The Crossroads And The Cane

Relics In The Sky

I opened my eyes in the darkness, confused and in pain. In the distance, I could hear the faint hair-raising screams of agony muffled by the concrete interior of my environment. Encased in metal I could not recall where I was at that moment, or how I came to be. Sparks created by dangling electrical wires provided little illumination, but once my blurred vision had improved I could see the bloodied bodies of individuals tangled in the very metal of what seemed to be a subway wagon. I felt around my body and noticed my clothes soaked in a mixture of water and thick liquid that I can only assume was blood. I could not tell if it belonged to me, or if it originated from the scores of individuals who accompanied me in that graveyard.

My head pounded and my body ached as I began to crawl forward, over the bodies to what seemed to be an opening in the darkness only visible by the little light the sparks provided. My legs felt as if I were submerged in quicksand, unable to move completely and providing little assistance. Using as much of the strength of my upper body as I could muster, I began to drag myself towards the end. Utilizing the torsos of the fallen as if rungs on a ladder I pushed on, ignoring the sensations felt by my hands. Slowly I regained my composure as I moved, my trembling fingers touching everything from various clothing materials to hair and teeth. I did my best to swallow the vomit I wanted so much to spew, but the angle of the wagon which seemed to move upward made me consider otherwise.

Without noticing, I had reached the end and had fallen several feet below. My already battered body had felt the steel of a track increasing the pain I was already experiencing. The air however did not feel as heavy and I took that to mean I was no longer in the wagon. How did I get here? What happened? Despite my headache, I tried to remember what I was doing before this, while still hearing the commotion outside. The screams had mixed with gunfire and explosions, all of which rattled my location. I had to be in a subway tunnel, but where exactly? I slowly rose to my feet only for my knees to buckle and my body drop down. My eyes began to tear amidst my confusion. I have always felt some sense of control over my life, but this was the first time I truly felt hopeless. Here I was, surrounded by twisted metal and the corpses of innocent people with no available way to escape.

I summoned my strength and rose to my feet, slowly taking steps forward unaware of the terrain before me. My right foot which had sustained an injury dragged through the puddles of water between the track rails. I looked around searching for any glimmer of light that hopefully would lead to an exit. After a few minutes of walking, I came upon what was a station that was damaged beyond recognition. The staircase leading to the outside was partially blocked by fallen debris and mangled bodies. Few fluorescent lights were on, but the area was illuminated enough to allow me to explore my surroundings. "Help." I heard a faint voice cry. My heart stopped and I began to look around. "Hello?" I shouted weakly. There was no response. After a few moments of silence, I heard the cry for help once more. The area was devoid of visible individuals who could be considered alive, and that is when it hit me. I moved closer to the staircase and inspecting the debris I noticed a hand twitch.

Driven by the desire for answers yet devoid of strength, I moved a chunk of cement and was met with the weak eyes of an old man. His face being battered by the cement made it more difficult to hear him. His lips swollen and large barely moved as I leaned in. "What happened?" I asked, hoping to understand the events that brought me here. His eyes began to wander and drift. "Monsters...flying monsters," he responded weakly. The old man coughed and blood spurt from his mouth and onto my face. After wiping my face I leaned in again. "Monsters? What the fuck are you talking about?" I asked. A mere moments later his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he was unresponsive. There was a huge "thud" and the platform shook violently will additional debris falling from the ceiling. I could see cracks from the rumbling forming on the ground. "Flying monsters?" I said to myself. I took a deep breath and almost collapsed from pain as it felt as if my ribs were pushed in. Despite this pain, I needed to move on and find a means to get help.