The sky was turning a threatening shade of eerie purple as the sun slowly dipped behind the buildings, wishing us farewell for the day. I was glad the day was finally done, a small smile taking over the corners of my lips as I quietly followed F89's back towards a different warehouse on the west side of the city.
A long, slow moving line trailed into its entrance in front of us as we joined the queue in silence. It looked exactly like the one I had escaped from, only livelier. Tall grey walls embodied the cube-like warehouse, and patches of fresh steel were melded into the old metal, giving off an unusual lumpy texture. Officers patrolled up and down the line of filthy workers; guns loaded and poised ready to shoot at anyone who dared to even think of escaping. Drones hovered above our heads like eyes in the sky, relentless searching us as long as their electronic systems kept running.
I glanced over my shoulder at Matthew. He stared endlessly at his feet as though he was shyly telling a lie, and I half expected him to say something witty, maybe even try to connect with me. But then again, I wasn't about to be a protective, nosy asshole like him.
As we drew closer to the looming walls, Officers began to demand to see our arms. I knew better than to protest by now, but I somehow knew I never would fully be able to get used to that black uniform.
"Arm," the closest Officer to me instructed.
I held it out obligingly as he took out a scanner. A blue light illuminated the bottom of the machine as he waved it along my wrist waiting for it to beep. When it did, he nodded once, and I was pushed forward.
Another Officer shoved a tray with a single piece of bread and lumpy soup into my hands. It looked gross. Chunks of orange-like potatoes swam on the surface and an equally orange sauce accompanied it. I swear those orange lumps were moving.
The crowd of people became overwhelming as I pursued after F89 into the warehouse. I chased after her back as she wound her way through the endless corridors and moved to a far corner of the sleeping quarters. She sat down and carefully broke apart the bread on her tray.
I seated myself beside her and curiously looked on. "Why are you doing that?"
She didn't reply and instead continued to break the bread into tiny pieces mindlessly. "Eat," she eventually said.
I didn't need to be told twice. I shoved the stale bread down my throat, feeling its crumbs scratch the dryness of my throat. I glanced at the soup, feeling myself about to gag, my mouth still full of unchewed damper. The lumps wreathed, and on a closer inspection, I realized they were maggots.
Disgusted, I gulped down the vomit that was ready to erupt onto the floor, dampening it with the clump of bread. I looked back down at the moving wave of food; there was a little party happening in my soup - and I wasn't invited. I gritted my teeth; I was too hungry to care. With one massive breath, I raised the bowl to my lips and swallowed as much of the liquid as I could without it coming back up again.
As I placed the bowl back onto the ground, F89 smiled. "You'll get used to it," she said as she held her hand out for my tray. "I'll put these by the door, you grab out your pouch and set yourself up for the night."
"The pouch?" I asked. Since when did I get a pouch?
"Check your pocket silly," she said cheerfully as she got up and strolled away.
Check my pocket? I reached into my jacket and felt around the inside of it for a bit. Soon my hand clasped firmly around a soft enclosure of fine mesh. I carefully pulled it out; fearful the bottom would snap, and I would somehow die. With much hesitation, I undid the string and to my relief, all that greeted me was a toothbrush and a small folded blanket.
I unfolded the blanket, draping it over my legs and curling up beneath it. My teeth wouldn't rot within a night, so I didn't bother to get up and brush them. I placed the pouch wearily back into my pocket and pulled the blanket further up over my shoulders. It wasn't big enough to cover my feet, but I didn't care.
My eyes were heavy, and I felt myself begin to drift off, my limbs beginning to sink into the floor as my muscles were finally allowed to rest. It felt like only seconds before a voice stirred me from my slumber.
"I'm trying to sleep," I slurred, curling up tighter as I tried to keep the warmth I'd generated in, but the voice persisted, and I felt I had no other choice but to open my eyes. I scowled at the figure standing over me, now extremely annoyed, and rolled back over. "Go away," I murmured.
"I want to show you something."
"Go away," I repeated to Matthew. It was hard to ignore him, however annoying he actually was.
He huffed, placing himself beside me and leaning in closer. How had he even gotten in here?
"Go away," I repeated. He really had no idea how much I hated him right now, or how much I really wanted to sleep.
"It's important. I need your help."
"Pfft! Sure, you do," I muttered with my eyes still closed.
"Fine. Be like that," he paused, thinking for a moment. "But I have chocolate."
"Sure, you do."
Now annoyed at me, he huffed and with a rustle, his footsteps began to lightly pad away. Content at getting rid of him, I began to drift off again, however, to my dismay, it wasn't long before I was woken up again by him tugging my blanket off my shoulders.
A cold chill hit my body and I rolled over in anger at him. "You're like a friggin' child!" I hissed at him. "Get out!"
He let go of the blanket and it fell to the ground like fondue hitting a cake. Fear embedded itself deep into his eyes as he stood there rigidly and afraid in his spot next to me. It was the first time I'd seen him like this, and it scared me.
