Chapter 13: The outside.

The shuttle rattled to a stop at a dead end platform dimly lit by a few lamps dangling from the ceiling.

The group immediately departed with wringing ears and sour faces.

“Thank god that was over.” Stark immediately let out a long relieved sigh before asking. “What’s up with this place?”

The platform once again resembled that of an abandoned subway station with the tracks this time continuing on into the darkness. Directly ahead of them was a single narrow passageway that curved to the left immediately obscuring where it went.

The initial shock of smelling the outside air had worn off slightly, allowing them to sense several new aromas lurking in the air.

“This place is extremely dry…” Lupus said as he sniffed the air like a dog.

“The air here is indeed very stale.” The director added before motioning for the group to continue with him into the claustrophobic passageway.

“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!” Beverly shrieked as she pointed at something small scurrying around in the passageway ahead of the director.

Aunt Veronica immediately looked at where the girl was pointing before jumping into the director’s arms in fright.

Stark pushed past everybody to see what the commotion was all about.

As he reached the front of the group he saw a small furry creature quickly look back at him before darting around the curve.

“It’s just a mouse…” The director scowled before putting Aunt Veronica down and speaking in a judgmental tone. “You’re an immortal soldier who’s killed countless Necromorphs, but a mouse is where you draw the line?”

“Shush your mouth.” Aunt Veronica was resolute in her cowardice as her voice trembled.

“No…” The director sneered. “At this facility, we already get criticised for being soft. I’m starting to agree with those opinions.”

“Just be quiet and lead the way.” Aunt Veronica sighed.

Besides Beverly, Stark and the rest of the youths were only fascinated, this was the first time they had seen a real animal besides the koi fish in the garden pond and artificial river. Technically Aunt Veronica’s sweet and sour chicken also counted if dead animals were factored in.

The director spoke no more words and simply moved forward with Aunt Veronica following behind him sheepishly.

The kids all followed them into the passageway with curious expressions.

The passageway went on and on for what seemed like forever until they finally came into a wide room with a window that emitted a blinding light, a set of rusty half open doors was at the far end.

The director pointed towards the bright window and said. “Take a look through that window and tell me what you see.”

The teenagers all quickly swarmed the bright window while shielding their eyes. After a few seconds their eyes adjusted to the sudden light and that’s when they all bore witness to them.

“Those are…” Delilah was stunned and stuttered over his words.

Outside the window they saw hundreds of ordinary people walking back and forth in a vast underground hall. Many neon lamps illuminated the countless heads as they drifted past above a sea of coats and jackets.

They were different from the teenagers, shorter with less refined edges to their faces. Some had freckles and moles while others were large and rotund. A few were small and feeble while others were quite tall, though very few were as tall as their group.

“Their so short…” Victoria said, following the various civilians with her eyes.

Stark was at a loss for words. This was by far the greatest amount of people he had seen in his entire life, it was quite overwhelming.

“Apparently, most ordinary people don’t even reach up to an immortal soldier’s shoulder.” Lupus said as his eyes drifted across the various passing faces.

“Before we continue on further, I’ll explain what we’re going to be doing before you are all given your three hours to roam around.” The director spoke authoritatively drawing all of the eyes back to him. “We are going to be attending a speech from the head of planetary defence, there will be many other immortal soldiers attending alongside us, so be sure to be on your best behaviour. And also, be sure to stick together so you don’t get lost in the crowd.”

They nodded before Victoria quickly locked arms with Stark and Beverly.

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The director pushed the two rusted doors open before disappearing into the light.

They all quickly followed after him entering into the vast and grandiose hall.

The ceiling was curved with intricate stone tiles, several glowing signs with the names of random places hung low for them all to see. On the largest and brightest of them all were written the words: “Parliament Station”.

“This is indeed a subway station.” Stark couldn’t even hear his own voice over the ambient roar of the city. Still, it didn’t stop him wandering. Perhaps the shuttle had led to an old and abandoned part of this station. Stark knew from the internet logs that many cities were built and rebuilt extensively over the centuries. He wanted to ask what city this even was but he was sure no one would hear him over the crowd. It didn’t matter as he’d surely find out once he exited onto the street level.

The director much like the rest of them stood a good head taller than the passers by so Stark and the others had little trouble following him. He led them up a long crowded staircase causing them to bump and brush against countless descending people.

Sensory overload kicked in once again as the smell of cigarettes, body odour, alcohol and piss filled their noses.

Beverly and Victoria both had miserable faces as they tried their best not to gag.

Stark couldn’t help but sneer as he continued up.

Hockney looked back at the three of them with a shit eating grin, as if he was enjoying their suffering.

Before long they all emerged onto the street and were met by a breathtaking sight.

