Party Games
by Laurence Windham

The sounds of the party filtered their way outside. Even as Nick searched for the front door key he recognized the laughter of several people, the clinking of glasses, and the buzz of conversations. Nick wasn't the only one coming home to a party; Rocket was a party town. Driving home each night he passed all the familiar homes, each one pulsing with light and sound.

As Nick pushed the door open almost everyone turned and smiled. As he made his way over to his wife, several of the guests attempted greetings as he brushed by. Hope was sitting on the end of the couch with her feet on the coffee table, sipping tea and listening to a young Italian man telling a humorous story to her and three other women. Just as Nick reached the couch, Hope and the three women exploded into laughter. Nick didn't even smile. He knew the punch line; he had heard it last week.

"Hi," Nick said as he plopped down on the couch near Hope.

"Hi, how was class?" she asked.

"Unusual," he said, scanning the room full of people as if they were all strangers.

"Not the usual boring rhetoric, huh?" she asked with a smile.

Nick scannned the room and continued, "The Professor has had different speakers come each week presenting opposing worldviews, to give us a greater appreciation for Neo-modemity. Tonight this guy from the Outlands came and presented the Puritan paradigm." Who are the Puritans?" Hope asked.

Just then more laughter raised the din to the point that the pair retreated to the kitchen. Looking back Hope saw that the crowd was starting a game. "The Puritans," Nick began, "were a Christian group who questioned the norms of their day. Not just of society, but of their own religion." "How does that relate to us? We're Christians."

"Not like this guy," Nick corrected, "This man that spoke to us was so different. He seemed to communicate his case not just with words, but with a calmness and reality that none of the other speakers had."

Hope looked into Nick's eyes. She recognized that searching for something beyond school, and work. Beyond parties. The last time she had seen him like this had been when they had backpacked in Scotland, and had taken shelter from a storm in a small country church. The minister invited them home for a meal. Considering it another "experience", they had accepted. After a fine meal Nick and the pastor stayed up most of the night talking about God and life. Nick had intended to stay in touch with the pastor, but with their return, moving to Rocket Town, work, school, and parties, he had failed.

"The Puritans lived deliberately," Nick stated, "This guy tonight ... lives deliberately. We have too much ... he continued, too many distractions."

"This reminds me of that time in Scotland," Hope began

"I know, this brought it all back" Nick said as he headed back to the living room with Hope following. The party was going strong, more than thirty people talking, moving about, all beautiful and tastefully dressed. Just as Nick and Hope reappeared the

guests closest to them turned and began to talk. Nick, with purpose in his eyes, ignored them and walked to a black and chrome panel of the wall. Not fully concentrating he turned a dial several clicks the wrong way. At once all the guests were in bathing suits. Another click and they were dressed in camo fatigues, firing automatic weapons at each other. Click, and they were gone. The lights, lasers and mirrors of the holographic entertainment center disappeared into the walls and ceiling, returning the living area into a comfortable setting with muted lighting. Hope and Nick sat together again on the couch.

"There is something else," he said, "I've invited the man to come have dinner with us."

Hope said nothing. She simply reached over and took Nick's hand.