"Shhh! Shut up! They'll hear you and then we'll both be dead!" he hurriedly whispered, springing into action and shoving his hand over my mouth. I wriggled my face from beneath his sweaty palm, angrily glaring at him.
"No, only you will be!" I hissed, snatching the blanket from the floor and rolling away from him.
I felt him stand there in the darkness, staring at me. He waited for what seemed like an eternity before he judged that it was safe enough to whisper again. "Please. It's urgent. It's about Alfredo."
Whatever past feelings I held about him fizzled out. He know held my full attention. I liked Alfredo, he wasn't an asshole like Matthew and even though I couldn't understand what he was saying half the time, he at least respected me enough to give me space.
"Why didn't you say something!?" I angrily whispered back at him, turning over.
"I tried to. Will you please come?"
I sighed heavily. "Can't this wait until the morning?"
"No," he said, his tone beginning to become impatient like a schoolboy who was begging a teacher to use the bathroom. With every passing second, I could feel him grow more desperate, and as I left him hanging, undecided if I really wanted to get in trouble, I couldn't help but feel selfish. "Fine then. Don't be of any help. Be as useless as Anna, B67!"
I felt horrible, the guilt clawing away at my stomach. Why was this happening to me? I rolled over and watched him delicately skip over the sleeping bodies in a huff of annoyance. Surely there was something in me that wanted to help Alfredo?
I sighed.
"Wait!" I whispered out after him. Quickly, I got up, letting the blanket roll off me onto the floor and followed him as he waited anxiously by the door to the room.
"How'd you even get in here?" I whispered at him as he checked to make sure the hallways were clear, still hopping from foot to foot like he needed to pee.
He smirked at me from over his shoulder. "Just a little trick."
I rolled my eyes at him; still angry he had woken me up. "This better be good. I don't fancy being killed tonight."
We didn't utter a single sound as we ran down the hallways. We reached the end of a corridor, the sound of voices reaching my ears. Matthew was about to stick his head out to check if it was clear when instinctively, I grabbed his shirt and pulled him back. Holding our breath, we both pressed our backs to the wall and stared wide-eyed at the two Officers. Neither of us dared to move as the pair moved past us, seemingly unaware that we were there.
When they disappeared, a loud sigh rang out followed by Matthew's voice.
"That was close."
"You don't say," I mused. "You're lucky I was able to pull you back."
"Thanks, Taggie," he said playfully.
"Are you kidding me!" I hissed, throwing my hands into the air. "I just saved your life and now you're making a mockery of that!?" How dare he risk my life and then make a joke about it! "I'm going back to the dorms! That was too close for me!"
He paused, like a cat had got his tongue. Suddenly he didn't have anything witty to say. He stood there for a moment and then just glanced up at the roof. "You'll never make it back without me. You don't know the way."
"Wanna bet?" I retorted. He continued to look up at the roof and then he jumped at it, knocking a tile down. Right before it clattered to the ground and alerted the guards, he caught it.
He grinned over at me. "That was a close one, eh?"
I glowered at him. "You've got to be kidding me! I'm not going up there!"
He shook his head in dismay. "Come on! I'll give you a leg up."
He held his hands in a cupping motion and waited. I watched displeasingly, on the verge of leaving when his smirk faded into a gaping hole. His eyes averted to something behind me as a red light beamed, illuminating the concrete floor. Quickly, I turned and was greeted by the face of a Drone. It hovered at the end of the hallway waiting for us to move.
But it was already too late. The Drone scooted towards us with such speed, I swivelled and ran towards Matthew. I leapt into his cupped hands and was propelled up into the roof. I just managed to clasp onto the edge, and I hung there for a moment. Somehow, I found the strength to haul myself up into the roof before it was too late.
"Turn right, then left," he yelled up at me.
I did as I was told, crawling forward in the pitch black and damp vent system. I waited for a familiar voice to arrive, hunched on all fours. How could this be? Did he just save my life? Did I just kill someone?
"Hey! Taggie, you'd better move, or we'll be caught!"
His voice brought me out of my trance. Is this a dream? When my eyes finally adjusted on his tanned face, I beamed across at him in relief.
"Aren't I glad to see you!" I found myself saying, a little shocked at my carelessness. "What took you so long?"
"Had to replace the tile, now didn't I?"
I rolled my eyes at him and crawled on, content that he was still alive. After much instruction and bumped foreheads, we came to an open grate leading down into a separate room. I was blinded by the sheer whiteness of it all. Even the people were dressed in white gowns. Machines churned in an awful slushing pattern and a loud beep was repeating itself from the monitors. There was a row of neatly made beds lining either side of the room. Each one was laden with blinding white sheets and victims restrained to the beds.
"You see them?" Matthew said over my shoulder. "I think they're going to kill them."