Welcome to Rapture: Welcome to hell

Chapter 2: Keep your friends close...

"So where did you come from up there?"

I looked to the pretty woman at my side and smiled briefly.

"New York. And you?"

"Wow, Chicago. Small world, huh?"

"Sure is. What made you want to come down here? Its....different"

"Exactly! I always wanted something different and this was just it. The sea life, the people and best of all, the chance to work down here for what I deserve. Up there, I wasn't allowed to have anything, because a woman was SUPPOSED to rely on a man for support. Here, I am allowed to work for what I need without help."

I stared at her, shocked. An independent woman? About damn time. That's what I liked to see. After all, that's how I was raised to see things. Heh, with a few kinks and twists of course.

"That sounds...wonderful"

"Really? I expected you to give me an odd look and tell me that's not how it works."

"Why would I? I was raised with a mother and sister who always said that a strong independent woman is just what the world needs. They could make sure that things run just as well as a man could and my father agreed, even though he insisted on doing most of the work. I guess that was just him. He always said he didn't want to see my mothers beautiful hands destroyed like his were."

I silenced and looked away, feeling heat raise to my cheeks. I Was talking way too much and I knew that Miss Ruby was more then likely agreeing at this point. I wanted to hear about her, not talk about myself like I was. However, I felt a tender hand placed on my shoulder and was greeted by a smiling face as I looked to her.

"You have a strong family. A good hearted one. Something that you seemed to pick up from them."

My heart fluttered. Well, this was one for the books. I hadn't had a woman tell me that since long before down here. It made me feel a little better about what I used to do on the surface.

"T-thank you. I...Uhm....What about you then? What about your family?"

She smiled and slid her hand away before looking forward. We continued on, my eyes wondering the streets as she spoke.

"Well, my mother was a nurse, my father was a builder and my brother went away to be a doctor. My father hated that my mother was away so often. He solely believed that she should be home, taking care of me and my brother. Even though my brother was away as often with his work and I with school. I didn't want to disappoint my mother mostly, since she nearly got hit for using what we had money wise for me and my brother to go to school. But, I did it and I even moved on to being a nurse. I am hoping to become a true doctor down here, since it might be impossible up there."

I looked to her as she looked down and smiled a little as I now placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to me and smiled weakly.

"Well, you came to the right place to start new," I said softly as I slid my hand away. "I think that's a good thing. Your not the only one who needed a new start. I think everyone here did and we have it. We'll do great things in Rapture."

What was I thinking? Where did this new enthusiasm come from?! It was....weird! I've never said anything like that before, to anyone! Perhaps it was just when I was with her? She made me feel a whole lot calmer for some reason. I knew I was temperamental, for sure that was a fact. But being this calm and collected made me feel off. This wasn't me. What was going on?

Whatever the case was, it made her face light up and it made me feel really good to know that I could at least say the right things anymore.

"Your sweet, you know that?" She said softly. I really wish I knew what it was that she was really thinking. Then again, from what I understood, a woman's mind was nothing short of an elaborate maze that a man could easily get lost in. I wasn't willing to risk that just yet. I needed to make sure I was ready for something like that and to be completely honest, I was hardly ready to be in Rapture itself. How could I even dare think of jumping into a maze like that?

"I...didn't quite catch your full name. I was just told to call you Mr. Andrew."

Chuckling, I let my gaze fall back to the city.

"Ryan. Ryan Andrew. "

"Huh..."

I quickly turned to look back to her. A twinge of panic filled me at the sound that she had made. Had I said something wrong? Why did it seem like she was suddenly trying to think of something? What in the hell did I do wrong? My mind was a panic place of nothing now. It was going so well before I told her my name.

"I-is something wrong?"

"No. But do you realize how close of a name that you share with the creator of Rapture?"

I shook my head as I stuck my hands in my pocket. Is this a good thing? Is there something bad about the creator that reminded her of me? Did I say something to remind her of this? This was why I never struck up any kind of nerve to talk to a woman. I was nearly twenty five years old and still too frightened to even try. I never really did leave my childhood years, did I?

"His name is Andrew Ryan."

I paused as she said this. This man really did share an almost exact name with me. What the ever living hell was this? I tilted my head to look at her and with it came a thoughtful look. What if...this was the reason why I was accepted in Rapture to even begin with? Just because I share a name? What if they didn't want me as one of their wonderful citizens, but rather a scapegoat? My mind was running to dangerous places and I needed to stop before it became just like the surface all over again.

"What a coincidence, eh?"

She giggled, which, admittedly put my mind to a little ease.

"Surely. What a coincidence! Anyway, come! Let me show you to your apartment! You must be tired and its about to become dark. Besides that, there is a curfew set in place soon and well, what fun is it anyway out in the dark?"

"Actually, a lot. What time does this curfew set?"

"About two o'clock"

"In the morning?"

She nodded as she lead me on, her eyes glued to the streets now.

"He wanted to keep the city safe after all"

"Who is this....Andrew Ryan?"

Miss Ruby looked at me and, for a moment, as she smiled at my question, I could right away tell that she wanted to say something. But even so, as she giggled my question, I knew there was something she was hiding. It was rather clear the more I observed her, but what it was that she wanted to hide from me was not. Was this man such a bad man in her eyes? Or perhaps she did not want to speak ill of the creator of Rapture? Whatever the reason was, it didn't settle right with me at all.

"Come on, let me show you to Apollo Square"