Paradise Among Metal

Chapter 7

Lucy raced down the hall, her bare feet slapping the tile. Her footsteps echoed in the emptiness.

She didn't know where she was going. She didn't know if there was anywhere to go.

She had to go somewhere.

The elevator appeared at the end of the hall, and Lucy ran towards it, grateful for its steely presence. She stopped in front of it and hesitated before pushing the DOWN button.

No one on her floor was supposed to leave, but Lucy doubted there were any rules now. Once people start getting murdered, the rules don't apply anymore.

The elevator was there in a few seconds, opening up to reveal a vast, metal room. Lucy assumed it was that size to accommodate gurneys and other medical equipment. She remembered a snippet of a TV show that took place in a hospital, and sick people had to be transported from floor to floor.

Lucy entered the elevator, and she pressed a random button. She didn't care where she went as long as it was away from this floor.

The doors shut, and the elevator traveled down. Lucy held her breath.

No one come in.

Please, stay out of this elevator.

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened, revealing a long, gray corridor, framed with floor-to-ceiling windows.

A few elderly people milled around, all in wheelchairs. They looked glum and confused, and none of them seemed to notice Lucy.

Lucy stepped out of the elevator and began walking down the hall, trying to make herself look as casual as possible.

Just going for walk. I'm just wandering, looking for things to do.

Not like I just witnessed several murders or anything.

The floor smacked the side of Lucy's cheek, and she looked up to see an angry old woman frowning down at her.

"Watch where you're going next time, will ya?"

"Y-yes I will, ma'am. I'm s-sorry, didn't see you there," Lucy replied, standing up.

The old woman rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Lucy walked at a brisk pace down the hall, shuddering.

I forgot how much I hate old women.

The warmth hit her like a train.

Lucy turned to her left, gasping at what lay outside the window.

It was a beach resort, in full color. The sky was made of violet and orange, and the ocean and sand reflected it. The tawny resort stood beside it, rising with pride into the sky.

Colorful people swam in a turquoise swimming pool, with floating objects drifting around the pool. A few feet away, someone was cooking something pink on a barbecue. People milling on the beach played a game with a multicolored inflatable ball.

Paradise.

Lucy punched through the glass, and it shattered away, leaving nothing but cold and Metal in the distance.

All the elders turned and looked at Lucy. Their faces reflected the emotion Lucy felt for breaking that window.

Lucy stared back at them.

"Humans," she said. "We're just full of sins, aren't we?"

The elders went back to staring out the windows or into thin air.

More warmth tickled Lucy's back, and she turned around.

Could it be...

A brown bridge lay in front of her, stretching across a tranquil pond. Green lilypads floated on the water, some topped with pink blossoms.

Lucy placed her foot on the bridge, and rain began to fall.

It wasn't the brutal rain of the Perimeter. It was the lively rain of Paradise.

Lucy crossed the bridge, smiling. The rain drenched her, but it felt cleansing and...nice.

At the end of the bridge was a garden. A cobblestone path led into it, surrounded by green plants and multicolored flowers. A stone fence encircled the garden, and in the center was a mini greenhouse.

Lucy wandered into the garden, sniffing every flower and cherishing every color she saw. None of them were going to last.

After a few minutes, she decided to check out the greenhouse. The only way inside was through a tiny door, so she got on her hands and knees and crawled through it.

It didn't have any plants, to Lucy's surprise. It only had two cushions: a peach-colored paisley one, and a pastel striped one.

Lucy crawled over to the paisley cushion and sat on it. She closed her eyes and laid her cheek against the glass.

This place seemed like the perfect sleeping environment. It was dry, warm, and cozy, and the pattering of the rain against the glass created a lullaby.

A minute later, she heard a noise in the greenhouse, a noise that sounded like...breathing.

Lucy's eyes flew open to see a teenage boy in front of her.

Who is the mysterious boy, and what is his purpose? Stay tuned, and don't forget to comment, vote, and share! Thanks for reading!