14 July, 2023 - It’s Tuesday. Arthur logs onto LTRN while making Breakfast. Arthur and Madeline chat online and arrange to meet in person.

Arthur woke from a dream. A nightmare. His father, Phillip Velnias, had been saying something to him. Screaming something pointed and eviscerating. Screaming with the righteous indignation of a Godly man. But the exact words were already evaporating as Arthur roused – like a puddle in the summer sun – leaving in its wake a heavy, but vague feeling something like bitterness and resentment. The feeling faded just as quickly as it came, and was replaced by the mere impression of the man his father had been to him when he was younger; the disciplinarian, the violent authoritarian, the hypocrite. But these were just words; two dimensional words for a three dimensional bastard. As Arthur opened his eyes, the sun registering in its full intensity, all that remained of the dream was like static electricity in the distant wake of a violent storm long-passed.

Arthur pulled himself out of bed, leaving behind him tangled sheets dampened by sweat. The room outside of his blankets was cold, and puffs of steam emerged from his mouth with every breath as he stretched into the morning. After a series of comically loud yawns, Arthur pulled on a University of Sydney hoodie, a pair of threadbare Adidas tracksuit pants, and two novelty hello-kitty slippers that Stuart had purchased for him for his last birthday. He loudly padded his way out of his room, through the hall, past the living room and into the kitchen.

“Coffee, stat.” He said to no one too loudly as he filled the kettle with water. Struggling to fill it against the mountain of dirty dishes.

“Make me one too!” Ginie screamed. Her disembodied voice weaved its way from her bedroom, down the hall, and into the kitchenette. She was obviously feeling a lot better than she had yesterday, Arthur thought. Her lung capacity was sure back.

Knock Knock Knock came the angry thuds from behind the wall. Apartment 203. Ms Valentina hated to be disturbed in the morning, and she didn’t mind letting the two delinquents from 204 know it.

“Yes Ginie - Coffee coming up your majesty,” he yelled.

“Thanks!” She screamed.

Transylvanian Concubine by Rasputina began to play from Ginie’s room, the thick sounds of electric guitar filling the space around him.

Ms Valentina replied from next-door with familiar form. Knock Knock Knock

While he waited for the kettle to boil, Arthur checked his phone, scrolling deftly to the last screen – the one furthest from the Home Screen – where the LTRN application lived. The notification bubble above the application icon showed three messages were waiting for him. His heart skipped. That number of notifications could mean three messages from Madeline, or a new message from three separate matches (and none from Madeline), or any combination of the two. Arthur thumbed the app open and clicked the notification icon, his pulse drumming in time with Ms Valentina’s annoyed knocking.

He clicked on MG’s avatar. There were three new messages waiting to be read.

“Hey Arthur.”

“I thought we could “meet” online tomorrow morning. How about Messenger? I’ve added you there already.”

“A prelude to the real thing I guess.”

The cards have spoken, thought Arthur. Those had been Ginie’s words during their card reading less than twenty four hours prior. You’re the one she wants. It’s already done.

Despite his best efforts, Arthur found himself wondering what his father would have to say about his life. About his string of meaningless hookups. About his heathen lifestyle. About the share-house on the edge of a city; philosophy and not the seminary; a string of meaningless encounters; and friends his father would sooner spit on than talk to. Arthur tried to push these thoughts away or relegate them to the back of his mind. But he knew that never worked. The pervasive thoughts - Ginie’s term not his - were the thoughts of the young Arthur. The Arthur who was too scared to be anything but what his father wanted. The Arthur whose genuine self - Before Escape (BE) - was spied in glimpses and in the briefest of moments; in the school yard, at Ginie’s; at Stuart’s. Any time he could steal a second away from Father.

Every effort he made to think of something else was somehow tainted by these old thoughts; perhaps the holdover of last-night’s dream. Even over the sound of Rasputina, Arthur could hear Ms Valentina screaming for a sense of order.

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“Too noisy, both you. I call police!”

Arthur’s father would have hated the instant coffee he was spooning into his mug; despised the long-life milk he was pouring into the brew; flown into a rage at the mountain of dirty cups in need of cleaning in the sink.

He took the two cups full of hot instant coffee from the counter. He left one coffee (extra milk, extra sugar) on the floor of Ginie’s closed door. He screamed: “Ginie - it’s ready for you.” The other he took with him and returned to his room. He got online, immediately logging on to Messenger and was happy (beyond belief) to find a friend request from Madeline Glass. He accepted the request with no fanfare. After a second of processing, Messenger opened and there she was. The girl of his more pleasant dreams - available online.

