“Scientists have found an unusual occurrence in the Omega Centauri constellation, the case of disappearing stars. The theory put forward by Astronomer Edmund Hiller and University of California Professor of Physics Charles Wilson, is that Dark Matter is responsible for the strange phenomenon, more so the work of renowned physicist Henry Cruci, who proposed that we could be Holograms, beamed directly from the edge of a supermassive Black Hole, suggesting that the strange matter known as Dark Matter is produced from within a black hole and if we are living in a Holographic reflection, what does that mean as human beings and the reality that we all live in...”
Adalyn taps her steering wheel button as the podcast she is listening stops, reverting to the hands free phone directory, bringing up her assistant manager Robert Hensley's phone number, to which she calls.
“Hello Saffi”
“Hi Robert, how's things going?”
“Good, all set for tonight. Have the play list ready, you'll love it. Electro synth. Dark beats, moody and very cool. I've organized the doorman and security for the night,”
“And the VIP list?”
“All have been RSVP'd, so all good Saffi. I’m at the boutique now, looks great, everything is set up, all the racks. And you gonna love the store window...”
“On my way now, just...” She look up at the street sign, despite, driving down this part of Los Angeles numerous times, she checks that she is on the correct route. “...turned into West Boulevard now, should be at the boutique in Twenty odd minutes,”
“Minutes are so odd aren't they?” Hensley replies, as Adalyn chuckles at his wry sense of humor.”
“It's an odd world,” she says.
“That it is, see you soon,” he retorts, as Adalyn ends the call, she looks briefly up at the blue sky as she drives up West Boulevard. She feels something, that only has ever occurred as a dream, that the road she is driving down feels different, for a brief moment unfamiliar. Unperturbed by the thought, Adalyn nears Nine Hundred and Thirty Three N La Brea Ave where her boutique is located, tapping the button on her steering wheel the podcast continues.
“...And on that note of Holographic and Parallel Universes, joining me after that fascinating discussion with the previous guests, is Mary Abdul a philosopher of metaphysics who has just released her new book, “Phantom of the Universe: Are we real?” Mary thank you so much for joining me today and discussing your new book, first question. Are we ghosts?...”
Adalyn, turns off the podcast, driving past her shop, smiling. “There it is, my boutique...” As a shard of sunlight flashes across Adalyn's face. “...at the end of the world.” Looking for a car space, she sees an empty car park. Parking the car, she lifts the phone off from its dashboard cradle, with her right index finger and thumb she pulls down the sun visor, looking into the diagonal mirror attached, checking her appearance. Satisfied, she reaches across with her left hand and lifts up her tote bag, opening the car door, eyeing the shop from where she is parked. Standing, she closes the car door, quickly crossing the street, reaching the other side, Adalyn's attention stays fixed on the facade of the boutique. Its bunker like exterior, stark and brutalist, with two large windows set back within their angular concrete frames, seeing the wire screen frame shutters pulled across. She looks up at the austere font of the boutique's name, “ORACLES MYSTERIUM” set in rustic stylized cast iron lettering, over the entrance of the boutique, spaced apart in its grandeur perspective.
“The energy, protective and intense. A beacon...” She looks around at the street, which is a mix of industrial and generic store fronts. “...within the darkness...” She then glances at the exterior of the boutique again, “...Yet, it also holds...” pausing her vocalized thoughts as Adalyn's heart rate slightly elevate, “...a dark light.” Closing her eyes, she breathes slowly through her nose, keeping herself calm, walking up to the large door, which akin to a sealed tomb. With the discreet electronic keypad to the right of the door frame, with her right index finger she punches in the numbers to unlock the door. Leaning with her free hand onto the door, she pushes it open, checking that it swings inward with ease despite its heavy base.
“Hey Saff!” Robert Hensley says, the two young female sales assistants also greet Adalyn, as she enters the interior of her boutique, closing and locking the door behind her.
“Hello all,” Adalyn replies, viewing the racks of clothes set in various areas around the floor space, the interior matching the exterior of the space. Eyeing the selection of modernist vases and other interesting items that she has collected over the past year, including the Wunderkammer pieces, glancing at the Storm Glass position in a small open cabinet above a collection of shoes.
“You've all done a great job getting this ready for tonight…” Looking at where the DJ will be situated at the end section of the shop near the change rooms. “…hopefully the sound diffuses will work.” Adalyn says, looking up at the ceiling with stylized large oval shapes hanging over head.
“Did you hear the news?” Hensley says, as Adalyn checks over the avant-garde styled clothes on a rack on the left hand side of the boutique, ensuring that sizes and brands are correctly labeled.
“What news?”
“Mask mandates are back...”
“Really?” Adalyn replies, quickly turning her attention to Hensley who is standing behind her.
“...Don't stress, I've ensured that all guests have been notified, plus we have masks available for the evening.
“Thanks...” Adalyn says, scanning around the floor space, “...Because of the viral mutation?”
“Yeah, apparently cases are on the rise again. But we don't need to have rapid testing before the opening.**”

___

Reading: "ORACLES MYSTERIUM" from the book 'Evenfall of the Helical' (A.Glass 2022)

C H I A S M U S