Wither With Me

CHAPTER 14 - SUBWAY

What was that feeling of dread? Nora felt her legs shaking more and more with every step she took within the darkness. It took her a while until it truly dawned on her, just how screwed she could be if things went awry.

No matter how much she tried to tell herself otherwise, she should've listened to William. Although he sometimes came out as rude and harsh, his calculated reasoning and his experience gave her a certain degree of safety and confidence.

[See? You've gotten attached already, like you always do. You can't stand on your own two legs if you're not supporting yourself on someone else.]

Nora wanted to dispel her own thoughts, but she couldn't figure out how. Her mind was too busy to do so.

[That man acted as a wall for you. A wall you could hide behind. But once that wall is gone, what is it that remains...?]

The darkness of the building beckoned her to advance further. Trying not to make unnecessary noise, she wiped the cold sweat off her forehead and stepped forward. Her eyes were wide open, trying to adjust to the darkness and looking out for any potential threats.

...

Faint beams of light came through the main entrance and rained down from the skylights in the ceiling. The light seemed to quickly disperse, giving the subway concourse a dull, eerie aura.

The entire building was desolate. Small shops, restaurants... All of them sundered in deep penumbra, all of them silent. Tables and chairs knocked over, abandoned luggage and personal belongings all over the place, as if everyone suddenly left whatever they were doing and rushed away in a panic. There was no sign of life or activity. All that remained were dried bloodstains and the occasional desiccated corpse.

Where was she supposed to go? Lilian had to be somewhere in the vicinity, but she didn't dare call out her name. The station itself felt like a slumbering beast. It was hungry, and it would devour her whole if she woke it up.

Nora walked further into the open area of the concourse, her eyes bolting nervously from side to side, her heartbeat vividly thumping in her chest.

As she approached the subway access point, the darkness down below made her freeze on the spot. Several mechanical stairs connected the concourse with the underground subway hallways. They had gone quiet a long time ago, but Nora wished she could still hear their tireless whirring. It would be a lot more comforting than the maddening silence all around her.

'Huh...?'

At the bottom of the stairs, a small human figure stood still. Even in the absence of light, she would recognize her anywhere. Lilian was right there, quietly watching the top of the stairs. The moment she noticed Nora's presence, the girl looked down for a brief moment, then proceeded to walk further into the depths of the station.

"Lili—!!!" Nora covered her own mouth with her hands, before she had the chance to actually raise her voice.

She looked around, expecting the worst. Everything remained still. Nothing jumping from behind a corner, no threatening noises, nothing. She looked at the bottom of the stairs again. Lilian wasn't there anymore.

'Crap...!!' she started walking down. Every step she took seemed to echo more than it should, the weary stairs slightly rattling under her weight. 'Why...!? Lilian, come back...!!!'

Nora wasn't sure if she had taken too long to descend the stairs or if Lilian had rushed away the moment she took her eyes off of her, but by the time she reached the bottom, the girl was nowhere to be seen.