I JERK AWAKE as a bag smacks against my head. I tumble off the couch, landing on the ground with a loud groan. I push myself with my elbows, squinting up at the person standing over me.
"We need to move. It's a couple hours past dawn, there's still time to move." She says, dropping my bag in front of me. I blink slowly, rubbing my eyes. I force myself up on my elbows. The whole room is dark, the only light is provided from the thin windows that are opened.
Silvery rays of light projects the whole room into a gloomy look. Everyone is gone, except for Jade and Mali, who is currently watching me. The neon lights are obviously gone, so is the music. Everything is so quiet, so still. As the moonlight projects the walls, I notice more graffiti painted along the cracked walls of the main room.
I look up above me, wondering what type of building this was before it became old and forgotten. Jade walks away from me, her tank top hidden under a big flannel shirt. Her bare feet are now covered with boots, softening her steps. Her hair is tied back in a braid, the tips brushing against her bottom.
My eyes trail back to Mali. He nods toward the back doors. "C'mon. I'll show you to the washroom." He says. I sit up, yanking my bag off the floor and rising to my feet. I arch my back, stretching my arms high in the air.
A weird cry escapes my lips as I finish stretching. I find Mali staring at me with this unsure look crossing his face. I squint at him. "What?"
Mali shrugs. "You're beautiful," he answers bluntly, "in a strange way." I feel my face grow hot as I look away. I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear, hastily walking away from him. "Um. The washroom?" I say. Mali nods, walking towards the back doors. Only then I notice he's wearing a black long sleeve fitted tee with black jeans.
His shoes are a dark red color. His dreads are pulled back in a single ribbon, leaving his handsome face exposed. I realize his bottom lip is pierced at the center. His cat eyes snap at mine, lifting a brow. I look away, pulling the door open.
I slip through not bothering to hold it open for Mali. He somehow slips through the crack. He walks ahead of me, pushing another set of doors. I glance at the hallway to my right before entering the room. He gestures all around.
"There are showers, bathrooms, and sinks here. Please do whatever you can in five minutes. Do you know your way back?" He asks. I nod, offering him a small smile. He returns it, quickly slipping out of the doors. I walk around the locker room, glancing at the opened showers.
I finally find a bathroom, which I quickly use in gratitude. I walk over to the rows of sinks. I wash my hands and then wash my face. I pull my hair into a tight ponytail, pulling my hoodie over my head. I slip out of Malcolm's sweatpants.
My fingers curl around the fabric. I hesitate. Malcolm just betrayed me. I hurl the pants away, leaving in it the trashcan. I slip on my comfy yoga pants and tug my feet into my Converse. I glance at the mirror.
I look nothing like girl I stared at in the school mirror. That memory feels like a century ago. Such a different time. I clear my throat as I shift my backpack on. I leave the locker room, walking straight until I find the set of doors that lead to the main room.
No one is here. "Jade?" I call out, glancing around. I keep walking until I push open the door to outside. I suck in a breath as cool air sweeps over me. I find Jade speaking to Mali in the corner of the building.
Mali stops talking as he notices me. He flicks his cigarette on the ground, smashing it with his foot. Jade straightens as well, nodding at me. "Let's go." She says. Mali nods, turning away and walking.
I follow them both silently through the dark alleys. I only lift my hand from under my hoodie pouch when I notice cameras on certain buildings. I'm somewhat happy yet sad at how easily I control my gift.
My eyes trail to the ground. I hate being a fugitive. I can't go anywhere, or do anything publicly anymore. But I would hate living like I did before I found out I was a freak. I clench my fists, letting my nails dig into my palms.
Malcolm made the experience fun. I grind my teeth, trying to stay mad at him. But all my mind can think of is staring into his eyes and feeling loved for once. I briefly close my eyes as I feel a silent tear trail down my face. I furiously wipe it away.
He doesn't deserve my tears. I try to convince myself to hate him, but another part of me believes he did it for a good cause. I shake my head. No.
Malcolm only did it to save his own skin. That's how he was since the beginning. I jerk to a stop as a body thuds to the ground.
My snap my attention toward Mali, who is gagging for air. He withers on the ground, his dreads flying everywhere. Jade glances over at me in annoyance. "What's..." I trail off, realizing my hands are clenched into fists.
I release them. Mali gasps as he stops moving. His hands go to his throat. From where I'm standing I can see his chest rise and fall as he sucks in big amounts of air. Jade walks over him, not glancing back. I jog up to him.
