I chose... Rapture. [Faith/ Dream]

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Welcome to Rapture. A city where the artist can roam freely, the scientist can create with the sky as the limit, and the power is with the people. Such a place could never exist on land therefore it was literally built on the bottom of the ocean, as far away from the governing powers as possible. Out of every jurisdiction. The extreme of extremes. It is a massive place with buildings that tower over head and long walkways that link different areas of the city together.
Everything you could ever want you can find in Rapture. There are stores, restaurants, hotels, spas, housing units, art galleries, markets, sports centers and for those who enjoy a little bit of nighttime excitement there are bars and love-houses. Everyone is welcome in Rapture! There are no minorities. Everyone is equal. Everyone gets a fair share.
All of this is thanks to to the hard work and dedication of our founder Andrew Ryan!

At least..that's how things used to be. Before the revolution. On New Year's Eve, at 12:00 on the dot, just as the clocks were ticking down and the champagne bottles were about to be popped, explosions rang through the entire city. The whole foundation of Rapture was shaken to its very core. Those explosions marked the beginning of what would be a long battle throughout the streets between those who supported Andrew Ryan and those who supported a man named Frank Fontaine. Soon blood coated every wall on every corner of the city. The year 1959 was off to a great start.

Hundreds died and those that didn't die..were left to slowly go insane. Driven only further to insanity by their addiction to Adam; the genetical stimulant that once kept the wheels of Rapture turning.
The side-effect of this drug was both an overwhelming addiction to it and a range of horrible disfigurations due to the way the drug affected the human body. Those addicted where named Splicers and those Splicers are all that are left in this city. They do whatever they can to get their hands on Adam..even if it means killing each other. Many have banded together in order to overpower those who are weak, making them even more dangerous.

The revolution was two years ago. There are now those who are merely trying to get by and those who are trying to escape. But to escape means going through hell and back again...straight through the center of the city. Can you make it out?
Let's see, shall we?

The apartments were in a different part of Pauper’s drop. It wasn’t too incredibly large of a place, but you could say that the apartments were on the opposite side of The Drop. It wouldn’t take much to get there on a normal day. Usually it would take about an hour to get from one side of Pauper’s drop to the other if you were taking your own sweet time. I was simply afraid that one of the doors would decide to malfunction. If that happened, then you would have to take one of the vents. They weren’t the same vents as the Sister’s used and they definitely weren’t accommodating for the Spider Splicers. They were used more by the children of The Drop. Really they weren’t even vents. They were just holes in the wall that kids used to slip past any guards or to slip away from merchants that they had stolen from. It wasn’t much, and I wasn’t even sure whether or not she would fit in the damp places, but if they were needed, then they would have to work.

I was going to rely on wishful thinking for now though. Really, I hoped that the three doors we passed through would be functional enough to make it to and from the apartment without having any problems.

It was slow going. Any sound that you heard made your hair stand on end, and for a while the footsteps behind me even caused an unsettling feeling to sink into my gut. We walked slow, making the easy the minute stride across the street and down an alley way turn into a ten minute turtle’s crawl. I lived by the actions of ‘better safe than sorry’, but sometimes safe wasn’t as safe as you thought.

I was thinking a lot. More than anything, I was thinking about how I was going to communicate with the girl. She needed to keep close to me. Not only keep close, but watch every possible direction, just as I was. I didn’t try to talk though. It would draw attention to us, but I was also almost completely sure that she was watching our back twice as well as I was.

We make it down a street, through an alleyway, and onto another street paralleling the one we had just walked down. It wasn’t a big place, but the stores were stacked onto one another. It was hard to find a way to go that wasn’t covered in rubble or completely out of the way. We cut through an alley in-between Johnson’s Pharmaceutical and Pop’s Diner. I had never been to either place, but by the way the pharmacy looked, it seemed to have been looted rather feverishly. There was no real reason to stop and look around. There would be nothing left besides a few bandages and probably a bottle of aspirin or two. We needed to keep going. Soon though, I slow a little more until I’m beside the girl. I look to her a moment. We were at the mouth of the entrance. Down the street was the door. If it didn’t work, we would have to find another way. I wasn’t familiar with vents around here, so that was a no-go. I come to a stop, looking across the dimly lit walk. I point at the end of the street, indicating to the girl that that was where we needed to be heading.

Must go cook dinner. Be back soon.

The silence between us was very much like the night before when we first met however there was something about it that just made it seem much more pronounced. Maybe it was the fact that we had actually conversed and that made the silence even more deafening..that was the only explanation I found I could come up with that was at least somewhat logical.
Either way I wished I could at the very least have the option of speaking to Mira. If I needed to warn her then I was going to have to find some way of getting her attention without making too much noise. A whisper would be fine but feat was impossible.

Hopefully I wasn't going to ever need to get her attention though. So long as we were careful and we kept our eyes peeled then we were going to be just fine. We would spot something or someone long before it spotted us. I could tell from the way Mira was moving that she was being just as attentive as I was. Every tiny little sound caused her ears to perk and anything beyond that meant a turn of her head in its direction.
Because my hearing was not quite as fine as hers, due to the metal around my head, I relied more heavily on my sight. My eyes continuously scanned every possible direction, corner, and window that we passed. Nothing was going to sneak up on us from behind that was for sure.

Just as I had suspected we were moving at a snail's pace but with good reason. In these streets, especially as out in the open as we were, any quick movement would draw attention to us. Attention was the very last thing we needed at this point. In the Drop word spread like wildfire and if anyone noticed us then we were going to have a battle of massive proportions on our hands. Not to mention the fact that we would have a wide range of Splicers coming after us. Everything from the average thuggish Splicer to the Spider Splicers that tended to crawl through the vents overhead.

We came to a stop suddenly and I glanced over at my companion for a moment curiously. She looked at me and then motioned towards the end of the street. I leaned out to get a look at what she was pointing at before I nodded my head. Whatever was through that door was where we were headed.
It didn't look like it was going to be easy to find a detour, if the door ended up being blocked, so I put all of my hopes on it working just fine.




I'll be here, most likely.

Nothing was ever easy in Rapture. No matter what happened, something always went wrong. As unsettling as that thought was, it was very much the truth. No matter how much you wanted things to go right, it never did. I take in a small breath, the girl nodding to me as I point. She now knew a little more about where we were going. The lights above the door showed the options that were held behind the door: Sinclair Deluxe and something else. The second sign was broken, and the light that was beneath the broken colored glass flickered slowly.

After a moment I began the same slow pace. My back was pressed lightly against the brick of the building as we made our way slowly down the street. I was trying to make myself as unnoticeable as possible. It was harder for her. She was much bigger and bulkier. She also produced her own light that was unmistakable even when dimmed. Everyone knew the glare of a Big Sister.

