Souls Below

Chapter Four

When Krane and I had arrived back at my place we could hear chatter inside, the deep, growly voice of Krane's dad unmistakable. I glanced at Krane, noticing the frown as he stared at the door to the shop, a look of almost anger crossing his face. I opened my mouth to say something when he suddenly gripped my hand and tugged me along.

I followed without question, walking in silence towards the old warehouse. Our meet point. If we didn't get a chance to talk face to face due to work, we would meet here at change times. At first I thought it was because he was keeping an eye on me or being nosey, asking me an abundance of questions I could never answer.

Until he made a comment about the guards when I was running late. Whatever it had first started out as, became his way of checking if I had been caught, and if I was alright.

I knew then he was a friend I could trust and rely on.

I blinked out of the memory, realising that my hand was still clasped in his. I could feel his fingers that wrapped around mine, the warmth that seemed to radiate from his touch, his palms rough and calloused from years of hard work. My stomach did a weird twist, eyes flicking to Krane's face. He was still staring ahead, anger now gone but lost in thought, his dark green eyes almost vacant.

I felt my heart flutter, my eyes taking in his now defined face. I had never noticed before how his features were striking, skin not as pale as many in the Lower city and hair that look like the pristine paper Old woman Merla had stashed for special occasions.

A new scar ran along his temple, his short hair along the sides freshly cut to show another one on the back of his neck, this one still pink and fresh. I felt my stomach tighten; those meant there was more that happened at the filtration centre than he was telling.

We stopped near the base of the old warehouse, Krane glancing down at me briefly as a smile tugged on the corner of his mouth. My stomach did that weird flip again. Without letting my hand go Krane guided me towards the roof where the view overlooked a big part of the city.

The metal city wasn't overtly beautiful, unique or striking in any way while down below, traversing the broken streets of ill-matched walls and doors, broken lights flickering. Gazing over the mismatched city from this height there was a certain alluring aspect when the lights twinkled in the buildings, the constant hum of machinery and mechanisms giving off a faint and rythmatic thump-thump, almost like a beating heart.

We sat at the edge, feet dangling below as the silence stretched between us. Krane still held my hand, the feeling comforting and warm, but causing my skin to tingle where his thumb rubbed my skin. It was a small gesture, one he had done often however this time my stomach acted differently.

I couldn't understand the strange sensation that were churning through me. This was the most normal thing I could have been doing, and yet I felt giddy and excited. I glanced at Krane again, noticing then that he was smiling down at me. Usually I would come up with some smart remark about him staring, but my brain was at a loss, mouth refusing to speak. I felt myself swallow nervously

"You know, something felt different this time while I was away" he started quietly "I always enjoyed seeing different parts of the Lower city, finding new places to explore when not working. But this time, I barely did any of that" I frowned

"You were in the mech sector, there's heaps to explore" he nodded, laughing softly

"And yet all I could think about was seeing you again" I swear my heart flatlined at that.

"What?" I felt myself dumbly reply. He let out a louder laugh, shifting closer so our sides were touching

"I know right, how dumb can I be? A whole area as my playground, and all I could think about was the time that dragged between coming home" I felt myself sink at that for some reason, as if I had been expecting some other answer "I guess you just make me feel complete" he added, almost to quietly for me to hear, but I did.

He shifted again, his hand that had been holding mine now travelling up my arm. I couldn't tell if it was the low light or my head swooning but I thought he had started to lean towards me, cheeks flushed as if he was hot.

A long and high pitch sound pierced the air, signalling the start of night. I jolted backwards in surprise, completely lost in the moment I hadn't realised the time. I blinked and looked around, watching as a few house darkened as their lights turned off.

I looked back at Krane, noticing he was now leaning away from me, a smile still on his lips but it no longer reached his eyes. I felt a pang of regret, for what I was unsure but it felt as if an important moment had just been lost

"Come on, I should get you back home before the old man adds more to your grounding" Krane stood, not offering to help me up as he made his way back down. I blinked after him a few times until his voice drifted back up, asking if I was coming. Quickly scrambling to my feet I followed.