I kneel next to him. "Are you okay? Oh goodness I didn't know I was doing that. I'm so sorry! Sometimes I'm lost with my--"
"I'm fine. You're good." Mali interrupts me. His voice is still scratchy from the choking. I press a hand to my forehead. "I feel really bad." I murmur. He waves me off, pushing himself into a sitting position. "It's okay, I know you're still a rookie to all of this." He says.
I push myself to my feet, offering a hand. He takes it without a thank you and turns away. I continue walking, wondering how all of these people are so cold. They all don't hold any emotion. I walk beside Mali, passing Jade.
I take my hands out of my hoodie pouch, not wanting anything similar to happen again. Mali massages his throat, not saying a word. The only sound is the constant thump of my backpack against my back.
My thoughts begin to wonder off again as we turn another corner. My eyes trail down to the ground. The only thing in my mind is Malcolm. And to think he was actually in love with me. I curse quietly at myself. That's why he never said it.
I gave up my freedom, my reputation, and my sanity over that stupid program Harold was trying to build. I shake my head. I was wrong. I should have left as soon as I arrived from the streets. I cup my elbow, fighting the tears welling up in my eyes. Just as a small sniffle escapes my nose, Jade snaps her attention toward me.
Mali as well, quirking an eyebrow at me. I furiously wipe my nose, keeping my eyes somewhere else even though I feel their eyes burning holes through my forehead. I extend my hand and let my fingertips run against the building walls.
Something I use to do so much as a kid. Sometimes the adoption center would take us to field trips around Virginia. I wince as I realize my fingertips have left a trail of indented lines along the walls. Small pieces of the concrete tumble to the sidewalk. I pull back my hand.
I can't do anything now. My life is trapped by the bandages of crime. I bite back a tiny sob. I didn't even do anything and I'm a criminal. My hand rakes through my hair as I briefly close my eyes.
Something brushes against my arm, causing me to jump away. I rub my watery eyes as I glance to my left. "What do you want?" I grumble, hating the way my voice cracks. Mali places his hands in his pockets, squinting up at the moon. "Are you alright?" He asks. I look at him, like really look at him.
He looks nothing like Malcolm. I make a disgusted sound at the bottom of my throat. Mali gives me a look. "What?"
I gently tug my hair. "It's just that... My... My friend just betrayed from where I just from." I whisper. I'm not sure that I'm even suppose to tell Mali this. But everything feels like it's collapsing on me. I shake my head. "Forget it. You're just here to give us directions, not therapy session." I mumble.
Mali shakes his head. "No no, any friend of Jade's is mine. Tell me more." He says, placing a light hand on my shoulder. I watch him carefully, not sure to make of him.
Screw it.
It's not like I'll ever see him again. He doesn't even know who Malcolm is. I sigh, telling him everything. I leave out the most important things of course. Deep in my brain I know Jade is listening from afar.
I notice the slight shake of her head as I tell Mali about Harold as well. He strokes his chin. "So you were his toy." He clarifies. I open my mouth to protest against it but my shoulders slump in defeat. "Pretty much," I say.
Mali shrugs. "Well, one thing I can tell you is that there's nothing you can do about this Malcolm guy. He screwed up and you had nothing to do with it. You're going to have a better life, I guarantee you that. Not caged up with those buffoons." He says. I chuckle, instantly feeling a bit lighter.
Jade shakes her head. "Steer clear of relationships. That's how I am and it works." She says without looking back. Mali scoffs. "I don't think we agree about that." He says. I snort.
Jade gives Mali a sickening glare that shuts him up real fast. I clear my throat. "So anyway, how did you get involved with the Night Tren?" I say, luckily seeing an opportunity to change the subject.
Mali clicks his tongue. "That's a long story. Not really my fondest memories though." He answers truthfully. Jade holds up a hand, silencing the both of us.
We all freeze, hearing footsteps in the distance. Mali tugs me forward next to Jade. I let him pull me, liking the way my skin tingles at his touch. Jade peers beyond the wall we are hiding behind. Her shoulders sag with relief.
"Hobo." She says.
We all come out, walking casually. A man pushing a cart comes into view. He nods at us, his eyes not visible from the raggedy hair sitting on top of his head. His red hands are clutched around the handle.
Plastic bags fill up his cart. The slight squeak of wheels still reach my ears as we move away from him. Mali grips my elbow, forcing me to keep up with him. "Would you quit that?" I snap. He ignores me.
"We are getting close. Stay alert." He says. Mali leaves my side, walking ahead of us. Jade stays next to me, squinting at the back of Mali. Her hair looks freshly combed and clean. Her face doesn't look so gaunt anymore, but more sharp and healthy. The bruises on her arms are still visible, even in the dark.
Her left elbow is bandaged. She wears the same clothes as I found her in, but without the sweat stains. Her movements seem more crisp and fast, as if she got energized. Her silky hair swishes from her ponytail as she looks both ways.