The feeling of the brick scraping against my back makes it clear that I’m still alive. It’s the little things and feelings that make all of this worth something. One moment you could be surviving and the next you could be shot in the leg and bleeding out. Sometimes you just needed a little reminding that you were alive and that you were doing something, even if that something was so crazy you could probably tell yourself you were dreaming.

It’s very quiet; so quiet that my ears begin to ring. I don’t dare make a noise though. The silence can be unsettling and settling all at the same time. Usually, when it was completely quiet, it meant that the only people in the area knew you were there; they were waiting to kill you. On the other hand, silence could also mean the absence of people in the area, which would be quite nice. People usually kept out of the streets and out of sight. Only the gangs of splicers went out and fought, and that’s because they usually thought that you had Adam or something of importance that they could pick off your corpse.

We are taking our time. It has taken us ten minutes just to get down the street. I understand why though. I know that we need to be safe. No more is important than our lives. Since I lead, I am really choosing the pace. We make it down the street, but soon, the silence is gone. There are the quiet sounds of shuffling someplace. I can’t pick out where though. There are so many crevices and holes that something could crawl out of, I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to see whatever it is before it gets to us. It grows louder, but soon, I have slowed down to almost a complete stop. Yes, the door is almost five feet away. It’s a short distance to our freedom. Whatever it is though could follow us. It could cause a disturbance; it could get us killed. So slowing down and watching, making sure that whatever it is isn’t a threat, and if it is, killing it, is the best way to go. I turn to her. I want to tell her that if there’s trouble, she needs to head for the door. It’s only then that I realize that she’s not really the one I should be telling to run. She could fight off five splicers on her own without even the thought of it. Even if she was behind that suit though, I wanted to tell her to go, just to make sure she was at least a little closer to her wish before there was a major fight. I wanted her to be at least close to what she wanted before she was struck down and killed. I wasn’t saying that it would happen, but it was quite the possibility in Rapture.

The Big Sister armor had its benefits and its downfalls when it came to traveling around. It offered protection against even the smallest of things like glass on the floor or pieces of sharp metal sticking out of destroyed walls in addition to the much larger things like melee weapons and guns. However it was bulky and that made tight squeezes very difficult especially when it was the only way to get to the next destination. It was also a lot more difficult to be quiet when wearing as much as I was even with the armor being leather rather than full sheeted metal.
The final thing was both an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time though; the symbol the armor itself represented. Splicers were afraid of Big Sisters the moment they spotted one. This kept some of them away but at the same time brought the more crazy ones towards me. Bittersweet really.

Even now as we made our way along the street I could feel how much of a disadvantage I was at. While Mira could press herself flush against the wall , I was limited to crouching and hoping that nothing noticed the soft glow of my helmet. Even dimmed it still stood out like a sore thumb at times, especially in the darkness like we were now.
We were getting close though and I had seen nothing move in the whole area. Either the Splicers were being extra stealthy in their movements and I wasn't seeing them or they just weren't there at all. I hoped for both our sakes that it was the latter rather than the former.

Suddenly I noticed Mira come to a full stop. I stopped at that moment and began to scan even more intently than before. If she had heard something that was worth stopping for then I was not about to urge her to continue, even though we really were just a few long steps away from the door we were supposedly heading towards.
Seconds ticked past and I could hear my heart racing in my chest. Come out in the open, damn it! I was almost frustrated by the lack of movement. I didn't want to imagine that there were Splicers out there..I'd rather know for sure.

There was a soft click as a round was loaded into the chamber of my weapon just in case. It was barely audible and sounded more like a drop of water to anyone further than a few feet away. I was going to be ready for anything. If a horde of Splicers came charging through the door I was going to be ready to deal with them. If it meant my dying now, well, then that would be that. At least I would take a good number of them down with me.
For now though I waited silently for Mira to decide that the coast was clear.

I could hear the harsh beating of my heart in my ears. It wasn’t nice. I didn’t like the unknowing. Usually they ran out and started the fight, but now, there was something else happening. The sound is still evident for a while, a quiet shuffling and the sound of quiet breaths. Could I be hearing something? Or was this just my imagination. No. I had to be hearing something. For a moment, there’s an echo of what I hear, but soon, it quiets and I point toward the door. I could watch while she escaped through the mechanical door.

“Just go” I whisper the words quietly, as if she could actually hear me. I knew she couldn’t, and even if she had, I wasn’t sure if she would recognize my orders. I move my hand in a quick back and forth movement before pointing at the door again. The echoes are quiet, but they are still there. I hear things. I know that something is watching us.

I press my eyes closed for a half second before opening them again, readying my left hand. I feel the chills of the ice run up my arm and I wait a moment. Then, it walks out from behind a building. The figure, a little taller than me, just walks from the building a few ways down. It’s not a person though. It’s humming quietly now; it’s hands in its pockets. I stop, watching quietly at the figure. It’s not solid, no—it’s misty. I feel my jaw tighten and I turn. I didn’t need this gene imprinting crap right now. I had this happen before. I could ignore it; act like nothing was wrong. My eyes fall to the street, I hear nothing but the humming, but I don’t look back at the figure.

“Go” I repeat the word, even though I can’t even hear myself say it. Then- all of a sudden, the humming stops. It doesn’t necessarily stop, but it’s covered by the sounds of gunfire. I instinctively duck, looking one way over my shoulder before rising again and starting for the door. The screams of the many now fill my ears, and the sounds of gunfire.

“Long Live Atlas! Death to Ryan!” The shouts are loud, but I can keep my composure well enough to act as if nothing is wrong. I just keep my back to the memory, and continue to the door.

I waited for something, anything, to happen but nothing ever did. I strained my ears as best I possibly could and even with my enhanced senses I couldn't manage to pick up on so much as a sound. As much as I trusted my own senses I knew there was a reason that Mira had stopped. Whatever she had stopped for, it was probably worth waiting for it to pass or for the sound to go away by some means. After another minute or two passed I turned my head to look at the woman, finding that she was focused on something further down the road. I followed her gaze but I saw nothing which caused me to frown. What was going on?

I saw her motion towards the door but her words were lost to the metal around my head. Instead of moving towards the door though I kept my ground in case anything did happen. Yes she had her plasmids as a means of defense but my weapon was much more suited for long range combat against equally long range equipped enemies.
Still, nothing came though.
There was no discernible movement whatsoever. Just silence that made the beating of my heart sound like a drum being beaten not three inches away from my ears. A silence so deep it penetrated straight through my helmet.

Then suddenly she ducked and the movement scared me. Quite literally. I instinctively ducked as well and searched for whatever it was that had made her duck. Again there was nothing. By the time I turned my head back to look at Mira she was already heading towards the door that was only a few yards away. I wasn't sure what to think but at this point I was glad that we were moving again.
Something was most definitely up though but I wasn't sure I wanted to know. Whatever it was though, I wondered whether it was going to become a liability further on down the line.

