Parallel Universe

PARALLEL UNIVERSE

Dear diary, who have I become?

Since returning from The University of Pavia, which is just south of Milan, Italy. I’ve become somewhat detached, giving the prospect of immortality a sense of credibility. Even though I once found the prospect, rather absurd!.

I roamed the corridors as per usual, admiring the intricate murals and stained glass on a daily basis as if I've never seen it before. Class on modern philosophy had been cut short that day.

I bumped into an inflight acquaintance Mathias Quinn, who insists on wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses everytime that we meet up. I’ve never seen him without the disguise though it didn’t phase me as we got along famously and he eventually became a dorm buddy.

Mathias invited me to a grand opening of an art gallery with masquerade as the theme. I was quite eager to go, as I had it scribbled somewhere in my journal as a bucket list entry.

Come 7 o’clock, both Mathias & I were dressed up in mysterious attire, awaiting us was a limousine.

The quirky looking chauffeur, known only as Luigi. Kindly opened the door for us, inside the limousine was purple velvet walls, everything was purple, everything. We both sat quiet, and completely still as the drive was along a steep hill. Upon arrival, as the door was opened for us and stepped out, there was a bright light in the sky. As it zapped past into the distance & over the estate.

The chauffeur handed us a little black book and told us that If we wish to leave, we both must hold the book and simultaneously turn to page 164. Luigi then proceeded to warn the both of us not to leave it unattended, nor let anybody else take possession of it. Let alone for it to be opened before we wish to return home.

As Luigi got back into the Limousine and drove away, What struck us both, is the realization that I thoroughly understood Luigi speaking in a language that I’ve never heard before. Mathias didn’t seem perplexed, I thought perhaps that he is multilingual.

Mathias starkly turned toward me, grabbed my lapel and pulled it open to place the little black book into the inner pocket of my coat. I somewhat appreciated the fact that he trusted me with it. We both continued to walk up to the grand entrance, where two, oddly tall doorkeepers nodded at one another as we entered, Closing the large doors behind us. They both seemed quite peculiar so we shrugged it off.

Walking through the evocative vestibule, The concierge offered to take our coats and place them in the cloakroom, We both took off our coats. Though at the last minute, Mathias kindly declined and wore his the entire night.

The hosts approached us with a humble smile and lovely conversation, we got introduced to other guests which had outlandish moniker’s, almost all of them were humble except for one gentleman, who seemed a little haughty, more than I could say for his plus one. I decided to steer clear of him for the rest of the evening.

As Mathias engaged with guests, I found myself wandering through the maze of art and admiring the sensuality of the unknown. I could only describe it as an open book with blurred lines. The privilege of having feet but not knowing where you stand. The ability to demonstrate unrequited passion

through boundless colors and forms. A deadly combination of deep thoughts and a dirty mind that I find unequivocally enigmatic.

The gentle muzak playing in the background by the pianist put me at ease while weaving through the crowd, looking for Mathias. Without sight of him, I walked over to the bar and ordered a cocktail named Kryptonite, which was a wild mix of spirits. Powerful but good, I order a second.. & then a third.

While at the bar, I felt a tap on my shoulder, when I turned around.. It was those two tall doorkeepers, neither of them were in costume let alone masquerade masks.

They both just stood there, staring at me barely blinking for minutes on end. One of them finally reaches out toward me and pats me down, I asked what seemed to be the problem, but not a word.. Just briskly searching my suit, I didn’t have the slightest idea what for, it’s not as of I had swiped anything. All of the art is either bolted to the wall or are life sized sculptures.

Once they didn’t find anything, they just walked away and turned straight into the cloakroom. By this point, All that I want is to find a seat because those drinks that I had weren’t doing me any favors in terms of reading the room and trying to make sense of the last few minutes. I think it may be delusion or something but could those two doormen have wanted to find the book?!

