Terranovus

Chapter XXII - Fight or Flight

"What's going on?" I asked Tommy. Our hands were intertwined and we were following Simon and Jack and the group of people I didn't know deeper into the sewage system. I heard Jack make a joke about feces and the strangers cracked up laughing. They all seemed to know each other quite well.

"The day you left I really thought about what you said," explained Tommy, "I knew I couldn't let the resistance use me as bait to force you to do their dirty work." I turned back to the strangers and everything clicked in place.

"You joined them, didn't you?" I asked.

"It wasn't easy," admitted Tommy. "It took a lot of persuasion and hard work to prove I was worth it."

"But why?" I asked. "Why would you do that?" Tommy squeezed my hand and looked down at me thoughtfully.

"I thought you knew what type of person I am. I don't let others decide my fate, Tilly," he said.

The group in front of us stopped walking and I turned to see the tunnel had ended. A large steel door stood in front of us with a large circular locking wheel. One of the strangers stepped forward and knocked twice, then paused, then knocked three times, then paused, then once again. The wheel turned from the inside and swung outward to reveal a tall dark skinned girl.  Her eyes skimmed the crowd until she settled on Tommy. She looked relieved.

"You made it," she said.

"Just," said Jack and he stepped through the door, "they perhaps had a minute to spare." The group passed through the doorway and as Tommy and I neared she turned to stare at me.

"So you're Tilly?" she asked and looked at me up and down.

"Yes," I replied, unsure of who she was.

"I'm Kali," she said and flicked her long black hair over her shoulder. "You better be worth the hype he makes out you to be or I'll kick your ass back to the Commander."

"Kali," hissed Tommy. I stared at her gobsmacked as she slammed the hatch door shut then strutted away after Jack and Simon and the others.

"What's her problem?" I asked.

"She's usually friendly, once she warms up to you," explained Tommy and I stared up at him suspiciously. "Let's hurry," he said, "the meeting will start soon."

He took my hand again and guided me forward into a large open underground tavern. It was huge, perhaps the size of Primus Academy's cafeteria. The tavern, though I could tell would usually have the feeling of a friendly and upbeat bar, was now choc-a-block filled with distraught men, women and children huddled together. Everyone was quiet, a sense of mourning could be felt. Some were covered in dust and filth and others were untouched from warzone outside.

A few men and women sat near the bar, staring silently into the bottom of their glasses shellshocked. In the corner of the room was a small stage. A group of musicians sat on it clutching their instruments. Their fingers were poised as if about to play, but no music sounded. The only sound was a group of children sitting nearby and playing snap with a deck of cards.  

"Come on," said Tommy and he guided me down a side corridor. This corridor was long and led to another smaller tavern, this time filled to the brim with makeshift hospital beds. Men, women and children laid on these beds covered in blood and soot. There were broken legs, gashes and cuts and damaged limbs. Men and women raced between the beds carrying towers of medical supplies. One girl stumbled and the supplies fell to the ground. I immediately rushed to her side and scooped the supplies together. She mumbled thanks then quickly walked away with her head down. The patient next to us was missing a leg and clutching her partner's hand with teary eyes.