Follow Me, Anon

 

Anon found himself sitting upon a bench in Balboa Park at the arboretum mirror pool. For all he knew, he had been there since the beginning of time. In his palm was a silver coin, the shiniest he had ever seen, it glowed eerily, and a loaf of garlic bread. By all accounts, the loaf of bread was infinite. For he feed the ducks endlessly, much to their delight. Whoever knew that ducks loved garlic? Each time the loaf was used up, a new one materialized in a sparkly red mist. Sometimes he flipped the coin, but it always came up heads. Sometimes he hurled it into the pond, only for it to be found again in his hand. And why should this not be so? Who knew anything really. Anon looked up. A river of milk flowed through the Milky Way and the effulgent stars were dancing together to Shostakovich's Watz No. 2. The full moon, plump as ever, smiled happily and gave him a wink.

Anon saluted the moon. "Aye, aye Mr. Moon! By the way, can you spare a bit of cheese?"

Anon catches the cheese in a baseball mitt he happened to have suddenly, and passed them to the ducks, who where now walking musical instruments with webbed feet and a few feathers here and there. Happy quacks were now replaced by the confused noise of instruments tuning themselves. In a flash they became rare books, then woodworking tools, and finally ducks again but in a multitude of colors. "Those are ducks of a different color!" Anon laughed.

Anon squinted and peered through the glow as it died away. What remained was a glowing dark-blue figure with hair that flowed gracefully in the still air. The hair was iridescent and resplendent with silver flecks, as if they were stars. Anon saw that the figure stood on all fours and looked like a horse, a mare.

Anon laughed at Mr. Moon's antics, noticing that Princess Moon was also laughing cheerfully. He addressed her. "Hello, my name is Anon. What's your name?"

"Well Luna, it seems you and Mr. Moon are good friends, and any friend of Mr. Moon is a friend of mine. Have you known each other long?". Anon had directed his question to Mr. Moon.

"Sure. But who's gonna feed the ducks? They'll be terribly hungry if I leave." Anon was legitimately worried. After all, the moon had entrusted him to feed them the magical garlic bread.

Anon picked up the bread and gave a graceful bow to Luna. "In that case, lead on friend!"

Anon followed Luna through Balboa Park. They passed over the bridge that straddled the highway and turned north. The music-ducks followed, happy to feast on the trail of bread crumbs Anon left behind. They rendered whimsical background music in thanks.

"Oh, I'm a musician; at least, I am when I am not feeding the ducks. I play piano for the city's symphony orchestra and in various chamber ensembles." While he thus spoke, he examined this interesting character he was now walking with. He suddenly found it peculiar that he was walking side-by-side with an ethereal talking pony. "Um, I haven't met very many magical talking ponies before; actually none. Where are you from? Certainly not Los Angeles I would think. You're too pretty for that. Maybe Budapest or Prague?"

Anon shrugged. "Makes sense I guess, but I'm almost certain there must be a few unicorns in Budapest and Prague."

Luna smiled at the whimsy of this, but now she came back to the subject of music. "Do you love your work, Anon."

"Yes, music has a power to move you. It has a sort of magic all its own, if you catch my drift." Anon's admiration of her beauty, and his fascination with the enigmatic mystery she represented, was now growing continually now that he had an opportunity to see Luna closely. Her mane and tail shimmered, her movements were as graceful as planetary motion, her eyes were of a soothing aqua, and her coat was sleek with a shine that seemed alive in itself. "Do you have interesting music in Equestria?"

"Sounds wonderful. I'll need to take a vacation there someday to see it." As he spoke, and as they were still due north, their legs extended so that they stepped over hills and mountains with each hoof fall. Great strides, miles in length at a time, were now being made. Down below, vivid green marked the treetops. They swayed with the air currents that he and Luna were whipping up with their legs. They continued along the highway and then turned Northeast, and from thence deep into Palomar Mountains, whose blanket of forests appeared as jewel-studded gold.

"Only once before as a child. My father wanted to show me the observatory up here in the mountains."

Anon paused to tip his had to a few men passing by through the air on magic flying carpets before responding. "If you think that's wonderful, you should try the northern coastline!"

Presently, Anon breathed in the fresh mountain air, felt its coolness, and listed to the cheerful birds chirping. It was serene and peaceful. Nevertheless, he wondered why Luna had brought him here. "So, you wanted to watch the sunrise?"

Anon looked in the direction of San Diego. At first nothing obtained, but then there was a great flash of light that caused Anon to squint and raise his arm to shield his eyes. When the flash had subsided, he felt his vision magnified and he saw San Diego. But, there was no city there, only a great column of smoke and fire billowing up toward the heavens. At the base, Anon saw it unfold in slow motion. Buildings were being torn apart, their debris and detritus moving outward as they were carried by the blast wave. All living matter was being reduced to ash. Great quantities of earth was being blown out of its place. Nothing remained, only a hole in the earth and burning rubble. Anon turned to Luna with concern and confusion.

Anon looked at Luna, horrified. "What about the others in the city, and those around? Can't they be saved also?" Anon looked again to the mushroom cloud. How did it happen and why?

Anon felt himself go cold. "How could you possibly know that Luna? Surely I can warn others?" Anon now became aware of other flashes upon the horizon, from the northwest mostly. More mushroom clouds rose to be visible over the horizon.

Anon was overwhelmed. Gazing into Luna's face he saw loving concern, but also finality. Then everything faded into shadow and his vision transitioned to the familiar surroundings of his apartment. He looked at his clock. 4:00am. 'Just a dream' thought Anon, but a very powerful one. He could not let it go as he lay in bed. Luna's warning continually reverberated through his head. 'I must be crazy for doing this!' Anon arose, quickly showered, dressed, grabbed a quick breakfast, stuffed a few things in a back pack, got in his car and drove north to the mountains.

 

On the winding road up the mountain, Anon stopped at an overlook oriented to the west. From there, he could see in the direction of San Diego. A short drive up the road was the observatory. It was moments before dawn. There was nobody else there.

Anon turned in surprise to behold Luna, walking up behind him. It took him a moment to convince himself that she was real. It was the same ethereal being that appeared in his dream, and she was just as elegant and gorgeous. "I thought, that you could only appear in dreams, Luna?"

Just then, Anon witnessed a flash on the horizon to the southwest. There followed many more, both in the southwest and northwest. He could only just see the tips of the mushroom clouds as they billowed into the stratosphere and became visible over the horizon. "I cannot believe this is happening, Luna."

Anon walked to his car, and Luna followed. He turned on the radio.

The broadcaster began listing areas in the Southern California region. Anon leaned back in the car seat and checked his cell phone. No service.

With tears streaming down his face, Anon asked "How could this happen, Luna?"

Anon reached out and hugged Luna, sobbing.

Anon nodded, not knowing what else to do, and glad to at least have a friend. Both got out of the car and Anon followed Luna through a sparkling blue mist into another world. It closed behind them and they were gone.