AV: Hey :)

MG: Hi Arthur. Nice to net-meet you finally.

AV: Same. Really NTMU too Madeline.

MG: Glad we could connect somewhere other than LTRN. I know this is sort of still online, but baby-steps amirite?

AV: Actually this is a step backwards.

MG: What do u mean?

AV: Full disclosure. I actually recognise you.

MG: Full dsclsur. That’s creepy. Lol.

AV: Can I defend myself?

MG: Sure - but make it gud. Because my block/report button lkn mighty tasty atm.

AV: Lol. You were literally in my lecture yest morning. Prof Anderson. Philosophy. You saved me remember?

MG: U that dude who was looking at his phone the whole time. Truth???

AV: I thought that’s why you msgd me on LTRN?? Coz you saw me in the lecture…

MG: No. Sorry. Stranger Danger. I just liked your abs picture - jks.

AV: Well. It’s all good. My abs are fire. If not for lock-down we would have met in a cafe. This way I don’t have to pay for your coffee. Not Jks.

MG: Charming. But no cap… U ARE paying for my coffee when we meet. But dun worry. I am a reasonable girl. I’ll buy u the next one.

AV: So are u new 2 the area. I didn’t see u in class last semester.

MG: Y and N. Same Uni, different course of study. Same ruff geography, different house. I just had this urge to do something a whole lot less useful with my life.

AV: LOL. I hear ya. Philosophy = homelessness. What was your last course?

MG: Don’t hate. It was Law.

AV: Why would I hate a soulless corporate shill in training? Big Jks!

MG: LOL. Well I sure hope my journey from big-bad 2 virtue-signaller exonerates me in your books.

AV: All is forgiven.

MG: **HUGS**.

MG: Your profile says you live in Forest Hill?

AV: On God. How bout u?

MG: Same.

AV: No fgn way! Lol.

AV: I live Sycamore Ln.

MG: Wow - you’re a true stalker. I am on Wattle. Like two streets away.

MG: How long have you lived here?

AV: Four years. Before that in cashed up Avoca with my folks =(

AV: So important question - Where do we meet?

MG: The Bronze? HAHA. If you get tha reference - extra points.

AV: Double-ROFL. A Buffy Da vamp slayer fan? Tight.

MG: It’s not a show. It’s a lifestyle.

AV: Based. But serious I’d really like 2 meet u in person Madeline.

MG: Me 2 A-R-T-H-U-R. My place. I’m too scared to go out with the lock-down just ending. **Sick person emoji** Prefer my place.

AV: Ok. But should I bring a chaperone?

MG: Hard yes. I am an evil man-killer. Beware.

AV: So takeaway coffees, some donuts and maybe a Buffy DVD? Season 3?

MG: Just drop all that off at my door plz. No need for a meet-up - I’ll be set. LOLOLOL

AV: Fine. **Heart-broken-in-advance-emoji**

MG: LOL. So my house it is then. When?

Arthur’s heart was palpitating. His palms were sweaty. Despite the cold, he threw off his hoodie using his bare-chest as a heat sync. He was not surprised that Ginie was right, or the cards were right – whichever it was. But he hadn’t expected this level of perfection. He hadn’t expected someone who could give back as hard as she took. He hadn’t expected this level of WIT – including from himself. Arthur had zero game. None. Arthur was beyond inept when it came to women. It had become legend in Arthur’s small circle that he was great with hooking-up. He was made for one-night stands. So long as he didn’t open his mouth too much, his body was normally enough to get most of the women, who haunted the online halls of the SaySwaav app, across the line and into his bed. But here he was, actually engaging with this girl without the slightest hesitation, and Madeline seemed just as interested in him.

MG: Most important question. Pets?

AV: Do flatmates count?

MG: Yes. BUT thinking about the four-legged kind atm.

AV: Just one. Flatmate’s cat Azrael. Flatmate is a big Smurf’s fan. I don’t have a pet myself. But Azrael prefers me. Just saying.

MG: I have a cat 2, Warlock. But he’s with my parents at the moment. He’s a real menace.

AV: Haha. Any flatmates?

MG: Not at the moment. Living at a close friend’s house for the last few months. Her grandmother’s place. Super groovy. Old Witch house HAHA.

AV: That’s why I don’t recognise you from around town. I don’t ever leave a three block radius. For me it’s all Uni study and getting them gains at the gym.

MG: That’s probably it - you’re a hermit. AND a real Hardo. Lol.