When we reached the door I pressed my back against the wall and kept my eyes peeled while I waited for Mira to test the door. If it worked then we would be going straight through and if it didn't..well then we were in for quite a long detour that was most likely going to end in us stumbling upon a group of Splicers. Knowing the way things usually worked in Rapture, the latter was the more likely thing to happen.
Again though I held my breath and hoped, no, prayed that the door would open the way it was supposed to.

(I was a little bit confused but I think my reply goes with what you described.)

It took me a moment before I got back to the door. It didn’t surprise me that the girl didn’t do as I said. She was probably afraid that I was staying to fight whatever had alerted me. Of course, it didn’t surprise me I was having such reactions. It was the Adam. There was really nothing I could do to stop it. I just had to deal with what I was being given.

I make it to the door. It’s not quiet, but I’ve begun ignoring the sounds of gunfire. I just hope nothing sneaks up on us while this memory was passing. They usually didn’t last long. Really, I could already tell that the sounds of gunfire were fading, and soon I was at the door.

I stop, looking back to the girl a moment. She was following, but only slowly, still looking around to see what had bothered me so bad. I shake my head, trying to mouth the words ‘Don’t worry about it.’ To her. I doubted that she would actually be able to understand what I was trying to get across, but it was worth a shot.

I turn back towards the door, taking another step forward. There’s a pause; a pause that seems almost too long. Then, there’s the sound of the door turning slightly to unlatch before rising. A deep breath fills my lungs and I smile quietly. The noises are gone now, and all is silent. This door opens, leading into a long hallway. The lights of neon can be seen from outside the dome of glass. All of the connecting passages were like this. You could see out into the ocean; you could see advertisements and sea life everywhere. Even though this was a grace that this door was open, the door on the other side of this hallway could be broken or caved in or something. If that was the case, we would have to double back and try to find another way to go. That would take much longer than initially expected. I just hoped that wouldn’t happen.


I was trying to sort of mirror: this but I kinda suck. Haha Sorry.

Whatever had happened it was beyond my understanding. Big Sisters were not immune to the affects of Adam, they were just much more resilient to them than your average human being. When one really looked into the stuff, Adam was one of the most harmful things you could possibly put in yourself. Along with it came the memories from the lives of those it was harvested from. This side effect was something that not even the greatest minds of Rapture could get around. Suchong? Tenenbaum? Alexander? None of them could figure it out.

As we stood in front of the door in silence it seemed as though Mira had been able to calm herself down significantly. Although she had never really seemed panicked or upset in any way, now that we were standing still again I could almost see a look of relief on her face. Whatever had been the cause of her alarm was now fully gone and her senses had come back fully.
I could tell this by the way a smile came to her lips when the door seemed to give and open properly, unlike many of the doors you often came across throughout the ruins of Rapture. This city was slowly falling apart piece by piece with no-one to keep it maintained. As if that wasn't obvious enough though.

With the door open we moved to pass through it into the large cylindrical tube that was a connecting passage. This one looked to be in much better shape than many of those I had come across in my previous journeys. There was not a crack in sight overhead and although there were small little leaks that formed puddles here and there along the walkway, none of them were causing flooding. That was the problem with these passages. More often than not falling debris from the surrounding buildings took them out.
Thankfully ours looked to be in good condition. Still, we needed to be ready to turn around in case anything did happen to block our path or cause a large leak in the glass.

I allowed Mira to take the lead again as I turned my back towards her. Now that we were in a relatively narrow path with only a front and a back, watching both ways was much easier. There were significantly fewer places for Splicers to be lurking.
I kept my weapon ready all the same though and I kept my eyes peeled for any signs that we were being followed. So far things were just as quiet as before which was exactly how we wanted them to stay. Lest we find ourselves battling in one of the most dangerous environments possible.


(Oh! No! I got that out of it, I just wasn't sure whether the gunfire was real or not.)

As much as those glimpses into the past had used to affect me, they didn’t anymore. Well, not as they had before. Now, if I recognized it as a hallucination, then I could accept it and ignore it. I still remembered the first imprinting that I ever witnessed. It hadn’t taken long after everything went to hell before I had started seeing these things. They were few and far between, but at first, I had no idea what they were. They happened; most of them killing and slaughtering of many, but some of them were different. Some of them were sweet. Some were of people dancing, or kissing. They were quiet words, telling the other that they loved each other. Some of them actually spoke of newfound pregnancies or proposals. Some of them were sweet, but more times than not they weren’t. So, in the times that I had grown with them, I had simply ignored them and went about my business.

Right now was one of those times. I was more trying to survive than I was caring about the death of whoever that had been back there. I hear the door behind us close. All silence falls between us. I look up, into the deep blues of the ocean. Oh how I missed looking at the sun. You couldn’t see things like that down here. It was all steel and glass.

I take small, quick steps forward. If there was any sort of debris falling onto the tunnel, we could be washed into the freezing cold water. I would, most certainly, die. We needed to hurry through this tunnel. We still had a whole area of Drop to go before we made it to Sinclair Deluxe. A lot could happen in there, but we needed to get there first. My pace has quickened, walking down the tunnel, and past the supporting column in the center of the walk. It was only a few more feet before I would make it to the next door. I only hoped that it would open. If not, there was a lot of chance for something to happen and so very quickly, end my life.

(Sorry about that. I'll try to be more specific next time. For now, I have to go shower and head to bed. I have to get up at five in the morning. I shall try to post then, but if I don't, I'll post after school.)

The open sea overhead was beautiful. That was the best way to describe it. Being able to look up and see schools of brightly colored fish, the tendrils of coral, and the large lurking shapes of larger fish swimming in the depths..it was all overwhelming. Even the prospect itself was only truly brought home while walking through these passages. Most other parts of the city looked exactly like the cities up on the surface unless you were looking through a window.
I only had a second to admire the view though before I forced my gaze back to watching our rear. Our safety was ten times more important than idle viewing of sea life.

There was movement beyond the door and I kept my eye on it as best I could from the distance we were away from the way we entered into the passage. Although it looked like there was some kind of activity in the area we had just left, it didn't look like they were trying to follow us..at least, not yet. It was still worrying though and I knew that I needed to let Mira know.
I slowed my step before turning my head in the hopes of getting her attention. When I found that she was too focused on moving forward I took a few quick steps backwards so I could tap her shoulder gently, guiding her gaze with my fingers straight towards the door we had entered through. As I did so a shadow moved across the doorway but nothing came through.
From the looks of things our only option was to go forward through the door we were approaching.

In my opinion anything was better than being caught in a fight while in one of these passages. There was something very frightening about the prospect of being in an area that could be destroyed and flooded the moment anything overhead shifted or a stray bullet hit a weak point in the bracing.
Of course at this very moment my concern was with Mira's survival.
This was mainly because I had my suit and therefore could survive being completely submerged in water for at the very least a little while. She on the other hand had no means of surviving underwater without some kind of breathing apparatus which I highly doubted she was in possession of.
With a slow breath I brought my weapon up and aimed it at the door just in case. The moment something stepped through it we were going to have a battle on our hands. For the sake of continuing undetected I hoped that whatever it was, it stayed on its side.


