Our Kingdom of Dust by Leonard Kinsey Read Free Book Online Page A

looked good. But what did the sign say? “Ellen’s Energy Adventure”? As in, Ellen DeGeneres? Holy fuck. Turning around, I noticed the Wonders of Life pavilion was lifeless. I ran up the winding ramp, and was greeted with automatic doors that would not open. This was a nightmare. Down, past the repulsive Mission: SPACE, I reached World of Motion. But it was now called Test Track, and it looked like NASCAR had thrown up on it. Shit. More running, to The Odyssey, a futuristic looking building that housed a nice counter-service restaurant. The doors were locked, the lights were off. I was seriously panicking at this point. It was like an episode of The Twilight Zone . I stumbled to CommuniCore, but the dazzling reflecting ponds I’d remembered along the way were filled in with concrete and I got momentarily disoriented. I entered a dark building, something called Innoventions, and scrambled through a bleak maze, trying to find an exit. Then I realized I was walking through what used to be CommuniCore, Sam’s favorite part of the park. Except now it was all dark and claustrophobic, and there was no sign of SMRT-1 anywhere. I started hyperventilating, and doubled over. A Cast Member came up to me.
    “Are you okay?” he asked.
    “How do I get out of here?” I nearly cried. “Journey into Imagination?”
    He pointed to a blacked-out automatic sliding door. “That way.”
    I bolted through the doors, which slid open, revealing a blinding light and the Fountain of Nations. I stopped for a minute, watching the fountain show. There was an ugly wooden stage erected all around it that ruined its elegantly sculpted foundation, but at least the fountain itself was still there, shooting water into the sky in sync with music. But then I turned to the right and saw that fucking wand on Spaceship Earth, and it freaked me out. I didn’t even want to look at it, much less ride it. I started running again, towards Imagination.
    It was still there. The Imagination pavilion looked just about the same. Sure, the bottom half had a gaudy paint job, but at least it was still standing. I walked inside, expecting the vast open airy expanse I remembered, and instead was greeted with a cheap ass plywood queue. There was literally nobody in the line, so I shot straight through the queue and hopped on the vehicle. It moved into a darkened tunnel and Eric Idle popped up.
    What the hell was Monty Python doing in EPCOT Center? Where was Dreamfinder, the jolly bearded host of the ride?
    Well, at least Figment, the little purple dragon who was essentially EPCOT Center’s mascot, was there. But he was being a dick, not nice and loveable like he used to be. The ride continued on, a shell of its former self. Figment farted on the audience at one point and I swear I wanted to punch somebody.
    “What the hell did you do with Dreamfinder?” I asked a Cast Member as I got off the ride.
    “Dreamfinder retired years ago, after the first refurbishment of the ride!”
    “Refurbishment? This was appallingly bad! How is it a refurbishment if you make it worse than it was before?”
    “Many Guests have expressed their unhappiness with the ride, sir. I’d highly recommend that if you want Dreamfinder to return you fill out a complaint at Guest Services.”
    “Goddamned right I will. Thanks for the tip.”
    “No problem, sir. Have a magical day!”
    “That’s not going to happen. Is Image Works still upstairs?”
    “No sir, it’s been closed since…”
    I cut him off. “Since the refurbishment? Fucking hell!”
    “They did move some of the exhibits into the gift shop, right through these doors.”
    With two fingers he pointed towards the exit, which dumped me straight into hell. It was packed with kids, and was loud and uncomfortably cramped. Nothing like the expansive second floor Image Works. I got the hell out of there as fast as I could.
    I felt beaten down. Nothing I’d loved about EPCOT Center was there anymore. It’d all been demolished or