My eyes slowly move back to Mali. He touches the wall with his quick fingers. His slitted eyes dart back and forth as he stares at the walls. Confusion fogs my head. "Don't you have a flashlight or something?" I ask.
Jade shakes her head. "He can see perfectly fine." She mutters, eyes glued to him. I continue staring at him. He touches the wall, looking up at the sky as he tries to remember something. As we walk closer to him, my eyes widen as I drink in the wall.
Graffiti fills the walls, stretching down until the building stops. I look up at the building, which looks just like an ordinary warehouse. Cracks run up the wall, vines slithering their way up there. The colorful wall seems to stand out from all the full buildings surrounding us.
Mali nods, as if reassuring himself. My mouth forms a small O shape as I realize he's reading some of the symbols painted on the wall. I take a step toward him, looking at the shapes under his hands.
An arrow wrapped around a circle points east, probably to the entrance of the door. I squint at the wall, the many layers of art making it hard to see anything specific. I catch some funky looking letters or strange shapes.
I catch an upside down crescent moon spray painted. Then as my gaze traveling further down the wall, I catch the view of another yellow crescent moon that is upside down as well. Jade comes up behind me, not saying a word.
My eyes wander all around the wall. Another arrow pointing east. I catch some letters as well.
V. K. R.
I scoot toward Mali, trying to find the rest of the readable words. I sigh in defeat. "How can you see in this darkness?" I whisper, although no one is here but us. Mali gives me a lazy smirk. "Guess what my gift is?"
My attention snaps at him. Mali crouches down, fingers tracing the designs. "You have night vision?" I ask. Mali chuckles. "Well, that's included in the package." He says with a shrug. I look back at the wall wondering about Mali's 'gift'.
He jerks his chin to the left. "Let's go. We're here." He tells us. We all begin to walk right behind Mali. The moon is already on the other side of the sky, illuminating some other place. A dark blue washes over the horizon, casting us in a blue light.
The sound of traffic somewhere far off reaches my ears. Probably some adults going to their work places. We continue to walk silently and turn a corner. A metal door is wedged in the building, the glass broken off. But it looks like someone glued metal parts into the door.
A squared garage door stats closed shut a few feet away. I try to picture a loading truck connected to that door but the image doesn't come to my head. I glance down at the rest of the road. The road goes straight and then splits to the right and left, looking like a maze.
Only raggedy looking buildings stand where we are. Not a soul seems to be present. Mali presses his hand on the metal part of the door. He closes his eyes for a split second before pushing the door open. It makes a nasty groaning sound as it moves backwards. I bite my lip nervously, not liking the loud sound announcing us.
Mali gestures to the door. "After you, ladies." He says. Jade steps through without hesitation, glancing around. I follow, squinting in the darkly lit room. Mali closes the door, shutting us off out of all light. I can only make out the outline of metal working tables.
Dusty old tools lay on the floor, some causing me to trip over. Jade quietly hops over some. I suck in a sharp breath as my foot rasps against a sharp object. I try to look back at what it is but Mali presses me forward.
My foot steps over a chain, the rumbling sound causing me to wince. Jade snaps her attention to me. "Stop being so clumsy!" She whisper shouts. Mali presses a thin finger to his lips.
As we pass more tables and things laying on the floor, I begin to think this use to be some type of mechanical sweatshop. As I keep walking, I get suddenly yanked backwards from Mali. "Hey! Just because I'm—"
"Mali." A deep voice booms from in front of us. I immediately shut up, facing forward. Jade straightens, squinting in the dark. Mali dips his head respectfully. "Viktor, nice to see you once again." He says.
My eyebrows shoot upward. That's what was painted outside on the walls. The letters I saw.
V, k, r.
A light sprouts from in front of us, making me instantly close my eyes. After a few moments, I crack my eyes open. Jade makes a small whining sound, her jaw flexing as she clenches her teeth together. Her whole body slightly sways.
"Are you okay?" I ask. She gives me a small nod, pressing her fingers to her temple. As my eyes adjust to the whole warehouse, I notice a man sitting at a metal desk. Stacks of paper lay neat and organized.
A big lamp without any coverage sits hooked on his desk. The man has a short grey beard with hair that comes down to his ear. He wears a blue collared shirt that exposes his tattooed arms. His stormy dark eyes flicker to all of us before settling on me.
I don't let his age determine his strength. I swallow hard, trying not to drop the stare. The man, Viktor I presume, looks at Mali. "Are these the next shipments?" He asks his Russian accent loud and clear, his hands reaching over to the stack of papers to his left.
