The Safari

Kyle fidgeted while his parents argued with the man behind the desk. There was a problem with their reservations but Kyle was confident things would work out. They had to. He’d been waiting for this day for months. His one shot at going on the Safari couldn’t be snatched away from him, not when he was so close to those imposing granite walls most people would only ever see on television. If he pressed his nose against the window, he could even see the Safari bus, which was outfitted in gleaming chrome and painted with colours which shimmered and danced under the hot midday sun.

He jumped as his father laid a hand on his shoulder. “It’s all sorted, son,” he said as he mopped his forehead. “Damn A-97 forms. Always some question hiding in the small print.”

As they boarded the bus, a hush fell over the travelers. They were all wearing their newest suits, but even their Sunday best paled in comparison to the bus’s lavishness. Every seat was covered with a material so soft it took Kyle’s breath away (“crushed velvet,” his mother whispered reverently as she ran a finger over it). The floor was springy and warm and so soft Kyle felt like lying down, right then and there in the aisle. Even the bars on the windows were made out of a magnificent, glimmering metal Kyle had never seen before.

He took the window seat. The tour guide, an immaculately dressed young man with almost picture-perfect features, picked up a microphone. “Welcome,” he said in a strangely flat voice, “to the Safari. I hope you all enjoy the ride today.” The bus glided past armed guards and through heavy gates which soundlessly swung open as they approached. “The first thing many people notice is the weather here. Thanks to recent advances in cloud seeding techniques, we can now guarantee flawless weather every single day of the year.”

His parents craned their necks to admire the clear blue sky, but Kyle was transfixed by his first glimpse of the world beyond the gates. Trees – palm trees, he heard somebody say behind him – lined a wide pavement. Behind the trees, massive mansions were embedded on vast yards of grass. Grass! Kyle could hardly believe he was seeing real, honest-to-God grass, although it didn’t look so different from the artificial stuff; perhaps the colour was a little deeper and the blades just a little longer.

“Coming up on your left,” drawled the tour guide, “you can see the house belonging to Oil Corp. CEO. Starlett Hayley Harcourtt’s place is right next to it. For Christmas, she covers her whole yard with red and green lights. Folks, those lights really have to be seen to be believed.” The tour guide pointed out more places and the people they belonged to, but Kyle hadn’t heard of most of them. He squinted and tried to make out movement in the mansions, but they were all still and strangely silent.

A gasp went up when they saw their first live inhabitant. She was lean and gorgeous and beautifully tanned. Her blonde hair hung below her waist, and swung back and forth hypnotically as she jogged in long, even strides. When the bus crawled past, her expression didn’t change at all. As they drew closer to the centre of the town they started seeing more people, each more flawless than the last - even their dogs were outfitted in sleek designer clothes and groomed beyond perfection.

“Now, folks, we’re coming up on dining district. Here’s where you really have a great shot at spotting some of your favourite movie stars or singers.” People started to press up against the barred windows, as if that would somehow help them see better into the opulent glass-fronted restaurants. Beautiful people lounged outside cafes; some looked deeply involved in conversations, while others laughed benevolently at jokes only they could hear. No one looked up as the Safari crawled by.

Kyle desperately tried to keep up with the tour guide, but the celebrity sightings and landmarks and company headquarters soon became a blur. He couldn’t miss anything, not when he was supposed to give a talk to the whole school about the Safari. His palms grew sweaty just thinking about it. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, trying to ward off frustration. When he opened them, he almost jerked away from the window with shock.

There were several actors from a high-rating network TV show walking away from the bus, talking and laughing, their hands loaded with shopping bags. Everyone was so busy exclaiming over the actors (My God! He’s even more handsome in real life! I wouldn’t have thought it was even possible! What I wouldn’t give to be out there!) that they didn’t notice the girl, who was about Kyle’s age, trailing behind them. She was decked out in designer gear, and her hair had been piled in a fashionable heap on top of her head. She was looking at the bus and, just as her eyes met Kyle’s, she mouthed something.

To Kyle, it looked suspiciously like “help me.”