Through the Ashes

Chapter 3

Over the loud speaker comes a booming voice. "Ladies and gentleman, I would love it if you gave a warm welcome to one of the club's oldest comic's: CJ Daniels!" Everyone cheers as CJ walks onto the stage. I remember him from way back. Even before I was old enough to go to the Triple C, Ryan would come home from a leisure day and comment on his wit when we asked what she did.

"Hello, hello! Thank you guys! I feel so welcome," he says in a high voice. "It reminds me of prison," he deadpans. Chuckling ripples through out the crowd. Let our hour of comedy begin.

*

"Thanks everybody! I'm CJ Daniels!" he calls as he walks off stage. Both me and Kasie's cheeks are flushed and there's a soft pain in my stomach from laughing. He was actually really good. A few people stand up from their seats and quickly shuffle out the exit while most stay seated, waiting for the next comic.

"What do you want to do now?" I ask, standing up and stretching my arms above my head.

"Relax for minute then training grounds?"

I shrug. "Sure, why not."

We depart the club and after waving goodbye to Ben, gingerly step across one of the many thin walkways that stretch across the chasm of the Crypts. At the middle rests thickest part of the bridge and we collapse onto it. I dangle my legs over the edge and swing them back and forth. I got over my fear of falling long ago. Kasie leans into me and I smile.

The view on the bridge is amazing. From up here, you can see almost everything in the Crypts below. I peer down and see many people on their leisure days bustling about the different doorways and bridges. Some rush with their arms full of supplies kicking up tan and sunset dust from the sandstone. Others simply walk with their friends or partners. The twinkle of the many lanterns is easily seen and I reach my hand up, the very tips of my fingers brushing the hot metal cage of a flame.

"I can't believe people built this," I say, still fascinated at the hard work put into this shelter.

"Seems almost impossible, right?" Kasie answers quietly. "Almost like people invited spirits over here to help."

"Wow, will you stop with that?" I laugh, slightly slapping her arm.

"What? It seemed like you believed that old wives' tale."

"Don't you want to believe?" I ask, slightly irritated at her realism, as always. "Think about it: we're going to be confined in this dusty hole for probably our whole lives while the planet slowly falls to pieces above us. Don't you want to hope there is something more?"

"I would like to. But I just can't anymore." Kasie sighs and I instantly regret my irritation. Even from a young age, everyone has told her dreaming is hopeless and this is reality now. Nothing more, nothing less. She wanted to be a artist, not rotate around different crap jobs in a crap life. But artists aren't a necessity unfortunately. And necessities are all we can afford. And I would know, I've wanted to be a musician my whole life. But I think she should have been an artist. Her abstract ideas are amazing and I wish I could toss paint across a canvas and make it look great like she can. Making a mess look beautiful is one of her talents. And I would know; she does it to me all the time.

"Think of it this way. The spirit world is supposedly one you can only access by practicing. So technically, there is a chance it could be real." Cheering her up is probably one of my favorite things to do.

Kasie sighs and lays herself against the pathway. "I guess you're right."

"I am," I say seriously, trying to keep a smile off my face. "Now lets go train. Let out some raw fiery emotion." I stand up and offer her my hand. She grabs at it and I yank her up. I laugh and brush off her dusty back. "You really can make anything beautiful," I say when she turns around. And she truly is. She smiles and gently places her lips on mine. I take her hand and walk back down the path. And then I see something strange.

"Hey, do you know that guy?" I point down the chasm at a man wearing a short tan trench coat. He gazes up at us with startling green eyes and a shock of dark hair.

"No, who are you talking about?"

She has to be joking. There's only one guy on the cliff. "The guy right there!" I point again but she just squints her eyes. "Hey Sammy, maybe you should get some rest. There's no one there." She narrows her eyes at me suspiciously. I groan. "I swear I am not seeing things. What is he doing?" The man raises his ring and middle finger of his left hand in some kind of salute. He kisses them and lowers them to his heart. He gives me one last look before turning around, his coat flapping behind him. He walks off the cliff and disappears into the crowd. And no one else sees him. "He's gone."

"What did he do?" Kasie asks, concern dripping from each word. I imitate the gesture. She looks at me strangely. "Maybe you should see a doctor."

"I don't think so. Maybe you were looking in the wrong direction?" I say hopefully. But I know she wasn't. But how could she have not seen him? I shake my head and place my hands on my hips. Am I really the crazy one? No, she probably just didn't see him, the tan of his coat matched the sandstone walls. But those eyes and he seemed so real... Stop, Sam! You're probably just tired.

I clasp Kasie's hand within my own. "Let's go train and after, I might just go home. Who knows what else I'll see?" I give a nervous smile and she returns it with a bright grin of her own. We step off the pathway and run down spiral stair to the academy of the Crypts, the man temporarily forgotten.

****

The academy rests almost near the bottom of the chasm and its training grounds are open to anyone who wants some practice. There are also gyms specifically made for advanced training that people with more money usually go to. Kasie and I are not those people. I've mostly pushed away the entirety of the thought of the trench-coated man but the thought still lingers. Some fast-paced training should put it away for good. We arrive at the gate of the academy soon. The academy is a huge school with multiple classrooms and training grounds. The main entrance is inside the stone wall from which almost the entire school has been carved. Today, there's no classes so it's the perfect time to go. I yank open the code box. Only people who went to or currently go to the school can get in. Thankfully, I keep my old academy ID stuck in my back pocket. I pull out my card and type in the code. They reuse the same codes every time a student graduates so if you don't lose your ID, you can get back in anytime. With a beep, the gate slowly swings open and we walk inside. It's good to be back.

"Hey, what academy did you go to?" I question. There are multiple training centers spread all across the Crypts, this being one of the biggest. I don't think Kasie ever told me about her fighting education.

"I didn't. My family never really had enough money but my parents didn't mind training me," she replies, her expression grim. I know how much she likes hunting but I never knew she was deprived of proper training, but I think I know why. It wasn't right but you had to pay to get into academies. We don't exactly have proper government down here for fear of triggering yet another downfall. That also means no taxes, I think they're called. I was told by Ryan that before the first apocalypse, people had to give their money to the government for really no reason except that the leaders were greedy. I'm thankful we don't have to do that, as we have little money, but no government also means that everything is organized by the citizens. It ends in large disputes a lot of the time; we're clearly not the most organized people.

"Well at least you can hunt now right?" I try to cheer her up. She smiles at me but I know it pains her. Training is usually the most exciting part of somebody's life during these times.

After weaving through the many halls and passing under overhangs, the large gym comes into view. I start to jog towards it, Kasie close behind. I push open the door and inhale the familiar scent of rubber, metal, and sweat. Ahh. It doesn't sound very appealing but it's a smell full of nostalgia.

"Time for training."