The artist, Joaquín Rafael García De León III clumsily scurried up to the microphone on the podium to announce a light spectacle and added “Ladies & gentleman, the lives of two people will change forever by the time that tonight is over!” with a menacing grin, I really wanted to get out of there but.. The book!

The artwork seems to have a mind of its own now. I don't remember it being so vivid. The only conclusion that I can come up with is if my drinks were spiked. Farfetched? Yes, I know! But what else could It be? I've been drunk before.. Numerous times, But never drugged. I don’t know..

Perhaps I’m being paranoid?!

My mind is spinning out of control. The dancers with maracas behind me, trying to get past my wobbly self. They’re surrounding me and coaxing me toward the dance floor. I tell them “I can’t dance. No seriously, I can’t dance!” I felt like I was being spun in one of those office chairs, but upside down. The nausea was taken to a new extreme. I really didn’t want to be a popup artist and paint the floor with fluids. So I made a run for it toward the restroom to spill my guts.

Ten minutes later, feeling refreshed after rinsing my face and taking some individually wrapped mints provided in a bowl by the sink. Mathias finally made an appearance, he asked me if I was okay. I responded with “Yes, thank you for asking! Have you enjoyed this evening so far?” He didn’t even answer. Instead, he walked right out as if he felt embarrassed by my intoxication. I say aloud, “Hey! Wait a minute, Stop! Is everything okay?

But he turned the corner. By that time I wasn’t in the mood to play cat and mouse. All I wanted to do is go back into the restroom and double check that I hadn’t dropped anything. As I pushed the restroom door open, There Mathias was.. in there! The one entry point is the same exit.

He was washing his hands and looked over at me and asked me the exact same thing as he did the first time. But how could this be? A glitch in the matrix?! After tonight, I believe that I’ll be making an extensive revaluation of everything.

Tonight will be a neutral memory, one neither positive, nor negative. So before I could even get the words out to ask Mathias If he would like to call it a night, Gladly he pulled the little black book out from his coat. Mathias told me that he switched our coats so that he could make sure nothing happened to the book. I didn't tell him about what happened with those two doormen, though he probably knew that people would be looking for it.

We remembered what Luigi told us, so I held the left side, and Mathias the right side. I opened the cover.. Then flipped the pages trying to see if I could stop at page 164.

Mathias sneezed and momentarily let go of the book then a note fell out. He picked it up then once again took a hold of the book, my intuition told me to stop flipping the pages because there weren't any numbers, the book was completely blank!. How could we possibly know if we’re on page 164?

He opened the note and read, “Greetings, I trust that you are in possession of the Little black book and if you have found this note, you have missed page 164. The repercussion of this is that your original chauffeur will no longer be at your service.

You must immediately return to the cloak room and take your belongings with the addition of finding a briefcase that belongs to the host.

In that briefcase is a sum of $20,000. If anything should go wrong, there is a removable compartment within the briefcase where you will find a satellite phone and a contact number.

Exit the building via the second level. Find a safe location to call the number provided and quote the following coordinates “8.1°N 38.0°W, 8.1°N 38.0°W”, then hang up immediately. Transportation will arrive shortly after. I must warn you, Only one passenger may enter. Good luck.”

In the distance, I hear a vehicle approaching without any headlights, it pulls up beside me and as the door automatically opens, I turn to Mathias as he takes his mask off.

My Jaw drops, eyes widen, I can’t even blink or breathe all of a sudden. Am I seeing what I’m seeing? He takes a step toward me and I see his face. I’m stuttering “but.. we’re.. we’re identical?!

“Mathias!” I said. What is this? Tell me what is going on!” He said “I’m sorry that you had to find out

this way, thank you for bringing me back! Goodbye.” Malthas turned away and walked toward the gallery. I slowly walked backwards and stumbled into the back seat of the car. The door closed and I was on my way back home on my own. I must’ve passed out or fell asleep because I didn't remember the rest of the drive.

All that I could ask myself is.. Was I Mathias the whole time?! Am I Mathias Quinn?.

The End.