Akira
Step two: Break in.
Lyndin and I are crossing the baren, asphalt grounds to the Terminal, the massive metal box looming in the distance. Lyndin marches in front of me, her unwavering confidence never ceasing even in the face of such formidable, impending danger.
Or she simply doesn't realize yet just how dangerous this will be.
How dangerous it already is.
Lyndin steps aside, making way for me as I pull the keycard out of my pocket, swiping it against the scanner, the little red button turning green. The massive doors slide open, making no sound despite their size. We make our way inside, the doors closing behind us. Lights flicker on, illuminating the spacious building with cheap, carpeted floors and impossibly high ceilings. The amazement on Lyndin's face brings a smile to my own, her eyes lighting up as she skips ahead of me, squealing in joy as she inspects the room.
"This place is huge! I think this is the biggest building I've ever been in. Ever!" She exclaims, her head swivelling in every direction as she struggles to take in the entire interior. It's plain enough, but definitely enormous.
A sigh lurks at my mouth as we pass by the MV departure zone, averting my eyes from the rows of familiar vehicles. My feet trudge over to the row of AVs clad in dusty cloth. After a good look, I'm stunned at their size. Just one is around three MVs long and one MV wide. I wave Lyndin over, and after some struggle, we manage to haul the cloth off the AV. Both our jaws drop.
They're magnificent winged beasts made of metal, each wing almost two thirds the length of the body. Unable to keep her hands to herself, Lyndin scurries around the vehicle, inspecting it from every angle, touching, feeling, caressing the shiny white plates of the wings, the long planes of the tail.
"Marvellous. A simply marvellous, majestic construction." She breathes, her eyes wide with awe. And I can't help but agree with her. I watch Lyndin feel around the side panels, searching for anything that could resemble a door. With every minute that ticks by, my body grows more and more tense. Despite the fact that my life will be in danger either way, I have willingly pulled myself into this mess. In addition to that, my best friend and the closest person to me is currently in the process of finding the door that will seal our fate. The moment we step onto the aircraft, there's no going back.
The thought sends a shiver down my spine, but evaporates the moment a clicking sound echoes through the silent interior. A door slides open, its construction strikingly similar to those of an MV. I feel the urge to slap myself, ashamed at not having realized that the AVs are guarded with the same camouflage protection as MVs. Acknowledging her struggle to open the door, I step up beside her and swing it open with ease. Lyndin whirls around, her silver hair grazing my face as she smiles. She'd always do that in school to tease me whenever I did something impressive, as if to show off that at least her hair is longer than mine. Following our ritual, I gently yank her hair, causing us both to laugh as we step inside the unfamiliar automobile. Once again, I'm struck with how similar it is to an MV. Identical metal seats lining the wall, overhead compartments, and a control panel.
That has a horrifyingly large amount of buttons.
As I stand contemplating how the hell I was planning on escaping using a vehicle that hasn't been used in decades and probably doesn't even have fuel, Lyndin is already prancing over to the seat, buckling up and powering on the vehicle. The lights flicker on, dimming then brightening as if they're struggling to believe that they're being used once again. I jump at the sound of the door clicking closed, Lyndin turning in her seat to give me a huge grin.
"Take a seat, your ladyship. Prepare for take-off." She announces proudly, gesturing to the smaller seat next to the pilot chair. I hobble over, already feeling overwhelmed before my butt even comes in contact with the cushion. Larger vehicle means larger control panel. Logical, yes, but no one could possibly navigate such a large sea of lights and levers. Fastening my seat belt, I turn to Lyndin, taking note of how focused she is as she studies the manual. I haven't seen her exert such concentration since... I don't even remember when. She brushes her fingers over one of the smaller control panels, murmuring the names of each knob and dial. Finally letting out a hum of satisfaction, Lyndin tucks her hair behind her ears, leaning back in the pilot's seat and fastening her seatbelt.
"You figured it out already?" I ask in quiet fascination, amazed at how she's already gotten to the bottom of it. She nods eagerly, excitement shining in her emerald eyes. I take a deep breath, grounding the mild fear of flying for the first time as Lyndin powers the engine on. The low thrum of the machine vibrates through my bottom, quaking my entire body with soft tremors. Lyndin reaches up, tugging on a lever. Following the rusty creak of the component, the massive garage door before the AV grates open, flooding the room with a dim light. I cringe as I imagine flying through such a foggy, polluted sky, but Lyndin doesn't hesitate in gripping the U-shaped steering wheel and pressing a button on its side. The AV lets out a moan of complain before coming to life, rolling slowly along the tar path before it. Lyndin turns to me with a big grin, to which I force a smile back in return.
This is terrifying.
The beating of my heart speeds up in time with the AV's pace, worry pooling in my stomach in the form of acid. Just as the AV accelerates to a gut-wrenching speed, Lyndin cackles, speaking.
"I sure hope you haven't had lunch today."
The AV's nose tips up, soaring up into the sky.
YOU ARE READING
Dawn Is Coming
Storie d'amore(cover by nickysbaex) A dystopian YA novel featuring romance, action, and a series of mind-blowing plot twists. Follow Akira, Grant, and Lyndin along on their adventure to success.
