It was cold when I woke up, my entire body was just shivers that dug in deep. I was the first to get up, all the rest seemed out like a light with a peaceful expression on their sleeping faces.
We were too relaxed. I realised as alarm ran through my frame, we should have had a guard or watch or something.
I shot up, and to the windows, scanning the tunnel walls for anything. All that returned my gaze was the stone faced wall, even it seemed asleep. With a slow shaky breath I calmed down and looked back to the group. It looked almost silly now, all of us spread across the floor, sleeping perfectly on the first night of the end of the world.
I didn't feel like laughing, I was still cold.
I nudged Andrew awake, and after some bleary blinks he got up and looked around as well, while I went through the rest of the group. We all gathered under the brightest of the green emergency bulbs.
"I think we should go and check the other end of the tunnel, and see if there are any exits and supplies that could help us." Andrew said, swiftly meeting opposition. "No, absolutely not. We should stay here, wait it out, make sure it's safe before doing anything." Rebbecca responded.
"If we wait too long then we'll lose the energy to try and do anything, besides we're not leaving the underground and we might find an even safer place to hide." I added.
Rebbecca seemed unconvinced, but a soft glance from her husband seemed to make the decision set. Everyone else, though wary, had some form of determination on their face and we agreed to set off after our meagre rationed breakfast.
I felt strange gathering up my blanket and arranging my bag, it felt as though I'd returned to my previous routine. Only the morning before, I'd drearily gone through the motions packing my bag for the library after eating some breakfast.
The cold air of the tunnel broke through my illusion of normality. This was not a place for dull distraction, this was not the world before. I glanced around at my surroundings, all I could see was that dull brown dirt and the faces that hid amongst it, we weren't in danger yet.
We began our walk, searching for a new safe harbour or at least some good news. Andrew again led us down the path. I stayed on the right, trailing my eyes on the ceiling and wall.
Suddenly a whisper entered my ear, "What was going on with that Liam guy, I know he wanted to leave and stay on his own, do you know why?"
I turned to see the owner of the voice. It was Allison, standing just beside me. "He was really devout, I think he saw this whole thing as a test of devotion, and went up. Honestly I'm not sure, he wasn't clear on his intentions." I told her. Liam's smile as he told me he wasn't coming still unnerved me. It knew something, whether or not it was the truth, I intended to find out for myself.
"I hope he's ok, he seemed like a good person," she said, her voice as sweet as honey, as she went back to the back of the group.
We continued onwards through the hollow tunnel, until we reached the surface entrance, where we had left Liam behind, and had uncovered the true extent of our misery. Today there was more waiting for us, with a foul grin.
Scattered pools of dried blood and indents littered the tunnel exit and tunnel dirt caked the ground in dust. The stone floor had graze marks, like a bear marking its part of the woods. But this had been no bear. A small strip of black cloth lay on the floor, coated in the same dried blood as the floor. Liam was nowhere to be seen.
"So there really is more to this, I'd hoped it was just that wind but no wind could have done this." Andrew said in shock.
"He should have stayed with the group, always stay with the group, that's where it's safest Damn it! This, this is really bad." Tim yelled in anger, throwing his trusty baseball hat in anger.
"Do you think he's still alive, I mean they might have taken him, there's no corpse here." Allison questioned.
"Maybe that thing that, whatever it was swallowed him whole! We need to go back, we can't stay out here, we'll die!" Rebbecca cried out
"If something could do this, a train car won't be able to stop it, this is all the more reason to find safer shelter and supplies." Andrew responded.
Their words left my ears and mind, drowned by a ringing and a torrent of thoughts. Here was the proof, shown undeniable and clear, humanity was not wrapped up in some tragic accident. Whatever this was, it was preordained, a fate decreed on humanity out of our control, out of our knowledge.
Again that terrible feeling beset me. Some horror awaited us. I saw the faces of those around me change, their faces and mouths moved but no words came out, they were deathly pale and unnerved me. It seemed as though they were not the same as me, as if we stood in different worlds. Only Rain and Allison seemed safe, blood pumping through their veins, the same colour as what lay in those puddles on the floor.
My hand shook, and I felt as though I might breathe mist. It invaded my body from my core to my teeth, as if it were some encroaching being, wrenching me awake.
I felt cold.