Haut

The train doors opened to the Haut terminal. It was very brightly lit, both from the natural light coming through the glass ceiling, and the fancy lamps lining the walls. It looked very similar to the Vermilion terminal, almost identical in fact, except for the fact that everything was spotless and in perfect condition, and there were hundreds of people walking around it. The vastness of the Vermilion terminal always felt slightly eerie — it was a huge room with high ceilings, ample seating and wide walkways, but very few people. It was by no means unused, but only a few people were at the terminal at any time. In Haut, the size of the terminal suddenly made sense. It felt crowded, even.

After stepping through the doors, Claire consulted her phone for directions. The clinic should be just a few blocks from here. She pushed her way through the crowd, albeit shyly, as she was not used to brushing shoulders with strangers.

The streets here were wide and smooth, with railcars going each direction. One approached the stop nearest to her. The side that was facing her seemed to be covered with a giant, luminous photograph showing a beautiful woman in a white dress cuddled on a couch with a stylishly dressed man drinking wine in a lavish apartment. They appeared to be watching TV. Beside the woman was a caption: “Not just a toy.” and a simple white logo resembling a cornucopia.

As she didn’t mind a short walk in an unfamiliar place, she let the tram pass her by.

Everything here seemed to be made for giants. Tall street lamps, large open buildings, wide streets, massive advertisements. The people she passed on the street looked at her curiously. They knew she didn’t belong here. Or perhaps she was imagining it. They were all dressed in well-tailored clothes. The men in dark, tailored frock coats with many buttons. The women wore simple victorian-inspired dresses, some with lace or puffed shoulders, or ribbons around their waists.

Claire looked down at herself. She was dressed in cheap, minimal yellow dress and running shoes. Though it didn’t matter now, the fashions of Haut were something she was going to have to learn if she planned to spend much time here.

She soon arrived at her destination. It was a nondescript building, with a small sign out front which said “Dr. Melborne” and a logo that appeared to be the outline of a rabbit.

In the waiting room were four other girls. They were all dressed in shabby clothes, shabbier than Claire’s even. One looked out the window, in apparent awe of the area, and the other three played with their phones. They did not look at each other.