The fudge-like scent from the donut stalls was the first to waft over her, followed by the oh-so-familiar saltiness of the ocean. It was as if this city had coated itself in its finest perfume enticing her to the promenade on this late summer evening. The aroma led her like a curious yet cautious bloodhound winding along the cobbles. With each step along the pastel-coloured streets the scent grew stronger. The air was different here. It was warm and it tasted sweet. She took another breath. Her lungs sucked down the flavour of the new city like a hungry child. No longer did she feel suffocated by the stench of her dying town. As she made her way past the rows of higgledy piggledy cottages she couldn’t help but glance back over her shoulder. “Don’t be stupid” she thought. There was no way he would be able to find her here. Nobody knew where she had gone. But she looked anyway. Just in case.
The sinking sun had drawn most of the city to the seafront and transformed the sky into a radiant shade of coral. The glow reflected off the Victorian buildings that lined the promenade – lighting them up like a parade of amber torches. The castle-like rooftops watched silently over the city. Separating the picturesque homes from the shore were salt-rusted turquoise railings with green sea vines wrapped wildly around them. Through a gap in the vines Penny caught a glimpse of two young women as they lay on an orange paisley print sofa. Their heads rested gently against each other as they flicked through a magazine. She paused momentarily as her eyes drifted over their apartment. This little snippet of their life was a kaleidoscope of colour with unusual artwork and exotic plants adorning the walls and floors. The rainbow colours of the flag that hung on the wall behind them was illuminated by neon lights. As Penny carried on her walk a longing tugged at her heart. The image of the two women so peaceful in their home played cinematically through her mind. It was a stark contrast from the cold, empty world she’d left behind.
Terracotta-coloured pebbles stretched all the way along the shoreline and tucked down by the front were independent art shops with little trinket stalls woven between them overflowing with delicate jewellery. The glam-metal music from the nearby bars waltzed through the air along with the steady chatter of the excited evening drinkers. The musky scent of hairspray, cigarettes and incense lingered in the air. Peppered down the beach were groups of friends and lovers, dressed in denim and leather and sprawled out on picnic blankets. All her life Penny had heard whispers of this freedom city, the land of the artists, dreamers and queers. A smile lingered across Penny’s lips as she scanned across all the unknown, interesting faces.
***
The bright lights of the palace arcade illuminated what was left of the summer sky. Penny headed up some chalk steps towards the floating circus in the sea. An older woman with pink hair and a Madonna piercing sat at the ticket desk office puffing on a thin cigarette.
“Resident or tourist honey?” asked the ticket clerk through the tobacco-stained glass as she tapped the end of her Virgina Slim into the overflowing ashtray beside her.
“I just moved here… so I guess I could call myself a resident now?.” Penny said cautiously.
“Well, isn’t that wonderful.” The pink haired woman chortled taking another drag of her cigarette. “If you don’t mind me asking, what made you move here? Always curious to know what brings a fresh face to the city.”
Penny paused for a moment.
“I… I just…” Penny cleared her throat. “I needed to start over.”
“What’s the matter? You running from something?” The woman huffed playfully.
The ticket clerk caught the look of unease as it drained over Penny’s face.
“Something like that.” Penny’s voice trailed off as a tear clawed at the corner of her eye.
“Oh hon, I am sorry I didn’t mean to pry. I am only messing around. Look… in this city we have all got our secrets. I hope whatever is troubling you soon slips by. You know, I moved here when I was around your age and I tell you, it was the best thing I ever did. People look out for one another here. It is your home now too, I hope you will be happy.”
“Yeah. I hope so too.” said Penny fixing the well-rehearsed smile back into place.
The ticket clerk scanned her face once more and gave her a small, knowing nod. Penny blushed. “well, that went well” she thought as she walked away – annoyed at herself for being so melancholic.
Penny started to make her way down the well-worn floorboards of the pier towards the palace arcade clutching the little pink ticket between her fingers. In large black letters, it read RESIDENT.
A large flock of black seabirds swept past her head. Penny watched in wonder as the tiny birds skimmed along the waves before circling high up in the sky, moving like a shadow as they twirled through the cotton candy clouds above her. The smile that she had been forcing started to relax as she looked back once more over the city that she would now call home. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and steadied herself. In the distance she could hear the roar of the city as the night started to come alive. It was electric.