Twenty: Exploring

Morning chimes of the earlier curfew being released for the other blocks woke me up. I hadn't finished the roll last night and I did so now. My teeth felt furry. I was going to have to get myself a toothbrush and toothpaste sometime today. By the time the chimes for the second curfew released me from my room, I realised that I didn't quite know the way to the office from here. It would likely take me a while to work it out.

For some reason, I suddenly didn't want to meet my work colleagues this morning. I decided I'd set out early by myself first. No need to wait for them. There was no mirror to check my clothes or to see how good or awful I looked. I had a feeling my hair needed more than my fingers to comb it down too. There were so many things I needed to remember to buy today.

Although feeling slightly nervous, I set off, nodding to the soldiers and security guards chatting at the gate. They waved me off and made a note on a clipboard in the guard house. Vaguely, I remembered the direction and roads the van had taken on the way here. That day seemed so long ago now. I still didn't know what day it was or how many days it had been since the invasion.

What if it was a Sunday and there was no one at work? How embarrassing that would be. Not that there would be anyone there to see me turn up. I wouldn't even be able to get into the building. The building was always closed on a Sunday. Any other day and there ought to be someone there. How many people would be still turning up for work now? Would there still be any work to do? A lot of people would likely be leaving the city to go somewhere else as far from the war front as possible.

I couldn't do that. Couldn't leave. I was being watched too closely and somehow I doubted I would be allowed to leave by the Bosky soldier or our government. Not if I was being used as bait. Besides, my parents and Henry were still stuck in the Bosky occupied side of the city. I had to find an opportunity to either go to them or get them out over to this side of the city. Either way, I was staying. Either way would be fine if we could all stay together.

One wrong turn led me down a street that narrowed into an alley that split into two cul-de-sacs. Whoops. Turning around, I felt the hairs on the back of my head rise although I couldn't see where my watchers were watching me from. I went back to where I had gotten things wrong and took a different road. That led to a completely different part of the city and in the wrong direction. Going back yet again, I kind of pitied my silent watchers who had to follow my explorations in trying to find the right road.

Taking the last option, I tried again. This time, I felt like I was heading in the right direction, nevertheless, I still made several wrong turns. Bother. I was going to be late at this rate. I was also going to have to thoroughly explore this area and get to know this place. Speaking of which, now would be the perfect time to do that while under the guise of being lost.

I gave up trying to get to work today and decided to spend the rest of the day exploring the route to and from work. It would be better for me to know these buildings, streets and alleys to add on to the map of the city in my head. It might be important for me to find out what possible escape routes there might be, what buildings I might be able to walk through and where I might have access to a toilet. Besides, I still had the strange sensation of being disconnected from the rest of the world after my stint in solitary confinement. I hadn't fully come back down to earth where we were in the current situation. The people at work would notice if I remained so vague.

I didn't want to talk or interact with anyone anyway. Let the people watching and following me think I was confused and had lost all sense of direction. To help them form their own conclusions, I muttered, stomped and acted flustered. It was better for them to think I was getting so scared and panicked that I had completely gotten lost, when in fact I was taking my time to observe things as closely as possible.

Wandering through this entire area of the city, I memorised shops, pathways, open doors and possible routes I could take. I built a map in my head of possible unconventional routes that could possibly be taken if I were being chased. Then went over some of the same routes just to confuse those following me. As if I hadn't been there before and couldn't recognise where I was.

"Turn left at the next intersection," a voice coughed from somewhere to my right.

Of course, when I looked for the voice, there was no one there. I searched the area in curiosity to try and figure out who and why that amateur following me would reveal themself. It probably just made the person more frustrated but frustrating them was what I wanted to do. Teach them right for following me around and spying on me.

By the time I found the road upon which the office building was located, it was past lunch time. Stopping at a nearby cafe, I bought the cheapest pie to eat while I sipped the no longer free lemon water at an outside table. They had given it to me for free though, since I used to be a regular and probably looked a mess, covered in sweat with my hair sticking up at odd angles.

"It's been a while," Lamb, the usual waiter, commented, looking concerned. "How have you been?"

"Not so good," I rubbed my face. "You?"

"Not bad," Lamb shrugged. "Not really good but not entirely bad either. Two members of the band are stuck on the Bosky occupied side of the city and one has moved with his family far from the warfront."

Although he looked very neat and proper as a waiter, Lamb had a punk rock band and looked a completely different creature once he had his costume and makeup on. His private life was very different from his professional life.

"You're going to stay?"

"For as long as the boss has business and sticks around," Lamb thumbed at the back of the cafe. "Hope I get to see you around more regularly again. Most of the regulars have gone. Can I get you anything else?"

"No thanks," I declined. "I'm good."

"Enjoy then," Lamb nodded. "I'll see you around."

Leaving me to my small meal, he went back into the cafe. I slowly finished my meal and then decided it was time to head back to the Compound, considering I would be getting purposely somewhat lost on my way back. Man, I was tired though. I really needed a nap. Maybe I should put my head down on the table for a moment. Just a moment.