So tell me about these dreams..." Vicci began.

"It's him. I haven't stopped dreaming of him since I've been on Oro. The closer I get to Portugal, the closer we feel… I mean the closer I feel to him. It's almost as if he's with me every step of the way, but I can't seem to reach him the harder I try. It's heartbreaking, but reassuring at the same time," she explained.

"And tell me about this guy. Who is he? What's he like? Where's he from?" Vicci inquired.

"The most handsome man I've ever met. He stands at about six feet and a few inches... like three if I'm not mistaken. He had the purest heart, with hazel eyes that melted mine at the sight of his smile. And I can't forget his tan skin, brown hair, bushy eyebrows and the laugh that could bring joy to the darkest of circumstances."

"And how did you meet this guy again..?" Vicci asked.

"His name is Angelo. He was of Italian descent like me, but he moved to Portugal at a young age. We met in Germany, Berlin to be exact. It's where my family and I have lived for the last eighteen years. I'm originally from Italy," she explained. "One day, while I was selling some of my art in the local market closest to our neighborhood in Berlin, I was approached by him. He introduced himself and invited me along for a boat ride through the canals of Berlin that weekend. I agreed and am still thankful I did today. He sparked the most romantic time of my life. I've never experienced something like that before. I've never felt so connected to a person in such a short period of time. We spent every weekend together for three months straight, and then he disappeared. He'd frequently mention how there's a train that could take me to a place like no other. He described it as perfect. No work, facades or competition. A prolific society, one where food is organic, medicine is mostly plant-based, and people are willing to put their egos aside for the betterment of the whole. And he'd always talk about the weather being perfect... whatever that looks like," she said. "Then one day he disappeared without a trace. He stopped coming by the market on weekends to take me out. I'm guessing he's either in Lisbon or he's gone to that place he was so fascinated by," she rambled. "He disappeared three months ago, and I've been on Oro for the past few days. I feel him closest when I'm dreaming. I can feel him calling for me. I pray I'm right."

"Wow. An Italian boy named Angelo disappears out of the blue after sweeping you off your feet for three months straight, then leaves you with his unborn child. How romant.." Vicci said, rolling his eyes before being interrupted by the waitress bringing Lucia's meal.

"Here's that tea, toast, and oatmeal miss," she said to Lucia before turning to Vicci. "Have you decided what you'll be eating sir?"

"I'll stick with the fruit and water, but I'll go ahead and pay for the meal when you have a chance," Vicci said, handing his debit card to the waitress before she walked away. Vicci turned toward Lucia again. "What's the plan for today?"

"I reserved a paddle board for 1 PM to 3 PM," she said.

"Sounds good. I'll paddle the both of us so you don't have to strain or worry about falling with that belly of yours," Vicci said jokingly. "Then later we'll go meet the lady you saw me speaking with earlier. She owns a posh townhouse overlooking Geneva. I'm sure she'd love to have you."

"What makes you want to help me so badly? Who said I wanted you to go paddle boarding with me anyways?"

"At this point, I feel morally obligated to assist you now that I know you have a little Lucy on the way. And to be fair, a free meal with one of my good friends won't hurt."

"Shut up." Lucia snapped playfully. "I don't even know if I'm having a boy or girl yet, but a free meal doesn't sound bad."

The waitress arrived with the receipt and wished them well. Both Lucia and Vicci showed their gratitude before gathering their belongings to go paddle boarding. Vicci paddled the two around for the entirety of the two-hour reservation. He pointed out and described most of the buildings they could see from the water. It was not his first visit to Geneva, and made it known. By the time two had finished, Lucia knew at least one fact about the majority of buildings clutching the shore of Lake Geneva. When the two finished, they walked back to the train to change and rest prior to dinner. Before getting onto the train, Vicci told her to meet him in front at 5:45 PM to ride to his acquaintance's together. Lucia agreed and the two met in front at 5:45 PM as planned. They got into an Uber for a fifteen-minute car ride into the city. Upon arrival, the woman from earlier opened the front door of a modest-looking townhouse before Lucia and Vicci had a chance to make it out of the vehicle. She gestured for them to follow her inside, and the two followed the woman up two flights of stairs. The three made it into a beautiful dining room defined by expensive paintings filling each off-white wall, a rectangular glass table with golden legs and gold trim along the edges, six white, leather chairs with golden legs as well, marble floor showing from underneath a white fur carpet that seemed to be floating and balancing the table at the same time, and to top it off, no able human could miss the golden chandelier dangling from a twelve foot, high ceiling. Looking at the table, she noticed three chairs had a meal in front of them. They took a seat and began eating.

