Excert From:Romeo and Juliet: A Modern Day Sequel
These violent delights have violent ends, And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which, as they kiss, consume.
The grasses of the Gin Shawl Hills are of a green that cannot be fathomed in this later earth. One would have to be dreaming to behold the pure colors of late Atlantis. Yet as Romeo sat high in the Waldorf, lost and forlorn, his awareness was suddenly transported to that magical green isle that existed on our earth so long ago. He beheld a deep blue sky, a blue that has not been seen in this world for over twelve thousand years. Romeo had been Hollen Cel Nar in Atlantis, composer, mathematician, and cousin to the Emperor himself.
Hollen Cel Nar walked confidently through the swaying grasses wearing his robe of plush blue silk, signifying his mastery of computer science and pure mathematics. Computers were composed of crystals in Atlantis, processing was done with light ― electricity is much too slow. Across his chest was a golden sash to signify his study with the High Priest of Atlantis. He also wore a red band signifying his mastery of the musical arts. Hollen was one of the most respected men of the Atlantean subcontinent. He had lived for over four hundred years, yet was middle-aged for an Atlantean. More importantly, He was happy. He had found his soulmate and had made her his wife, a gifted young woman of only forty years.
He moved down the grassy slopes of the Gin Shawl Hills to meet his new bride for lunch. Below him, the western sea glistened frivolously blue with raging whitecaps, roaring beyond the white sandy borders of late Atlantis. Even more spectacular than the coastline of Atlantis, was the sight of the Crystal Dome towering magnificently aside the white beaches and turquoise lagoons. The Dome was the most celebrated place on the subcontinent. Under its magnificent crystal roof, musicians, actors, and holographic composers would present their art forms, always for no charge of course, to the inhabitants of the island.
Hollen smiled in anticipation of surprising his wife, Ashanti, for lunch. He reached out with his mind and felt her in the dome rehearsing for an upcoming performance. She was a skilled actress for her age, and her lovely aura always lit up the dome’s intelligent crystals.
“I love her so,” he remarked aloud in a language we will never know, shuffling carefully down the last steep slopes of the Gin Shawl hills. He had met Ashanti over the holographic crystals that connected Atlantis in much the same way the Internet now connects the world. One evening, he had put his palms on the crystal interface and found himself face to face with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She immediately recognized him as a musician and cousin to the Emperor.
After interfacing in the virtual worlds for a few weeks, Hollen and Ashanti realized they were falling deeply in love. Their physical meeting was only a formality ― they were already planning an Atlantean marriage. When they did meet by the Gin Shawl rivers and kissed, their love was even more powerful than either had dared hope or imagine.
As Hollen recalled that first beautiful kiss by the river, he reached the bottom of the last grassy slope that lay by the side entrance of the Dome. He made his way for the doors as windswept grasses caressed his ankles.
Once inside the great dome he was suddenly greeted by the gay sounds of song and laughter. A synthesizer, at the far end of the vast circular space, sent musical notes high into the crystal rafters. Dancers whirled about him, laughing and leaping in unison without a care in the world. Beautiful light streamed down in rays from the crystal roof and bathed him in a bright rainbow. A petite female ballerina cartwheeled by him and then stood upright, smiling before him.
“Hollen Cel Nar, I believe. Your wife is over there eating lunch,” the dancer bowed low and motioned with her hands in mock grandeur, as if Hollen was the emperor.
He politely thanked her and looked over the woman’s slim shoulder searching for his wife. He saw performers juggling intelligent crystal formations that sang tunes in the air. Behind them was a man riding a circular wheel of magnetic energy, much like a unicycle.
Finally, he saw his wife. She was sitting at a table with a few other actors. He waved and walked toward her, carefully avoiding three dancers sequentially throwing each other in the air and landing gracefully. The dancers were wearing purple outfits with strings of flowers flowing from them.
A juggler caught a crystal balloon above his head. Hollen laughed and dodged him. The Crystal Dome during lunch break was both playtime and practice. You had to be on your toes here. Nowhere else in Atlantis, he realized, were people acting this crazy. He knew his powerful family looked down on the actors and musicians that now danced and sang below the Dome's high roof.
He saw his wife Ashanti turn to him, happily surprised. She wore a long white dress with a garland of flowers around her neck. She smiled with such love at Him. God her blue eyes shine more each day, he realized.
“Hollen Cel Nar,” a voice suddenly bellowed to his left. A hand roughly patted him on the shoulder. He turned and saw it was the jovial and plump holographic composer, Seth.
