Soul Mates

City of Trains

As we walked the last stretch I could see light getting brighter and smells drifting towards us and noises getting louder. We walked to what looked like a dead end apart from a large window of stone and old rocks and dust everywhere. I leaned over the window into the wall and was taken back.

"Wow, that's amazing I had no idea this place existed?"

We were up high looking down on what looked like a city of old trains that had been used as houses and other uses. It was beautiful in its own way. The trains were rusty and broken but I could see the beauty in the little homes people had created for themselves, it almost didn't seem like we were underground.

Fires were burning and washing hung on lines and sounds of children playing greeted us. Mia took me straight to her father she just looked like him they wore the same kind of old clothes. Her Father came running toward us as soon as he could see us in the distance, He wasn't happy to see me a stranger but he ran and grabbed Mia and squeezed her tightly when he saw her.

"Mia I was so worried about you, how did you escape? We were just working on a plan to get you out,"

"Well this is Alex dad she saved me, and without her, I wouldn't be here," her father looked at me with a serious look" Well thank you, Alex, what can we do for you?"

"Dad, we haven't got long Alex has a tracker,"

"Say no more, take her to Doc," he nodded over to one of the old rusty trains.

We walked over to what looked like a small doctor's room but inside an old rusty train. I had never seen these old trains before, even with all the rust there were interesting to look at but I wasn't keen on receiving medical care inside one.

"Come in," A voice said clearly.

A grey-headed man in a dirty white coat was pottering about touching his shelves full of medical supplies. Mia's dad explained the situation to him, within seconds he had me on a chair with my arm on a small table he took a closer look at me and scanned my face. He made me feel awkward, uncomfortable. He clearly didn't know body boundaries, it reminded me of Zoe.

"Okay, this will numb the pain,"

The Doc held a large needle and jabbed it into my wrist after a few seconds my whole arm was numb.

The Doc got a scalpel and made a small incision, blood poured out everywhere Mia couldn't watch, I could see her face turn green she waited outside for me. The Doc held some kind of magnetic gun against my wrist a small chip came flying out, and the gun crushed it into bits. He fixed up my wrist and bandaged it.

" All done they won't find you anymore, you may feel funny for a while as the chip connected to radio frequencies in your brain but don't worry it stops after 24 hours, drink helps,"

He slammed a small glass of some kind of alcohol on the table. I picked it up and drank it straight it couldn't hurt after the day I had had. The drink was strong it burned as it travelled down my throat and into my stomach.

"Yuk! What was that?" I wiped the remainder off my mouth with my sleeve.

"It's what we call moonshine, it's strong and burns like fire but does the job,"

"You will need this after your scar has healed" the Doc handed me a small patch which looked just like my tattoo.

"Just place it on top once the wound heals it sticks to your skin no one will even notice the difference. Tap it three times to set a number on the display,"

"Thanks, Doc for all your help" The Doctor smiled at me, he couldn't stop staring at me it was weird he did look familiar.

"Alex? I'm sure we have met before?" He raised his eyebrows as he looked at me again.

"I'm sure I would remember meeting you Doc? Nope definitely not, but thank you for your help,"

Mia took me back to her train where her family lived.

"Is that Doctor crazy? He kept staring at me really weirdly,"

"Docs okay he's actually a scientist, but he became a doctor later to help people,"

Mia had her own small bedroom it was pretty, candles and old books filled her shelves. I never got to see many real old books as everything was digital now and people didn't own them anymore only museums and schools, I could see she loved to read.

"What are all these books, Mia? I've never seen more than one in my whole life,"

"They're a mix just old school romantic tales like Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Romeo and Juliet, the Notebook, I like reading romance novels, this one is my favourite,"

Mia handed me a book it was old and tatty with slightly ripped pages.

"PS I LOVE YOU?" I have never heard of any of any of them? I don't think I've ever read a romance book? It's a bit too lovey-dovey for me and plus they are not allowed"

"It's not lovey-dovey Alex it's all about happiness, something we don't really get because someone is trying to control us like robots. When I read I escape away to a happy place, somewhere I have choices and hope. Have you ever lost one of your socks before?"

"Well yeah, of course, we all do?" I shrugged my shoulders

"Well happiness or love is like the missing sock, you know it will turn up eventually, but it will probably be in the strangest of places. Why should someone control that?" I smiled to myself

"You are totally right Mia I've never thought of it like that. I want to find my missing sock in my own time. Not on a ticking time bomb, well at least I can now because of you. I always felt it was wrong. I'm so glad we met,"

I rested up for the night with Mia in her room and we read together, her books were so interesting. The old smell of the pages and feel of paper against my fingers as I turned them. I would love to own my own books someday.

It was the first good night's sleep I had in a few days, my wrist hurt and my head felt fuzzy like the Doc said it would be.

I wanted to just stay down here life was easy I did miss the sunshine though. Imagine not seeing the sun or feeling the fresh breeze on your skin, these people were almost like prisoners down here even though life was hassle free they still missed out on real life. Hiding in the dark like animals, I had to help all these people down here and all the innocent people who didn't know what these tattoos were really doing to them.

After I started to feel better, I had to start planning a way to get back to the training school where I would be safe from the Officials I could help more from there than down here.

Mia's Dad gave me a small vintage communication device which I could reach them on if needed. I said my goodbyes Mia offered to be my guide out of here.

I had a long walk ahead of me to get back to the training school, I wondered how worried all my family and friends were? I couldn't wait to see them all again. We walked through the old ruined tunnels together talking and joking like we had known each other forever.

"I will miss you, Mia, you are different,"

"Thanks, different is good I suppose? I'm going to miss you too Alex we have had one big adventure together, haven't we? I wish my brother was here, you would like him his name is Ben,"

"I'm sure I would if he's anything like you, where does he work? If I come across a Ben that looks like you I will give him a hug from you. Yes, we certainly have had a great adventure, thank you so much for all your help I wouldn't be here without you,"

"Alex take care and I hope one day I can live up there with you all,"

We hugged it out, and I went my separate way through the last tunnel which would lead me out into the centre of London.

I climbed up an old concrete pipe with a metal ladder which came out in the middle of a busy street, I jumped up on to my feet quickly not to be seen. The light was bright and it took my eyes a few seconds to adjust again. Mia had given me an old hoodie, so I pulled it over my head.

Even though they couldn't track me, they could still be looking for me.