Smog and perfume clung to the midnight skyline of Cape Lumous. Upbeat music resonated through the streets, indifferent to those seeking sleep, but few slumbered in this district on a Friday night. The streets were a swirling, chaotic mass to an untrained eye. Lori Reddington, navigating the press of bodies, clutched three hot dogs, careful not to drop them. She still couldn’t believe she’d lost the dice roll, forcing her to be the designated food-buyer. It wasn’t the coin; it was the sheer hassle of maneuvering through the throngs of people, most of them high, nearly all of them drunk.
Eventually, Lori reached her party. She handed the first hot dog to Danny, a beautiful but delightfully dim-witted dancer who performed for the city’s elite. The second went to the seductive Scarlet, a socialite of considerable charm, despite being sisterless and not of noble birth. Lori knew they were fountains of gossip, constantly trying to impart the latest secrets of the other noble sisters. But Lori couldn’t care less about politics or popularity. No, Lori gravitated to them because they were fun, they were pretty, and they were her friends.
“I’m thirsty. Did you get us anything to drink, Lori-poo?” Danny asked, batting her impossibly cute puppy eyes.
“We can go to Hilda’s Tavern and get some ale,” Lori offered.
“Ah, come on, that place is boring,” Scarlet quipped, her smile mischievous. “I know a place that’s way more fun.”
“Well then, lead the way.”
The girls finished their hot dogs. Just as they prepared to depart, Danny approached Lori, her thumb gently wiping a dab of hot sauce from below Lori’s lip.
“Oh, please, will you two just get a room,” Scarlet interrupted, a dramatic roll of her eyes. “This way.”
Scarlet offered Lori her hand. Lori took it, then extended her other one to Danny, who grasped it tightly. This way, they wouldn’t be separated by the surging crowd. Scarlet led them through the party district, ignoring a multitude of waitresses, each vying to entice them into their bars with promises of special drinks. Lori’s gaze snagged on a pulsating red light and a strange sign. “What’s that place?” she asked Scarlet.
“That,” Scarlet replied, a knowing smirk, “is the famous Pleasure Automata. Mechanical courtesans, programmed to serve.”
“Ew! That is so gross!” Danny protested, scrunching her nose.
“Their soft plating is very sensual. I’m one of their most loyal customers,” Scarlet said with a wink. Lori couldn’t tell if she was joking, but either way, she didn’t want to know more.
A beggar approached them, a wizened young woman with an outstretched hand. “Please, sisters, could you spare a coin?”
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Scarlet brusquely pushed her aside. “Get out of the way, Annie.”
Lori was shocked. “You know her?”
“Yeah, we were in the same class,” Scarlet sneered, her voice hardening. “Except she wasn’t prepared to do what it takes to make it in this world.” Lori wanted to toss Annie a coin, but both her hands were occupied, and besides, Annie was already swallowed by the surging sea of people.
“Are we there yet? My feet are sore. I’ve been dancing all week!” Danny whined.
“Hang on, Danny, it’s just around the corner.”
Lori felt a prickle of unease. Perhaps following Scarlet had been a mistake. This part of town was definitely Veilstorm territory now.
“Here we are.” Scarlet turned to the other two with a wide, triumphant grin.
“This looks like a haunted house, Lori,” Danny whispered, pulling at Lori’s hand, urging her to leave. Part of Lori wanted to use Danny’s fear as an excuse to retreat, but another part, didn’t want to disappoint Scarlet.
“Stay close to me, Danny. I’ll keep you safe.” Lori subtly revealed the pistol strapped to her waist. The sight of it, a familiar comfort, seemed to calm Danny. Lori was, after all, one of the greatest marksmen in the city, a fact her sister Blaze constantly reminded her of when Lori had chosen to retire from the city’s Attack Force. Why risk her life fighting zombies when she could stay up all night with beautiful women instead?
The door creaked open, sending a shiver down Lori’s spine as she stepped into the dark, dingy entrance hall. Danny stuck close. “This way, you two.” Scarlet pointed to a staircase, but instead of ascending, they descended into the basement. Eerie music, thin and reedy, drifted up as they entered an even darker room. The only light came from ancient candles, their melted wax trailing like tears. Scarlet led them to a velvet-lined couch, and the three reclined.
From the shadows, a figure approached. Her eyes gleamed like garnets, and her hair was a ghastly white. In one hand, she held a black spider, larger than her face. Lori recognized her: Archana Veilstorm, known for her strange ability to control all manner of creepy crawlies. In Archana’s other hand, she held a mushroom, pulsing with a faint, mystical glow.
“Okay, I know this sounds crazy, but trust me,” Scarlet said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “eat the mushroom, and then let the spider bite your neck.”
Danny gasped, scrambling up and running out, her footsteps echoing back up the stairs. Archana seemed undisturbed, as if anticipating her flight.
“The combination of mycotoxin and venom neutralizes the poison,” Scarlet explained, her eyes wide with a strange excitement, “and you are left with the most amazing high.”
Lori didn’t question the logic. She simply ate the mushroom. Its taste was earthy, unpleasant, almost metallic. Archana drew close, her movements unnervingly silent, and dropped the massive spider onto Lori’s neck. It needed no encouragement, its fangs quickly penetrating Lori’s skin. A horrible, searing burning sensation erupted, like fire coursing through her veins. Lori looked at Scarlet, her vision already blurring. “How many times have you done this before?”
The world spun, colors fracturing, and just before she transcended into another reality, she heard Scarlet’s faint whisper, filled with a strange, nervous glee: “I wasn’t brave enough to try it alone, so this is my first time too.”
