The Beginning of the End

Chapter one, Lonely yet not alone

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"Scars are just reminders that you are stronger than whatever tried to hurt you"
-Unknown

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I walk through the halls of our large underground society. It isn't much, after all, we've only had five years to pull it together.

The walls, ceiling and floor are plastered with unstable concrete. I always find myself fixing it.
I look around and nod a polite hello to anyone walking by, everyone sort of knows who I am by now. After all, I walk the same route everyday.
I'm the maintenance guy. It's anything but a great paying job but it's not like I have options. Most opportunities are taken by now. I'm trying to collect enough money so that my eleven year old sister and I can move out of what I like to call the 'poor beds' and move into a room for ourselves. Our own living quarters.

At the moment, we're staying in the grouped bunks, where all of the unwealthy and disabled people stay. It's what it sounds like; A bunch of old, metal bunk beds squished together in a small space. The only storage place we have is underneath our bunks. Although it's not like we have much, after the apocalypse.

I shove my hands into my well worn, dark brown trouser pockets. I need to get some new trousers. I can tell there will be holes in them in less than a week or two. Things are so expensive at the moment though...

Lost in my thoughts I stumble upon a girl-or better yet a young woman-who is just sitting there, in the middle of the floor, staring down at her hands.

What is she doing?

I shake myself to reality and watch her for a moment as she looks up at me, clearly taken aback. Why is she giving me such a judgemental look? She is the one sitting on the nasty floor, not I.

I almost recognize her immediately, I'm good with faces. And names. Besides, her glowing azure eyes and perfectly proportionate features are difficult to forget.

I extend my hand out to her, offering to help her up. "I'm so terribly sorry, ma'am. I didn't see you there."
She waves my hand away and stands up on her own, brushing herself off quickly. She stares at my face for a moment, I can tell she is looking at the scar on my cheek from all those years ago...

"Don't worry about it. No harm done. Next time, make sure to look where you're going."

I pause for a minute, internally admiring her seemingly perfect attributes. I nod slightly, lost in thought again. I really need to stop doing that.

"Well, I sure hope there won't be a next time." That sounds awkward. I add, "What were you doing down there anyway?"

She hesitates, then speaks almost coldly, "It's actually none of your business. But if you must know, I was resting. That's all."

I know she is probably lying. I make a mental note to ask her about it later, maybe once we get to know each other more.

We are silent for a while. I decide to be the one to break the awkward quietness. "You're Lena, right?"

She raises an eyebrow, confusion all over her face. "Yes. Lena Hansley. How did you know?" She crosses her arms over her chest, giving me a quizzical look.

"I've seen you around, I would say I'm pretty good at remembering people. What can I say, you're quite a memorable person," I respond, smirking only slightly to make the conversation more casual.

She laughs cold heartedly, looking me over. She is sizing me up. Great.

"So you're a creepster, huh."