(That's alright. I'll probably be here when you get back from school..I'd think so, anyway.)

We really needed to be careful in here. Yes, we were making our way quickly toward the other side of the hall. Really, I didn’t want to think about what would happen if this walk decided to cave in above us. What would happen if there was an accident and the glass broke? Even if I could somehow breathe under water, the pressure would crush my bones and kill me.

I only get a few more feet before I feel the soft tapping of a hand on my shoulder. I turned quietly, watching in silence as the girl pointed to the door. I slowed to a stop for just a moment. I watch, only to see the shadow of someone walking past. I clench my teeth together, shaking my head. They were either toying with us or waiting. They were probably waiting for our backs to turn. Then, whoever it was, would kill us in an instant.

‘Let’s keep moving’, I mouthed the words to her, walking quickly forward. I didn’t want to wait and see who it was. Really, it was probably a group of them. For now, I would take my chances with an ambush ahead as long as I could get out of this glass tube. There’s a slight pause before the door slides itself closed. Everything seems to be too loud. My heartbeat is still in my ears as I make it toward the door. I turn quietly, looking to the Sister still scanning everything. I point behind me, mouthing the word ‘Go’ before balling my hand into a fist in waiting. Really, it would be easier for me to fight Splicers that were tunneling in. If there was an ambush, it would be much easier for her to take at least a few out before I got out of the tunnel and into the action.

(Sorry it took so long. There was a big traffic problem outside the school. I'll be doing homework while responding, but I may be going to Wal-Mart soon. Just a warning.)

Whoever or whatever was following behind us, it had made sure to keep to the shadows well enough to where neither of us picked up on its presence. That meant one of two things; either we were being stalked by a very smart normal Splicer, which was unlikely, or we were being followed by a Spider Splicer. The latter was much more likely seeing as they had a knack for sticking to darkness and keeping out of sight until only seconds before springing out of the shadows to attack their unsuspecting victim. Just the thought of one of those ugly things being behind us sent a quiver down my spine. Not even my armor was enough protection against those deadly fish hooks.

Mira was very quick to make a decision the moment she spotted the movement I pointed out to her. When she mouthed that we were going to continue I nodded my head in response, moving with her as she made her way towards the exit of the passage. Apparently she shared the same opinion about these glass tubes as me.
This woman was most certainly no fool and for that I was glad. Not only that but she very quickly made another decision that I found myself agreeing with. Once we got to the door she motioned for me to continue while she made to cover our backs.
A weapon like mine was far too dangerous to use in the passage compared to the plasmids she was in possession of.

I made my way around her and placed my hand against the door, feeling for any kind of resistance on the other side. It was not uncommon to see Splicer-made booby-traps on passageway doors in order to keep others from wandering into their territory. When I felt nothing out of the ordinary I pressed the small button and watched as the door opened in front of me.
At first I scanned the entire area wildly, half expecting something to jump out at me the moment the door opened. There was nothing. I almost breathed a sigh of relief and after glancing to make sure Mira was still doing alright, I continued cautiously through the doorway.

I made it barely a step through the door when it slammed closed behind me. I turned and saw that the switch had been tampered with and was now sparking like the fuse had been blown. Damn it! I tried to signal to my companion on the other side but before I could really do anything I found myself surrounded by the sounds of movement. Footsteps echoed throughout the area and hushed voices filled the air.
"Look! Iz' a Big Sista!"
"It'll have enough Adam on it to keep us going for the rest of our lives!"
"Get 'er!"
The voices were very quickly drowned out by an explosion of gunfire and I was forced to throw myself to the ground in order to avoid being torn to shreds by what seemed like a dozen armed Splicers. The nearest cover was a large crater blown into the cement ground. I crawled into that and closed my eyes for a moment, trying to think of what I could do. I needed to find a way to get Mira in through the door but at the same time I needed to get rid of the Splicers. Not a good position to be in.


(It's no problem, I can see how traffic would be bad outside any school at the end of the day.)

I had kneeled on the ground, hand outstretched to wait for whatever could come from behind us. Every step she would take, I would scoot back in length. It wasn’t much farther to the door, and soon, she had begun examining it. I sat in the silence of the room, waiting for her to finish and open the door. There’s the quiet founds of the water around the tunnel, and soon, I let the sounds sink in. I wasn’t into getting killed right now, but I wasn’t going to hurry her along.

Soon, I hear the sound of the door opening, and I smile. Good, it wasn’t broken. We could get through and out of here much faster than I had intended. I rise to my feet, feeling myself relax. It was good to get out of this tube. I take another step back, still watching the quiet, closed door behind us. I hear nothing, and I turn to step sideways through the door. Before I’m able to get through, the sound of the door falling rings through the tunnel. I jump, turning quickly to push the button. I knew that it hadn’t just closed quickly. No—this was something else. I take in a deep breath, balling up my fist to take a few harsh swings on the door. My hand leaves a frosted print on the metal, but nothing more. The door is broken.

I take in a deep breath, turning quietly. The door on the other side was still closed, but I wasn’t sure what to do. Either I would wait in here and something would break the glass, or I would run into a trap going backwards and get killed by whatever was following us. I take an unsure step toward the door, back towards the storefronts that we had just left. Then, I take the step back. I don’t know what to do. It’s so hard to tell. It’s hard to know where to go. I grit my teeth, taking a few long strides back to the other side of the tunnel. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I wasn’t going to get shot and killed because of all this…My mind was everywhere.

I take a few more long strides, and after a moment of thinking, I finish out the walk to the opposite end of the hallway. I pause slightly before making my way to the side of the hallway. I couldn’t be seen from the doorway if I stood, hidden, my back pressed against the glass, chilled by the deep water on the other side. I push the button on the side of door, waiting for it to slide open. It takes a moment, but slowly slides open. I don’t want this to happen, but it’s better to get out of here than be crushed by the water. I take in a moment of silence before pulling my head slowly into the doorway, looking quietly on to the darkness ahead.

There seems to be nothing in the shadows, but after a moment I see a shift. I’m not sure if it’s real or not. I’m not sure if I’m just imagining things again. I stop, pulling my head back into the quiet hallway, the door sliding closed beside me. ’That girl probably left you; thinks that you’re gone or dead. Get out of here…Don’t wait for her.' My head is screaming orders and I feel compelled to listen this time. I can’t just ignore my instincts, not after they’ve gotten this far. So, I push the button again, the door sliding obediently open. I take only a second before rolling myself out of the hall and behind a nearby pneumo.

