There's a secret club where the eccentrics go to meet. These are the people that didn't get a security pass to access the inside information of the deep state. These are the people that made their mark on the top of the world through the outside. They aren't in on the secret treasury codes. They don't know what the underground scientists invented. They don't command armies. They aren't at the helm of society when something happens. They're huge. Some of them world renown. They're smart, sexy, fun, dangerous, strict, clever and a bunch of other things. They couldn't get in that club so they made their own club. The club of an elite outside of the elite.
This club has a center. A resort on an island. Not many people know where this club is. Most of the people that know about this place can go there. They know how to get in because they are a part of it. Those who don't know how to get in don't even try. What a miserable failure that would be.
My name is Lotte. I was down and out of chances. There wasn't a damn thing that was going to happen that could work out the emptiness. I was being mocked and berated and scourned. I didn't surrender, I fought. There wasn't relief and things continued to rot away. I made horrible enemies. Too many enemies. They all wanted the same thing and didn't give a damn if I died but they smiled on anyways and tried to sugar me up with shallow nonsense.
They knew I could hold my own if given the opportunity. That's the thing though. They wanted me weak and subjective, powerless and broke. They didn't want me to have anything and they would move the world and work miracles to make this so. Thought they could beat me down and then starve me. They'd ride it out and watch me die. That's what they thought. They were wrong though.
I left. There wasn't another way. There was way too much against me and nobody on my side. Leave. Start over. Good idea.
Then I met this girl. Her name was Sophie and she was from Europe. She was a member of the secret club. She got me in.
The world could be crumbling and dying and suffering to the hilt. You go to this secret club on the island and it’s like you don't even know anything about those terrible things because you can't hear about them. There's another world there. Anything you'd think you could want you can find right there. They already knew everything you'd want and so they stockpiled it and all you need is to ask. Seriously.
Sophie and I went there. She got me in and we vacationed. There wasn't anything like being there. If you were searching to find a paradise on Earth that was where you go.
The things that went on there you couldn't do anywhere else. No one entertained the thought to get those sort of celebrations and events together anywhere else. Sometimes you'd say that was awesome, sometimes you'd say that was lame, why? Either way, you'd love it. There was something there you’d like, eventually.
When we were there we were so close you couldn't tear us apart. Saved my life. Gave me a new outlook and a new hope that good things were on their way.
We stayed in a nice house and drove a golf cart around. There was this diner and they served delicious food. A clothing warehouse in case you wanted new clothes. A liquor cabinet in the house with more than enough to get us through our stay. You couldn't forget something like that, not in a million years.
I learned though that this wasn't free. There were dues to pay. Sophie already paid those dues when she joined the club and although she was short on money they let her cut her membership in half to get me in. All we would need once we left was get another payment to restore both of the memberships to full status. The price was really a lot and surprised me when she told me but not impossible, I made that before I can make that several times over.
So we went to this weird auction that Sophie wanted to go to and I agreed to go although I wasn't too impressed with the advertisement. We dressed up, her in a skirt and me wearing this nice suit. We walked to the auction house because the island wasn't the largest island around, you could walk the beach all around in ninety minutes. Our walk to the auction was ten minutes. Not bad. Sunny with a cool breeze.
There was an old fashioned style dance with a band playing traditional instruments without electricity. Sophie and I danced merrily through all of the songs that the band played. She loves dancing. I love dancing with her. That worked out great. Normally I don't like dancing.
When the dance was over and refreshments served we were seated at the auction stage. The auctioneers were a man and woman dressed in old fashioned retro attire. There was a wooden table with a chest on top that contained the auction items.
The man introduced himself as George and the woman Laura.
George said, “My wife and I wanted to share a special item of great wonder. You need no faith to believe our claims because we can prove to you what power is within this sacred gemstone.”
Laura presented a medallion of gold wide as her hand with a monotone white oval gemstone in the center. The lights dimmed and the gemstone started to glow. She held the medallion overhead.
George said, “This gemstone contains the power to tell what is truth and what is lie. You can see the color turn red with the truth and blue with the lie. To prove this I am going to show you.”
George lifted a tall and iced liquor, producing a knife. He made a light tap on the glass and a sharp sound rang out. He said, “Laura dear, did I or did I not make this glass ring?”
Laura replied, “Yes, you rang on that glass.”
The medallion shifted into a red color, continuing to glow, clouding like broth water, then solidifying. The red was bloody and bright.
George then slowly swung at the liquor without touching the glass. He swung a second time and missed once again. He said, “Laura dear, did I or did I not make this glass ring?”
