Dominic Lyne - The Mushroom Diaries

Were stood inside one of the tunnels that makeup Mornington Crescent tube station, one station among the galaxy of known andunknown platforms within this underground universe of man-made caverns. The we for the record is Sam andI. Sam, my friend, my partner onthis trip, my partner in everything I do. The centre of my world. Sam, my boyfriend. Werejust standing, waiting for a train. Any train. We dont knowwhere we are going, our voyage unmapped. Unknown. We plan to gowherever this fantasy takes us.

Weve been in this tube station for about aquarter of an hour. The emptycontainers that once contained the mushrooms lurk on another platform likeplastic snail shells, empty once the life force has been pulled from it anddevoured by a winged predator. Discarded. Forgotten. I look to my right. Sitting on a bench is this kid. Well, when I say kid I meanteenager. He just sits there, bookin hand. I try to look at the bookfrom this distance, try to focus on it. From what I see, its pages contain pictures, artwork interlaced with theblack block shadows of text. Thelayout looks familiar. It remindsme of something I have seen before, its layout triggering memories, taking meback. A click, the correct answerslips out the dispenser. I turn toSam. I bet you thats a Games Workshop book.

Why do you say that?

Just a feeling. I move towards the seated figure, feeling Sam follow closelybehind me. It is indeed as I hadguessed, confirmed also by the bag sat in-between his feet which reads CitadelMiniatures. Next to this bag isanother, this one labelled Mega City Comics. I look over to Sam. His eyes are ablaze with glee as he stares at this bag as we walk by.

Hes got a Mega City Comics bag, he says,excitement oozing from every pore of each word spoken.

Yeah, so?

Shall we go see if its still open?

Why not, I say as we turn around and head outof the station. I look back andtake in the figure one last time, watching as he jumps into the train that hasjust come to rest at the platform. For some reason he reminds me of myself six years ago. Me waiting to get the bus home with mybag from Games Workshop containing my Lizard Men figures, reading the comicstrip in the DoctorWho magazine Id only just bought from Startrader, the sci-fi shop with anever changing name. All thathowever was a long time ago. Another town. Anotherlifetime. Snap to thepresent. Time is passing, eachsecond more toxins entering the blood stream, rushing around like Great Whitesharks swimming in a sea of red; giant killer whales locked within the goldfishbowl of my body.

I feel Sams hand grip around mine, fingersentwining as intimately as our bodies. Hes pulling, edging forward eagerly, a puppy dog on a lead for thefirst time. We walk, catch thelift whose doors lay open, swallowing us inside it with baited anticipation ofuse. Giggling, smiling. Happiness a bitter churning in ourstomachs but tasted in our mouths. We stumble out onto the streets. Our legs walking back the way we had come when the mushrooms had sat intheir containers, leading us forward to Mega City Comics.

The street looks no different, only darker fromthe onset of night. How quicklynight falls this time of year. Dull days and in the blink of an eye, dark nights. Long dark nights. Millions of night time stories andadventures taking place at the same time as ours. Independent of each other yet linked upon a subconsciouslevel somehow.

We move along swiftly, our bodies gliding uponthe legs that are leading us to a destination of which we have no clue as towhether or not we could gain entry to. All we know is that we want to be there. Need to be there. Were hyper, as we move our bodies never stray far from each other. That is how we are in the real world,so that is how we are now. Ourshoulders brush frequently, when we giggle it works in tandem. Were running on anticipation. Anticipation of the trip we can feelcoming. The mushrooms slowlydigesting inside our bellies, their magic being gradually released; a poison tothe body but a vision to the brain. Transforming the world around us into whatever they see fit. The scenery is rushing past, a blur atthe corner of our eye even though we are not running. We walk, we talk.

You know what Id really love to do? I askSam.

What?

Take a huge bite out of someone.

You what? Sam turns to face me. He doesnt stop moving, walking backwards, interest keen in his eyes.

Take a bite out of someone like you would apiece of meat. I smile, surely itmakes sense?

Sams laughter heightens. What would you say to themafterwards?

Mmm, you taste nutritious.

Laughter, hysterical laughter. Laughter that comes from deep withinus, bubbling to the surface before it bursts from our mouths. Sam shakes his head. He turns around. After a few beats his head swingsback. Youre crazy, he says. But guess what?