The entrance to the subway station was wedged in between two massive skyscrapers that projected light high into the amber evening sky above them. Looking around they saw more, many more buildings of various sizes and architectural styles. Some resembled the Victorian era, others were from the twenty first century and the newest of them appeared to be entirely made of glass, with every office and facility visible from the street level. Within the windows were thousands of toiling silhouettes, it was too much information. Stark felt as if he would fall towards the sky or as if the sky would fall down onto him.

“It’s so much…” Victoria quickly buried her face in Stark’s chest as she too felt extreme vertigo.

“Is it that bad?” Beverly asked, having kept her gaze firmly on the ground.

“You all need to snap out of it!” Lupus yelled amidst the crowd. “It’s a little intense I get it. But I fail to see how this is any different from the newest simulation we got.”

“Don’t try to act all tough!” Aunt Veronica immediately snapped at him. “The simulations couldn’t possibly capture the feeling of being in a city.”

“What city is this?” Stark asked, having regained his composure.

“New Johannesburg.” The director answered with a slight smirk.

“What!”

The teenager’s were all stunned. This thriving place was New Johannesburg? It had changed a lot from the husk of a city it was in the simulation.

“That can’t be.” Lupus was the first to speak up as he looked around in amazement. “That city was a barren wasteland…”

“That’s because the simulation was based on a scenario that took place one hundred years in the past.” The director smiled widely as he continued to explain. “After they purged it of the outbreak, it became one of the great safe havens on the planet. The city was rebuilt extensively, with many people moving back alongside new immigrants.”

Aunt Veronica then said. “Enough gawking. Let’s get to the parliament building where the speech takes place.”

She then pointed at a massive Roman style building several blocks down. There was a massive crowd gathering on the large square infront of it with several tall figures dispersed among them. There were also dozens of stalls with people selling various miscellaneous items.

The group crossed the red bricked street and onto the colourful sidewalk on the opposite side before they began to pass by the stalls one by one. All of the youths were amazed at what they saw.

There was one stall filled with all manner of shimmering jewellery attended to by an old woman with several missing teeth. The one after that had a man selling various food items that reeked of deleterious chemicals and oil. The one after that was another food vendor, but this time it was a beautiful woman selling pastries.

Victoria immediately let go of Stark and Beverly before running to Aunt Veronica’s side where she pointed at the stall. “Aunt Veronica can we please have some of those delicious treats?”

Beverly quickly joined the two before adding. “I want some too!”

Aunt Veronica quickly observed her watch before saying. “We still have twenty minutes left until the speech starts, so I guess it won’t hurt.”

She then looked back at the director who gave her a thumbs up before continuing on towards the parliament grounds with Hockney, Delilah and Lupus.

Both Beverly and Victoria then jumped for joy before pulling the older woman towards the Stall like a child about to get a new toy.

Stark was about to walk past them before Victoria suddenly pulled him by the arm.

“Where are you going, don’t you want to eat with me… I mean with us?” As Victoria spoke she once again gave Stark those wretched puppy dog eyes.

Feeling his heart begin to waiver, Stark shrugged her off and said. “I’m not hungry right now. Maybe later ok.”

Stark wasn’t particularly interested in this stall. Instead, his attention had been captured by the one just ahead of it.

It wasn’t really a stall but rather a large red tent that had its front entrance modified into one. There was a large wooden etched sign that read: “Welcome to Rodeo Grove. Here we do tarot card readings, palm readings and many more labours of the mystical world. We also engage in fair and equal trading.”

“What the hell is up with that creepy place?” Victoria frowned as she observed the bizarre sign and continued to say. “I can tell by the look on your face that you want to go inside of there, but why?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Stark said before looking back at her with a warm smile. “Just go and enjoy your sweet pastries, and I’ll be right back.”

“Ok, please stay safe.” Victoria said returning his smile.

Stark then quietly entered into the Stall with a burning passion. This place was dark and secluded, the perfect spot to ask where the red light district was.

Stark waved away vales of red cloths before he finally came before a strange table lined with all manner of mystical memorabilia. There were decks of tarot cards, stacks of occult books and voodoo dolls all lining various shelves and dressers in the back.

The place was dimly lit with only a few candles scattered around the ground lighting up the tent’s interior.

Seated at the table directly infront of him was a hunched individual who slowly raised his head upon hearing Stark’s arrival. The person had dark skin, long dreads and wore a fishnet shirt under a red robe. Two earrings depicting stars with thirty six points dangled from their ears.

Stark staggered back as he was hit with an intensely sweet smell of cinnamon.

The figure rose up slowly before locking eyes with Stark.

Stark couldn’t help but be amazed by what he saw.

The man had rainbow eyes.