Fallen

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Colt said he left me supplies, I only hoped food was in them. Waiting for a moment, my eyes did not adjust to the pitch blackness. Somewhere there had to be the bag of supplies.

Standing still, I brushed my left foot to the side but there wasn't anything. I did the same with the other foot. When I hit something and my heart leaped into my throat. I nudged it again, it gave easily and was light that I could push it away from me. A clatter vibrated off the walls. My entire body jumped at the sound.

This was foolish. I was alone. In the subway tunnel. It was just me in here. No one would have heard that crash.

I squatted, my hands searching for the thing my foot hit. My fingertips touched the fabric of a bag. Somehow I managed to open it in the darkness, I searched blindly for a flashlight or matches.

A paper bag containing something mushy. A cloth. A small box. A smaller box.

My hand curled around a rectangular object that had what felt like a round lens on one side. Pulling it from the bag, I searched for a button. Pressing the top of the object, a light popped on.

A headlight.

I pulled it on, the strap was elastic enough that didn't squeeze my head nor did it try to fall off.

For a second my eyes had to adjust to the brightness. Glancing around the room, the beam of light revealed I was at the top of more stairs.

The stairs were only a few feet away. If someone hadn't had a light, they may have tumbled down them. I had a funny feeling some people have done that.

Looking back at the bag, I opened it to reveal the few items I touched. There was a paper brown bag. Pulling it out, I found a sandwich in it and grapes in a plastic bag. There was also a bandana, a first aid kit, a box of ammunition. At the very bottom was a revolver and my communicator.

It had been a while since I had seen a revolver. Clicking it open, it was loaded. I would only be able to shoot six rounds at a time. Opening the ammo box, there were a dozen or so inside. So, three rounds. In case I needed to use it, I had three rounds.

Annoyance bubbled up that Colt gave me barely any ammo but I pushed the thought back down. Colt gave me this gun to use. It could be the only weapon he had with the only ammo he had. With that thought, I placed the gun beside me. The goal was not to shoot anything or anyone. I was alone in the tunnels, there was nothing to shoot at anyway.

The light fell onto an object when placing the gun down. Looking at it closely, I realized it was the thing I had knocked over when moving the bag with my foot. Picking it up, I found it was a hand-crank lantern. Colt had really thought of everything.

Cranking the lantern, the high pitch ticking of the crank echoed off the walls making me cringe. After half a minute, I turned the lantern on. It flooded the small area with an orange light. I clicked off the headlight. There was no need to waste that battery but I kept it on my head just in case.

I pulled the backpack over my shoulders and stood. Before picking up the lantern and revolver, I pulled out the paper Colt had put in my pocket. Unfolding it, Ben's small and neat writing greeted me.

Mel, Colt told me what was going on. There's a way out of the subway system at the other end. It is only a few miles but be careful down there. Since there's an opening at the end, animals may have gotten in. By the time you get out Dave should be here with the soldiers. Convene with them to finalize the plan for Solstice. At night, sneak back into the Settlement. Love you, Ben. 

I folded up the letter and put it in my pocket. Grabbing the lantern after getting the sandwich and grapes from the bag and putting the revolver in my back pocket, I headed toward the old broken-down escalators and ate the sandwich.