“Seth, you surprised me,” Hollen exclaimed happily. He had not seen him in ages.
“Oh Hollen! Oh Hollen! Wherefore art thou?” Seth asked and then bowed to him in jest, as the dancer had earlier, reminding Hollen that the acting guild didn’t think much of his emperor cousin, and even less of the controversial anti-gravity experiments being conducted beneath the jagged eastern mountain ranges. The artists of late Atlantis were nonviolent, freewheeling, and politically radical.
“I've been busy, Seth,” Hollen replied. “And to think my happiness is all due to an actress,” he added playfully while his wife approached and put her arms around his waist.
“Thank you for the compliment, my dear husband,” she said, kissing him deeply.
“You look more beautiful each day, my dear. I thought I would surprise you for lunch,” he remarked, kissing her back.
“I love surprises,” she replied seductively.
“Why thank you, my love,” Hollen said, as he drew her closer for another passionate embrace.
“Hollen,” Seth broke in, “why don’t you act or play the synthesizer in the dome these days? You're such a good performer. We need you.”
“I have too many projects as it is, maybe someday,” he replied.
In his youth, Hollen had been a promising actor and was still considered a top mathematical composer of music. His family had been relieved when their eccentric son had given up the arts for computers and mathematics. It was probably why they hadn’t given him a hard time when he married the daughter of a simple farmer.
Seth turned to Ashanti feigning insult. “Hollen is too good for us. After all, why would a famous mathematician want to be seen in the company of common actors!” he rolled his eyes dramatically, in mock indignation.
“That’s not it at all,” Hollen assured him, grinning embarrassed.
“Come eat with us,” Seth offered and led him back to the table where Ashanti and a small group had been gathered.
“Hollen Cel Nar,” a deep formal voice uttered as Hollen stopped by the table. It was Dexter Perfect, rising cautiously. Dexter was an actor who worked with his wife. He had been jealous of Hollen from the first day they met.
Hollen nodded to acknowledge Dexter as they awkwardly stood across the table from one another. Ashanti, sensing the tension between the two men, broke the silence. “Dexter, please be seated. My husband doesn’t stand upon imperial etiquette. Remember that he is an actor like us.” All of them sat.
Seth turned to Hollen and began eagerly, “I had a dream a few nights ago. In this dream, I was watching a play that occurred in the future. Do you believe that is possible?”
Hollen smiled and broke a piece of bread. “Of course I do, Seth. Do I not study in the mystery schools? A dream about a future play seems strange, though. Who would care?”
Seth laughed. “I would care. I am always looking for good art. And who is to say art is not important?”
“Hear, hear,” Dexter muttered.
“I never said art wasn’t important,” Hollen defended him with a chuckle. “But to dream of a future play seems silly.”
“Of course it is, Hollen,” Seth agreed and smiled. “Artists are silly. But it was a beautiful dream.” Everyone at the table looked at Seth, curious. Seth looked back at his small audience and dramatically began to speak:
“Well it wasn’t that interesting,” he began in protest. “It was about two star-crossed lovers who died in a tragic love affair. I was sitting in the audience in some barbaric land watching the play. The acting was atrocious!”
Hollen took a sip of juice and then remarked, “I don’t like tragedy.”
“He doesn’t like tragedy,” Seth replied, turning in mock disappointment to Dexter. He looked at Ashanti and hung his head low, as if Hollen’s words had stung him. She laughed.
“I bet you don’t even want to know the name of this play?” Seth cunningly asked him.
“The future play you mean?” Hollen corrected him with a skeptical smile.
“Yes, of course,” Seth replied. “The name of the play is,” he paused dramatically, “Romeo and Juliet!” he proclaimed, as if it was the greatest story ever told.
“Ro-me-o,” Ashanti pronounced slowly in her soft voice. “Romeo and Juliet … how strange,” she finished. A visible chill ran through her.
“Well Seth,” Hollen smiled sarcastically, “It looks like you have the greatest performance the dome has ever seen.”
“Well, no, I don’t,” Seth feigned sadness. “Alas, I had wanted Hollen Cel Nar, cousin of the Emperor, to be Romeo and his lovely wife Ashanti to be Juliet. Yet Hollen is too busy with his mathematics … so my fate is ruined.” He put his hand on his forehead in mock distress. Everyone laughed but Dexter.
“Yes, I am busy,” Hollen affirmed, “and to think that my mathematics will only be remembered for thwarting your great play.” He shook his head in mock dejection.
