Enter Mynd, Part I - Chapter 1 (Short Story)

A thought provoking, conscious raising story that tells the transformational tale of Blue Saint as he journeys through the surreal and fantastical, yet somewhat factual, City of Mynd.

CHAPTER 1 " ENTER MYND (intro)

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Our ideas are conceived in the wombs of our inner beings; it is a deeply rooted and astute presence that presents various wondrous thoughts that flicker, in rapid succession, through the hollow vapid cavities of our minds. A forever moving sensation deep within ourselves that soon blooms into something greater; it is the fruit of our labour, for the more work that is done, the more ideas begin to bloom.

Hermes Guide had one such idea, the imaginary incandescent bulb of light had flickered, its body materialising above his still head. An idea had struck him, in the same manner as Franklin’s kite, a captivating thought that he wished to implement. His elder brother, Narratio Guide, had agreed with Hermes’ idea to orchestrate a tour for the arrival of the one people called Blue Saint.

All was well. A cold sigh escaped the narrow fissure between Hermes’ lips, the air was hot; and not the kind of hot one enjoyed but more the type of hot that disallowed one to react appropriately. Bus engines’ buzzes became incessant as they continued to whirr in the far off distance, and the sounds of wailing and whining, made by the city’s denizens, only seemed to add to the annoyance Hermes felt. His glabella creased as he furrowed his brows.

“Are they coming then?” the voice was quite deep, its texture rough. Hermes’ head followed the voice to its root. It was Alexander, the elder brother of Thomas ‘Uzair, he silently watched as Alexander’s fingers slowly traced the abstract design of a nearby seat; his fingers stopped abruptly, “Well?”     

There was a brief pause as Hermes regained his senses, “Yeah, their coming.” The thought did not seem sincere. “Or at least that’s what they said.”

“Well they seem to be taking an awfully long time,” Alexander began to trace the abstract design once more, his fingers never wavering from the path each shape created. “I mean, weren’t they supposed to have arrived here like an hour ago?”

Another brief pause.

Hermes released yet another melancholic sigh before answering the question he had been presented, “Hmm, precisely…” the words trailed off; silence returned once again. The indigenous people of Mynd were heavily known for their lack of punctuality so it was no surprise that they had not arrived, still, waiting made Hermes incredibly impatient.

The old and badly beaten bus, Alexander currently occupied, was a peculiarly enormous beast, its steel frame worn and golden. Areas of its face had already begun to corrode despite the fact it had only been used on occasion.

Alexander began to hum, “Hey, you don’t mind if I turn on the radio, do ya?” His fingers had already began to turn the dial before a response was made; Hermes shook his head.

The radio crackled to life, awoken from its long slumber, before finally settling. Its tone seeming to mimic the sweet sounds of a gentle surf as it tuned in and out of the various channels found in the City of Mynd. A depressive voice could be heard, flickering in between each station.

“It’s them news broadcasts again ain’t it?” Alexander’s fingers had now wound themselves around the leather steering wheel, his thumb lightly tapping the edge of its polyurethane frame. “We seem to be getting an awful amount of them these days.”

“Hmm.” Hermes strained his ears as he tried to pick up the words that emitted from the radio’s speakers.

“Too muffled ain’t it? I guess I best turn it off, ain’t nuttin’ good on.” The radio fizzled; silence returned once more. It was a mundane day; overhead the sun, a faintly orange globe, slowly descended to the west of the City casting dark, ink-like shadows in its wake. The silverspeeds would soon arrive and with it, the Mynders.

 

*

 

Far-off a silver flicker could be seen. A flash. A glint. Glistering every so often; and it was fast approaching. There was a sudden change of pressure as the air collapsed, its body crushed by some form of unimaginable force; a shock wave. A rush of hot air spewed from the behind of an approaching vehicle, its sound seeming to appear moments after the vehicle had been sighted; a sonic boom. The silver speck grew in size, its silver flickering forever working as its shell quickly came into view. It was a peculiar transportation device, its body elongate with a highly reflective surface that prevented one from staring at it for too long - for fear of being blinded by the myriad lights that ricocheted off its glossed frame.

The vehicle snaked through the air before reaching a still halt; a rather built man stepped out from its train-like form, his hair was slicked back and seemed to match the lustrous appearance of the transportation device.  The guy must have been in his mid-forties as his eyes seemed to contain the fine crinkle lines found on many middle aged men.

Alexander’s gaze shifted from Hermes to the Captain, “Ya sure took your time, didn’t ya?”

“Yeah, sorry about that Alex, we had a few problems starting the engine.”

The Captain’s voice seemed to display some form of sincerity and so, with that, Alex briefly nodded his head in acceptance, “Ah right okay.”

“Where are the Mynders?” Hermes had begun to fidget with his coat button, his nerves slowly raged through his skin, seeping and setting in the hollow of his stomach, a fluttering sensation that tickled the bottom of his belly; how much he hated butterflies. He had prepared himself for this moment, for the way in which he would greet the Mynders, but the preparations now felt futile. A brief harrumph was made as he repeated the question once more, only this time somewhat gentler, "Where are the Mynders?"

"Oh right sorry, I'll get them out now," the Captain replied as he proceeded to get the passengers of the silverspeed.  The Mynders slowly began to file out the argent vehicle, each of their faces containing various distinct emotions - some happy, some incredibly curious - but for the most part looks of delight danced across their visage.

The delight displayed by the denizens of Mynd quickly lifted Hermes’ spirits, all forms of nervousness he possessed instantly dissipated, its hold retracting back to the crevices of his mind and with his confidence raised he clearly spoke, “Hello people, my name is Hermes Guide. I shall be your tour guide for today…”

 

© Daniel Sebuyange 2014