Sky Corruption (Past Tense)

Chapter Fourteen

An hour later, China found herself in the shower, the lukewarm water ran down her skin which gathered with the soap sliding down her hourglass body. Her hands are rough from the daily excercises she participated in, her hair is protected by a plastic bag, she was African-American after all, her braids had to be protected. China quickly turned off the shower, her body slightly shuddering at the immediate coldness of the bathroom. She slid open the door, out in front of the sink.

This was the only bathroom in the bunker, it's between the kitchen and the storage room (where Bob is held temporarily). The shower itself had taken up half of the bathroom, only leaving space for the toilet and the marble white sink to stay across from each other. The grey tiled walls enclosed everywhere, North occasionally threatened to decorate the bathroom with his graffiti, but caught a huge argument from Faith and had decided it wasn't worth the earache.

China's bare feet met along with the ground, using the towel to aggressively dry herself off. Towel treatment. Back when school was a thing, China often rubbed herself with a towel before gym class. She turned around, her eyes shot down at the large, jagged scar along her backside that traveled from the crook of her shoulder all the way down towards her tailbone. Once China finished drying her body, she threw on a white tank top, sliding her red and brown Letterman jacket over it, having it run past her curvaceous hips, she quickly yanked her jean shorts on and slid on some old running sneakers as a finishing touch.

China always had this sense to dress less in colder weather, she only wore a jacket to prevent giving Nikki and Winter a heartache. She quickly opened the door to come face to face with Jay.

"Are you ready?" Jay asked her.

China nodded, "Just about, need to put away the towel and grab my scavenging bag."

He ripped the towel out of her hands, "Just worry about grabbing your bag, Faith is getting impatient," Jay grumbled as he rushes down the hallway. China quickly made a trip back to her room and returned back into the narrow hallway with her backpack slung over her shoulder.

Faith stood quietly at the end of the hallway, her glock was shoved underneath her black tank top, she wore camouflage cargo pants, a dog tag encircling her neck. Her hair was pulled back into tight ponytail, several strands fell loosely and framed her porcelain doll-like face. China smiled and waved at Faith.

"Good morning!" China greeted warmly.

"Are you always this loud?" Faith mumbled in annoyance, using her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. China shrugged in response, looking around the hallway.

"Where's Bob?" China asked. Faith grew even more annoyed just by knowing that she's stuck with such a nuisance like China for a few more moments.

Faith rolled her eyes, not even bothering to ask where China's taste in names came from, "Jay went to fetch him,"

China made an "O" shape with her lips, turned to see Jay marching out of the room, Bob reluctantly followed him as they met up at the ladder. Bob quickly stood beside China and up at the tunnel leading to the lid of the bunker. "Where are we going?" Bob asked.

Bob had on a plain black t-shirt with a pair of dark jeans, his gaze remains fixated on the rustic ladder that ascended upwards.

Faith turned around on cue, "Save the questions for later." She subtly said without any emotion.

China patted his shoulder, "Someplace safe," She reassures him.

Jay cocked his head, "Alright, Faith, you go first." He instructed, Faith quickly climbed up the metal ladder with ease, Jay gestured his hand towards Bob, indicating that he's next. The sound of the lid screeched and exposed the tunnel to the grey sky above.

"Your turn kid, follow." Jay gruffed. Bob did what's told of him and climbs his way up, Jay gave China a warm grin.

"Afraid?" Jay asked teasingly, China responded with a chuckle.

"I used to parkour in the streets for a living, this is a cake walk." China quickly stated, earning a bewildering look from Jay as she climbed up.

It's insane how positively she speaks of her past. Jay thought to himself as he climbed up the rustic bars himself.

--

The four journey down New York, Bob's eyes scan his new surroundings, China for sure didn't lie about the world being utterly devastated. Jay and Faith walked ahead as China stood by Bob, giving him a warm grin.

As they journeyed down the clear-ish path of Manhattan, Bob eyed the torn newspapers and plastic bags along their feet.

Bob looked down at China, "Where are they taking us?" He asked her.

China shrugged in response, "I'm not sure," She replied honestly, looking ahead at the two, Faith slightly glared at China before she flickered her eyes back to Jay, China doesn't notice but Bob sure did. "But I'll protect you, regardless," She reassured him.

China gestured her hand gently toward Bob, "Let's play rock-paper-scissors," She suggested as they passed by a crossroad full of broken cars, some are crashed into one another, half of them were already collecting rust, even moss. Three-fourths of the street had been blocked off by old cars, large debris, and street signs.

Bob's eyes slightly narrowed at her, "What?"

China giggled, her giggle wasn't as loud as it usually is in the shelter. "It's pretty simple, you make these signs..." China's voice trailed off as she made the hand gesture for rock, paper, and scissors.

Jay glanced at the two over his shoulder, "Hey! Stay focused!" He hissed at the both of them. China gave Bob a dismissive wave as she casually slid her hands in her pockets.

"No harm in having a little fun out here," China whispered over to Jay, who simply just rolled his eyes in response. The group comes to an abrupt stop at some brick building up ahead, China interestingly glanced up read the sign: Howe's Pantry. Compared to the towering buildings beside the grocery store, this one looks pretty sturdy, aside from the moss that grew over the sign and the boarded windows.

Faith approached the door, her gun in hand, fingers grazed over the trigger. Bob and China both pick up their pace only for Jay to turn his heel and gave them a grim look. China felt a small wave of uneasiness hit her but she ignored it, getting excited over the adrenaline that also brewed inside of her.

The group remained under the shade of the store as Faith picked the lock. "Jay, it's best that you explain it, you can dumb it down a lot better than I can." Faith said with a bit of snark, she purposely made a jab at China's airheadedness.

Jay reached toward his back pocket, pulling out a small revolver and placing it into Bob's trembling hands. Bob's eyes met with Jay's, which radiated complete emptiness.

"Today, you start your very first food run."