Chapter 4: Redux

Chapter 4
Redux

Most of the passengers were too busy arguing among themselves to have noticed what had happened in our car. Some knew there were two people in there, but they never checked, and we never waited to find out if they did. Our car was damaged by the monster and Grace’s sword. We had to get out. We snuck out a broken window and walked along the tracks until we reached a service door. We entered and followed the path toward the next station, which was also my stop.

We walked out the service door. News of the accident had already filtered into the station. People saw us exit the service door and eyed us suspiciously. The only time people care is when there’s fear and suspicion.

We continued toward the exit. Behind me, I could hear someone talking about the two of us and from where we entered. I heard a new gait, heavy and quickening by the moment.

“Run!” Grace sprinted past me, but I could see a smile.

I ran with her toward the exit.

“Somebody stop them!” a voice yelled from behind us.

Grace hopped over the exit rails, and I swept my card as I jumped over them. I looked back to see the security, the police, chasing after us.

I turned and ran up the stairs and found myself alone. That’s how it was. Protect yourself. I turned to my right and began to run. My apartment wasn’t far away, and I knew the alleys I could turn into to avoid being seen. I knew how to navigate without being caught. I turned right on the next alley and continued until the second opening on the left. As soon as I turned onto the new alley, I began to slow my pace and mute my footsteps. Soon, I was standing in front of my building. I lifted the keys from my pocket and inserted one into the doorknob.

“Hey!” a familiar voice called from behind me. “Where did you run off to?”

I turned to see Grace.

“I ran home.”

“You never escape someone by running to your house! You’re leading them to where they can identify you!”

“You seem knowledgeable about this.”

“It comes with the territory.”

“Well, I don’t want anything to do with that territory.”

“But you’re already in it,” she smiled.

I opened the door and walked in.

“Goodbye!” she shouted.

I closed the door.

It was a long day, and the day wasn’t over yet. I still had to cook and do homework. But I let it slide. I was tired. I collapsed onto my bed and fell asleep.

My alarm rang at 7:30AM, right on time. I wasn’t up immediately. I lay on my bed as it continued ringing. I finally rose and turned it off. I slept far more than my usual eight hours. I turned on my computer, loaded some music, and did my exercise routine. I checked my e-mail and saw one new e-mail. It was from Listentoyourpeers.org.

I never gave them my e-mail. I opened it.

Take the time to listen to the words of another and the sounds of the city. Who knows what you might hear.

Visit www.listentoyourpeers.org/

I marked the file to delete. I showered and wore the same black jeans, a new white shirt, the same red tie, and the same toque out.

Today was different though. I couldn’t take my usual route because of the events that transpired yesterday. I found myself at the bus stop, waiting for the 73. It came, and I boarded the bus. I saw people sitting next to each other and talking on their cell-phones or listening to their iPods. I sat down on a seat next to a woman with a baby on her lap. The baby began to cry.

“Shhh,” the woman whispered to her child. The baby continued to bawl. No words the mother said would calm the child. No one was listening. The bus began to move, and the engine sputtered and grinded.

The words of another and the sounds of the city. Noise.

“Excuse me.”

I turned toward the voice. The mother smiled at me.

“It seems my child likes your hat.”

I looked up at my toque.

“I’m really sorry to ask this of you, but would you mind letting him see it for a little bit?”

I took off the toque and handed it over to the mother, but the baby grabbed it. The child stopped crying. He put the toque on his head and stared at me. I looked back at him.

The mother cooed at her son who was now calm. The low murmur of the engine soon lulled the baby to sleep.

She took my toque off the baby and handed it back to me.

“Thank you so much.”

The bus continued on its way to campus, and people came and went, never talking to me or another person. But the baby continued to sleep.

I eventually arrived on campus, later than usual. All other days, I’m early to class, and the first one in the classroom. Today, I was late. I walked into the classroom and found it full – another unusual aspect. I saw one open seat. In the adjacent seat sat a girl wearing a purple skull ribbon in her hair. I took the seat.

­Text and Images © Jonathan Lee