The Blind Gods
Copyright© 2025 by Wau
Chapter 27: Big City
Cass rematerializes at the front of a ship slicing through high, fresh waves of intense blue; she clutches the railing and sees a gigantic statue rising from the waters: a woman pulling a kneeling man upward, helping him stand.
“Eternity rescuing humanity from the waters of oblivion,” announces the captain through a buzzing loudspeaker.
Around Cass, others hold onto the railing of the large ship, which could have been military had it not been made of varnished wood, its engine almost silent. Squinting, she notes the people around her are humans, except for the captain.
The captain bellows:
“This is your first trip to Big City, dear friends, so it’s my pleasure to welcome you aboard. Next time, you’ll arrive directly at the docks, unless you’ve secured an apartment there. Big City isn’t like your Sanctuary Island, friends: most of the people you meet there will be humans like you. You know better than me, interactions between humans sometimes go well, sometimes friction arises. Rest assured, if trouble occurs, you’ll find yourself back on your Sanctuary Island. Be responsible on your end: there are no prisons in the After, but if you mess up, you’ll find yourself in therapy, and even if you have eternity, every second of your new life is precious.”
Behind the massive statue, thousands of ships like Cass’s converged towards a modern, twenty-fifth-century-styled city, complete with shimmering Arcologies and older architectural styles; in the distance, an Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, Hagia Sophia Basilica...
“In Big City you’ll find anything you desire: bars and restaurants, schools and universities, pleasures of all kinds, even emulated Xenos if you miss them. Churches and mosques, theatres, and all the virtual worlds from your previous life. Real estate agencies will help you find your dream home or apartment, and a Chamber of Commerce will assist you in creating the business you’ve always wanted, if you wish to continue helping others in this universe. Finally, if you ever dreamed of becoming a painter, writer, filmmaker, director, every artistic profession is possible and eagerly awaited by your peers. In eternity, everyone experiences their moment of glory eventually—that’s statistical! Since you’re on my ship and I quite like you, let me confide something special: Big City holds many secrets because, for centuries upon centuries, its inhabitants have turned it into a place of art and play in itself; it will take you years to discover them all. Life is a game, have fun, enjoy yourselves, you’ve earned it!”
A foghorn resonated as the ship gently bumped against a wooden dock. Excited, the newcomers walked down the gangway. A gentle-eyed woman with short hair, wearing a grey toga, whispered to Cass: “I’m excited to be here, but a bit scared. I’ve spent a year on my Sanctuary Island, and I’m a little ashamed because it’s so comfortable there!”
Cass hadn’t lingered herself. Would she stay here for good someday?
The influx of people was large and constant, yet she had space, as if perspectives shifted whenever she wasn’t looking. Gazing upward, like everyone else, she moved forward on wide, comfortable pedestrian avenues bordered with gardens, leading to the city’s heart. Beside her, families or lovers, who had died separately, reunited joyfully in tears. Some strolled through town with pets.
Cass found herself at the base of an arcology that rose skyward in a graceful arc. There was an empty terminal, meant to offer a city map. Approaching it, the terminal emulated an AI appearing transparently like a hologram, resembling a weary man leaning against a pillar:
“Need help?”
“Speak better to me,” Cass curiously said, testing him.
“My apologies,” he straightened. “What can I do for you?”
“I’m looking for a cousin ... Julia Prahi. She arrived in the After in 2531.”
“Hmm ... I see,” (he closed his eyes briefly), “but I can’t help you. You’re either not family—or she’s removed you from her list.”
He seemed slightly vindictive from Cass’s earlier remark. Funny, she thought. Eight centuries of conversational AI, and they were still stuck on the other side of the uncanny valley, never quite human enough. They lacked a critical human element: deep inside, humans were fundamentally lost beings.
“I didn’t tell you the truth,” she corrected herself. “Just a friend. Sorry.”
“I can’t help you either way. Just as we inform everyone when a loved one or family member enters the After, individuals can sometimes erect barriers: toxic relationships, desire for anonymity ... I see Julia was a celebrity too. No implications intended. But even you wouldn’t want some creepy former high-school lover to stalk you here, chasing you ... forever.”
“Can I send her a message?”
“You wouldn’t want that uncomfortable ex-lover messaging you either. So, no. Let’s hope in eternity she thinks of you someday and unblocks you.”
“Alright,” Cass replied thoughtfully, “Tell me, is there a section in Big City resembling New York?”
“Of course, shall I call you a taxi?”
Cass nodded. Behind her, a chime sounded: a floating yellow taxi, straight out of fiction, appeared. She boarded. The driver mirrored the earlier AI’s nonchalance. The taxi rose and navigated between the massive domes of arcologies, amid fictional flying cars and more ordinary vessels like Ravens. The driver glanced in the mirror:
“Where in New York should I stop?”
“Is there a detective agency? Run by humans?”
“This wouldn’t relate to your search for Julia Prahi, would it?”
“AI gossip among yourselves? Good to know. Spying on me?”
“Yes and no. Personally, I don’t care. But try avoiding therapy.”
“The issue with the After is I can’t keep little secrets. When I think something, it’s as if I’m speaking. Because I’m virtualized, correct?”
“You’re clever. Truth is, when you speak, we know. But your thoughts remain private. We don’t peek into those. No Psis here. Maybe that’s why it’s paradise.”
Turning around, he handed her a paper business card labeled: Big Game in Big City.
“What’s this?”
“The start of a secret. You’re clever, and I’m no ordinary taxi. You’re special and deserve entry into a special treasure hunt. I hope you’re brave.”
The taxi descended into a lane lined with old-fashioned wheeled cars. It was New York, circa 2000. Sparse trees, serene. A few inhabitants strolled, hearts nostalgic. A red-brick building sported a sign: Big Apple Detective Agency. She stepped out, and the driver leaned toward her:
To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account
(Why register?)
* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.