The Brob Girl Ch 30: Testing Things Out, The Velvet Mirage!

(Michael)

I waited, watching the lights in Abbie's apartment flicker off one by one until only a faint glow from the city outside seeped in through the window. I lay there on the small bed Monica had set up for me—a real bed, finally the right size—and it beat the napkin by a mile. But despite the comfort, sleep was the last thing on my mind. My thoughts kept drifting back to my eye, to the changes I'd felt, the strange schematics I'd been seeing all day. Every time I closed my eyes, ideas flashed behind my eyelids like sparks, just waiting for me to try them out.

"Michael?"

I snapped out of my daze, turning to the looming shape of Abbie's face above me. Her massive eyes were watching me, filled with that soft, concerned look she seemed to reserve just for me.

"Yes!" I answered quickly, realizing I'd spaced out again.

"Did you hear me?" she asked, her tone both amused and worried.

For a second, I tried to remember if I'd caught even a hint of what she'd been saying, but I came up blank. "Uh... yeah, of course I did."

"Oh yeah?" She smiled, leaning in a little closer, until all I could see was the curve of her lips, soft but massive, filling my entire view. "Then what did I say?"

My mind raced for an answer. I tried to match her playful tone, even though I knew she'd see right through it. "Um... you were asking how I manage to be so small and sexy at the same time?"

I heard a low chuckle that rolled over me, and then her lips stretched into a wider smile. "Good guess, but no." She moved closer, her breath warm as it washed over me. "I asked what you were planning to do when you get home."

Home. That word hit hard. Images flashed in my mind, pieces of memories I hadn't asked for—of streets, people I used to know, my father, the crater where our city had once been. The weight of it settled in my chest, and I looked down, avoiding her gaze.

I couldn't answer her. Didn't know what I'd do, where I'd go. Did I even have a home anymore?

She waited for me to say something, but I stayed quiet. Eventually, she took her cue and said goodnight, and I watched as she moved off to her room, leaving me in the dark.

Once I was sure she was asleep, I sat up, my hands resting on top of the small bedspread. The question lingered in my mind, gnawing at me. I didn't have a home, not really. And I had no idea what I was supposed to do next. For so long, survival was all I'd been able to think about, and now... now there was nothing.

I forced myself to shake off the feeling and got out of bed, my bare feet touching the cool wood of the table. I took a deep breath, focusing my thoughts on something—anything—else. And, almost instinctively, my thoughts turned to the strange power in my right eye.

"Activate," I whispered to myself, and as I did, the warmth started building, spreading from my eye to the side of my face.

Then, just like before, the world around me shifted. I looked around, and everything was suddenly surrounded by translucent, glowing outlines. My gaze fell on objects scattered around the table, and as I focused, schematics formed over each one, every piece of Abbie's belongings now part of a blueprint. The fibers of the bed I was sleeping on, the smooth metal of a coin beside it—all detailed, mapped out with every possible use I could imagine.

"Amazing," I breathed, overwhelmed by the flood of ideas and potential I saw. I could make things with this.

I walked over to the bed, the possibilities expanding with each step. The schematics buzzing through my right eye showed every stitch and seam, like it was some kind of high-tech puzzle I could take apart and rebuild in a thousand ways. My mind started racing, piecing together parts, forming ideas that had nothing to do with rest or comfort. I could turn this bed into something else—something useful, even exciting.

"Time for some fun," I muttered under my breath, a grin breaking out as I knelt down to examine the fabric.

***

(Monica)

I walked down the darkened street, the flickering streetlights casting faint shadows that seemed to dance in my wake. My mind drifted to Michael, the tiny Lilliputian who'd gone through so much more than anyone his size should've had to. There was something about him—an unbreakable spirit that I couldn't shake from my thoughts. For someone so small, he carried a weight that would crush most people. I admired that. Maybe that's why I felt guilty for what I was about to do.

And Abbie. She was like a sister to me, though I'd never said it aloud. She had such a good heart; her naivety was almost pure. I hated keeping secrets from her. But I'd made my choice. Some things were best left hidden.

A splash of neon light broke me out of my thoughts, its glow bouncing off the damp pavement as I turned onto a quiet side street. There, above me, was the place I avoided talking about, even in my most unguarded moments.

The neon sign buzzed faintly, spelling out the name in soft pink and blue letters: The Velvet Mirage.

I sighed, adjusting the strap of my bag on my shoulder. "I guess it's time for work," I muttered, trying to muster some enthusiasm.