"Welcome!" the woman said to both of them before facing Lucia. "And who do we have here? My name's Maria. I would shake your hand, but I see they're a bit occupied.

Lucia with her mouth full replied, "Woo-hea."

Vicci engaged, "Lucia," he finished.

Maria faced Vicci asking, "And how do you two know each other?"

"She's been riding Oro. She's from Berlin and has dreams of finding a boy who disappeared into Portugal, so she thinks," Vicci Explained. "Lucia, this is Doctor Maria Costello."

"Chasing boys ehh..? And Vicci how old is Miss Lucia?" Maria asked.

"I'll let her explain. I'm not very hungry tonight anyways. I'll leave you two be," Vicci said. "I'll have to excuse myself, I need some rest."

Vicci exited into another room of the house leaving most of his food uneaten. Left on his plate was a picked-at chicken breast, a half-eaten baked potato and a miniature pile of asparagus still steaming.

"I used to chase boys all the time, but never have I chased one across five countries. What's so special about this boy?" Maria asked Lucia.

"As I explained to Vicci earlier, I've never felt a connection so deeply before. We met in Berlin, where I'm from, and we spent every weekend together for months, and then one day he disappeared. He left me with his child and I've been pregnant for three months now. He spoke of land so beautiful, and he would say that the only way to get there is on a train that departs from Lisbon, Portugal, where he's from. I'm hoping to find him so we may find that place together," Lucia explained.

"My suggestion, follow your heart. I followed mine and now I'm married to my husband of twenty-four years," she showed Lucia her ring finger. "I also became the top surgeon in all of Europe, and I'm the most knowledgeable scientist in regards to plant-based medicine, food, and psychiatry. So if you're ever in need of healing on any level, I'm the woman you come to for any sort of ailment or injury. Now, I'm not saying you have to master every science, get married, and create a seven-figure salary annually, but I will say that on the other side of those dreams of yours, there's fulfillment only you can find if you realize those," the doctor said, leaning back in her chair to finish her last bit of wine in her glass. "We only have one life Lucia, so why not make those dreams of yours come true? It's all possible. Plus, Vicci is the guy to get you there. I've known him since we were teenagers and if I'm being honest with you, he's one of the most caring, resourceful, creative and selfless individuals with the most ethical moral compass of any man I've met thus far. He's a person you can trust, and I'm sure he wants to see you win. We both do."

For the first time, Lucia was made aware of how much luxury she'd experienced since meeting Vicci. This reality caused more confusion than she originally noticed.

"Why me?" She thought to herself. "Why do these people want to help an average girl like me?"

"You should ask him what he does for a living. I'm sure you'd be surprised at what he's accomplished in his forty-one years of existence," the doctor said, answering Lucia's silent train of thought. Maria scooted back and rising from her chair she said, "I'm going to excuse myself now. Don't think too hard, just get some rest. You're in good hands in a safe place. When you're finished eating, you're more than welcome to find a room to crash in. There's plenty, and I know Oro doesn't leave the station until tomorrow at 10 AM, so get some rest. I'll see you in the morning, cheers."

Part 3: Madrid, Spain and Beyond

Lucia was drifting in and out of sleep for the majority of Oro's passage through France. In fact, she stayed in her suite, enjoying the array of movies and shows she could stream from the edge of her bed. She wasn't interested in being a tourist anymore because her mind was focused on her arrival in Lisbon. Oro flew through France and half of Spain in a matter of five days and was scheduled to arrive in Madrid the very next morning on day six. The evening before, Lucia was pondering who Vicci was, and why he chose to bring her along for such lavish endeavors. The monitor in her bunk read 9:43 PM, and she was winding down for the evening to be asleep by 10 PM.

"At 9:45 PM I'll get up to cut the lights, turn off the television, and close these drapes," she thought to herself.

A minute later she heard a knock on the door. She looked at the display once more, it read 9:44 PM, and she yelled without moving.

"Who is it?"

A familiar voice responded, "You shouldn't have to ask that."

Reluctantly, Lucia stood to let Vicci into the suite. He entered and sat on the only couch inside, making himself rather comfortable in the process.

"Haven't seen you since Geneva, how're you doing in here?" Vicci asked.

"Anxious... excited... nervous... curious... pretty much an emotional roller coaster since we left Geneva," she explained.

"Which one of those can I assist with?" he asked.

"I want to know who you are, why you want to help me, and what you do for a living. What have you accomplished that's commanded so much reverence from these highly accomplished peers of yours?" she demanded.

