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DANCROW CART 

“I’m fine,” she said. Her voice was slightly tense, and I deducted that she was either just wary or didn’t like the idea of my help. Personally, I didn’t exactly feel comfortable setting an arm anyway. Then she changed the subject.

“Where are you from?”

I ran a hand through my hair. “Well, I’m from Karodvia (say: Kah-road-vee-ah). Specifically, I live in Fancho.” I stared at her keenly, watching her eyes to see if she recognized it. At that moment, however, there was a huge blast of air that blew my hair back from my face, and a man landed with a heavy thud on the platform. My eyes widened in awe even as my hand immediately whipped out my gun. He was like a walking arsenal, and the first thing out of my mouth was: “that’s awesome!” There’s nothing like that in Karodvia, and we’re one of the most advanced countries in the world.

“Ruby Actual, this is Ruby Five. Are you there? This is Ruby Five. Please respond.” He said.

Are there really other worlds besides Indrach?

Then my eyes wandered to the staircase, and I realized that I had probably better get moving. The others were already there! I turned to the girl. “Come on. We don’t want to be left behind.”

Then I darted past the man, still gripping my revolver. I wasn’t sure if he was an enemy or not, and no chances were I taking.

“Greetings, what’s-your-name. Welcome to the place we’re all going to die,” Miss Snoot — still couldn’t grasp her name — said sardonically as I came to stop just before the bridge. Gavril attempted to reason with her, and I just suppressed a laugh. But then I looked down.

It was so deep. Very deep. I was tempted to find something to throw down into it just to hear how long it took to hear if it hit the bottom — if there was a bottom, that is. But this was no time for play. Taking a deep breath, I put a timid foot on the bridge. It wobbled, but not too bad. And besides, the others were watching, especially the girls — I darted across before I could argue otherwise. But when I looked back at the drop, my heart fell down into it. Then Gavril came back down the steps, and I realized he had gone up to the room above. With a weak chuckle, I turned to hear what he had to say.

“I’m Gavril, this highly cheerful and enthusiastic person is my sister, Liorah. All of us ended up here some way or another, and we’re trying to find our way out. And right now. That means we’re heading up to the room up there. It seems safe,” he proclaimed.

“‘Seems safe;’ wonderful. I am eternally comforted,” I said dryly. But I had to admire his courage in checking it out.

I ascended the staircase behind them, the metal railings cold beneath my clammy grasp. Between the steps was emptiness, and I had to watch my feet to keep from getting one stuck between them. Soon, however, after a few agonizing minutes — I had to glue my eyes to Miss Snoots’ back (she moved rather slow, but I couldn’t blame her what with the bad leg and all) because I couldn’t look down again — we were in the room.

I let out a sigh of relief. The room was dark and black; like a prison cell. I had thought about prison cells for a while, because they were where I could end up — or worse. But I always pushed that thought out of my mind so that I could continue on. Like right now.

I wanted to sit down in a corner, but there were others who probably needed the extra support of two walls against their backs more than I did. So I sat down on the floor off to the side, watching the others intently, trying to learn all I could. But as I adjusted myself, my hand brushed something hard and square. I picked it up.

What the?

It was a small black block. Iknar Wai! One of our two small, compact radios, the ones that we stole from a Verg bunker! I stared in shock. How? I shook my head. This was too much, and I sat for a second, trying to understand. Then, I realized what I had. I could try contacting my friends! I didn’t even consider the fact that the signal was probably more than blocked — but just before I was about to press the button to speak, I did stop.

If it worked, I could give away their identity. But I could let my family know I was safe! But they could be captured. But I need help!

I threw my head back with an exasperated moan and knocked it on the wall. I let out a small yelp of pain. But the blow cleared my mind. I would not call. I couldn’t be that dumb and brave-less. But . . . did the radio actually work? I wanted to know, and I wanted music. Suddenly, all I wanted was to hear the familiar sound of my favorite music. I needed that comfort, and ever since the Vergs took all of our radios, televisions, and whatnot, we had only been able to listen in secret to an old player mother hid. Us and our neighbors would gather round to listen, huddled over it and listening just as intently for any sign of danger.

I needed music.

So I turned the knob to channel 3 —

*”And I said, “Hey pretty lady, won’t you give me a sign?”

“I’d give anything to make you mine all mine”

“I’ll do your biddin’ and be at your beck and call”

I leapt to my feet and nearly dropped the radio as it blared the rapid song at top decibel. I frantically turned the volume down, but I could hardly contain my ecstasy and waved it around as it continued to play. “It works! It works! Ecray Was!! YES!” 

I didn’t care that they probably thought I was loony, but I did keep my voice at a medium. This was a connection to the world I apparently had left behind; the only thing familiar to me.

It was to be my new comfort — I knew it.

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*Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident) It’s a real song, and really fun, LOL