This is the fifth update to the decentralized story of Fabio and Emma. The rules of the game have been spelled out here:
https://steemit.com/writing/@claudiop63/decentralized-fiction-writing-add-a-chapter-to-my-story
The story has really gotten out of my hands...and I am glad :-)
Here is what we have so far, thanks to contributions from @felixxx, @mammasitta,@naquoyaand @iontom and...myself, obviously.
The newly added text is in boldface.
FABIO AND EMMA
ABSTRACT
Fabio and Emma are in their late 20s and live in London. Fabio is Italian, Emma comes from a small town in the north of England. Fabio has just lost his well-paid job in a major financial institution in the City, while Emma has just gotten a cool job in the fashion industry.
They have been together for three years and want to have children, but the recent professional changes are putting their relationship under pressure. Fabio would like to either accept an offer from Wall Street and move now to New York City, or take a sabbatical year for them to travel and decide where to go and what to do next...
STORY
A funny smell in the subway. It's not unpleasant – just weird. It reminds Fabio of one of Emma's body odours...the one he likes most.
Fabio was trying not to think about Emma for as long as possible, following last night's discussion. Sometimes he feels she doesn't realize how lucky they are: his savings can easily pay for 12 months of travelling, making love, and deciding where to go next. Ok, she has a brand new job, but they are still young and Fabio feels they should grab now their chance to travel and then decide where to settle down and have kids.The train stops. Time to get out.
The funny smell follows him while he moves towards the door. Fabio can't help picturing tropical beaches, palm trees ... sunsets and peace. He feels exhausted. There is no way he can make her understand; fashion can wait -this train can not.He stops right at the door, and says: "I'm not coming - I'm sorry". Emma has already left the train. She turns around on the platform. "Don't be silly, we have reservations and you know who is ..."
Too late. The door is closed now and Fabio is still in the train. They stare at each other as Fabio accelerates into the tunnel. Fabio's face turns pale and all he has in mind is how to open that damn door. He screams: "Emma, please wait for me, I come and get you ".
She keeps on staring at him. She doesn't move , watching the train leave slowly while Fabio runs quickly further back to try another door. Emma is the first girl Fabio deeply fell in love with and he can't imagine life without her . She turned his world upside down. How could he ever forget her innocent smile after making love to her...Suddenly, Fabio hears a soft voice asking " Are you ok ?" He turns around and here she is: a very attractive black-haired girl speaking English with a strong Italian accent. She has probably not realized that Fabio is Italian, as Fabio has been living in London for many years. His Italian accent is not evident and in fact he can even fake a decent Cockney accent! Anyway, the black-haired girl is very attractive and within a split second Fabio finds himself imagining a whole life together with her. His mother would certainly love her (Emma on the contrary is not very popular in the family), and they could make love using Italian terms of endearment, etc, etc, etc... All of a sudden, Fabio feels stupid for making all these fantasies up out of a single sight of the woman. He whishes he could stop the train and run after Emma. But this is impossible at this stage, so why not keep his point and get to know an interesting person...?
Fabio then goes like: "It's been a terrible day and you girls are really weird" (he speaks Italian now). The girl looks at him with interest and, after one second, nods. In the meantime, the smell has intensified. Fabio stares at his own reflection in the window and his mind goes back to Emma. Every time they argued, Emma would go passive and call him silly. Yes, very silly, he thinks. A self-made millionaire and world class broker paying for her lifestyle of parties and nice dresses! Fabio feels hurt and lonely. He turns to the girl again, and they start speaking simultaneously.
"What is your name ?"
"Have you been to the Fijis ?"
Fiji, he thinks. Why would she be asking me about Fiji? She doesn't even know me. I don't even know her. "What's your name?" Fabio thought he'd try again. He can't talk about Fiji, not yet. Not before he finds out what her name is. At the very least."You answer my question first", she says that with an element of mischeviousness. Fabio is intrigued. He was hoping she wouldn't push the Fiji issue. It reminded him of the time he spent a week there with Emma. "Yes, I have been to Fiji. Once." Why would she be asking about Fiji, Fabio thinks. Is this just a coincidence?
"It's a beautiful place. So peaceful. I was there just last week", she replies. "I met somebody there that knows you, Fabio. "How does she know his name? Fabio's mind is racing. This woman is a mystery. Shouldn't he be chasing after Emma, rather than discussing Fiji with this mysterious woman? With this beautiful, mysterious woman, he thinks. His thoughts are racing. The more he looks at her, the more he is captivated by her beauty. He is entranced. "Wait, what?" Fabio asks. "Why were you thinking about Fiji?"
She turns up, looking up at him with deeply captivating brown eyes, and speaks. "I saw you there, just now. With me." The world whirls, Fabio feeels dizzy. His fantasies about this woman make him feel both excited and guilty. Emma is waiting back at the station for him. What should he do? Maybe he could ask if she knew a good place to get coffee at the next stop. Or perhaps find out her stop first. Why is he thinking about this though?! The train goes through a tunnel and the world goes black for an instant. He sees flashing lights trail past in the window. Then he turns back to the woman, except, she isn't there. He frantically searches around the train for a minute. He asks the man sitting across from him, but nobody has seen the woman he is talking about. Disheartened, he fumbles out his phone to check what time it is. He notices a new email, sent from the "Black Card Travel Society." It is offering an insanely good deal for a trip to.... Fiji, but for only one person. It also says that it would require an interview, to be held at the travel office in Greenwich. He puts his head in his hands. He and Emma already had tickets and a hotel booked in New York. He even has a ring ready to propose to her there. Who is sending him this email? Who was the woman and how has she vanished? Why Fiji? The train rolls to a stop and he gets off. Greenwich Station. What should he do? Wait and go back to Emma on the reverse train? Find the Black Card Travel Society?
