Adaxia

Chapter 2: Haste

Luna's eyes fluttered open, she felt a massive weight on her chest. She blinked for a few moments, her ears were ringing and her head was killing her. Had that really just happened? She used what little strength she had left to push the lifeless body off of her not fully aware of her surroundings. Slowly and steadily, she got up. She surveyed her surroundings, they were in the lowest part of the city, she remembered her Papa saying that New Handersburg was built ontop of some old city called New York. She looked around, the architecture was gritty and almost primative compared to the gleaming skyscrapers up above, she liked it. Her eyes fell lower to the limp bodies of many of the passengers, she spotted a twitching limb here and there and a few people clutching onto loved ones or friends but otherwise she seemed to be the only one who had recovered. She slowly and cautiously made her way down the street but something was wrong, she looked down, her foot didn't look right, and where was all the blood coming from? She wiped her forhead with her forearm, she had a headwound and it seemed bad. She continued limping down the street, the bodies went for meters, one of the windows must have broken and started spewing people out of the carriage. As she went further and further down the street the bodies were more and more dismembered, she struggled to hold back bile and tears. 

"Hello?" Luna said at a reasonable volume not wanting to attract too much attention to herself. Nothing. As she walked further and further the crackling of the flames that had engulfed the carriage became obselete. 

Luna had been walking for what seemed like hours now, but maybe it had just been a few minutes? It was a maze down here and what she had suspected to be a concussion certainly didn't help. She needed to sit. Eventually Luna came upon an old shop-front and made her way inside, the bell above the door gave her a fright when she entered. She wasn't used to such primitive inventions and the chime damn near gave her a heart attack. The interior of the shop consisted of a counter with a door leading to another room behind it and a few tables and chairs scattered haphazardly around the shop, she took a seat. Luna took a few minutes just to think about what had just happened trying her best to recall all the events. There was the platform.. Fugitive 626! Oh and.. The Officers, the man.. Fugitive 626.. 

Luna had no idea what to make of it, the man had caused the deaths of dozens and yet he was only defending himself, but would she have done the same? The Officer simply would have shot her on the spot, she didn't really care right now, she had to get back to the Upper-City. Sadly, she had no idea how.

"You seem lost, sweetie." The voice rang out from behind the counter, the man had seemingly materialized behind it and Luna stood at attention hoping that he wouldn't harm her. 

"Ah, a skittish one, don't worry, I won't hurt you. It's not like you people chose to work for the damn Ministry." He spluttered, in the dim light of the shop she noticed something dark leaking out of his mouth, he was also injured. Luna simply nodded,

"Quiet, huh? I like that, tell me.. How did you survive the crash?" He queried, Luna could make out intrigue in the mans face through the darkness, she simply shrugged.

"Oh well, only thing that matters is you did, but you really do look lost. Need a hand getting out of here?" He said as he come out from behind the counter and approached her, his right hand outstretched not doubt wanting to shake her hand. Luna backed away slightly as he neared and he stopped in his tracks and shrugged before turning and walking right out the door, the door chimed after him. Luna knew she had to get out of here and he was her ticket out, after a few seconds she decided that she needed him and followed suit. She spotted him almost immedietly, he was already halfway down the street they were on, she noisly ran after him. Her boots clacked along the dried pavement, this obviously annoyed the man as he spun around with his finger on his lips. 

"Shh, you sound like a horse, could you maybe a bit quiter, lass?" He said as if he was trying to be as blunt as possible.

"A what?" Luna said with a confused tone in her voice.

"A.. You know.. Four legs, big.. Brown! Neigh!" He imitated a horse, it was no use, she was too young, "Nevermind." He sighed as they hastily made their way down a wide street called, 'Broadway'.