theHeart

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I could feel that Alice had released my hand as well as my feet taking a few steps forward. It was an entire city underground. A street of tracks ran down the middle, and that was where little engine-powered carts moved up and down. They turned around each corner onto different streets, just like regular roads would. There was even a stop light at the intersection. I wondered if they curved smoothly like regular roads, too.

The mine space had been carved out to create buildings. It appeared as though there were different kinds of businesses. The ones around here seemed simple; I'd turned around to look above the door where we'd come out of and it proclaimed to be the hospital. Next to it there was a blood bank and pharmacy. I couldn't imagine a vampire getting sick, but maybe the half vampires.

"Although they can't catch anything that will kill them, half vampires still contract illness," Alice said, responding to my thoughts. I wondered for a moment how she did that. "Come on," she interrupted my wondering. "Let me show you around."

The other side of the street appeared to have another kind of bank and... my dear sweet lord, they had insurance! It wasn't any kind I ever knew of or heard about. It appeared as though they'd made it up themselves. They had to have a way to pay for it I guess, considering they put all this together.

We turned down the street with the intersection. Alice explained that before getting clothes and other necessities, I had to meet my roommate. Because not all half vampires remained here forever, they had to room with another person for the whole year they were here. They lived in little apartments that were generally co-ed. The council vampires that ran the underground city felt that they should try and let the half vampires experience life underground in as much a normal way as possible. That's why they didn't monitor everything; security was the only reason there were even cameras about.

As we walked down the residential street I noticed something odd. "Is that a church?" I blurted the question.

Alice nodded and continued to steer me down the street so as not to block other people walking. "Yes, it is. You have to remember that many of the full blooded vampires who still live down here have very religious pasts. We have multiple kinds of churches and temples around so that everybody has their religious needs met." Alice's lips curled into a smile. "The whole cross thing is a lie, but the holy water isn't... at least for full bloods. Still, watch your step."

We turned down another street and there were still more buildings. I noticed that, as we walked, most people did as well. Then I noticed something even more odd: most of the residence was made up of teenagers, some even younger maybe.

"That kid who just passed us... she can't be any older than twelve," I observed. Alice just nodded. "But that is crazy! Why the hell do we have a twelve year old living in co-ed?"

Without warning, Alice stopped. Her eyes had gone cold. "You need to remember that, in these times, suicide goes for more than just you hormonally challenged teens. Some get hit younger. And to think that we in the council are so dumb that we'd pair a twelve year old with an adult male, then you're out of your mind." Then she turned around and continued walking. I had to skip to keep up. "By the way," she added, a little softer now, "that girl you saw was a vampire. She's been alive for over a century."

That surprised me, but I didn't say anything more.

We came to a building where she stopped. "This is where you'll live. Building D, floor two, apartment number three, got it?"  I nodded, trying to remember that all. Alice handed me a key with the room number engraved on it. "Your roommate is named Jesse, and everything will be explained to you when you get there." I nodded again. In the blink of an eye, Alice was gone.