The Boy in the Gray Hoodie

NINETEEN | Code Red

They walked down the hallway, James in front, the boy following closely behind. The flow of people only seemed to increase the longer they walked. It felt like there was someone passing them every few seconds.

E7 kept his head down and his hood up, watching the tiles flow underneath him as if his feet weren't even there. He shut out the footsteps all around him, the flowery and sour smells, the hundreds of voices that wanted to enter his head all at the same time.

Some small part of him wanted to look up when he heard a voice he recognized—which happened only twice—but a bigger part remembered that James had told him to keep his head down. He would obey. It was better that way.

Fear of the strangers surrounding him was almost as powerful a deterrent as his fear of James. Both worked together to keep his eyes down and his feet moving.

"This way," James said over his shoulder, turning a corner. E7 didn't miss a beat, picking up his pace to catch up and stay close. The shoes, which were too big for his feet and flopped loosely whenever he lifted his heels, made it very difficult to run. But he had learned that sliding them a little against the floor kept him from tripping, so he did that most of the time. It made him seem awkward, but it was barely noticeable. James hadn't said anything about it, which must've meant that it was okay.

They walked through another elevator corridor but didn't stop to ride. James led him through it to another short hall on the other side. This passage was narrow, with machines lining one wall and a set of doors at the end. "Almost there," James said quietly, pushing the door open without using a keycard.

The sounds of the hospital were suddenly overpowered by the blasting of car horns and the rumble of traffic. Wind carried new smells that were bitter and dry. E7 froze, glancing up only long enough to see that James had already gone through the door and was walking ahead, expecting him to follow. I can't, he thought, panicking, I can't go out there!

The door was slowly closing, barely wide enough to admit him. Beyond it was another hallway, but with windows for walls and a floor that was made of smooth gray concrete and no tiles. Dim, bleary light drifted through the glass, a soft blue color that he'd never seen before. It wasn't coming from any kind of fluorescent bulbs he'd ever seen.

The urge to obey, to follow James out into that strange hall, tugged at him. It was only stifled by the rising panic which threatened to cripple him at the knees. One hand shot out to catch the door against his will, holding it open. I can't, he thought. I can't.

"What are you still doing over there?" James was staring at him.

E7 opened his mouth to answer but found himself stepping forward instead, inching through the door, timid, hesitant. He looked from side to side, through the glass at the movement down below. Everything looked so small. He stared at the little moving, honking boxes zipping by with tiny people inside of them and suddenly felt very sick.

"I think I'm going to throw up," he said, bracing one hand against the window. James walked back, his stride long but not hurried.

"We're almost there," he said when he got to E7's side. As if trying to reassure him, James put a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go."

Nodding, E7 followed him. He kept his steps small but fast, hurrying to pass through the tunnel of windows without looking down again. He could feel the concrete moving under his feet, the glass vibrating. Overhead, orange and red lights began to flash. E7 jerked, ducking his head and ramming his hands against his ears to block out the alarm wailing from the speaker system.

"Code red," someone announced in a shrill, authoritative voice. "Code red. All unauthorized personnel evacuate the second floor immediately. Code red."