“Look there”
“Where.”
“There”
“That isn’t very helpful”
“Yes it is.”
“No it’s not”
“Is”
“Isn’t”
“It IS”
“ITS NOT”
“You suck”
“You’re immature”
“Like you?”
“Shut up”
Han left the basement a few hours after Ren did. The flickering screen of the computer monitor cast a sickly blue glow on the walls, and the stale air made it difficult to breathe; one could only spend so long raging over games before tiring of it. After a quick detour to the kitchen, she settled comfortably on their dusty green couch. A plume of dust lifted from its worn surface, long discolored from decades of usage (and abuse). The couch had been there for longer than she could remember, its frame creaky like the bones of an old man, or an old friend. As she sank into the grimy embrace of the fake leather, she felt as if something was amiss. A shiver ran slowly down her spine, every hair on her body standing on its own accord. Han quieted her breathing, her muscles tensed, and a prickling feeling of thousands of tiny feet ran over her skin. Slowly, she scanned her surroundings, eyes darting from one corner to the other, searching for the source of the feeling. With a growing sense of unease, she called out,
"Ren? Are you still here?"
It was alarming when, nothing, but silence and the distant sounds of birds answered her. Yet, the feeling of foreboding only grew, as if her brother's absence exacerbated the situation. Han leaned forward slightly, ready to get up at any moment. Suddenly, a faint rustle of fabric on the concrete floor reached her ears. With a jolt, Han leaped up from her lounging position, eyes wide as she whipped her head back around. Dust swirled in the air, only a few feet behind her, still disturbed by whatever had moved them. The sense of unease intensified when she turned around and saw a shadow dart across the walls, its source barely visible.
She was not alone.
----------------------------------------
Ren walked silently among the bustling streets, his head low. The morning markets were a safe place to be, but simultaneously, the most dangerous place for 'Gutter Scamps' like he and Han. Ren pulled his hood up higher, cherishing the veil of anonymity it provided. His eyes darted around, the piercing dark blue orbs absorbing every detail and movement of the people around him. He had learned over the years of surviving without his parents, years of (Somehow) keeping Han alive, that wherever there were people, clunkers were lurking in the shadows, their metallic glints blending seamlessly with the chaos of the morning rush hours. Above him, the roar of orbital transports and solar sails could be heard, as they flew to their destinations. They were always there to follow the same paths every day without fail. Ren scanned his surroundings before swiftly ducking into an alleyway, his heavy cloak lifting briefly with the wind left in his wake. Walking briskly, his heart racing ever so slightly, his feet slapped against the perpetually moist, cold stones. The darkness seemed to swallow him, the giant shadows cast by the buildings around and above him, growing as he continued his trek. The stones beneath his feet sloped downwards, leading him to a single door. The wood was rotting from the constant moisture, splintered and ancient, while the once brass door knob was blackened with age. Lifting his fist he knocked three times, the familiar pattern comforting his nerves.
He could hear the slight sounds of someone getting up and walking over to the ancient door. A few clunks were heard, before a louder clang of metal hitting the earth, a bit of colorful cursing followed that. Finally, after a long silence, the door creaked open, the warm light flooding the darkness that once swallowed it all. Before him stood a tall and toned man, with droopy brown eyes and light sepia-brown skin. He had his wavy brown hair, which he insisted was 'chocolate because brown is boring', tied back from out of his face.
"You finally made it. Chungho and I have been waiting for centuries," He said with a lazy yawn.
"Yeah yeah, it is nice to see you too Holden," Ren muttered, pushing past him and stepping into the warm hideout.
With a relieved sigh, he made his way to the small wooden table tucked in the corner, where Chungho was already pouring cups of tea. The lazy steam rose from the cup like the winding form of a lazy snake sunbathing on a great stone. Their hideout was mostly made of concrete, mind you the only exception being the old door, but over the years, the five of them had scavenged and found many decorations to make it feel like a home. Ren took his cup, feeling a surge of gratitude as Chungho smiled at him. Of the five of them, Chungho had changed the least. He was a fair-skinned man with round gray eyes that shone like two silver coins and thick, straight, espresso-black hair parted neatly in the middle falling towards the sides of his face. All of the time spent alone and running from the clunkers had done nothing to dim his sweet features or his loving nature.
"—keep it going. Right Ren?"
Ren snapped out of his daydreaming upon hearing his name called. Two pairs of eyes were looking at him, waiting for his response.
"Ah, yes of course," He said quickly, adjusting his cloak on his shoulders.
Chungho looked victoriously at Holden, who in return shrugged before saying, "Whatever, we can do either one in the end,"
Ren, who was rather lost upon what had just transpired between both of them, nodded along, pretending to have heard it all. Chungho looked at him with a sweet smile on his face,
"So are you ok with the relocation plan?" He asked, his gentle voice feeling like the warm embrace of sunlight on your skin after a long winter.
"Relocation plan?" He said questioningly, to which Holden groaned.
"See? I told you he wasn't paying attention!" Holden shouted irritatedly, gesturing wildly in his direction.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
" Hey! This was the only time it happened, and besides it is better than what YOU typically do at our meetings." Ren spat back, standing up to look him in the eye.
Chungho sighed,
"Sit down, you are going to knock the table over if you continue this nonsensical bickering," He stated, a low warning adding a blade to his typically gentle words.
Exchanging one more look, Ren and Holden both sat. Chungho smiled at them again,
"Good! now that we are all civil again, let me explain what the plan is."
Holden pulled out his MoPOD, the screen illuminating his face. Chungho's smile faltered a bit but he continued.
"Our plan is to start living here, in the hideout so that communication, and general life, are less risky," He firmly stated leaving no room for arguments or disagreement.
"Very well, if that is the best course of action." Ren said, making sure to keep his tone neutral, after all, the last thing he needed was to cause trouble among the five of them.
"Great! now that we are all in agreement, this meeting is hereby adjourned." Chungho chirped, beaming at all of them. "I hope to see you all soon!"
They both nodded before leaving, one by one, making sure to keep the timings between their departure random, so that no one would become suspicious of a bunch of gutter scamps leaving an alley at the same time. Holden left first, the door creaking eerily as it shut. Ren was the last to leave, his departure taking place a few minutes after Chungho's. I have to get back to tell Han what is happening, he thought to himself. He pushed through the thousands of people in the street, keeping his head down low. Someone bumped into him, causing him to almost fall over. Looking up angrily, he glared at the perpetrator, but they were gone, swept away by the bustling life of the morning market. Ren scoffed angrily, turning away to continue his journey home, but amidst the crowd, a figure caught his eye—a woman with strikingly familiar features, she stood by a produce stall her back to him.
"mom?"