My mind was lost in thought. Why was I feeling so strange towards Krane all of a sudden? And why did he looked like he was hot? The temperature down here was cooler as we headed towards the cold rotation. Did that mean he might be sick? Could he have been exposed to the sickness while in the Mech sector? That would explain the strange behaviour

We headed back to my place, people hurrying home to avoid being out after curfew. I saw Krane's dad standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest as face blank as we approached. Krane stopped a few metres from the house, staring at his father with his eyebrows drawn together in a frown. I felt the tension, and knew there was more going on then Krane had let on, the anger he had when we first approached my house earlier was identical to how he was now

"Good to see you Amira" Krane's dad, Strem, had a low and rough voice, like many of the older and bigger men that did most of the harder work. I gave a small nod in response, worry stirring in my chest the longer Krane stood there staring at him "Head home boy" Strem instructed his son, but he didn't move.

Jerard appeared behind Strem, eyes wondering between the three of us and taking in the angry stance Krane had

"Mira, inside please" he instructed. I was about to comply when Krane stepped closer to me, stopping me in my tracks as if trying to protect me. Jerard's eyes narrowed "Careful Krane" he rumbled in warning. I was completely at a loss to Krane's behaviour

"I think Krane's sick" I chimed in suddenly. All three heads swivelled in my direction, my chest tightening at the attention "earlier when we were on top of the mill..." Krane was staring down at me, frown gone and eyes wide "he looked like he was getting those fevers when you get sick" I looked at Jerard, who was staring at me in surprise "it's the only thing I can think of for his strange behaviour" I added. I felt Krane step sideways, facing me completely now, face utter shock and disbelief. Even Strem looked confused and shocked at the same time

"Only thing you ca- What?" he stumbled over his words is shock. I suddenly felt like I had completely missed something

"Enough Krane" Strem growled. Krane was still staring at me, eyes still wide but his chest was now rising and falling rapidly. Why was he staring at me like that?

"Mira..." the way Krane said my name just then caused goosebumps to race over my skin and heart to quicken in that strange way again. Did this mean I was sick to?

"Enough!" Strem's voice boomed, causing me to flinch. Krane's face turned dark, spinning around to his father, fists clenched; both Strem and Jerard appeared to be prepared for a retaliation from Krane. Instead, without warning, he stormed off with a loud huff, I watched as he disappeared into the dark before turning my attention back to Strem

"Are you going to call the Medic? I know they are expensive but I can help pay it off" Strem ran a hand through his hair, letting out a huge sigh "I know the sickness is in the mech sector. I'm worried Krane caught some of it" Strem glanced at me then, one eyebrow raised

"you two really do share all secrets" it was a statement, not a question "he's not sick Mira, at least...not in the way you think" I frowned, in what other way was there?

"I think this conversation is for another time Mira, the guards will be doing their rounds soon and Strem needs to get home" Jerard's voice interupted. I stared at Strem a moment longer, seeing in his eyes there was more than he was letting on.

Reluctantly I made my way into the house, glancing back briefly to see Strem pinch the bridge of his nose as he walked off. I looked at Jerard, noticing the worried and concerned look now on his face as his eyes wondered after his friend. When he caught me staring he smiled, opening the door wide enough for me to slip past his large frame.

Whatever those two men had talked about, it was serious. But whether Jerard would tell me or not was in question, and lately he had kept me out of the loop. I was about to head to my room when Jerard's rough voice drifted up

"The upper was spotted today, near the restricted section" I half turned around, curiosity now spiked "the guards pursued him, but he managed to get away" I raised an eyebrow

"I didn't realise Uppers were so fast and slippery"

"He's injured, which means dangerous"

"How can he be dangerous while hurt?" I asked confused

"An injured wolf is more dangerous than a healthy one" I c****d my head to the side,

"what's a wolf?" Jerard sighed heavily

"It makes him desperate. And unpredictable, he might try to do something rash to save himself. So you need to be careful while out" he warned, face unreadable as he stared at me "that means, if you see him you are to come directly home, is that clear? Do not approach, do not interact. Do not do anything I know you would want to do in that moment" I made a face, he was no fun sometimes

"I don't see what the big deal is Jerard, it's just one Upper"

"The big deal is that anyone caught with the Upper is going to be seen as an accomplice" I froze at that. It meant they would be scanned and tried for aiding a fugitive "So, to be clear. Do. Not. Engage" his voice was low and rough, a voice he rarely used with me. I nodded slightly, worry knotting my stomach; this upper was causing some real problems for us Lowers

"Can I see Krane though?" I asked quietly. Jerard paused at that, a weird expression on his face as he stared at me

