Press. Release. Wait.

Friends Forever

It must've been only a few seconds. I'm not sure how long exactly but I could still feel the spot of irritation on my face from falling onto the dirt.

My eyes flickered open like I was awakening from a deep sleep. I groaned, the scratchiness in my throat still persisted but at least my coughing fit was finally over.

I have to admit it is slightly funny that I coughed so hard it cause me to faint.

It wasn't very funny in the moment, though.

Isolation threatened to overwhelm me the moment I came to my senses. As if a switch had been pulled in my brain. That's all I could think about. It invaded my brain, manifesting itself into my senses. I could feel every particle of dirt beneath me. The dirt below me went on for miles until it gave itself away to magma deep beneath the earth's surface. Rock to molten rock. Pure heat emanating through the chaos.

Chaos.

Shut up. Stop. Just stop.

I picked up my head, opening my eyes just out of pure reflex, knowing that my vision would not change at all.

You're alive. You're breathing. That's what matters.

I rubbed my hand against my face, feeling the dirt begin to crumble its way off of my face. I just needed to get up. Just continue and it'll be okay. I lifted my legs, getting into a kneeling position. I took a few breaths and pushed my way up.

It was disorientating and completely dizzying to be up again. It didn't help that I had no idea where I was in space. The darkness around me gave away no clues.

My hand pushed against the darkness, searching for something solid to grab onto.

My hands hit something metal. Funny how the subway was relieving to me now. Though I had no idea what train I was at. I felt like I needed to go further, knowing I needed water. The only water around was the bottles I managed to take from the conductor rooms previously.

I faced away from where I knew the train was and moved forward. After just two steps I felt the cold walls of the tunnel meet me.

Left. Go left.

I moved left

I had completely and entirely failed in the only plan I had to find the dog and thus, Adam. 100% failure. I wondered if Adam had managed to have any luck at all. Had he encountered the same thing?

After a few dozen feet I reached for the train again, feeling its cold metal exterior I groped around in the darkness to see where I was on the car.

A raised part. And then plastic. A window. Definitely a window.

I walked a few more steps and felt again. It only took a few seconds to feel the conspicuous crack in the metal that indicated the hinges of the door. I grabbed the handle. A disdainful memory of being trapped inside the train came back to me but I pushed it aside. It opened easily as I stepped inside.

Was this the same car? I had no way of knowing. Already I could see the faint red light from the speaker blurring into my vision.

Only one way to find out.

I opened the second door into the main room. Then I knelt down. I grabbed a rock and wedged it into the door to keep it from locking me in.

Not going to happen again.

I navigated the seats and obstacles expertly at this point. I knew the layout now. Then I slammed my fist on the button. The train called out.

CALL FROM TRAIN 2.

Nope.

CALL FROM TRAIN 2.

CALL FROM TRAIN-

I slammed my hand on the button again. I hated that sound now. Just a reminder that I was alone.

Just call Adam. Seriously.

Everything felt so empty. So... nothing. I sat down in front of the button, staring at it.

There was something about that button. Something about that light. I just kept coming back to it. Over and over again the image of the faint red light illuminating the speaker kept coming back to me.

I stared, transfixed at the speaker. Someone was on the other side. I just knew it. I didn't care who it was at this point. I just wanted someone to be there, listening to me.

I slumped down, still staring at the speaker.

Something.

Something.

The mantra repeated in my head.

My eyes were closing. The dim red light was going out. It was just darkness now. Just me in the darkness.

Crunch. Crunch.

Darkness.

Crunch.

I think I was asleep. I couldn't quite tell but I was something.

Crunch.

...

In the darkness I felt something touch my leg. It was nothing. I was dreaming after all. My thoughts strayed but the feeling remained.

CRUNCH!

The sound was so close it was almsot in my ear.

My eyes threw themselves open and I stood up almost immediately, throwing a dark shape to the floor.

A tiny whine emanated from it.

Oh my god. I killed the dog.

Another whine.

I grabbed a it. It moved slightly. Then I breathed a sigh of relief. The dog was still alive.

"Hey..." My voice was raspy and sharp. I had not used it in a while.

I reached into my pocket. The treats were gone but a few of the crumbs still remained. I fished them out and offered them to the dog.

"Sorry about that, buddy."

The dog lapped them up. Then it stood up again, wagging its tail.

"That's it. There's no more left."

I was smiling from ear to ear. I had finally found it. Even though every single aspect of our plan had failed. Even though Adam wouldn't answer the goddamn phone. Even though a weird, unknown creature was trying to do... whatever it was trying to do to me. Even though I was thirsty and tired and hungry and hurt and everything else.

I had found one.

A friend.