All around me I could feel little bits of concrete and metal as they bounced against my diving suit and the armor that protected me. Even in my little crater the bullets from the Splicers were tearing apart my cover. It seemed like they had an overabundance of ammunition as well by how quickly they were firing, reloading, and simply returning to firing at me from their positions around the area. I knew there were a few on the roofs of the buildings, one or two in the windows, and the rest were on the ground floor with me. I needed to come up with a plan quickly if I didn't want to die right here and now.
Another chunk of concrete was chipped away by a passing round and I found myself curling up in my hole as tightly as I could.

Even though I was the one being fired at..I couldn't help but feel glad that I had been the one to pass through the door first. Had Mira gone through then she would have been a goner from the moment the door closed. I only hoped that she was trying to get through to me. If she wasn't, well, then I was going to find myself very much lost in an unfamiliar part of the Drop.
There was a very brief break in the firing on all sides and I opened my eyes. There was movement before a voice broke the silence.
"Is it dead? Donnie, go check!"
I knew now was my chance to return fire and hopefully get back to my companion somehow

I counted to ten before I rolled from my side onto my knees, bringing me up over the edge of the crater. The Splicer, whose name was apparently Donnie by the sound of things, let out a surprised cry at the sight of the armored protector.
I leveled my weapon with him and with a flick of my wrist a round tore through his torso in a mist of blood. His body fell just as I shifted my weapon towards another of the Splicers. She raised her own firearm only to be pierced by a round to the stomach. The others were beginning to react now that I was returning fire.
A third round sent a Splicer crashing down through a vending cart from where he had fallen from the roof of a building. Those three rounds were all I could get off before I was forced back into cover by another hail of bullets.

"Get me that grenade launcher!" One of the Splicers yelled while those remaining continued to fire in my direction. I didn't like the sound of that though. Explosives were never fun to go up against Big Sister or not.
I grit my teeth together and took a few slow breaths. It was not the best idea I had ever had but I was going to have to kill them all before they could bring out that launcher.
In a two step movement I was on my knees and then sailing through the air straight towards one of the Splicers on the ground. He was too stunned by my sudden pounce to shift his fire and that was all the time I needed to impale him on the sharp bayonet at the end of my barrel.

Quickly I jumped away from his body so I could focus on the other Splicers. I scaled the nearest building before throwing myself at the Splicer who had decided the roof was a good place to be during an ambush. This one had more time to get ready though so as I descended upon him, he leveled his gun at me riddling my armor with bullets.
Sharp pains exploded throughout my body but I ignored the pain and drove my bayonet straight through the unfortunate soul's neck. He let out a gurgle before falling limp on the ground.
The area was suddenly silent as the remaining Splicers slipped away into the shadows.
I was left panting, bleeding, and in pain but I was alive.
Now I needed to figure out a way to find Mira.

It’s not long before I hear the quiet shuffles. I’m not sure where it’s coming from though. It could just be a cat or something, but the shadow we saw earlier makes me a little afraid of the prospect. I take in a deep breath. Nothing has really happened. There’s been no gunfire, and almost all is silent. My eyes are wide and a chill runs up my spine. I can still here the quiet shifting of feet. I don’t like it, but I know that I have to keep moving.

I take in a short breath before I push myself up and towards the other side of the street. There has to be a rat hole somewhere in this place that’ll get me on the other side of that door. Since there’s a connector tunnel there, it’ll be a lot harder to get across to the other room. I might have to just wait on Echo, or just move on without her. I take in a deep breath before I hear the shifting again, then the sounds of laughing.

“I saw you wit one o’dem Sister’s, Dollface.” The voice chills up my spine. It’s much thicker than I expected. It’s not so crazed either, just simple. There’s something hidden behind the words though, almost hungry. I don’t know though, I just keep moving. Down the side alleyway I had made my way down. If I followed the wall, I would hopefully find a rat hole somewhere.

I can still hear shuffling. I don’t like it. The only light comes from the mouth of the alley, and I have yet to find another place to turn off if I get into trouble. I have to keep going through. There’s no excuse for not making it onto the other side of the wall. The Drop used to be owed by Atlantic Expressway, and for a while, the place was used to store and fix old cars. They could be moved from one part of the drop to the other through tunnels. Those had been long since closed off, but the small ducts that were in-between hadn’t been. Those were used by the Pauper Kids to get back and forth. I just had to find one first.

“Don’t run now, Doll, I won’t be hurtin’ you.” The word creeps up the alleyway. I know better than to turn and look at the figure. That’ll just give him more time to get to me. I don’t want that. I take in a deep breath, feeling my hand grasp tightly around my weapon. The light fades slightly as a shadow crosses over. My eyes are harsh on the wall. I think I see a Rat hole up ahead, but I can’t tell in the darkness.

(Going to eat Dinner)

Now that silence had returned to the area I took a moment to look around at the mess that had been made. There was blood spattered across the ground where the two Splicers had died in the street, bullet holes riddled the floor as well as the wall around the door I had come through not even a few minutes ago, and pretty much all of the concrete that had once protected the crater I used for cover was chipped away into dust. A good five minutes passed before I felt my breathing slow down to a relatively normal level and my heart stopped racing in my chest. I had survived an ambush all on my own. That was something to be proud of right?

Very quickly though that sense of pride disappeared as my eyes traveled down towards my hands. They were soaked in blood, bright red and slick. Automatically I assumed that the blood was that of the Splicers I had killed but then I realized, with a look over of my body, that there was far too much blood on me for it to be that of my enemies alone. The thought scared me.
I tried to take a step but almost immediately my knees gave out and I collapsed onto the ground with a loud thud. It was a strange feeling..bleeding..one that I had most certainly never felt to this extent before now.

After a minute or two I pulled myself up off the ground with a groan, forcing myself to my feet. I had no time to lay around trying to get my senses back. I needed to find a way around to meet up with Mira again. That was of course assuming that she hadn't continued on without me the moment we were separated from one another.
No, she wouldn't do that..would she? As I asked myself the question I knew that the answer was very simple; yes. She was a survivor and as such she knew how to survive. Surviving in this case though meant pressing on.

As much as I wanted to believe that she was trying to find her way back to me, I knew that the possibility was very slight. Still, I wasn't the kind to give up just like that. Instead I pushed myself to the limit and forced myself to climb down from the roof. There was pain but there was also determination as I limped quietly along the street.
There were always smaller passages that linked areas together. I just needed to find one of those and hope that Mira hadn't gone too far. Either that or that we would come across one another along the way.

(I'm going to grab some myself but I think I'll be back before you)

The steps were still quieted. They were taking extra care to be quiet, even if they had been speaking loud only moments before. I didn’t like the way this was turning out, but I had high hopes. The darkness was growing. Really, whatever this splicer behind me thought he was going to do once he caught up with me wasn’t going to happen. I didn’t care whether I had to kick and scream and kill to get away, I would do whatever it took.

My mind really never stopped turning. If something happened, I would continue on to the next thing. If I had to stop for something, I was worrying about the ‘what if’s that came with being a survivor in Rapture.

