Golden

New York City, year 2042

Her footsteps echoed against the crumbling brick walls as she dashed through the alley. Her lungs fought to keep up with her, every step leaving them burning for a rest.

"You can't run, you can't hide, you're destined to fail. So answer me this: why even try?"

The words were still fresh in her mind, and she couldn't shake them. Why was she trying? She had known from the beginning that she would never succeed, that trying would be futile and destroy what chance of a life was left. But she couldn't help herself either. Trying was in her DNA, and try she did. Tried and failed.

She tripped and fell against the jagged wall, the broken glass and uneven bricks scraping her arm as she hit the ground.

"Get up!!!" Her mind screamed at her. "Only a little farther!! You can make it!" She groaned as she lifted herself up, and grimaced at the pain in her ankle as she began to run again.

The shelter was only a little ways away now. She could make it, she knew that for a fact. Whether or not her pursuers saw her entering would be the real problem.

She dodged into the old factory, crisscrossing through the old machinery, shelving, wires, and everything else that hadn't been scavenged years ago. Why and how these buildings were still standing was a mystery. The graffiti-stricken walls were crumbling, the ceilings caving, and the floor was littered with all kinds of garbage. But they still stood, serving as a sort of reminder of what once was.

She made it to the old stairwell, and scrambled downward, stumbling through the dark. Reaching the very bottom, she stared at the door, the door to the tunnels, then turn to the wall opposite it, finding the hidden keypad within seconds. 

Her fingers shook as she typed in the combination. She could already hear them above her.

The keypad disappeared into the wall, and dust filled the air as the wall slid away, revealing a small elevator. Coughing, she entered, and hurriedly pressed the screen for the door to shut. She sank to the floor, and leaned her head against the wall, willing her heart to slow down its rapid beating.

She pressed the secondary combination into the dial pad, then instructed the elevator to take her down. Down to the place that she would, for now, call home.

She sent a silent thank you to the heavens for the shelters. No one knew who had originally built them, but they were there for those who needed them. Scattered throughout the city and impossible to find for those who had no clue what to look for, but easily accessible for those who were privy to the secrets.

The elevator stopped, and she slowly stood. The door slid open and she stepped out, taking in her new dwelling. This one simply looked like the inside of a large modern home. She relaxed as she walked down the hallway, quickly memorizing which doors led to what kind of rooms.

She quickly found a bedroom with a closet of clothes that would fit her well enough, then walked into the adjacent bathroom.

She glanced at the mirror, cringing as she saw herself. Her face was battered, dirt and sweat mixing with blood to make her almost unrecognizable. Her arms were covered in the same mixture of blood, dirt, and sweat, with her right arm ripped up from her fall.

She stripped her torn, bloody clothing off and entered the shower, her tensed muscles relaxing as the scalding hot water washed over her. She ran her fingers through her long, tangled mess of hair and let the water carry away all the filth.

She didn't stay under the water too long though, only long enough to scrub herself clean and disinfect her wounds. She quickly put on the fresh clothes and found a first aid kit. She wrapped her ankle in a medolectric bandage and found some tri-salve for her scrapes and gashes.

"Who are you?" Her heart caught in her throat at the deep voice. She looked up, expecting the worst.

A man, mid-twenties and handsome, stood in the doorway. He was shirtless, displaying along with his toned body, his rebel's tat, and was in some incredibly comfortable looking sweats. No longer worried, she continued applying the tri-salve.

"I'm nobody."

"You're obviously somebody. And if we're gonna be living together, we should at least get to know each other." His tone was light, joking almost.

"No, I'm not. And it'd be best if you didn't try to get to know me. Best for the both of us."

"Suit yourself. I was gonna go make some dinner, you're welcome to join me if you want." He was still light and cheerful. It annoyed the heck out of her.

"Maybe in a bit." She grumbled, her stomach rumbling at the thought of food.

"Name's Leo by the way."

"I'm Willow. Nice to meet you." She sighed, might as well be civil.

He left, and Willow sighed again. She'd really been hoping that this shelter would be empty. There weren't many rebels left, and this was one of the even more obscure shelters.

"Oh well, dealing with another optimistic one isn't so bad. Barely a step up from hell, but not totally bad." She said to herself, knowing full well that this place would be a heavenly escape from whence she'd come.

"Why Willow? What are you hoping to accomplish in your meager attempts at rebellion? You've failed over and over again. Why. Even. Try?!" He yelled his question at her yet another time. His hot, foul breath hitting her battered, bloody face.

"Because I can. And because as long as I keep on trying, I'll know there are others out there, putting their faith into the same cause. Putting their all into the hope of a better Earth. And as long as that hope exists, YOU'RE the one destined to fail."