XMAS SPECIAL

Darkness. Snow. Wind. Christmas Eve.
Emmerly Karrson leaned against the cold railings of the rooftop, and looked down at the streets below him. He still hasn’t, and he believes he will never, get used to the height here: The brightly illuminated streets were but cracks and crevices in the stone that was the dark night, from which only vague and misty light shone. Vehicles below were hardly distinguishable, merely points of brighter light of various colours set against the lit streets. Some several thousand meters it felt to be, from his eyes to the the unreal ground, though how many of them there were in truth he knew not, and wished not to know. Hologram billboards lined the vast walls of the building that he stood atop of, and shrouded that of may others, all of equal height, that stood in a solemn silence around him. The buildings, much the same, filled every block of the city, crowding it until all that stood between them was the space taken by the roads and streets: the city was a chessboard, only each square towered into the heights.

Dark was the night, for as Emmerly raised his head, he could descry no hint of the moon, nor stars that are its eternal companion of loyalty. The sky was a doom of blackness, and it pressed down on all, giving the illusion that here at this height, you would bump your head if you attempted to straighten your bowed back. The wind, at this height strong yet less strong than one would expect, howled and groaned as it passed through the cracks between the buildings. Even a man as stout and tough as wind may be hindered by the city’s endless arrays of cliff-like walls. Oh yes, dark, oh so dark was the night, yet it was not so, not so where Emmerly now looked upon.

The city, was lit, white, red, and green, by the lights that shone through the ravines between the buildings, from layers upon layers of hologram billboards and signs, advertisements and screens: there was no night in this city, at least not at ground level. It made little difference, for all that day and night meant to those who lived below was whether one could look up and see a thin line that was the sky above, not that many of them actually bothered to do this: the buildings, in their height and monstrosity, had blocked nearly all natural light that could reach the ground, and men, in their desperation for survival, hustled with down-cast eyes, seeing but the ground before their feet.

White, green and red, huh. Thought Emmerly. It is usually neon bright colours and horrible flashing stuff, more eye-blinding than eye-catching. He knew why: Christmas. Even if, the world died, and most that remains of man now lives in this city without daylight, Christmas had not been forgotten. The radio still played Christmas songs, newer ones and the ones from before the Great Fall. Men still placed Christmas trees in their homes, though some of them were holographic. Families still exchanged gifts, and gathered for a warm supper. Jumpers. Candy canes. Ginger bread. Hot chocolate.

Such luxuries Emmerly had none. A large holographic clock on a taller building in the distance stuck midnight, and a Santa Claus on his big red sledge swept across the face of the building, accompanying the ring of bells and a signature “Ho-ho-ho!”
Emmerly sighed, and bowed his head. He produced, from his coat, a small medicine bottle. He twisted open and shock out a pill: half blue, half orange, oval. He swallowed it dry. He hated himself for taking this, but somethings...he just did not wish to remember. It wasn’t an addiction, no, merely his weakness. Or perhaps he was lying to himself, masquerading for his own sake.

At this time, the door to the rooftop opened behind him.
“I always know where to find you,” said he who entered.
“Yes,” Emmerly replied.
It was his partner in life, Sau.
Emmerly did not look back, but waited until Sau came next to him. He found that Sau was carrying two mugs of some warm drink, steam from the two mugs being swept sideward by the wind. Sau came to his side, and also leaned onto the railing.
“I told you Emily, you should stop taking that thing, for your own sake,” said he, for he noticed the unconcealed bottle in Emmerly’s hand.

“As if I do not know...”
“...”
Sau handed him a mug. Emmerly, accepting it with a word of thanks, found that it was in fact hot chocolate, with small cubes of marshmallow floating on its brown surface, and a suger cane propped against the side of the mug, half drowned.
“Some hot chocolate to cure and warm cold hearts, best enjoyed when still warm,” Sau said, looking at him.
“All the cure I ever needed was you, Sau.”
Emmerly inhaled the warm fragrance rising from the mug, but did not drink. He closed his eyes, allowing peace to conquer him momentarily.

“It’s snowing,” Sau said.
“Indeed,” replied Emmerly. He opened his eyes and found Sau with his hand outstretched, collecting some flakes. Emmerly watched the flakes as they fell into his drink, melting in the coziness of the warmth.
“They bring back some...memories,” he said.
“Of snow before?” Sau asked gently.
“Nay. Two things. The dust, from when it all started, falling with the rain like mud; and the blue-white frost that fell from the sky that was, well , the air. Stories I have told you before.”

Sau nodded silently, and sipped his drink. Emmerly copied him.
The two stood in silence for some time. Sau patted the snow off Emmerly’s shoulders.
“Thank you,” Emmerly said suddenly, taking Sau’s hand. “Not for the snow, no, but for being here.”
“T’s but...that which I should do. We must endure.”
THE END...?
Music theme: Tears in the Rain (Bladerunner 2049 OST)
Memory(Bladerunner 2049 OST)
All the Best Memories Are Hers(Bladerunner 2049 OST)
Rain(Bladerunner 2049 OST)

Flakes(C418)