A Snowstorm, a New Home, and a Curious Rabbit

It’s been a while since I could get a missive out to the overworld. So much has happened. We moved locations, I met a new friend, and it snowed – not in that order. Let me start at the beginning.

It snowed. I didn’t think it could snow in the underground. The sky is simulated, and atmospheric controls make it seem, frankly, like you’re not underground at all. I suppose that’s the point. But it never occurred to me how that would include weather. Brandon tried to explain it to me, but I’m not an atmospheric scientist, or any kind of scientist for that matter. Suffice it to say that when something in the machinery gets too much buildup, the best way to clear the mechanism is to have an atmospheric storm. It snows.

Snow shuts down the whole city, which made it the perfect time for us to move locations without being followed. Brandon is sure the animals at the door weren’t looking for me. He thinks they were after him. Apparently, all the oracle experts in the city are being hounded. USpec wants as much information as possible, and he says they are getting more forceful in their inquiries. Some of his colleagues have even disappeared.

“Lucky timing for us, this snow,” Brandon said, quickly packing books and papers into a duffle bag. “Best distraction we could ask for.”

I didn’t have much to pack, especially since I would be wearing my animal suit, such as it is. At least it’s warm. I asked about where we were going but Brandon only shook his head.

“Somewhere safe,” he said, evaluating the kettle and shaking his head with a sigh.

He wouldn’t elaborate.

We waited until midnight to make our quiet exit from the apartment. I felt a little sad, leaving the place that had housed me for so long. But my grief was short-lived. As soon as we stepped into the snow, I forgot all about what we were leaving behind and marveled at the scene before me. It seemed just like real snow. My heart lifted to see the glimmering flakes falling fast around me. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but the winter wonderland we stepped into was definitely not it.

Brandon was right. No one was out in the snowstorm. The rapidly falling flakes filled our tracks almost as fast as we made them. It was unreal. The novelty wore off quickly as the feet of my animal suit got crusted with snow, and the cold seeped into my toes. I couldn’t stop looking over my shoulder, convinced I would see one of the goons from that last encounter fast on our trail. But even that eventually wore thin, and it was all I could do to focus on keeping up. We rapidly left the city core behind us, moving through the tunnels and alleys toward a more residential area. I was beginning to wonder how much farther we were going when Brandon abruptly stopped and turned to me.

“The place we’re going,” he said, looking over my shoulder, then back at me. “Is already occupied. Don’t be alarmed. They’re a friend.”

Then he turned and set off again.

“Not much farther,” he said as he hustled down the snow-piled sidewalk.

Already occupied? I hadn’t been exposed to anyone other than Brandon since I arrived, and I wasn’t sure if I was terrified or excited. My frozen toes sent up a plea to keep moving, and I realized Brandon was considerably ahead of me, turning into an alley and out of sight. I hustled to catch up, my heart beating like a hummingbird’s wings. Despite the protests from my rapidly numbing feet, I caught up quickly, coming to a panting stop next to Brandon as he knocked on a side door off the alley. We waited, snow gathering on our collars.

I was about to suggest that he knock again when the door jostled open, and a rabbit’s head poked out. There were no introductions. We were whisked down several flights of stairs to a double-bolted door that looked like a service hatch. The rabbit fiddled with the bolts momentarily, and then we were through.

This place is even more curious than the apartment. Brandon says it used to be the hideout for a secret society of mostly mad scientists. That’s why there is so much old lab equipment and so many weird levels and rooms. He and some of his fellow oracle researchers used it as a gathering place for a while. But that all stopped when they realized they were being followed. Now it’s just him and Kelly, who I’ve gathered lives down here full-time. He’s convinced we’ll be safe here, and I hope he’s right. At least we’re closer to the University, for whatever that’s worth.

Kelly watched, fascinated, as I peeled off my animal suit and tried to rub some life back into my toes. Brandon must have given explicit instructions not to ask too many questions because I could see them boiling behind the little rabbit’s eyes.

“Why don’t you go put the kettle on, Kelly?” Brandon asked, watching the rabbit with a wry smile on his face. “I’m sure our friend here is ready for something warm to drink.”

“Of course,” Kelly said, flustered. “I wasn’t sure when you’d get here.”

Kelly just stared at me, long, velvety ears twitching slightly.

“We’re here now,” Brandon said, nudging Kelly toward what I assumed was the kitchen. “Go get it set, and we’ll join you.”

It turns out Kelly had never actually met a human before. And those questions I sensed under the surface might actually be bottomless. Kelly is a scientist, and I am quite possibly the most intriguing subject that ever walked into the lab. But that’s a story for another day. We’re settling in here, and I’ve finally been able to connect to the overworld network. I have a backlog of things to share with you, but this will have to do for now.

I wonder if it’s snowing where you are? If it is, I hope you’re staying warm.

-JPS