Episode 3: The Transport Museum (4)

"Ah... 12:30 pm," I muttered. This time every week, I meet my mentees. They are first year students that I look after. I wonder how they are doing? Did they... survive this predicament?

"Ahhh what am I doing?" I thought to myself. I need to get us three to a safe place first, the TMRS is still chaotic at the moment.

I dragged both of them away from the scene, away from the chaos and headed into the nearest building.

* * *

There were soldiers patrolling the area inside and outside the building. Medics continued to bring patients into the building. Some had their arms crushed by falling objects, some had their legs severed in the process of escaping.

Sam let go of my hands, went ahead, and looked at the citizens lying around on the floor.

I covered Rose's eyes as we slowly walked towards Sam.

"Rose close your eyes for a bit. It's gruesome in front of us."

"I'll be fine, don't worry..."

"Hey young boy," a soft female voice said. "It's not that pleasant here, why don't you go back to your mum and dad?"

Sam looked back at me and Rose.

"Oh my..." the female medic said. "Are you... this little one's mum and dad? You're both awfully young and you already have a kid..." She began to sob. "It's so awful... the timing to have a kid around and surviving all this tragedy, the three of you..."

"Ah... no it's-"

Before I could finish my sentence, the medic interrupted me.

"Don't worry, I'll take you to a place you can stay, just the three of you. This way please."

"Ah..." I said. "Sure..."

I was still holding on to Rose's hand but her head was shifted away. Her face as red as a tomato.

"Let's go Rose."

"Mhm."

* * *

We walked down a long corridor and finally arrived. There was no one around.

"It doesn't seem like a lot of people come down here often?" I asked.

"Well... not yet..." the female medic answered.

"Hm?"

"We medics only got here as soon as things began, the bombing, the collapse of Coventry city. We haven't distributed the rooms and resources. We've been busy giving aid to people inside TMRS."

"I see..."

"You guys are one of the earliest to get a room. You can pick~"

"...can you give us a big room?"

"No," Sam interrupted. "Can we get a small room please?"

"Oh my, you want to stay together as a family and not with others little one?"

The female medic slightly teared up and she wiped it off with her hands. "What a cutie, come this way~"

She pointed at the room opposite us and opened the door. There were a single bed and a bunk bed.

"We'll take this one then," I said.

"Okay, No problem. Stand here and scan your eyes to register this as your room."

It was weird. I couldn't see anything like a retinal scanner in front of me. Where is it? Is it a hidden camera?

A moment later.

—————

"Registration complete."

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And the door swung open once more.

* * *

As soon as I close the door, Sam let go of my hand. "Ugh, finally we get to rest."

"Hey... eat this," I said passing an energy bar to each of them. "It's nothing much but it IS around lunchtime... so let's eat up and figure out what to do next."

Sam sat on the lower bunk bed and Rose sat on the single bed. We munched on the bar and drank some water I got from Sevco.

"Don't drink all of it," I said. "We need to preserve it since we don't know when we will get more water."

"You're right," Sam said. "After we rest a bit, let's go find some food to stock up."

* * *

I distributed a few more energy bar and water to Rose and Sam then I started to walk towards the door, my back facing towards them.

"Rose, you stay here with Sam. I'll go scout around for a bit."

"Okay..." she nodded.

"By the way, we didn't catch your name earlier because of these hectic events. What's your name?" Sam asked.

"Oh right, yeah it's been a chaos this morning..." I replied.

It was indeed chaotic.

The moment I got to school, I had to sneak out.

The moment I got to the accommodation, I had to rescue Rose.

The moment I left, I had to jump out of the window. The moment we entered Sevco, we found Sam.

The moment we arrived at TMRS, lots of people were dying.

It was indeed a sad time.

I shook my head and said, "I'm Ray."

Sam's eyes sharped as he looked towards Rose.

Rose turns her head slightly avoiding direct eye contact with Sam.

I turned around and saw the two; they were acting weird.

"What is going on?" I thought to myself but then I hear a group of people's footsteps approaching.

I opened the door and popped my head out. The medics were taking the patients into rooms. I slowly walked out closing the door behind me. I heard the auto-locking sound, turned my head left, then right, and headed back towards the entrance.

* * *

This place... it gives off an ominous feeling but I cannot explain why. The facilities and buildings were sturdy and fixated; it must have taken a long time to build. Not something that can be done overnight. Does this mean that this facility was built because of...

"Hey."

"Hm?" I looked around and saw a soldier looking my way.

"Yes, you."

"Me?" I slowly approached him.

"Did you get a room already?"

"Yes..."

He turned around and took 2 bags and passed them to me. "This is your ration. Now get going."

"Ah... thank you..."

I turned around looking at the bag he handed me. It was two small, cold bags.

"I should get some more for the other two," I thought to myself.

I slid them into my backpack and headed back towards that soldier. This time, I asked another soldier standing there, "Hi... can I get some rations?"

"..."

"..."

A few seconds later, the soldier said, "you already got yours, now leave."

"Wait but-"

"Now get going before I take them back," he said fiercely.

I backed off and walked out of the entrance, "Damn it... it was worth a try..."

In the distance I heard the soldiers talking. It was the first soldier talking to the second one that just rejected me.

"Hey, did you give that kid another bag? It's one per room."

"No I didn't."

What? One per room? Doesn't that mean bigger rooms have to share the same portion? Oh my god... Sam, thank god you stopped me... yet again, you stinking genius.

—————

In the room, Rose and Sam took all the items out and sorted them.

"Ah... choo!!!"

Sam sneezed. "What the heck? Who's thinking about me at a time like this?"

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