“I think your mathematics will be remembered for more than that,” Dexter broke in, cutting off everyone's laughter. Even among actors, Dexter was considered radical.
“I take it you refer to the anti-gravity experiments?” Hollen challenged. “How do you know my mathematics is being used on these projects?”
Dexter smirked. “I have my sources. After all, my family actually fights the wars your cousin emperor dreams up.”
“Dexter!” Seth boomed in protest and quickly stood over him. “Hollen is a guest and fellow actor, have some manners!” Everyone at the table was nervous. In late Atlantis to speak against the royal family was dangerous.
“Dexter,” Hollen addressed his rival, “I am a rebellious cousin of the imperial family. Yes, the scientists use my mathematical software, but they also play your holographic dramas and attend your performances in this very dome.” He motioned with his hand to the center of the vast space.
“Yes, Hollen,” Dexter replied coldly. “That is why I call for this place to be shut down!”
“And that is within your rights,” Hollen retorted and paused. He didn’t want to appear condescending. “Perhaps …”
Suddenly, a deep, powerful rumble interrupted him. The ground shook violently beneath the dome. This is an earthquake, he realized and instinctively put his arm around Ashanti. He looked up and saw crystal tile crumbling. Gasps could be heard, as people dodged the failing shards. The synthesizer that had filled the air with its wonderful music was silent.
And then, as abruptly as it had started, the shaking stopped. Actors moved toward the fallen crystal shards, clearing the mess with ionic brooms and the music began again. Earthquakes had become routine for Atlanteans in the last few months.
“A message from the scientists, I think, Hollen ― No offense,” Seth said in a lower tone.
Hollen laughed. “You don’t actually believe the recent earthquakes are from the experiments beneath the eastern ranges, do you?”
Seth laughed nervously. Dexter smiled cruelly.
“Of course we do, darling,” Ashanti declared, surprising everyone.
“Dear, that’s ridiculous!” Hollen protested, hurt that his wife would take the other side.
“No, my husband, it is not,” she replied firmly. “Most people in Atlantis believe what we believe, darling. I have listened to the banished scientists in this dome. They tell us what is really happening in the eastern ranges.” She put her hands on her husband’s hand and continued, “Remember, dear, I almost joined the scientist caste myself. I understand what they are saying.”
“Ashanti, don’t waste your breath,” Dexter cut in. “Hollen chooses to believe the official reports on these earthquakes.” He shot Hollen a condescending grin.
Ashanti glared at Dexter. “This is not about my husband but the future of Atlantis!”
“Really, I thought it was about me,” Hollen protested in a menacing tone, staring back at Dexter.
Seth decided to diffuse the situation. “Ladies and gentlemen, calm down … we have just had an earthquake. I will need to check my equipment. Dexter will you come with me?” Seth asked disappointed, as if Dexter was his truculent son.
“Hollen, it was a pleasure,” Seth said as he rose, visibly shaken by the earthquake and the argument. “Please visit more often and excuse any offenses. We are only foolish actors,” he apologized, shooting Dexter a look of chastisement.
“Well thank you, Seth,” Hollen rose and bowed to him.
“Seth, what was the name of that play you wanted me and my husband to act in?” Ashanti asked. She bit into an apple.
“Romeo and Juliet.”
“Romeo … and Juliet,” Hollen repeated aloud, slowly and dreamily. He felt a chill run through him, just as his wife had earlier.
“I still want to play Juliet even if my husband doesn’t want to be Romeo,” she declared playfully. She turned to her husband seductively and winked.
“Well, Seth,” Hollen began. “Maybe someday I will be Romeo, but for now … parting is such sweet sorrow,” he joked, thankful Seth had put an end to his argument with Dexter.
“Good luck, Hollen,” the plump holographic director said and bowed back. He quickly walked away with Dexter, no doubt scolding him for his treatment of a royal.
“My dear husband,” Ashanti said taking Hollen’s hand. “You create controversy wherever you go.”
“Darling, we both know the controversy is that Dexter loves you.”
“I know he does, Hollen. But you just swooped down from the palace of Alta and married me. It upset quite a few men, not only Dexter,” she said proudly and then laughed.
“I am sure it did,” he agreed with a coy smile and kissed his wife on the cheek. After lunch they strolled arm in arm, out of the Crystal Dome, to make love on the green grasses of the Gin Shawl Hills. He would never see that wonderful place again.
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