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Our Story
Details of our encounters told from each of our perspectives.
Our Story: Welcome
Day 1
The pristine exterior of Llel Communication Tower 13H shines before me, reflecting blinding sunlight onto the ground around it. I walk through the sun bathed entrance to the gates, where I take out my ID and swipe it at the rightmost turnstile. Being the least common division of the current Llel worlds, I’ve always noticed the slight layer of dust along the edge of the screen. I hear a slight crunch as I walk through -- leaves that went unnoticed by the janitorial staff. Neither really bothers me. It means that I’ll likely have the entire space more or less to myself.
Making my way up the set of stairs I glance out the windows, the sun inching towards the horizon and casting a warm glow over the city. Usually it’s only midday when I visit, but I consider changing that as I’m sure the sunsets would be wonderful to see from the upper floors. Reaching the door, I go in and move through the locker area, glad I chose to leave my usual bag at home. Passing through, I finally reach the “Meeting Rooms”, which honestly looks more like empty office cubicles.
Our Story: Text
Finally, I was going to experience the biggest change in my life since I moved to the city. I spot the sign as I make my way towards the enormous glass doors, “LCT 13H”. Confirming the number with the somehow-still-legible-smear of ink on my palm, take a deep breath and walk to the door. It glides open with a small hiss, giving me access to the spacious interior entrance area. The air was slightly cooler than the evening air outside, its stillness disrupted by other people moving through turnstiles at the far end of the entrance. Unsure of which division to begin with, I chose the one farthest to the right, which appeared to be the one with the least amount of people nearby.
My hands shaking, it takes a few tries before my card goes through, the small beep seemed to echo across the room. As my card finally gets accepted I put my head down and hurry through the gate, hoping that I didn’t make it too obvious that I was new to all this. Following what I hope to be the right way, I find myself at the base of a large set of stairs that make their way up along the wall towards a balcony that’s about three or four stories up. Although I’d expect there to be some sort of elevator option somewhere, I am not about to make myself stand out by asking people where it might be. So, with a sigh, I start up the stairs, cursing my decision to bring my work bag as it repeatedly thumps against the side of my leg.
Our Story: Text
I didn’t waste time looking back; the thudding confirmed I was being followed, and that my pursuer was getting closer. Taking a chance I ducked into an alleyway and threw myself down behind a dumpster, praying the lack of streetlights would give enough cover. A moment later the figure tore down the alley, missing my spot in the shadows. Their dark jacket quickly fading into the distance. I heard the heavy footfalls moving farther away. If they decided to double back I would certainly be caught. The bright shirt and designs across my torn jeans would stick out against my surroundings. In the distance the thudding slowed and my heart dropped.
It’s now or never.
Trying to be as quiet as possible I leapt from the shadows and ran back out onto the street. If they saw me, I would only have less than a minute before they were behind me again. I knew I wouldn't be able to make it to my apartment so I began to glance around to find another place to hide. The residential district was all but dead, windows were dark and empty, doors undoubtedly locked. There wasn’t any time to risk trying to get a resident’s attention, waiting in the open until they answered.
If they answered
It's not like they’d believe me.
I round the corner onto another unfamiliar street and I’m greeted by one of the new apartment complexes, all pillars and glass and greenery, with open hallways outside the floors. For the past month the advertisements were everywhere.
“A beautiful way to promote social interaction and develop close knit communities.”
The jingled sucked but the network of halls and paths around the building might just be enough to allow me to escape.
My legs burned and my lungs felt like they would explode, but I refused to slow as I came to the front of the building. A loud crack shot down the street as a lamppost next to me shattered, the glass shards falling around me as I almost fell from the shock.
A gun?! Who was this person?
The entrance of the complex was decorated with a series of ornate columns, large enough for me to duck behind as I tried to figure out where to go next.
Another shot rang out, hitting one of the columns as I tried to keep it together. Seeing a set of stairs to the left I left my cover and sprinted to them, grateful they had the stone walls that I heard so many critics complaining about on the news. The “obstructed views and low light” might have been an unpopular design choice, but it would one that prevented me from getting shot.
Staying low I hoped that whoever was following me wouldn’t be able to see where I was. I passed the first and second openings, finally leaving the stairwell on the third floor. Though faint, I could hear the footsteps on the stairs, steadily climbing. I would never be able to outrun them.
“Psst!”
I nearly jumped out of my own skin as the whisper sounded out from one of the unit doors next to me. One of them was opened ever so slightly, revealing a small ish figure behind it.
“Hurry, over here!”
I didn’t think twice, quickly moving over to the door as it opened more. My savior, a small figure in baggy clothes, reached out and practically threw me inside before quietly closing the door behind me. I slid to the floor, gasping for breath as I could hear the locks clicking into place. There was a pause and we both went still, waiting. A second later it was there, the footsteps were in the hall. Neither one of us moved as we heard them move past the door and stop.
I felt like they could hear my panicked breathing.
But a moment later they retreated back towards the stairs as my pursuer decided to continue to the next floor. I gasped in relief when the footfalls were no longer audible, turning to see who it was that rescued me.
Looking back on it now, I’m sure it would have been funny as hell to see me barely manage a glance up at them before fainting.
Our Story: Text
I did not expect to have company that night, let alone anyone being chased by a lunatic with a gun.
No, this definitely is not the neighborhood welcome I was expecting.
It was a little past midnight and I was standing in the entryway of my new apartment with a stranger passed out on my floor. I’m not sure what other people would’ve done in this situation; if anyone else would’ve even dared to open their door after hearing gunshots ring out in the night, or allowed the target of those shots inside. But in that moment I decided I wasn’t going to be the person who ‘could’ve’ helped.
Looking down at my newest acquaintance, I tried to figure out what might’ve occurred only moments before. There wasn’t anything obvious to make them a target for violence, although the mostly neon outfit would’ve made them visible to anyone outside. And what were they even doing out so late? Most businesses were already closed, and the cool spring nights weren’t the best for walking around. After all, I had heard that most buildings in the city had recreation areas indoors for late night/bad weather exercise purposes.
Our Story: Text
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