Eyes

The Coal Mines

"Get going!" The soldier said, jabbing him with the gun. "I'm going! I'm going! Jeez!" Jasper said, throwing his hands up defensively. "You're going to miss the train if you keep walking that slow. Remember, it's in the-" "Four corners? I know." Jasper said. 

The man jabbed him in the ribcage again with the barrel of the gun. "Don't backtalk me, child." Jasper couldn't feel anything but nervousness and anxiety about leaving Bianca all by herself. Well, there was the doctor, but he didn't really know him well. 

It's not like they had any family but each other. They stumbled upon a building with many people who are covered in soot and dirt. And what seems to be very dark and gloomy, kids were playing around with their parents talking to each other. Honestly, Jasper wanted them to keep a close eye on them. They won't know what will happen to them. 

He was getting dirty looks from the other civilians. He really didn't come over to this part of town and now it looked like he was a bad, rebellious teenage boy. And that's basically more on the opposite of who he really was. Please, please, please tell me that I'll come back in less than 48 hours. He thought.

Jasper glanced at a little girl whom found a little flower close to the tracks. The signs right next to the little shops said not to cross the red lines which was exactly where that flower was. Mainly because the trains have more air pressure and can either suck that person in, or blow them away. Jasper felt even worse than he's been since he came out of the apartment. "I'll be right back. I have to use the bathroom. I trust you won't go anywhere."

Dragging his rolling backpack filled with clothes and other stuff, he sat down on the bench, watching the young girl stare at the little bright yellow flower. It was a bright canna flower. The petals were withering a bit, he couldn't even believe that one was actually growing here. It's very rare for any kind of flower to grow here. But then, he remembered.

Down here, flowers equal death. 

Jasper's head perked up and the little girl had just gotten too close to the tracks and stepped on the red lines. She began to carefully pluck the flower away from the dirt floor. Jasper couldn't tell if it was a train coming by, or if it was his own heartbeat getting louder. Then he looked by the wall, through it, then his eyesight zoomed him closer, just a tad bit and there it was. It was the fastest train. And it was the train he was supposed to get on. 

"Hey! Get away from the tracks, kid!" Jasper immediately shouted out, springing up from his seat. The train was coming in, he was sure that she was too close that she could fall in. "Darla!" A women's voice called. Jasper accidentally knocked over his bag and someone else's when he stood up. The Vigilum that came with him was coming back from his trip from the bathroom and stared at the little girl blankly, unsure what to do. He was too far away anyway. 

Jasper basically jumped over everything or pushed things out of his way to get to that girl. The air pressure was already spilling in. It made a buzzing sound in his ears. He made it to the young child and grabbed her by the waist and started to back away, but the pressure was trying to pull them in. He walked steadily, holding the girl close to his chest. His back towards the incoming train. Jasper took one heavy step at a time. It didn't matter he died. He just wanted that girl to live.

He took a few more heavy steps and the pressure was settling. They made it, just barely. It took a lot of power just to take those few steps, Jasper was exhausted. He slowly put the little girl down on the ground and she brushed her skirt off. "Thank you, mister!" She said. 

"No problem." He pulled something out from his pocket and it revealed the bursting with color, canna flower. One of it's petal's came off, but otherwise it's still beautiful. "Here." He said, "And stay away from the tracks from now on, 'kay kid?" Darla nodded. "Darla!" Her mother exclaimed, bringing the small person in her arms. She glanced at Jasper. "Thank you. Thank you so, so much." 

"No problem, ma'am." He said with a faint smile, holding on to his other arm. "Alright, Braith. Time to get on board." The Vigilum said, poking him with the same gun. After that comment, he remembered why he was there in the first place. "Oh, right.." He said and turned. The woman stopped the Vigilum and whisper-shouted at him. "You better treat him better."

"Back away, civilian." He snapped and followed Jasper into the train. Jasper looked inside. It was fancier than he thought it would be. The ceiling had working lights which made him go blind for a few seconds. He's never been above ground in about 9 years. I wonder how it's like now, He wondered. 

 Jasper took a seat and looked around. The floor had red carpeting and the lights dimmed a bit. He felt around his pocket and felt something soft. It was one of the yellow petals that fell off. Jasper sighed and stuck it back in his pocket. 

For at least an hour, the outside looked like concrete walls instead of them being just dirt. "Welcome to the subway kid." The Vigilum said. "What's a subway?" Jasper wondered. Nobody actually told him anything about the world above or he forgot. The places they have underground is different than the ones above. 

"A subway is a system of underground trains in a city." He responded. The train stopped. "We'll need to get you cleaned up." "Uh, okay.." Jasper said. They walked out of the train, a cold breeze embracing Jasper. He can see his breath. 

Vigilum didn't have a gun anymore. He was in a large coat and a scarf while Jasper was in a sweater and a hat. "I-it's c-cold." "Deal with it." 

They walked up a few flights of stairs, Jasper catching glimpses of the other civilians' stares. They're probably wondering why he's not dressed well enough. "Stupid global warming." Vigilum muttered. "What's global warming?" Jasper asked, feeling like a little kid again. 

"Ah, shut up kid." He said, an annoyed scowl on his face. Jasper sighed. They finally made it up a few more steps and covered his eyes partially with his hand.

"Th-the s-surface..."