Laura replied, “Yes, you rang on that glass.”
The medallion shifted red to white and then white to blue in the same manner as before, eventually becoming a magnificent bright royal blue.
George said, “You see, ladies and gentlemen, my wife was lying with her words and the gemstone has clouded blue, when she was being truthful the gemstone clouded red. This relic is mysterious. Unknown are the gemstones' origins and such a thing hasn't been seen before.”
“That’s wonderful! Where did you ever find such a thing?” someone abruptly said.
George said, “That in and of itself is a tale too long to tell, in short though you could say that we were gifted this divine relic from an angel as a reward for our charitable work with the Humane Society.”
He rid himself of the iced liquor and said, “Now, if we may offer this gamble. You can wager a fine piece of your own jewelry in a true and false match and have the chance yourself on leaving with some of the personal treasures we have collected over the years.”
Laura said, “The challenge is that you must guess what color the gemstone has become while I cover the gemstone up with my hands. George then asks impossible questions that almost nobody can know and I then answer his question. Chances are you would never know the answer either, in the rare event that you do know the answer well then you won't even need the gemstone to determine who is correct, but ultimately the gemstone is going to decide who is right and who is wrong.”
George retrieved a fine necklace out of the chest on the table and then showed it to the crowd. He said, “This fine item was made in 1732 in an Eastern European town. The maker's mark reads 'N.Lawton 1732' and is made of pure gold with silver inlays and a fine dust of diamond upon the center link. Would someone like to make a wager?”
Sophie said, “Yes. I wager my bracelet. This bracelet is pure fine gold with perfect green gem inlays.”
George said, “Deal! May I ask your name fair lady?”
Sophie told him her name.
George said, “Alright, Sophie, may I hold your bracelet and show everyone?”
Sophie handed over the bracelet reluctantly. George held each item in separate hands up so that everyone could see. He said, “Alright Laura, cover the stone so that the answer stays hidden.”
Laura covered the stone.
George said, “What is the name of the second most powerful earthquake in recorded history and what was the magnitude?”
Laura smiled, “Why George, that was the Good Friday earthquake and the magnitude was 9.1.”
George turned to Sophie awaiting her response. He said, “What say you Sophie, was Laura telling us the truth or was the answer she gave us false?”
Sophie was hesitant. She said, “False.” and nodded.
Laura uncovered the medallion and held it high. The medallion was white and then started to shift to blue. Once the color solidified George said, “Alright now! We have a winner! Sophie, please come up here and retrieve your prize.” Sophie gave me a quick squeeze of a hug and then went to get her relics.
George handed Sophie's prize to her and then said, “And the correct answer was that the second largest earthquake in recorded history was named the Good Friday earthquake and the magnitude was 9.2, not 9.1 as Laura said.”
Sophie returned with a wide smile on. I said, “Did you know the answer or did you guess?”
Sophie said, “I guessed.”
We both laughed.
George then retrieved a golden ring with a large diamond stud. He said, “I would like to present to you this ring. Worth a lot, this ring. Need I say so?” He walked along the rows to show everyone. The women nearly let their tongues hang out. He returned to the stage and then said, “Would anyone like to make a wager? Top of the line diamond ring.”
A woman in the crowd said, “Yes. Would my golden ruby brooch suffice?” She held the item towards George. He took the brooch from her and looked it over. “I believe so.” He said.
Laura said, “I am now concealing the gemstone.”
George said, “Alright, let me see. Your name, miss?”
The woman said, “Media.”
George said, “Well then, Media, are you ready to take the question?”
Media said, “Let's.”
George said, “The electromagnetic attractions within atomic nuclei and their electrons are what gives chemicals their physical state. What say you, Media?”
Media said, “True.”
George said, “Can we see what the gemstone tells us, Laura?”
Laura uncovered the medallion, showing the crowd. The color of the medallion shifted off white and became blue in the same manner as before.
Media winced.
George said, “Oh my lady, I am sorry. The truth is that the electromagnetic attractions within atomic nuclei and their electrons are what holds atoms together.” He took both precious items and placed them carefully inside the chest on the table.
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The unconventional auction was forgettable in my opinion but Sophie was very enthused about the whole thing. Overall the auctioneers won and although they won the people were in high spirits. There were plenty of intriguing things about the island and being a member of the club makes good story but I am going to end the tale there.
Were I not to meet Sophie my life would've been worse for the telling. Such a club wasn’t necessary to attend but I am thankful that I am a member and thankful of the new attitude it gave me. Now I can rebuild my life into something tolerable, something that resembles acceptable.