Perpetuity

Zain rounded the corner into an alley and kept walking further into the shadows. The door at the back stood ajar. Gently tucking the packs he was holding under his arm, he pulled the door towards himself, closing it firmly and inserted the key he’d just fished from his pocket. He turned it – one turn clockwise, two anti-clockwise and another quarter clockwise. Opening the door, he stepped from a dark, deserted alley in Islamabad into the warmly lit entryway of Perpetuity.

He shrugged off his coat and made his way to the bar. It was a slow January day, and Zain liked slow days for Orientation Week. A crowded Perpetuity was a sight to behold but could be overwhelming for newbies. They already had too much to absorb.

It was Max’s shift to cover the bar. He was one of the Gemini twins, the more amicable one.

“Here’s your delivery,” Zain placed the packs he had been carrying on the counter and saw Max’s eyes light up.

“They’re fresh?” Max was already unwrapping the bigger parcel.

“As promised.” As if on cue, the smell of fresh cherries filled the air as Max split open the bubble wrap with a knife.

“I will never understand why your species bubble wraps fresh produce!”

“I can’t speak for the rest of my species but I do it to save myself from your sister’s wrath.”

Max chuckled, “So, what can I get you? Raven’s Blood?”

“Can’t do. It’s Orientation Week. I need something more… alerting.”

Zain made his way to ‘his spot’, a high table right across the entryway. He preferred this spot because even on crowded days, he could still see the door. He liked knowing who was coming and going – especially during Orientation Week.

Perpetuity wasn’t your regular cafe/bar/safe haven. It was an anomaly – it existed in a pocket dimension all it’s own where time couldn’t touch it. Orientation Week saw hand-picked newbies from across Earth’s lifetime and layers arriving at odd times, with a Scout of their species waiting to greet them. The same scout was charged with delivering the newbie’s key and initiation letter. It didn’t always work out. Sometimes the newbies got scared by what they saw and chose to never return, some chose to think of the whole thing as a prank and never bothered with the key. But those that stayed – their lives became enriched, Perpetuity saw to that.

Zain was deep in thought, remembering when he first walked through Perpetuity’s door as a newbie when Max placed a steaming mug of coffee in front of him. At the sound of Zain’s loud sigh, Max interjected, “It’s fortified” and went back behind the counter.

Just then the door opened. Framed within it was a young boy of eighteen, one of Zain’s newbies. He didn’t get up to greet him. He wanted the boy to take the first step on his own. He liked giving newbies the freedom to decide whether they believed or not. If the boy took the first step, he was already a believer. If he chose to close the door, he wasn’t. Simple.

After almost an eternity, the boy gingerly put forward his left foot, then his right and the door behind him gently closed. He looked around eagerly, taking everything in. Zain could imagine it – the boy inserting the key into the lock on his bathroom door and instead of seeing his toilet seat, he is greeted by the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

The boy’s eyes found Max and his mouth fell open. Max pointed a finger in Zain’s direction and the boy started walking towards him, but his eyes were glued to Max. It was understandable – Max was beautiful as only a Gemini could be. Tall and slender, with effervescent skin and turquoise eyes. He hid pointed ears under the silver silk of his hair to save newbies a scare.

The boy reached Zain’s table, bumping hard into one of the chairs. The pain drew his attention from Max and onto the man sitting in front of him. Zain gestured for him to take a seat, which the boy did. Questioningly. Again, understandable. Human children were taught to be wary of strangers.

“Hello, Ahi. My name’s Zain. Welcome to Perpetuity.”

“How do you know my name? Are you the one who sent the letter? And the key?”

“Yes, I sent the letter. And I know more than just your name.”

“What is this place?”

“Do you believe in magic, Ahi?”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” The boy was slowly pulling his thoughts together. Good, Zain thought, he’s starting to use his brain.

“I apologize. But I do need your answer to decide where I should start my explanation.”

Ahi looked sceptical, “Okay, I believe in magic.” He turned to look at Max again who was glancing their way, “He’s not human, is he?”

A newbie with an open mind! “No, he’s not. He’s Gemini, a sub-species of elves.”

Ahi’s mouth dropped open again as his head whipped back to Zain, “ELF? Like LoTR?!”

“Yes, but before I go into details of the different species, let’s talk about that key in your hand?”

Ahi looked at his hand, only now realizing how tightly he held the key. He let the key drop onto the table with a soft clink. “The key is magic, right?”

“Well, yes. Perpetuity exists in its own pocket dimension. The key can transform any door into a portal with the right combination.”

“What happens if I miss a turn?”

“Nothing. The door remains a door.”

“When you say ‘pocket dimension’ what does that mean exactly?”

“It means we are free from the bounds of linear time. And also you won’t find this place on a map.”

“So Hitler and Jesus could both walk-in at the same time?”

“Hitler’s membership was revoked. There’s a strict policy against genocide.”

Ahi would’ve laughed had it not been for the look of pain on Zain’s face.

“Why am I here? I guess you don’t hand these out at every corner.”

“You’re here because you’re an artist.”

“No, I’m not. I’ve never touched a paintbrush or a guitar in my life.”

“Art exists beyond canvases and music sheets.”

“I think you have the wrong guy, Mr Zain. I repair motorcycles.” Ahi made to leave, but Zain grabbed his hand.

“Why motorcycles?”

Ahi stopped, “What do you mean?”

“What’s so special about motorcycles that you’ve decided that only they need your attention?”

“My father used to repair motorcycles only. He trained me.”

“But did you really need the training?”

Ahi raised his head, looking at Zain quizzically.

“I told you I know more than just your name. You started working with your dad when you were only seven. After he died, you took over the business and doubled the revenue in a year. But it was never about money. You understood something essential about those ‘death machines’, that’s what your mom calls them. And what you didn’t understand you taught yourself.”

“But what has that got to do with art?”

“Everything. An artist isn’t defined by his tools, but by his commitment to his craft. Everyone cooks, but only a few people can make hearts sing with their food. You are an artist, even if you don’t consider yourself one.” And in my experience, the best ones rarely did.

“So, what now? Am I supposed to live here for the rest of my life?”

“There are rooms in the basement if you want to crash here, but you are free to go back. Today was about bringing you into the fold. Letting you know that this place exists. That there are other species that you can learn from. I’d love to introduce you to the Merrics, they’ve perfected energy-efficient automotive transportation. They’re hosting an event here next week. If you’re interested?”

“All I have to do is use the key?”

“Yes. I have only one request.”

“Keep this secret?”

“Yes. People, humans, don’t respond well to talks of other intelligent species and pocket dimensions. I wouldn’t want you locked up in an asylum.”

Ahi laughed, but it sounded heavy, burdened with questions, “This is definitely a lot to process.”

“Take the night to arrange your thoughts. Come back tomorrow, and I’ll give you a tour of the lower levels.

“There’s more than one?”

It was Zain’s turn to laugh, “Baby steps.”

Ahi slid off the stool and headed towards the door. Zain called after him, “forgetting something?” and threw Ahi’s key to him when he turned.

Ahi waved a tentative goodbye to Max who smiled at him.

Zain remembered his first day here, the overwhelming sense of walking into something too big for his mind to grasp. But he didn’t have a home to go back to and Perpetuity became his safe haven. Ahi would come back, he was sure of it. He saw it in his eyes, the bubbling curiosity. When he did, Zain would be here. As he always was.