Now, it seemed that any time that I sped up my pace, the man behind me matched my stride. He was still behind me, but I was afraid to turn around. I was afraid of what I might see. He hadn’t spoken in a while, and it was starting to be even stranger. Whoever it was apparently didn’t have a long ranged weapon. Really, it seemed strange that he wouldn’t have shot at me.

My mind wasn’t on that right now. I saw the Rat hole that led in between the two large rooms. If I was lucky, this would lead me straight there. If I wasn’t, then I was going to be stuck going through a maze of tunnels and rooms just to make it to where I needed to be. As soon as it register’s that the darkness has opened up a hole for me, I break out in a sprint. Down a little more of the alley and on my knees. I grunt, feeling my head strike the metal of the vent. I was surely smaller the last time I had been in one of these. Right now though, I was more worried about getting down the tunnel and out of sight before whoever it was could catch up.

I’m not as lucky as I had hoped. I make it all the way into the hole, only my feet sticking from the vent, when I feel cold hands grasp at my ankles. There’s a grunt as something yanks, making me slide partway out of the vent. I had to admit, this hadn’t been the best thought out plan, but I was more worried about Echo. That girl would rather curl up into a ball than fight; I had learned that in just the short time we had been together. A quiet scream emits from my throat. It’s rough and hoarse.

“I said I wasn’t gonna hurt ya, Dollface” The voice is cool and collected as I fight to grip onto something. I turn, trying to get a good shot of whoever’s grabbing me. It would be easy to just freeze them and run, but I could barely see them. There’s another hard yank, and I try to kick free. Now, I’m on the ground. I can see the person above me. They’re not as deformed as I would have imagined. There’s a small place on his arm that seems to jut out farther than it should, but it doesn’t stop me from fighting him.

It takes him a moment, but soon he has my ankles beneath his knees. He’s pressing down hard, making me lose movement. He grunts as I outreach my hand, but before I can hit him with my winter blast, my hand is knocked away.

“Listen to me. Now, I’m probably the only friend you’re gonna get down here so ya better listen to what I’ve got to say” I grit my teeth as he speaks. He’s being so loud; anything could be attracted to his voice. That’s not what worries me though. His voice is dark. It’s not inviting like you might think it could be. It’s hardened, and there’s something about it that just doesn’t seem right. I take in a short breath. I’ve got go get out of this tight squeeze though, so I stop fighting as hard.

“Let me up” I order him, glaring up into the eyes of a man I’ve never known. It would be so easy for him to kill me right now. If he was anything like the other Splicers though, he was just toying with his food.

As I wandered along the street I searched for the smaller tunnels I was trying to locate. I knew they existed but for some reason I just couldn't find any of them. Of course I couldn't find any the moment I actually needed them!
My lack of success so far did nothing but motivate me even further and as such I picked up the pace at which I was limping. My mind was racing with thoughts about Mira. What had happened to her? Had she gone back? Was she safe? If she had left without me, was she going to be okay? So many questions filled my mind I almost missed exactly what I was looking for.

It wasn't nearly as big as the doorway to the passageway I had used to enter into this area of the Drop but at least it was a way to get back the way I had come and hopefully back to Mira. No matter what was going on, I was going to look for her until I knew for sure that she was either dead or safe and sound. There was no way that I could continue on my journey without knowing for sure.
Either I was going to find her alive and breathing or I was going to find her lifeless corpse laying on the ground somewhere. The mere thought of the latter made a cold shiver run through me.

Suddenly there was movement and a figure stepped in front of the entrance to the tunnel. He was about my height and built like a fridge. Clearly he had been hitting the strength tonics a little bit too much before he lost his mind.
"Where are you going, heathen?" He asked in a quiet voice as he took a step towards me.
As much as I hated fighting, I had no time to deal with him. I needed to get to that door even if that meant literally going straight through him. The poor Splicer had no idea what he was getting himself into. I was a Big Sister trying to find my Little Sister, of sorts.
My next action came to be like a natural reflex.

I drew in a deep breath and unleashed the signature screech of rage that only Big Sisters could produce. The sound echoed and caused the entire room to shake, traveling far and wide through the streets of Rapture. It was the sole sound that could make the toughest of Splicer's wet their pants. A Big Sister is dangerous enough without being enraged.
The man took a step back but it was too late for him. My bayonet pinned him to the wall with the first thrust. Although that could have easily been enough I quickly jabbed the blade into his chest four more times before I allowed his lifeless corpse to fall to the ground in a pool of blood.

My mind was focused on finding her. I needed to find her. I needed to protect her. Without another real thought beyond those three reoccurring sentences, I pushed my way into the tunnel-like passage and fought my way along it. It was a tight squeeze with all of my armor on and I could feel my suit growing even more damp with blood every time I turned a corner.
Where was the end of this thing? Where was the entrance at the other side?

He doesn’t do as I stay. He actually shifts his weight, making his knees press down harder into my ankles. I feel something pop, but I don’t know what it is. I let out a quiet yelp in pain, still trying to fight myself out of the man’s grip. He is strong. In the darkness, I can barely see his face. I can see it enough to tell he’s a light-skinned man. His hair Is slicked back and he’s got a scar running across his face, down his cheek, and hidden beneath he leather jacket he wore.

He gives me a dark smile before grabbing for the backpack on my back. He assumes that the good guy thing hasn’t worked, and it hasn’t. What he doesn’t seem to realize is that this is Rapture and there’s no way that I’m going to trust someone so easily. I take in a sharp breath. He lets go one of my hands to try and pull the backpack off. He doesn’t seem to realize that it’s pinned between me and the ground.

He makes the mistake of getting occupied, and in the moment before he realizes what he’s done, I release the fury of my Cyclone plasmid on him. To my luck, he goes flying backwards, hitting his head on the wall behind him. I pull myself up as he groans. I reach for the gun that has fallen to the ground. I’ve got to kill this man before he has the chance of killing me.

I stumble to my feet. My ankles scream in pain at the weight, but I ignore it. I pull my hand up, taking a moment to watch him. He would see the barrel of my gun before he saw defeat.
“Now-Now three ain’t no reason for that, girl. I was just lookin’ for a little Adam…and a Companion to keep me safe” I grit my teeth. How disgusting this man was. I take another step forward, cocking the deadly weapon I held in my hand. He takes a few crawling moves back before his hand shoots out. Before I have a chance to react, the gun slips from my hand. I grit my teeth. He must have the telekinesis plasmid.

I don’t really have time to think. The gun is thrust right back at me, knocking me back. I grunt, a quiet yelp escapes my lips as my head hits a rock on the ground. It seems, like clockwork, the angered scream from a Sister echoes through the area, blurring my vision further. They're so loud-- almost deafening, even from far away. I’m not sure what happens, my head is throbbing. The only thought that’s racing through my mind is, ‘could that be Echo?’

