SOUL SNATCHERS

Chapter 21

A young woman walked down the bustling streets of New York and descended the stairs to the subway station. She was dressed in a black cape and hood that concealed her face. Beneath her cape, she wore a black shirt and skirt, and leather boots that created rhythmic sounds on the concrete floor. Her glassy blue-green eyes were accentuated with black mascara, and her lips were painted black. She had a pointed nose and a pale complexion on her smooth face, and her hair was jet black. Her eyes were watchful and alert, and she moved quickly past the crowd who were waiting for the train to arrive.

In her early twenties, her determination to reach the darker part of the subway was unmistakable. People turned to look at her as she passed by; there was something about her that caught their attention. She quickened her pace and glided along the concrete facade of the brick-walled underground tunnel. She turned right and took a narrow route to another section of the subway station. The area was infested with rats as big as cats, lurking on the concrete floor, their eyes gleaming in the light from passing trains. The place resembled more of a dungeon inside a medieval fortress than a modern subway station.

The place was dark and cold as she ventured into an even darker part of the subway where homeless people lay down to rest their tired bodies and hungry stomachs on the cold concrete floor. She hastened her pace as she gracefully moved through the area, illuminated only by used candles gathered by the homeless, who made it their home, especially during winter and rainy weather.

The nauseating smell of human waste made her stomach churn. Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest when someone grabbed her hand and pulled her to the side, almost causing her to fall onto the ground infested with cockroaches and rats. She turned her head and was about to shout when she saw a pregnant woman with a face covered in infected wounds with pus, her fingers deformed by years of leprosy.

"Mercy," the pregnant woman said, her voice weak from the effects of the disease.

The young woman looked at her in fear, which nearly masked her pale face. She was about to turn away when a small girl tugged at her cloak.

"Miss, I'm hungry... please, can you spare some food and water?" the girl said, reaching out with her bony, dirty hands.

"No, don't touch me! Just get out of my way, please!" she said, nearly jumping away when the child attempted to touch her.

"But I'm hungry... my stomach hurts when I'm hungry," the girl whimpered, her dirty face now wet with tears. She attempted to embrace the girl, but as soon as she touched her, the young woman pushed the child away, causing the girl to hit the ground and convulse violently. Her eyes widened in terror as she witnessed what happened to the little girl, drawing the attention of subway passengers.

"What did you do to my daughter?!" the pregnant woman shouted, cradling the convulsing girl in her arms.

Groups of men gathered, their angry eyes fixed on the young woman. Fear began to consume her, and without a second thought, she decided to flee. She felt remorse for the little girl and hadn't intended to push her so forcefully. She felt terrible about it but she knew she had done the right thing.

She stopped running when she realized that no one was chasing her. She caught her breath and walked slowly toward the darker part of the subway tunnel. Vandalism covered every wall, illuminated by red neon lights. The place grew colder, creating wisps with every breath. She detected a sulfuric scent in the air and her face lit up as she knew she was on the right path to meet Levi.

She turned to her right and shuffled toward a rusted door, bathed in red neon light. She glanced around to see if anyone was nearby. Slowly, she approached the door, gently raised her hand, and used her knuckles to knock on the rusted metal door. But her hand trembled in mid-air. Her mind questioned whether she was sure about what she was doing. She bowed her head, deep in thought, ensuring that her actions were driven by revenge. Then she lifted her head, focused on the metal door, and knocked firmly three times.