BENEATH (Levi: An Underground Story)

Chapter 5: Proper Introductions

"How the fuck is this place so amazing?" The boy asked exasperatedly.

Claire decided to ignore it this time. When she reacted last he swore, he misunderstood. She didn't exactly want to get into another argument with the gruff boy.

She had looked around them once more as she shifted her right leg down to swap with her left. She just couldn't contain her awe for the place and she was vocal about it.

"I'm not talking about the whole Underground. Just this. Think about it. Isn't it amazing how this could exist down here?"

"Tch. Guess so." Levi answered considering her perspective. He had never really given it that much thought but it was one way to look at it.

"How did you come to find this?"

"What?"

"I mean, you brought us here. It's not like we stumbled upon it. You knew where to go. Do you come here often with your friends?" She asked innocently.

Claire waited as the boy thought of his answer. To be honest she didn't think the boy would even talk to her.

He just didn't strike her as the type to care for conversation.

She looked up to see him with his head low.

Then it crossed her that maybe he didn't have friends to start with and this maybe the only time he had someone to talk to.

There weren't exactly that many children in this place and she felt sad for him.

"I... once fell down the hole we came from and... no one ever comes here." He said finally.

"Must be your secret place then." She whispered thoughtfully to herself and she suddenly felt like she was intruding but Levi heard her.

The sewers was a desolate place but it had a serene vibe thanks to the opening above.

Claire thought it was the perfect hideout to escape to within the Underground if one simply wanted to be away from the harsh environment.

She nodded not wanting to push any further. Thinking that was as much as he was going to say, she focused back on examining her bruised knee.

"I was also trying to outrun a couple of older thugs then. The man who raised me was not around and I was hungry so I stole some bread."

Claire looked up when he spoke again, intrigued at what he said. It seemed to her that the boy was neglected and the idea bothered her completely.

Why would anyone leave a child alone unsupervised in this place? Then again this is the Underground.

She too was alone but it was different.

Her mom fed her and her brothers that morning before leaving. They had no pressing reason to leave the safety of their lodge unlike the boy's hunger.

"Not around? Where was he?"

"I'm not a lost little brat like you. What were you doing back there anyway?" He pointed out sharply refusing to answer her question.

"Oh! My brothers and I were trying to explore the Underground. But-" She answered happily as she gently prodded a deep scratch on her ankle.

"Explore? Just what kind of place do you think this shithole is for you to explore?" The boy cut her off giving Claire an incredulous look.

She felt it even before looking up.

His look made her feel small and dumb for what she did. But to her, she had a perfectly valid reason and it's not like she did it on a whim.