Signal to Noise(50)

The light faded, the walls crept back together and Meche’s heart regained its usual healthy rate, time suddenly returning to its normal course.

“Let’s look at the pictures,” she said, hastily exiting the booth.

Sebastian remained inside, behind the tattered red curtain, while Meche leaned down near the little opening which was supposed to spit out the photos. She tapped her foot impatiently, wishing the photos would just develop.

Sebastian stepped out of the booth just at the moment the photos appeared. He opened his mouth and she held the photos for him to see.

“They came out okay,” she said.

“Yeah,” Sebastian muttered.

“I’ll pay you back the money... um, I’m going home now.”

“Alright. Are you coming over for the video game?”

Meche just wanted to get home fast, so she nodded and stepped back, stuffing the photos in her back pocket.

“I’ll meet you at Chaplin’s around six!” he yelled.





CHAPLIN’S HAD A big, ugly sign outside which showed a silhouette of the famous comedian raising his hat. The store’s full name was Chaplin’s Movie Emporium, but nobody called it that. It rented videos in Betamax and a small selection of video games. Videocentro was bigger, but they charged more for rentals and it was further away. Plus, the clerk at Chaplin’s usually threw in a free bag of microwaveable popcorn. The clerk was only a couple of years older than they were and he was dating Jimena, which explained the added bonus.

“So are we going with Castlevania?” Sebastian asked.

Meche was looking over the videos, not paying much attention to him. She wore her heavy, green jacket and her matching green sneakers. Every once in a while she bit her lower lip, like when she didn’t know an exam question.

She didn’t look very happy to be at the video store and Sebastian wondered what was up with that.

“Castlevania is fine.”

Sebastian paid, feeling a bit glad that he could do this. He grabbed the game and the popcorn and they walked back to his apartment.

The elevator did not work so they trudged up the stairs. Inside it was as dirty as usual even though Romualdo had promised to clean up when they had spoken during breakfast. Sebastian sighed.

“Romu!” he yelled.

No answer. Sebastian put the keys on a hook by the door.

“He’s probably gone to buy something for dinner. Do you want some juice?”

“I’m fine.”

They sat on the couch in front of the banged-up television set. Sebastian plugged in the Nintendo and pushed in the game, grabbing a controller. Meche sat at the edge of the couch, the heavy jacket firmly buttoned up to her neck.

“Do you have a cold?” he asked.

“No,” Meche said.

“You look pale.”

“I’m just tired.”

“You don’t have to play with me if you don’t want to.”

“I’m here, am I not?”

“Okay.”

Meche took off her jacket and tossed it on the back of the sofa. She was wearing one of her oversized t-shirts. It said ‘Blondie’ with big, pink letters on a black background. Sebastian thought she looked very small in it, like she was about to be swallowed by the shirt.

“What?” Meche asked testily.

“Nothing.”

“Just push play.”

He did, guessing that Simon Belmont might be the solution for whatever weirdness was happening that day. Because he did feel weird. In the phone booth there had been this uncomfortable moment when he had looked at Meche and she had looked back at him, and it didn’t feel like looking at Meche. Hell, he looked at Meche every day of the week and he knew exactly what she looked like, but when the flash went off he thought, for a second, that he didn’t know her. It was... bizarre.

A few levels later Romualdo still had not showed up but at least Meche seemed more relaxed. She pressed the buttons on the controller, trying to manipulate Belmont’s whip, then handed it to Sebastian when she got killed.

“Your turn.”

“Can I ask you something?” she said, as he grabbed the controller.

“What?”

“Do you really like Isadora?”

“What do you mean?”

“Just that.”

Sebastian frowned. “Are you going to tell me she’s a ditz?”

“No. I’m just asking.”

“She’s cute.”

“Yeah, so is Cindy Crawford.”

“Cindy Crawford doesn’t go to the same school I go to.”

“So it’s convenience?”

“It’s... ah... well, you like Constantino, no?”

“Don’t you sometimes think we’re chasing after mirages?”

“What’s so awesome about reality?” he asked, turning and looking at her.

“It’s what we have.”

“We have magic.”

“I’m getting the feeling that doesn’t work as often as we expected.”

Meche leaned back and rubbed her eyes, shrugging. The music on the video game played loudly, the rhythmic electronic beats repeating themselves. Sebastian pressed the pause button.

“What do you mean?”