I shift. All we are is shipments to him and everyone in the Night Tren. My fingers find each and begin to fiddle them together. Even here we're not considered humans.
Mali nods. Viktor purses his lips as he lifts a single piece of paper, his eyes skimming over it. "The next train in the station leaves in an hour. Best get moving." He says. Mali's eyes widen. "Let's go." He tells me and Jade.
Just as I'm about to break off into a sprint, Viktor holds up a hand. "Did they already pay?" He asks. Mali swallows. "No. I owe them a favor." Mali answers solemnly. Viktor shakes his head in clear disappointment.
"Okay." He mutters as he grabs a pen and writes down something. A certain weight seems to drop on Mali's shoulders. He ignores Viktor and tugs me forward as we all break out into a run. Jade easily hops over machinery left on the floor with her long limbs. Mali keeps his hand on my arm.
"What happened back there?" I ask, my breath hitching. Mali frowns. "More debt is added on to me."
I open my mouth to answer when we soon get back of the warehouse. I see some other teenagers hanging around the back doors, smoking or chatting quietly. They all nod respectfully at us as we pass them. We emerge into the back alley.
Cool air slaps my face as I breathe heavily. Mali looks both sides before running straightforward. I yell out his name as he runs smack into the wall. Jade stares with confusion as his body disappears into the wall.
We both give each a glance before following him into the wall. Something swallows me whole, almost suffocating me as I step on the other side. We emerge on a dark stairwell.
Mali is already pounding down the stairs. Jade presses her lips together as she gives our surroundings a look. "Reality warping." She whispers before she stomps down the stairs. I glance one more time around me.
The dark green railing leads to somewhere underground. The rest are sidewalks leading to no where. They just keep going on and on. I go down the steps, keeping on hand on the railing. It seems forever until I reach the bottom.
A single lamp hangs over head, casting the tunnel into an orange shade of color. I make a face. The walls of the tunnels is actual dirt, looking as if any second it can collapse. The only thing supporting it up is wooden beams plastered on them, creating X shapes.
A pillar stands up next to me, disappearing in the glow of the light. Train tracks lay on each side of the sidewalk where people should be standing and waiting.
"What is this place?" I whisper, my echo bouncing off the metal pillars. Mali shoves his hands in his pockets. "A subway that never got finished. We converted it into a bus station." He answers nonchalantly.
I lift a brow. "Bus station?"
Mali nods. "Our mechanics developed a bus that can run on tracks." He responds. I glance at Jade. She shrugs, looking around the station. "How long will it take us to get to Montreal?" I ask Jade. She tugs her ear. "A couple of days."
A rumbling sound catches my ear, causing everyone to look to the left. Light reflects off of the dirt walls, casting us in a bright light. I shield my eyes, squint ling against it. A normal bus rumbles on, stopping in front of us.
How can it possibly be running on train tracks? I glance down. Instead of wheels, there are metal hooks connected to the tracks. I inch closer to catch a better look when the door pops open. Where the bus driver shoulder be sitting, sits a woman with strange luminous blue skin.
Her black eyes snap over to us. I jump back. Her eyes have no pupils, irises, or whites, only two black pits. Her face is structured differently, her cheekbones seeming too sharp to touch. Her grand forehead disappears under a hat.
Her hands clutch the wheel. "Coming in or not?" She asks, cocking her head. Mali nods, gesturing Jade to walk in. She steps into the bus. Mali presses his hand to my back. "Go in." He murmurs. I frown. "You're not coming?" I try to hide the slight sadness in my voice.
He gives me a small smile. "You're not getting rid of me that easily." He answers. I grin, trying to hide the relief coursing through me. I step in, glancing down at the ground.
"How'd you guys get the bus in here?" I ask. Inside, it's looks the exact same as any public bus. I take a seat, giving Jade room. I slip off my bag and place it next to me. Mali takes the seat next to me, nodding at the driver.
The doors close, and the bus lurches forward. I squeal as I feel back. Mali grabs my shoulders in one blurry motion. My breath hitches as I come real close to his face. He winks at me as he lets go.
"We stole them." He says. I blink at him, my stomach still clenching tightly. "Huh?"
He glances at me. "Your question. I said we stole the buses." Mali repeats. I nod, remembering my question. "That was you guys? It was all over the news!" I exclaim. Jade lays down in three seats, her eyes closing.
Mali nods, opening his mouth to explain how they worked it all out. The bus ride continues on, just the consistent conversation of me and Mali.
Jade stays still the while time, her body relaxed as she takes in air a couple of chairs down. I nod as Mali continues to talk. Guilt gnaws inside me as every passing moment I speak to Mali, I am thinking of Malcolm, the guy who broke my heart.