Rapture Noir: Back Alley Business

A man your age has no right being this nervous over meeting a woman for dinner, I thought as I waited by the front door of 'Eddie's'. A nervous habit from childhood had come back to haunt me and I found myself tapping my foot in a frantic beat. Besides, it's just dinner, just-

At that moment I caught sight of Elizabeth ascending a nearby staircase. She was wearing a reserved blue dress with white trim, just shy of 'housewife' but with a hint of 'trouble.' I regretted not wearing something better, but it was a bit too late to care about that now. She walked right up and gave me a kiss on the cheek without saying a word.

"Hey."

"Hello Booker. I hope you haven't been waiting long."

"Not really." A lie, I was so nervous that I decided to show up an hour early rather then pace a hole in my carpet.

"Well, let's go get a table."

True to her word Eddie seemed to know just who she was, and he was kind enough to not be too incredulous at the sight of me as her date. He found us a nice, secluded table and was quick with the drinks. I settled on a steak for dinner and Elizabeth ordered something called a quiche.

As we waited for our food a dozen questions swirled around in my head. There was so much I didn't know about her, so many things I wanted answers to. I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity. And maybe I'd never get one like this again.

"So, how's work been?" God dammit, Booker.

"Oh, you know." "It pays the bills."

"Well I, uh, enjoyed your show last time I caught it."

Elizabeth smiled and gazed into her wine glass. "Booker, I'm glad you invited me out to dinner."

I felt a sudden up-swell of courage. "Elizabeth, there are so many things I want to ask you right now. I feel-"

Elizabeth took a quick sip of her wine. "Overwhelmed?"

"Certifiable is more like it." I corrected, downing the rest of my whiskey.

"I wish I could give you all the answers."

"Then how about just this one?" I asked, a warmth spreading across my face. This is high school shit, Booker. What are you doing?

"Elizabeth, I'm crazy about you. You being my girl is one of the few things that would make sense in my life right now." You're blowing this, DeWitt.

Elizabeth looked uncharacteristically surprised by this sudden confession, almost jumping out of her seat. But she was quick to compose herself, and the look in her eyes told me that maybe I hadn't blown it, after all. "Booker, I've always been your girl."

I raised my eyebrow at this. "Huh-?"

"-And you deserve some honesty. Pay up and let's go for a walk."

"Uh, Sure, but what about the food?" I was really looking forward to that steak.

"Eddie won't mind." She replied absentmindedly as she finished the rest of her wine and beelined her way to the exit.

I found Elizabeth standing by the door. She was about ready to light up, but seemed to think against it once she saw I was ready. Wordlessly she wrapped her arm around mine and we both started to walk. This continued for almost ten minutes before it even occurred to me to say anything.

"Elizabeth, I-"

"-Booker, I need to tell you something crazy."

"Shoot."

"Rapture is going to fall in three months." She said with a sincerity that caused me to complete stop, nearly tripping her in the process.

"...What?"

"It won't know it at the time, but once it happens it'll be too late to fix." Elizabeth continued, casually dragging me onward.

"Elizabeth, no offense but that actually does sound crazy. How could you know that?"

"Left."

"Huh?"

"Up here, left."

Elizabeth guided me down one of the long back alleys of Hestia. I sure hoped she knew where she was going, I didn't relish the thought of running across some back-alley splicer or a drug addict looking for some quick cash all on account of a casual stroll. She came to a stop in a small alcove and placed her hand on the wall. Then she just stood there, staring at the wall like she was under some kind of spell. I didn't understand any of this, I needed some answers.

"Elizabeth, why did you bring me here? And what did you mean back there? 'I've always been your girl'?" I asked, touching her shoulder in an attempt to shake her out of her trance.

"Booker, stand back. I'm going to open a tear."

"What's a te-

Suddenly all sense of rationality and stability in my world was torn away as a portion of the back alley transformed into a twisted nightmare of rusted pipes, flood water, and bloody corpses. All this accompanied by a loud, sorrowful bellowing from some thing I tried desperately not to picture in my head.

I stepped back, a mix of fear and awe in my heart. "Whoa! What the hell is this?"

"Rapture, four months from now if we don't fix things."

"This is-how? What's a tear?" I practically shouted my questions at her.

"Think of it like a window into another world, or another time." She explained matter of factly.

I was starting to get upset. "That's not making this any simpler for me."

"Booker, I'm trying. It's...complicated, and I don't think you want all the answers you think you do." There was more then a hint of sadness in her voice.

Elizabeth collected herself and continued, but I could tell she wasn't taking this well. "I know it's not fair to just lay this at your feet. But we can fix this, you won't like how, but we can. I just need you to trust me and this was the only way I knew to show you that I'm not crazy."

"I'm not sure I'm not crazy now."

"Booker, please."

Just as suddenly as it arrived, the monstrous scene in front of me vanished, leaving only us and the ambient noises of Rapture's inner workings.

"You're right, that is unfair. I don't even-." I stopped myself, laughing at the absurdity of it all.

"You know, this isn't quite how I imagined our night out going."