I catch a glimpse of the remains of an old subway and suddenly I am drawn to it. The train is flipped over its railings right through the glass of the tunnel like it is waiting for a team to come and repair it any minute. But no one is ever coming. I climb inside it and see a seat flipped over. I wonder what was it like back then? When people used to live out, under the open sky. A sigh. No one could tell me.
Wham – not far from me. Sirens and a second after it the sound of metal doors shutting down. A strange feeling overwhelms me, something between panic and excitement. The Campus has its doors closed now for some unknown reason. It’s not like some of the evacuation practices which we do sometimes. Looks like my adventurism doesn’t spread so widely and the fear of the unknown takes over my mind. I froze in my footsteps.
Wham – once again shakes the environment and this time is closer. Now the hiding behind the walls of the Campus, without even the slight curiosity of what’s the world outside, sounds absolutely rational to me.
“You better bend over and stay quietly if you want to survive until the next day! “ The whispering voice of a woman standing behind me. Although I’m frightened I stood under the seats in complete silence.
“What are you doing here you stupid girl?!”
“I... I just wanted to see what is like to be outside“ I mumble quietly under my nose and wonder what is the true reason.
“Well I hope you like what you see.” Ashamed I shrug my shoulders.
“Get ready girl because we are not going back to the Campus any soon. Those dump idiots are not willing to open the doors today. “ She says like It’s something completely normal.
“By the way… my name is Moira” She spreads her hand towards me and as I catch it with my shaking fingers I say :
“Teyreen.”
My voice sounds so quiet even I can’t recognize it.
“Do we have to stay here the whole night?”
“Yes, except if you don’t know a better place sweetie!” I don’t know if the sense of excitement or the sense of fear is the one I should listen to, but a little smile slides on my face.
Another loud noise and this time is even closer than the last time.
“What is this?” I ask in hope to receive an answer.
“I don’t know sweetie, but what ever it is we better stay away from it!” A little spark in her eyes makes me thing she knows what is it.
“Get comfortable and don’t make too much noise or we are both dead.”
It’s getting dark already and considering my equations the Campus had to close its doors 2 hours ago. No longer matters because the whole day they are closed. The loud sounds have stopped long ago. Moira stands by me and plays with a little knife and a piece of wood – a little figure reminding of a bear.
“You truly don’t know what was that thing out there?”
“I don’t know Teyreen, I come out for one single reason – to collect herbs for my sister’s hospital! Never before I had stay out for the night.“
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“I see.”
I say like something is stuck in my throat. Moira sees my fidgety and gives me the little statue.
“A totem to keep you safe in the dark sweetie.” She winks at me.
And then there it is again a loud sound and a roaring. In this moment a feeling of curiosity bends in between the fear and excitement. My desire to see what’s there grows stronger and stronger until I finally get up. In the exact second I feel the grasp of Moira around my arm pulling me back down. For such a skinny old lady she has a strong catch.
“Are you nuts? Sit down you stupid girl!” She hisses at me. Her face looks monstrous in the darkness.
“I just wanted to take a peek.” I say sheepishly.
“Your peeking will kill us both you incredibly stupid girl! Is this what you want?!”
“I’m sorry.” I say with disappointment, not with actual regret.
The roaring slowly passes by and after all I feel a little relieved.
“We will take shifts. I’ll take the first one so you go to sleep now.” Moira says like she expects me if something happens to react somehow. I hardly swallow and nod with my head. This is the moment when I expect to fall asleep but it slips through my fingers and I can’t even close my eyes. Thousands of thoughts rush in my mind. The light summer drizzle is gone and the air is no longer suffocating. Now it’s all really cold and it feels like it’s going to freeze any minute. I feel cold and this doesn’t help me to fall asleep at all. I think the time is going so slow like this night is never going to end.
Moira pushes me roughly:
“I hope you have had enough sleep because it’s your turn Teyreen.” She passes me her gun and lies heavily on the seats. For such a delicate woman she has very bad manners.
“I wish I had slept.” I take the gun in my hands.
I’m not good at shooting. In fact I have never touched a gun before, although I am very good at throwing knives. I like them. They kill in cold blood and complete silence. Not like I ever killed something. But the feeling of my hunting knife in my boot calms me down. With the tips of my fingers I touch the handle of the knife. It’s better than having no weapon at all. The light of the midnight moon flashes through the window of the train and lights up Moira’s gun in my lap. Now I realize what an incredible weapon it is. It’s silver and wooden with lots of ornaments and a beautifully written inscription:
“To my beloved mother to keep her safe from the enemies “
Moira moves almost unseen and I wonder how can she sleep so peacefully.
The next moment I hear heavy footsteps and someone screaming.
“Come on! Run faster! RUN, RUN!”
“I can’t it hurts.” The breathless voices of a boy and girl not far from here.
“Come on Rolly you can do it! We are going to hide in the subway! It’s just few meters more!”
I get up and think if I should wake up Moira or not. Another reckless movement and I am already outside. Clouds cover the moon, it is so dark and I don’t see further my nose. As I turn around trying to hear where the footsteps come from - there’s another scream. Someone’s hand pushes me away, bring light blinds me. Shoots. Scream. Darkness. And then nothing.