The Underground

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

2 days later

We are lost. All the buildings are destroyed or empty. The roads are quiet, it's unusual. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing straight up. Despite the silence among the ruins, Jackson was the only noise to occupy it. How I so wish it didn't!

"Annie, I'm hungry,"

"Annie, I'm tired," I sigh in frustration.

"Look Jackson, I am trying so if you can be quiet for just five minutes, I will greatly appreciate it." The silence lasts for a minute.

"Annie, Annie, look!" I look towards a petrol station. There may not be pizza but there must be some food and gas for the car. My main motive however was that it will keep Jackson quiet. I pulled the car over and got out. My limbs ache with the bruises and cuts on my body, wincing as I stand straight up I unscrew the gas cap from the car and check to see if any fuel was pumping into the car. The litres numbers started to move. Relief washed over my body. I rest my head on the side of the car. I close my eyes with exhaustion. I am still hoping that all this is a bad dream and that my mum will wake me up to be greeted with the smell of breakfast and dad's old newspapers. I pinch my arm waiting to wake up but disappointment is what I am greeted with other than to still see the station. At least we won't be stranded for long. I look into the car to check on Jackson.

His seat is empty.

My throat tightens, it's hard to breathe let alone speak.

"Jackson!" My voice is hoarse; I started to shout, panicked.

"Jackson, where are you? Jackson," I stare at the station to find the door ajar. I run toward it, dropping the petrol.

"Jackson!" I walk through the door. Silence.

"Jackson!" I hear rustling and giggles. Following the noise while checking between the isle hoping to see a mop of brown hair. Only then I come across a room with the sign 'staff only.' Opening the door without hesitation I see my brother sprawled on the floor with a Golden retriever licking his face playfully.

I run to Jackson lifting him up in my arms tightly. The dog stares up at the intruder with wide eyes and a wagging tail. Clearly the dogs sucks at guarding.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, do you hear me! If you want to go somewhere you tell me, do you understand?" I hold him at arms length to stare at him to see if he was hurt. I then realise that my cheeks are wet. After losing our home, parents and nearly Jackson, I was overwhelmed.

"Sorry Annie, I was really hungry," Jackson pouts while staring at the floor. How can I ever be mad at him, he is too cute to be angry at for long.

"It's-" I was cut off by the dogs bark. Car tyres sounded trough the small room, I looked at Jackson and put my fingers to my lips signalling 'be quiet' and he nods in understanding. I push him under the desk to hide him; I grab a bat by the door which was probably used to chase after unwanted customers. Tiptoeing out of the room towards the sweets isle to hide. My hold on the bat tightens when the door bell rings. They are inside. Heavy boots are heard treading to the fridge with the drinks. I creep away the stack to put distance between the intruder and I. I can hear my heart thudding in my chest, thump-tha thump-tha thump and I swear the stranger can hear it.

There was another ring form the door bell.

"Steve, hurry up. Get the supplies so we can then go back to the camp." The man so called Steve opens the fridge to inspect the drinks.

"Didn't you see the car outside, someone has been here. Another survivor, we should look for them," the other stranger scoffed to then say, "and risk our lives for people who may or may not be alive whilst there are aliens about there hunting us down like a fox with chickens! Na-uh I ain't gonna look for no one." Another ring sounds through the room, "wha's takin' ya so long?" the thick scottish accent echoes. While listening to the conversation going on my elbow bashes against the stack which shakes. The sound vibrates through the tiled room. Oh no! There is the sound of boots nearing and all I can do is to keep on crawling away.

Realisation hits when dark brown boots are in my vision, I can't escape. I slowly trail my eyes upwards to find myself looking at a young man. I stand up quickly to find that my short stature only reaches his chest. He has blonde hair with light streaks running through and brown eyes unlike my hazel. I raise my bat keeping a tight hold on it, making sure that the man knew of my intentions so he better not do anything stupid. He raises his hands as if to say 'I surrender, no harm meant.'

"Hello," he says hesitantly while his eyes are locked on the bat as if I was about to have a swing at him.

pfft, dummy.

I lower the bat to show that I wont hit him but keep a steady grip on it just in case he does a wrong move.

"Annie?" I turn to find Jackson hiding behind the door with only his head visible.

"Come here jacky, they aren't going to hurt us" Jackson senses my calm tone and slowly walks towards me to hide behind my legs.

"Ar' ya the only ones lass?" I look up to see an old man with white hair tied behind his head with a white beard resembling Saint Nick. His warm brown eyes are wrinkled around the edges that can only be laughter lines.

"Yes sir, it is just me and my brother," Jackson, though shy he adds, "and our dog, Rex," in that moment the large dog walks out from the room to Jackson. He is distracted by petting the dog; his new friend, I turn my attention to the third man. Short and stocky with obvious baldness which is barely covered by over-combed strands of hair he stands towards the back of the other men with a clear sneer and beady eyes roaming my body. I internally shiver.

"Who are you?" I look at each of these men individually and already know that I can trust two of them. My mom always told me that I am a goo judge of character.

The blonde man responds with a kind smile,

"I'm Steve, this old man right here is Angus, my grandfather and that one there is Billy," it is obvious that Steve doesn't like Billy and I can understand him completely and all I had to do was look at the man!

"Where ar' ya goin' lass?" Angus asks with clear worry etched on his wrinkled face.

"Away," I look down at Jackson who is quiet looking at the men, awaiting their reply.

"We just have each other and the car," the two men smile at each other.

Angus stepped towards us, I flinch slightly when he rest his hand on my shoulder. "Well lass, ya ar' more t'an welcome ter join us."

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