In another moment, I’m hoisted up to my feet. Well, I’m more being dragged along as I try to get myself back up.
“Just gimme any Adam ya got girl.” He laughs quietly. It’s a nervous laugh though. “I saw you with that Big Sister, girl” He mutters quietly. He’s afraid that she’s coming for me. I doubt she is, but it’s something to hope for. I pull myself up as he finally rips the bag off my shoulders and starts looking through it. It takes a moment before my vision clears and I’m able to stumble to my feet. He’s too busy looking through the bag to notice that I’m not as unconscious as he thought I was. I take the time to hold out my hand. One small flex of my hand and he’s frozen in ice. I grit my teeth, waling forward.

I pull the shotgun off the ground, stumbling towards the man. I can see the fear in his eyes as they shift back and forth, almost begging me not to end his life. Then, with one, two, three harsh kicks, he shatters into a pile of ice and frozen flesh.

The tunnel seemed to go on forever as I pushed my way through it. Whenever I thought it was going to be the last turn there was only more tunnel beyond and another turn to look forward to. It was becoming increasingly frustrating with every passing moment. Every moment I wasted was another moment for something to be hurting Mira. Call it a sixth sense but something told me that someone was hurting her and although I knew that she could fend for herself, the protective instincts inside me told me to get to her as quickly as possible.
Soon it all became too much for me to handle.

I let out a much softer but no less angry screech. I was beyond frustrated at this point. This stupid tunnel needed to end right now. With a grit of my teeth I turned and used all of the strength I had left in me to slam my fists into the wall to my right. I knew that the large room had to be on that side judging by the turns I had taken so far.
The wall exploded, thanks to both my strength and the use of my fire plasmid to weaken the mixture of steel and concrete. I pulled myself out of the tunnel and into what looked like the area I had been in with Mira earlier.

I staggered out into the open and glanced around quickly. At first I saw nothing and my heart sank but then, in the distance, I spotted a figure standing alone next to a pile of what looked like debris. I kept my weapon ready but at the same time I knew it had to be her.
My steps were slow and my breathing labored as I limped towards the figure. The closer I got the more certain I was that I had found my companion.
My body was screaming in pain and it felt like I had been to hell and back again but none of that mattered. Mira was safe and alive.

Drops of blood followed me with every step and when I finally came within a few yards of the figure I stopped, panting, examining the scene. Whatever had happened there had been a struggle of some kind. Next to her was the entrance to what was most likely the tunnel I had just been in..and I had broken my way out of.
I parted my lips to speak but I was reminded that she wouldn't be able to hear me. So instead I took a few more steps and then stopped again, waiting for her to react to my presence. Had she wanted me to come back for her?

My head is swimming, and every moment that I stand there, I know that I need to get moving. I can’t keep from watching the body. Had he really thought that I had Adam? If I had, I would have been fighting a little harder.

I pull my hand up to the back of my head. It doesn’t seem to be bleeding, but it throbs with my raised heartbeat. I just take a moment to breath. Before I know what has happened, another shriek pulls me from my thoughts. I know that I have to find her. I turn myself quietly, looking back at the hole.

Before I know what has happened, I hear the sound of metal being bent and pulled apart. I look up quietly, curiously. My head is really swimming, but I don’t think I’m seeing things. The glow of red escapes from a newly torn hole in the wall. That was the sound I just heard? I grunt quietly, watching as a figure pushes itself out of the hole.

“Echo?” I mutter the words quietly to myself. Either I was right and this was the girl or this was another Sister. From the sounds she had been emitting, she was quite pissed off. I just hoped this was her, if it wasn’t then I was about to get ripped a new one.

“Echo?” I speak, a little louder, taking a few steps forward. I look over the body of the Sister standing in front of me. She had come closer. I was almost positive that this was her, but there was something wrong. She had blood, all over her. Had she been caught in a battle on the other side of the door? Of course she had. That was the whole the reason the door locked us apart. It didn’t seem to be alright though. Was not all of that blood hers? I feel my teeth grit quietly. If she was hurt, this was my fault. I had told her to go ahead of me. Could that blood be hers?

“Are you hurt?” My voice has been almost completely lost just at the prospect of her getting hurt because of me. It’s a hoarse ramble. I lean over the grab my backpack, throwing it over my shoulder before walking closer to her. I was without a doubt now that this was Echo. I didn’t need to worry about getting hurt rather how hurt she was from the battle that she had face alone on the other side of the door.

The figure, whom I had assumed up to this point was Mira, turned to look at me as I approached her and began to say my name. Although I could not reply I tried my best to nod my head in reply to her questioning repetition of my name. However it seemed like she didn't see the motion. Honestly I wouldn't have been surprised with how many other things there were to look at about my current state. Everything from the limp, to the blood, to the dents and punctures in my armor.
Once we were close enough together though she seemed to realize that there was no-one else it could be but me. A normal enraged Big Sister would have attacked a very long time ago.

For the first time since we met, I saw something in Mira's eyes other than what was usually this kind of neutral emotionless gaze. It looked like genuine concern. Like the sight of my bloodied body worried her out of the cold composure she used as protection against the hell that was Rapture.
At that moment, even if it was only a moment, I found myself smiling through the pain I was feeling. It was the first time I had really seen anyone show me any kind of real emotion beyond that of fear or apprehension. My smile was also for the fact that she appeared relatively unharmed given the circumstances. She had also had to fight her way out of some kind of struggle.

The woman picked up her bag from the ground and pulled it onto her shoulder as she approached me with this look of concern on her face while she asked me whether I was hurt. There was a pause between her asking and my reply which was given in the form of a nod of my head. I wasn't going to lie. I couldn't lie, not this time.
A Big Sister was supposedly the toughest thing to walk the streets of Rapture yet here I was..very much hurt.
As she got close to me though I reached out with my hand, almost as if to look for support from her.

However my gloved hand came to brush against Mira's cheek with a surprisingly light touch almost as if I was trying to make sure that she was real. She was. She really was here with me. I had found her! Just that thought alone sent a wave of relief through me.
It was then that I stumbled a little bit and was forced to use my weapon as a kind of make-shift crutch to stand up straight.
As much as I knew I needed to take a look at myself, I also knew that we needed to press on before it got too late. This whole ordeal had cost us at the very least an hour if not two or three in total.

I couldn’t believe it was her. I mean, really? What was the chance that you met up with someone after being separated? That was either the work of fate or damn determination. She was a Sister, though. Maybe she was just doing like she was taught…Like she was programed.

I take in a short breath. Even if she was just doing all of this out of nature, I knew that there was no way that I couldn’t feel sorry for her. I didn’t know why, but I felt this strange attraction to her. Usually, I lived by the whole ‘trust no one’ motto, but there was something different about her. Now though, it almost seemed natural to trust her though.