He checks the email again and he thinks about that intriguing name: Black Card Travel Society. Is this some secret society he is being lured to? Maybe it's an adventure society, bringing excitement into one's life...
Fabio wants to know more, but what if it is some type of trap? He leaves the station. The office he is looking for is three blocks away. He could make his way there easily. And then what? His heart is racing. He can feel his adrenaline pumping. This is crazy, isn't it?
Fabio stops, and breathes deeply. A few people look at him as they walk past. He needs to calm down, take back control of his thoughts. Eventually, he decides to just get it over and done with. He gets to the office, and takes a quick look around the street before walking through the door. From the outside, it seems to be a small but neat travel agency.
An old-fashioned bell on the doors. He hits the bell. Immediately, out she walks!
It's Emma, apparently working at the Black Card Travel Society. Fabio stares in disbelief. What is happening here?
“Emma?”
Fabio finally manages to spell out her name.
“No,” she replies, "my name is Rachel, how may I help you?”
Speechless, he shows her the email he received. “We've been expecting you, Fabio. Please, take a seat”, she says whilst pointing to a nearby desk. Fabio is more confused than ever. He has just lost one Emma, and found another one. Except this isn't her. His world is dissolving right before his eyes. Now, he needs to know who Rachel really is.
Staring out of the window, the Thames rolls on lazily, the same as it always does.
Yet, there is something demonstrably different going on here. The office looks to be nearly as old as London herself, decorated in maritime artifacts and regalia. The woman that calls herself Rachel spins an antique globe and stares at him with cold eyes.
"Tell me Fabio, do you remember much about the 2012 summer Olympics?"
The question totally catches Fabio off guard. He responds dryly, "Yes, I went to many of the events. Why?"
"You were at the men's football match, UK vs South Korea. Who won?"
Rachel, Emma, whoever, is asking him.Fabio rubs his face, "uh, they tied, but South Korea advanced. Then they lost to Brazil in the next round."
Rachel nods, slowly.
"What if I told you that where I come from, it didn't happen that way. Great Britain had a late goal, they won, advanced and eventually lost to Mexico in the Gold match. They went home with silver."
"Well that's uhm, very patriotic, it's a nice story, but what's that got to with us, with you not being Emma?"
She walks slowly to the mahogany desk and pulls out a decanter full of what looks like vodka.
"Want a glass?"
Fabio shakes his head, "No, my head is spinning enough already."
She muses, pauses, then speaks again, "As I understand it, you're a pretty decent Futures trader."
"Well, you should know that, we've lived together for long enough..." Fabio trails.
"Or I think we have, if you are Emma."
She sits on the desk in a suggestive pose, spreading her legs a little, but nothing too provocative. Enough to hint at interest.
"Oh darling, you don't seem to get it. That's okay, we can do this any way you like."
Fabio is aroused, but holds himself back,
"Seriously, who are you, and what is this all about?"
She stares at him, pulls out an ice cube and presses it against his lips.
"You really do love this Emma don't you?"
She puts the ice cube back into her drink.
"As I understand it, you like to travel."
Fabio nods. Rachel goes on,
"What would you say to travelling to a place that no one from this world has ever been before?"
Fabio nods again, but before he can ask a question, she continues:
"But first, you're going to have do something for me. You're going to have to put some money into Lithium futures. A LOT of money."
Fabio takes the drink out of Rachel's hand and downs the whole thing.
"And why would I do that?"
Fabio is thinking that Rachel and Emma have something in common something other than their looks....both know how to try and squeeze money out of his pockets.
"Because it will make you a lot of money. And right now, I am the author of this mystery you find yourself in. You can't see all the details. You have the look of confusion all over your face. But I can see what you are unable to."
She strokes the side of his face. The touch of her skin awakes something deep inside him. Emma's touch would feel the same. It was hypnotic, spellbinding, and he found he was forgetting himself.
Fabio takes a deep breath, trying to restore some control, but he is unable to do anything but listening to her. And agree, as a matter of fact.
"The price of Lithium is set to rise by a considerable amount in the not too distant future. I know exactly when this will happen. So I have the knowledge, and you have the money. I believe we can, and should do business together."
Rachel is seductive, as well as endowed with business acumen. She is determined to get what she wants.
"And the trip to a place where no one else has been? What could that possibly involve?"
Fabio is intrigued, but wishes he wasn't.
"First, I need you to wire the funds into my account. You may use this computer."
Rachel takes Fabio to a desk where everything is set up to complete the transaction. In no time at all, Rachel obtains the receipt of funds deposited, and proceeds to explain the art of other worldly travel. She places her left hand on Fabio's left shoulder, looking straight in his eyes with an intensity that freaks him out.
She is communicating with him, without saying a word. He feels he is losing consciousness. When he regains his spirits, Rachel is no longer there.
He looks around frantically. He opens a door at the back of the office, and here she is...but it's not her! This time he knows it's Emma. The original Emma.
She smiles at him, and says:
"I see you've finally met my twin, Rachel".
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