"I thought you'd never ask," he replied playfully. "Well, to start, I'm from Italy and was born and raised there. At an early age, developed a fascination for creating and building anything you can name. My father was a welder who taught me the importance of honing a skill to last a lifetime. I took that foundation and made an engineer out of myself."

"What kind of engineer? And you still haven't answered my question as to why you want to help me so badly," she said.

"I don't specialize in any one facet of engineering. To keep it simple I've designed this train in every aspect from the type of fuel it uses, to the way the electricity is distributed throughout. Basically, if you (or me) can dream it, I can design it to go faster, in an energy-efficient manner that gives to the environment more than it takes," he said.

"So if you're this fancy, world-leading engineer with all of these fancy friends with unimaginable wealth, why're you helping me?" she asked.

"To answer your second question, I want to help you because you remind me of my late, younger sister. She passed away because of an argument we had one night, and she stormed out of my place in a drunken rage the night I lost her. It's why I'm so adamant about getting you to your destination unscathed. After finding out about her passing, I made a personal vow to help someone in need, no matter how tolling it may seem. She was around your age, twenty-two to be exact. You remind me of her in so many ways, but the trait that sticks out most is your unwavering determination. Have I answered all of your questions appropriately Miss Lucia?" Vicci asked in a rhetorical manner.

Lucia sat there silently, still trying to decipher how she felt about the information she'd just heard.

"Good. Now we can address the real reason I've come to see you tonight," Vicci said, breaking the silence.

"What could that possibly be? I pray it's important since you've kept me up this late at night," Lucia said, alluding to her need for rest.

"Well, as you know Oro will be making its last stop in Madrid tomorrow and I wanted to extend an invite," he suggested.

"Oh great, more of you and these lavish outings," Lucia stated sarcastically.

"He's already made arrangements for a chauffeur to meet us upon arrival in Madrid. We'll be attending the football match between Madrid and some lesser-known team in La Liga. He's arranged a private suite for the game, which comes equipped with its own servers and separate televisions -- just in case your eyesight isn't the best. What do you say?" he asked.

"And what does this friend do for a living? Wait, let me guess... he's some millionaire business owner with loads of real estate and money, am I right?" she asked in a rhetorical fashion.

"Close!" Vicci said with a chuckle. "He's the owner of many fine dining restaurants, as well as luxury hotels, and is the owner of hundreds of luxury rental properties scattered across Western Europe. And I can't forget to mention his majority ownership of the Real Madrid Football Club, hence the club seating."

"I've had enough of your pretentious gatherings, Vicci. Plus, I wasn't planning to leave the train until we reach Lisbon," Lucia replied sleepily. "I pray Madrid is the LAST tourist trap I'll ever encounter again. I honestly wish I could skip Madrid altogether."

"Suit yourself," Vicci said. "Before I go, I want to ask you something. Are you chasing the boy or the land?"

"The boy..?" She replied in a puzzled manner.

"I'd say you're chasing the land. Be careful what you wish for, Lucia. Goodnight."

Vicci left Lucia more puzzled than before, but she was too exhausted from all the wondering she'd done since leaving Geneva. She fell asleep and woke up the next day believing she had arrived in Madrid. She glanced at the monitor reading 11:30 PM and leaned up to raise the drapes. She realized the train was moving at a rapid pace, and there was no body of water to relish, only a pitch-black abyss revealing her panicked face from the window's reflection. Frantically, she hurried to press the emergency button for assistance. Vicci rushed into the suite.

"Vicci! Where are we?! Why do I feel nauseous?! We've passed Lisbon!" Lucia screamed.

"Your body is struggling to handle the water pressure. We're deep inside a waterway running through the Atlantic Ocean. You'll be alright trust me. I'm going to get you to the hyper-oxidized car. It's toward the front of Oro. It's a top-of-the-line vessel, made to relieve high water pressure from the deepest of depths. Dr. Castello is on-call twenty-four-seven, she will meet us there," he replied in a hurried but assured manner.

Overwhelmed by the emotional pressure, Lucia fainted, but Vicci was able to grab her in time. As he rushed her toward the medical car, Lucia fell into a dreamlike state. In the dream, she was awakened by a reassuring voice. She was struggling to see the face, the light was too bright. Her body felt weightless and overcome by a sense of euphoria. It was as if she no longer had a body. The voice was Angelo's, and she felt the presence of Alexander, Dr. Costello, and Vicci standing close by, but she couldn't see them, she could only feel them.

"You're safe," Angelo whispered. "You're okay Lucia."