post_apocalypse_story/05-Eventful_Evening-secret_...

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2023-09-06 06:15:02 +02:00
<!DOCTYPE html><html><head><title> Eventful Evening </title><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="html_resources/style.css"></head><body>
<h1> Eventful Evening</h1>
<p class="comment">
If you&apos;re just here to read, scroll down past the outline.
</p>
<p class="comment">
Outline:
</p>
<ul>
<li class="comment">
Annie rides the metro to the station
</li>
<li class="comment">
A shady figure in a black hoodie is there
<ul>
<li class="comment">
Approaches Annie before she can even get off the train
</li>
<li class="comment">
tells her to stay on
</li>
<li class="comment">
Turns out it&apos;s Lucas
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="comment">
Lucas speaks to her quietly, asking if she&apos;s interested in
leaving the city while being mysterious about it
</li>
<li class="comment">
They get off a couple stations later and go to a bar
<ul>
<li class="comment">
Lucas gets some alcoholic drink
</li>
<li class="comment">
Annie, being kinda tired, gets a coffee or energy drink
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="comment">
They go to a back room where ppl are waiting for them around a table
<ul>
<li class="comment">
Amongst them is Karl
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="comment">
secret organization discusses secret organization things
</li>
<li class="comment">
Annie gets the keys to the library
<ul>
<li class="comment">
Lucas can&apos;t go himself because he needs to attend some
important event
<ul>
<li class="comment">
he gives her a description of where to find the relevant
computer
</li>
<li class="comment">
he gives her some login credentials to use
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="comment">
other ppl have excuses
</li>
<li class="comment">
Karl would join but he&apos;s unable to run in case they get caught
</li>
<li class="comment">
he gives Annie a list of useful computer commands and instructions
on how to boot up the computer
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>
Annie looks through the window in the door as the train enters the
station. The platform is empty except for a shady figure in a hoodie
leaning against the wall, observing the train from under his hood. She
looks at the clock on the station: 10:34 PM - a bit late. As soon as he
notices her, he steps away from the wall and walks up to the train.
<span class="comment"> Is there a more elegant way to say that he stops
leaning on the wall? </span> The pressurized air for the doors hisses in
the lines. Annie presses the button; the door opens.
</p>
<p>
&quot;Hey, wait...&quot; <br />
The guy had made his way to the door and looks directly at her.
It&apos;s him from behind the library counter. <br />
&quot;We&apos;re gonna take this one for a couple stations.&quot; <br />
Annie steps aside and he gets on the train as well. <br />
&quot;My name is Lucas, nice to meet you.&quot; He extends his hand as
the doors close. <br />
&quot;Annie.&quot; He probably knew that already, right? &quot;Sorry for
being late.&quot; <br />
The hum of the motors sets in and the train begins to move. <br />
&quot;Perfect timing, I&apos;d say.&quot; He makes a short pause before
continuing quietly: &quot;So about that interaction we had earlier today
- I assume you want to leave the dome?&quot; <br />
&quot;Not directly...&quot; <br />
&quot;Okay then disregard my question and we have never met.&quot; <br />
&quot;Wait. You say there is a way out of the dome?&quot; <br />
&quot;Well, there might be. Some friends of mine say there is.&quot;
<br />
Annie thinks about it for a moment. Before yesterday, she wasn&apos;t
even aware that there was a world outside the dome - and now she might
find out about a way to go there? <br />
&quot;Tell me more.&quot; she replies.
</p>
<p>
They get off at a station near the city center - a place that is never
asleep. In contrast to the empty stations everywhere else, the stations
here are busy with people seeking entertainment, clubs, or the many bars.
Lucas hurries down the stairs; Annie follows him.
</p>
<p>
The streets are alive with people, seeminly few of them purposefully
moving in a specific direction; most of them are just meandering from
bar to bar. The street they are walking down is illuminated by strings
of lights hanging from the buildings and between street lights. The
muffled bass of techno coming from one of the buildings is in the air.
She enjoys the atmosphere, she hadn&apos;t been here in a little while.
</p>
<p>
Lucas turns left and enters one of the bars, Annie still following him.
They make their way through the crowded bar towards the counter. The air
feels dense and depleted, and carries the smell of alcohol. Live
musicians are playing <span class="comment"> Idk? Music genre? Need ideas
</span> on a small stage area in the corner. <br />
&quot;Hey Kate, I&apos;ll take a <span class="comment"> some very
alcoholic drink? &quot;Braincell Rattler&quot;? Idk </span> and my uhh...
friend here looks like she needs a coffee.&quot; <br />
&quot;Okay. Going to the back room?&quot; <br />
&quot;Yeah.&quot; <br />
Coffee sounds good... The back room? Annie raises an eyebrow. He opens a
door next to the counter and gestures her to follow.
</p>
<p>
Lucas takes off his hoodie and hangs it on a hook on the wall. Annie does
the same with her jacket. She looks into the room: A bunch of people
sitting around a large, round table - to her surprise including her
grandpa. <br />
&quot;Grandpa Karl?&quot; <span class="comment"> Language intuition
question: Is this how one would realistically refer to their grandpa?
</span><br />
&quot;Hi Annie!&quot; <span class="comment"> TODO: Fix this </span><br />
Before she has time to voice her confusion, they get interrupted: <br />
&quot;Here you go, your drinks. Enjoy!&quot; <br />
Lucas walks up to the window that connects to behind the counter. <br />
&quot;Thank you!&quot; <br />
Annie takes a second to regain her composure. <span class="comment">
I don&apos;t think this is a great way to say that, Idk. </span>
&quot;Thanks.&quot;
</p>
<p>
They sit down at the table. Karl starts introducing people and some
introduce themselves. Then, he continues talking about the group&apos;s
mission:
</p>
<p>
&quot;We are working on getting the city officials to change their
stance on some things. When the city was built, it was seen as sort of
a plan B for humanity in case things would get worse. It wasn&apos;t
built as a place where we could go and hide forever in isolation. Over
time, knowledge of the outside world stopped being an imagination of a
possible bright future, and instead it became something to be worried
about. &#8216;What do you mean, you want to go there? Do you really want
to go where the air you breathe is literal poison and die?&apos;
</p>
<p>
My dad used to always say - and maybe this was naive hope on his part -
that it would get better one day and that we could open up the airlocks
and leave. That was many, many years ago. It&apos;s been over a century
now since the city was sealed - even if it was naive hope on his part,
we should at least take a look outside and see for ourselves what
it&apos;s like.&quot; <br />
Voices of agreement all around the table.
</p>
<ul>
<li class="comment">
missing: more dialog to tie this together
</li>
<li class="comment">
Important information: The door Jack wants to open is of the same type
as the doors used for the airlocks.
</li>
<li class="comment">
The whole Jack topic needs to be brought up in general. They could talk
about how having someone outside might be useful.
</li>
</ul>
<p>
&quot;I mean we have that manual at the library.&quot; says Lucas.
&quot;It&apos;s just classified because they really don&apos;t want
anyone to open or use the air locks.&quot; He reaches into his pocket
and pulls out a key chain. &quot;If you want, you can try getting it -
I can&apos;t because I disappeared from a birthday party with an excuse
and they are probably waiting for me to be back.&quot; He places the
keys in the center of the table. <br />
Karl says &quot;I would love to, but I&apos;m afraid I can&apos;t run if
things go south.&quot; <br />
A bunch of other excuses from other people. Finally, Annie takes the
initiative: &quot;I could go. Anyone want to help me with this?&quot;
</p>
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