text: { note: this is my first story so there could be mistakes but enjoy anyways :) } Lucas followed Vera through the dark depths of the sewer tunnels. The stench seeped through the grubby brick walls in a way that made his eyes water. He knew that the girl in front of him felt it too but she didn’t utter a word; they both knew that journeying through the surface was like an act of suicide. Vera looked back at the boy, her plump lips formed into a thin line. He always thought that Vera was beautiful. With her slim figure and her wavy brunette locks cascading down her back. Even dressed in filthy rags and the prominent dark circles formed underneath her eyes. Even as she led him through this filthy tunnel to who knows where, risking both of their lives, he still found her as flawless as ever. Vera broke the silence. “We must hurry-” At the same instant a detonation was heard, causing the walls to quiver violently. The sewage water was like brown slime; it sloshed and hugged at their ankles. Lucas would have gagged if he wasn’t focused on the screams and crashes echoing from the surface. Rats scurried down from the end of the tunnel, their red eyes glowed in the dark as they let out helpless squeaks. Vera urged him to keep walking. More screams. More crashes. More rats; Lucas couldn’t take it. His eyes grew moist and he tucked a few blonde strands behind his ear. “All those innocent people...” He let out through clenched teeth. “Things change, Lucas,” Vera said solemnly. “Hopefully for us, they change for the better.” “No, we need to turn back or we’ll end up like them!” He gestured to the top of the tunnel. “I thought you trusted me on this. We would never survive in that slum of a home!” Lucas looked at her in disbelief. Of course he trusted her, but not even he would be insane enough to continue with this. Everyone knows that you can’t escape from this nightmare that they call the Apocalypse. But it wasn’t a nightmare, it was real. They wouldn’t even be able to make it out of the city in one piece, instead they would make new additions to the pile of bodies littered across the streets. But if this is what Vera wanted, he would have to trust her. He owed her that much after everything they have both been through. After all, they only have each other. It was just them against the world now, or what’s left of it. They couldn’t afford any arguments or distrust in each other. “Gross,” Lucas muttered bitterly as his feet sank deeper. “We’ve been walking for ages, where does this tunnel even lead to?” “Hopefully out of the city.” “ Hopefully? You mean you don’t even know where we’re going?” “I know that we’re away from the slums and that’s all that matters.” Vera didn’t have a reckless mindset, Lucas knew that for sure. So he didn’t question when she woke him up one morning and told him to pack what was left of their things, saying they were leaving for good. She hated living in the slums, what with all the hundreds of other families herded like sheep in the same area, in fear of their lives. In fear that one day those giant machines would come marching over and- Lucas shuddered even at the thought of it. Everyone was only concerned about their own safety and wouldn’t hesitate to choose their own life over another's. That was simply the way things were now since the Apocalypse. “Oof!” Confused as to why Vera stopped, Lucas was about to question her but gaped when his vision met the sight in front of them. Gone was the rest of the filthy sewage tunnel and in its place was a mountain of debris and rubble. It piled up in enormous chunks that went above the sewers and into the surface of the city. Vera turned to Lucas, a spark in her eyes lit strong and firm. The blonde-haired boy’s eyes widened so much he could practically feel them popping out. “Vera, if you’re thinking...” “What other choice do we have?” Vera placed a single frayed shoe on a slab of rubble amongst the debris hill. She stared up at the endless path that could possibly lead to their extermination but looked back at Lucas with a glint in her eye. He couldn’t quite fathom what it was: Pleading? Determination? Further up the hill she went and reached out a hand to him. He let out a deep sigh as he looked back and stared into the black oblivion. No turning back now. He grasped onto the brunette's outstretched arm and carefully climbed up to her, his barely covered feet squelching with each step. Hums and buzzes from flies echoed in their ears which would have annoyed them any other day, but right now it was the least of their worries. “Agh!” Vera shrieked as her steps made an unusual squelching noise and she was left tumbling over the destroyed bricks and metal. As he rushed to help her, Lucas almost heaved out his insides at the red liquid staining the brunette’s shoe. He peered down to what was only a few inches away from his own feet, only to be met with soulless orbs staring straight into his eyes. His breathing hitched and the hand that was gripping onto Vera trembled. Now we know what caused the flies. He barely heard the girl in front of him let out a sob and pull him away from the sight. After who knows how long they’ve been climbing for, the hill was getting a lot steeper that they could pretty much slide off it. But they could see the top and in this way, they would be able to journey through the surface. Vera looked back at Lucas with a genuine smile. The blonde-haired boy couldn’t help himself; he smiled back. Gosh, she was ravishing when she smiled. The brunette started to climb onto the now damaged road of the surface, stretching her hand out to the boy below her. She took in her surroundings, eyes widening in realisation. “I know this area! The exiting gate should be just-” More crashes and explosions. But this time, it was a lot closer. “Vera!” Lucas breathed heavily and tried to look through the dust circulating his vision. His entire body crumbled and ached like the rubble around him. The sound of machines whirring caught his attention and it was at that point that his heart refused to beat. No... it can’t be! Limping through the fog of debris and dust, Lucas desperately clawed through the now broken buildings. She was right there; we were so close. He halted as a pale hand weakly stretched out from beneath the rocks. It trembled and shook vigorously, trying to find some way to lift itself up. At that moment, Lucas had never sprinted so fast in his life. He couldn’t care less anymore if he passed through decaying bodies of innocent civilians or how the synced mechanic marches echoed louder throughout the city. “Vera, oh gosh!” Lucas quickly brushed off the soil and filth covering her limp body. Parts of her brown hair were stained in deep red and more of the liquid oozed freely down the side of her head. “I thought we were gonna make it,” she coughed out blood. “Guess I was wrong.” Machines whirred and whined, their heavy stomps vibrating through the rubble ground. Lucas bit back a whimper. They are getting closer now. He kneeled next to Vera’s weak body and gripped onto her frail hands tightly. “If we run now, we can make it!” Vera smiled faintly at the idea and shook her head at him. A single tear danced down her cheek and her cracked lips trembled slightly as she stared up at the blonde-haired boy. She took in his features one last time, savouring it in her mind and then pulled him closer towards her until their lips met. Lucas couldn’t stop the sob that broke free from his lips. He knew the kiss was a seal of fate. Though it was a different fate from all of those fairy tales and movies. This was real life. So as their lips parted for a split second, they leaned in again despite the machines nearing them. They stopped marching, and in a coordinated fashion, took aim at what was left of the city. Lucas smiled. This was where he needed to be.