Her City

"Ladies and Gentlemen, in a few minutes, we will arrive in Diennik Central Station…"

I swung my duffel bag over my shoulder and joined the crowd waiting at the exits, ready to alight. I looked out of the window, the myriad of townhouses, some well-preserved, some run-down, whizzed by. An elderly man's eyes followed us from his junk-strewn balcony till he himself went out of sight. So, this is Diennik, I thought to myself.

Soon, we pulled into the futuristic terminal of the main station.

I alighted and put down my duffel bag, surveying my surroundings, observing the people hurrying about on the sleek, polished floor of the station. So, this is Diennik, I thought to myself.

Diennken/ Diennika, the sign read.

'We are actually two cities,' she told me with a serious expression on her face. 'Mereven and Flenie. The two cities have always been rivals. But in the end, we merged with the marriage of Princess Nuri and Prince Jaasken. It was decided to have the city named after the river, so as to be fair. But even so, we have different names for the river. So it is Diennken in the hills, and Diennika on the plains.'

Diennken/ Diennika.

I decided to walk to my hotel, after all, it was just a stop away by the Metro.

I got to my hotel, and took a shower; it had been a long train ride. The sun was already setting; autumn was coming.

Too late to pay a call, I decided. So, I went down to the reception and asked for dinner recommendations, as well as directions for tomorrow.

"There is a restaurant around the corner, serves traditional food. I mean Flenien food of course. It's very good. Or if you want, there is also a pizzeria down the main road. And along the way, you will find convenience stores as well. You can also pick up something from there.

To get to Mikan, you have to take the Metro. You exit here, turn right and come to the main street and you can see the 'M'-sign. That's the Metro Station, Beatri. You can take any of the lines to Letizi, and then you can change to the Siziling Line or Hafena Line to get to Mikan. From there you have to ask around. I don't know the address you are looking for."

I thanked the receptionist for her help and walked out into the cool evening.

'Flenien food?' she made a face.

I went to the pizzeria and got myself a Margherita.

After dinner, I strolled around aimlessly, a stark contrast to the people around me. They were all hurrying. They all knew where they were headed. Amidst them, I suddenly felt lost. I stood at the junction, and the foreign words rattled off by the others swirled around me, sweeping me up, pulling me into conversations to which I did not belong, of which I was in no way a part of.

This is her city.