I ask her quietly if she’s hurt. I don’t want to really know the answer to that question, but I know that I need to. If the blood is her and she’s badly hurt, I wasn’t sure what we were going to do. We would have to stop once we got to where we were going or head back.

The slow nod of her head tells me everything that I need to know. I feel my jaw lock up and I watch her a moment in disbelief. Weren’t Big Sisters supposed to be almost undefeatable? That didn’t matter right now. I didn’t know why, but the fact that she was hurt made me want to call off this whole thing. There was no way that she would be able to fight off splicers like we needed her to be able to. I take a step forward, watching her quietly in disbelief. She couldn’t be hurt…there was no way.

I take in a deep breath, watching quietly for a moment. My head screams at me, telling me that we need to get going. I take a few steps closer to her and an outstretched hand brushes against my cheek. I feel the cool leather press against me and I close my eyes for only a moment. Before I know it, she’s stumble, having to use her weapon to help herself. I shake my head. Really, she was in too bad a shape to keep going.

“We need to get moving” I didn’t know why, but I felt pity for this girl. I wanted to stop, and wrap up her torso, but I knew that wouldn’t be good enough. I had to think smart. If she dies…well then she died. At least it wasn’t me. I hate myself for thinking that way, but it was the way it had to be.

“Do you need help?” My voice has softened. I hold out an arm. I’m not sure what that’ll do to help her, but it’s better than nothing. Really, I chastise myself silently for being so nice to her. I shouldn’t be like that. Really, I should be caring about me and not her. Hell, I barely knew the girl. I take in a short breath, shaking my head. No matter what we did, she needed to decide soon. We needed to get away from the source of so much noise.

(Going to get a shower then heading to bed. I might not reply before going to bed. I'll try though.)

There was something about being able to reach out and touch Mira, the way I had with my palm against her cheek, that made all of the effort I had put into getting back to her worth it. Every ounce of pain I felt was worth knowing that she had managed to get through whatever had happened while I was gone so that we could be reunited.
I knew that she probably didn't feel the same nor would she ever..at least it wasn't very likely anyway..but I was happy to see her. If only for now. There was no guarantee that I was going to be able to push on for the rest of the journey in the state that I was in.

When I nodded my head to reply to her question about whether I was hurt or not, a strange look of disbelief spread across her face. Almost as if she didn't believe that I had been injured in a fight. In a way that made perfect sense though. Big Sisters were known to be almost near unkillable. There were only a handful of Splicers who could honestly say that they had seen a Big Sister go down and that was usually as a result of a very large ambush. There was only so much damage a protector could take before their bodies simply shut down on them. But you could be damn sure that it would fight to its very last living breath.

The truth was that I was hurt though and no amount of rumors could change the fact that I had been injured. The real priority at this point though was continuing on our way. Now that there had been a battle on both sides, the noise had probably already drawn a good number of Splicers out of hiding. The sooner we got on our way the less likely we were to come across any of those Splicers looking for bodies to loot.
Mira offered asked me whether I needed help and I turned to look at her.

When she held out her arm I reached out to place my hand on it, giving it a small squeeze as if to say "I'm fine." without using words. Before I nodded my head in the direction of the hole we were standing next to. I assumed that had been the route she was planning on taking until she was attacked and I showed up.
Whether I was ready to move or not didn't matter.
I was going to force myself on until I couldn't go a step further and even then I was going to crawl the rest of the way if I had to. There was no way I was going to let my injuries get in the way of our safety. Safety at this point was getting as far away from here as possible.

So with a deep breath I straightened myself up, grit my teeth, and prepared myself for what was probably going to be a very long journey for me. My injuries would heal over time, much faster than a regular human's wounds would, but there was still a time when I was just as vulnerable as any normal human would be. Hindered by the damage done.
Regardless I was ready to go and I tried to make that as clear to Mira as possible. If I could have, I would have given her a confident smile but the helmet kept that smile from coming through. It was there though and that's what mattered.


(Well, even if you don't it's a good time for me as well. I've got an exam first thing in the morning so I'm going to need my rest.)

Somehow I knew that she wouldn’t accept my help. Really, if I had been in her situation, I would have done the exact same thing. Really, it didn’t surprise me that she didn’t hold herself up with my arm. She was very reliant on herself. She knew that she would either survive on her own, or she would easily be killed in such a condition. It took a lot of strength, but in Rapture, I understood why she refused. I would have done the same thing.

Really though, it surprises me more that she is still willing to go on with such a silly mission. You would think that self-preservation would be top priority on her mind, but it wasn’t. It was a damn record player. At this time, I would have to carry it back just because of the shape she was in.

I take in a long deep breath. Instead of using my arm as a crutch, she simply grabs my hand and squeezes it. It’s like a simple refusal that I understand completely. I give her a small smile before nodding. She needed to know that she was going to be okay. That’s all that smile was meant for really.

I turn as she does, looking at the hole. I would go first, and she could follow behind. Being in such small spaces really made me afraid. I didn’t like the fact that it took so much for me to turn around and defend my rear. It was small enough for children, so I couldn’t really complain. I just take the time to walk over to the wall and kneel, looking inside the duct.

Since she didn’t want my help, nor my pity, I wasn’t going to give her either. Once I get into the vent I take the same speed as before. I was probably faster than I would have been back when I first used these holes, but she needed to realize that I wasn’t her mother. I wouldn’t baby her. I feel myself sigh quietly. That small breach in the cold hearted wall was long gone. There would be no more smiles, no more reassuring nods. There would be Mira La’mar, the cold hearted girl that was fighting for her life. She didn’t take crap, and you wouldn’t find a spot on her that wasn’t calloused from the war of Rapture.

I turned a corner, taking the change in direction to look back at the girl. The soft glow of red could still be seen, but it was a surprise that she could even fit in the hole. It seemed as if she was much too large. I shake off the questions. She had manages to fit herself in the hole and that’s all that mattered.

As we made our way through the winding holes, you could still see the presence of human life from long ago, untouched. Writings from children long since passed were scrawled across the metal. Most of it was stupid jabber, but some of it was interesting. Really, it was surprising there wasn’t more stupid things. There were hearts with initials drawn in them and one even had, “LOST CAT: FIFI. IF FOUND RETURN TO JIMMY R. MYLICANS APPT. #68 SINCLAIR DELUXE” One had the drawing of a Big Daddy and Little Sister. Beneath it wrote, “Beware the Metal Guardians” It struck me as odd. It didn’t seem like something that a child would write. I didn’t let it bother me. I simple continued the slow and quiet trek back through the tunnels and toward our destination. I make sure to look back often though. I know that I need to make sure she’s still following and that she hasn’t fallen behind. I do stop at one point, but only for a moment just to look back at her a moment. I really needed to make sure she was faring well enough.


(I got to post one more time! Good luck on your Exam. I'm about to head to bed. Post around 4:30 tomorrow afternoon!)