"The boy is going through some issues, Strem and his son ran into a few problems in the mech sector. But...I have no problem with you seeing him. Just be home before the night whistle" my face lit up with a smile at that. I was about to turn and make my way back to my room when Jerard called my name once more; I glanced back at him "While up on at the warehouse...did Krane say, or...do anything...Weird?" I frowned at how hard the question seemed to ask

"He just seemed angry with his dad. And flushed, like he was hot. He..." my voice trailed off for a moment, causing Jerard to raise an eyebrow "it was a trick of the dim light, but I thought he was leaning in close to me, I was worried he may have caught the sickness"

"And what about you?" he asked. Me? I thought about the weird feelings I had when I looked at Krane, how my stomach did weird flips and head swooned when to close, but I didn't want Jerard to worry. I shook my head, not trusting my voice. He seemed satisfied with that answer

"Goodnight Pea" he made his way into the kitchen as I turned and headed to my room, closing the door quietly behind I leant my back against the wood, my heart crashing against my ribcage. Should I have told him I felt strange? That this recent moment alone with Krane caused my body and brain to react in a way I hadn't experienced before?

I climbed onto my bed and stared out the window, at the twinkling lights of our never ending city that didn't sleep. Tomorrow was a new day. I needed to believe Krane would be fine. That we would all be fine in the end. I hugged my legs to my chest, chin resting on my knee. If there was something wrong with my best friend, I was going to do everything I could to save him.

~*~

.

....I stood overlooking a forest. No, it was a garden. The flowers in full bloom early this spring. I blinked a few times, looking up at the bright orb in the sky. The sun, yes, that's right. I looked up towards the bright blue that seemed to stretched forever, the large and imposing building reaching for that blue, dazzling lights twinkling within. A single, bright and powerful beam extended from within that dazzling building, up into the bright blue, disappearing beyond.

What was that for? What was it's purpose? I blinked a few times again. The Citadel. The safe haven. It was were the King and Queen ruled from. So why was I here?

I heard someone calling a name. My name? I half turned, a body coming into view. I could see his smile, mouth moving as he talked, but his words were fuzzy and muffled. I felt myself smile in response. He reached out, fingers encircling mine that were extended...

.

The early morning whistle had not long blown, a few people starting to rise to begin their daily routines. My mind was preoccupied as I wondered slowly towards my job for the day. The dream last night had been different, it felt like I had been there. Was that from above? in the Upper City? I looked up, spying the small windows that allowed trickles of light to filter through. It couldn't be. If it were a memory then I would have been missing. No one had come looking after the riots two years ago, and an Upper was to important to leave down here.

I shook my head, dismissing the dream as my active imagination, dreaming of something bigger and better. Although, that large tower looked almost identical to the tower in the middle of the Lower City, just not as pretty or dazzling. Where they connected? I shook my head again. I directed my thoughts to Krane in trouble or sick, of Jerard getting arrested if the guards ever found out I had given advice to the Upper. I had considered skipping work, I had enough meal tickets stashed to be ok to skip one shift, just to make sure Krane was alright. I fiddled with the P.I.P card in my pocket that I grabbed before leaving, hoping Krane would be up for a detour if he wasn't mad with me for ratting out his sickness.

Not paying attention to where my feet had taken me I looked up, a strange smell drifting to my nose. I felt my body tense, realising I had wondered to the restricted section, dust coated the buildings in a thick layer, weed like plants had started to grow through cracks and small rat like creatures scuttled away at the sight of me.

I glanced around, half expecting an Upper guard to appear to get me in trouble. But the area was silent, the gentle hum and thump of the city working the only sound. I continued forward cautiously, now aware of the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end; someone was watching.

After a few minutes I eventually found the small door that was locked, the little P.I.P reader glowing gently despite the rest of the area being almost devoid of electricity. I held the card up, examining the little holographic chip that glinted in the small light, gut twisting in excitement at what lay beyond the door.

Guilt suddenly replaced my anticipation, leaving a sour taste in my mouth. Krane would be disappointed I had explored without him, considering he risked his life to even get this little card. Exploring this new wonder would have little effect if I couldn't talk to anyone about it.

I turned to head back in the direction of home when I stopped dead in my tracks, heart crashing against my chest and blood pounding in my ears. I didn't want to move, in case the danger Jerard mentioned was real. With my only exit now blocked I prepared to use the P.I.P card to escape when a single sentence turned my world upside down

"Please....Help me" the Upper begged, collapsing onto the concrete ground with a thud.