THE MOMENT
Tina would never claim to be psychic, but privately, she always considered herself more ‘attuned’ than other people. She had a reliable intuition, and it gnawed at her gut while sitting in the diner.
“Is there something on your mind, honey?” Glory, the green-haired waitress asked. Her name tag read ‘Glory Jewel’, and apparently she was the owner. “Now, I'm not trying to rush you into anything, but you've been sitting there for a few minutes, and getting more pale by the second. How about ordering something warm, on the house?” she asked.
“Thank you, sorry,” Tina smiled and shook her head. “I appreciate the gesture, but I can pay. I was just distracted…,” she said.
“Not just a gesture, it's a decision Hon,” Glory winked. “Locked in stone. And if you don't pick something, I hope you're ready for the best fried chicken this side of the multiverse.”
“I'd like to see you try,” Tina smirked. It was a small thing, but it was easy to forget how much more there was. She was still relatively new to the multiverse herself, and hadn't quite absorbed the reality of it. But, Glory's casual reminder of the multiverse helped reframe that perspective.
“Coming up,” Glory winked and pressed some buttons on her register. “Tea, soda, water?” she asked.
There was something about Glory that Tina couldn't put her finger on, and she was there to try and experience it. Glory, not just this one, but Glory and Glorias across the multiverse had an overwhelmingly positive reputation. They were the personified Myth of human kindness, and Glory Jewel lived up to that so far. Tina had been feeling wrong all day, and if there was anyone she could talk to about it, it was a Glory.
“Something terrible is going to happen…,” she said. “Today… sometime…. somewhere…” hearing herself say it aloud, it felt ridiculous.
“Strong feeling?” Glory asked. “You're positive?”
“I… have a history of being right…,” she said. Even if she was just humoring her, Tina felt understood. She was asked for more info, not just dismissed.
“I can have a Chroma Corp. agent swing by and have a chat…,” Glory was nodding as she explained how she was going to help.
“BREAKING NEWS!” It was the midday lull between lunch and dinner, and the diner was relatively empty. Only one of the TVs was on, and it had been at a low volume. But, suddenly, every television was on and at full blast. A pale woman with long orange hair and a black cowboy hat was on every screen, even Tina’s phone.
“The Multiverse is under attack,” she said. “Don’t worry, this is only going out to approved Multiversal markets. The Multiverse is in danger, and the only way to save it is to defeat us in AlterNet Derby. Rules coming soon, and if anyone out there is interested in trying to save the multiverse, I’d start warming up.”
She disappeared, and all the televisions that were previously off turned off again once the message was conveyed.
“I’m afraid some young prankster is about to find out Chroma Corp. doesn’t take kindly to signal interference…,” Glory shook her head with a sigh. “As I was saying about getting someone to stop by..,” she focused on Tina again. She was even more pale now, her brown eyes wide as she stared at her phone. The screen was off already and she was studying the reflection, trying to make peace with her feelings.
“Hon?” Glory asked. Tina looked up to meet her eyes, but shook her head.
“It’s already over...,” she said. Tears started to flow. She would never claim to be psychic, but privately, she always considered herself more ‘attuned’ than other people. She had a reliable intuition, and it had gone quiet. As if, there was nothing left to warn against, nothing to be done. If it was the future, it was terrifyingly quiet and empty. That was all she felt, the complete coldness of being alone. The despair gnawed at her heart. “...and it’s more horrible than I could’ve imagined….,”