Networks

Chapter 1- Cora

London was an awful place. To me, at least. The sky was filled with thick, black plumes of smoke, pretending to be clouds. Every street was dark and oppressed by overbearing buildings, with yellow rays of light peering out of the windows like glowing eyes, a dark door like a sneering mouth and the bricks crumbling like the scarred, grey skin of someone dead. Cars rumbled and screeched along the road, even at this hour. Men, dressed with hoods covering their watchful eyes, leered out of doorways and alleys. The occasional streetlight flickered and wavered, and the even rarer passer-by kept their head down, and walked with swift, clicking steps.

A car's headlights enveloped me in a pool of light, lying on my back on a park bench. For a second, I couldn't see the stars, but then, as the headlights faded away, I caught sight of the wide galaxy above me again. I took a minute to find all the constellations visible tonight, and then rolled over to face the street.

The night before, I had been sleeping in the doorway across the street, but the woman had come down from her flat, her lip pulled back, and her voice like nails down a chalkboard. To be honest, I had never actually heard the sound of nails down a chalkboard, but this woman's furious screech of profanities, I was sure, was just as unpleasant.

A short man came around the corner, a raincoat on, though it was not raining, with his hood up, hiding his face from my view. He must have been out for at least four hours, because there had been no sign of rain for that long. He was overweight, I could tell, even without seeing his figure caught in the momentary glare of a headlight; I could hear him wheezing faintly from where I sat. His pace was brusque, though not enough to make me think he was going to see someone he really wanted to see. No, he was heading home from the pub, going by the smell of him. I saw a glow of the face of a watch as he lifted it up to check it. Ah, he was late home, then, which was probably the only reason he was hurrying. His wife... must be at home with the kids, both of whom must be young, as he was still making an effort to get home earlier.

With a sigh, I sat up, watching until he turned the next corner, and then followed. I was giving into my one of my only weaknesses; I had to know if I was right. It wouldn't be more than a few minute walk, or he would have got a taxi, unless he ran out of money gambling or drinking. They wouldn't have a nice apartment. No, they didn't have much money. I slipped around the corner I had just seen him disappear around and saw him waddling away, not far up the street.

I followed him, even when I saw him hesitate, clearly at his apartment. I stopped behind him expectantly, knowing he wouldn't hear or sense me over his own thoughts and breathing. The door was old and cheap, reflecting the apartments above it. He pushed his key into the lock and hurried forward. I leapt to catch the door before it swung closed. Again, he didn't notice me behind him, too preoccupied with his own mind, though I imagine there couldn't have been too much to think about. I waited by the front door, as he hurried up the stairs, to his apartment on the second floor. He pushed open the door, attempting to be quiet, though not doing a very good job. I walked up the steps quietly as he closed the door, stopping in front of the door and leaning my ear towards the thin gap between the door and the frame.

It was silent for a half a minute before I heard a gasp. 'Oh, honey! You- you didn't have to wait up.' His voice was muffled but not illegible. 'I'm sorry, I -uh- lost track of the time a bit...' He attempted to keep up his false cheerfulness. 'Are... are the kids in bed, then, honey?'

'Yes.' The wife's voice was sharp. Then she exploded. 'Down at the pub every night! Wasting our money on drinks and how are we going to afford all of Millie's school stuff next year? And not to mention-' Bored so quickly, I slipped back down the stairwell and left the building, planning on returning to the park bench I had been meaning on sleeping on. I thought as I walked, about how I would get to sleep tonight.

Sleep, for me, wasn't an automatic thing. No, I had to think- oh, when was the last time I slept? - then I would realise it had been a few days ago, and force myself to sleep. It was the same with eating. It didn't bother me at all to go a few days without food.

I didn't like sleeping or eating. Both were incredibly boring. And whenever I did sleep, I would have nightmares. The dreams were filled with blood, burns, screaming and fire, though I could no longer tell how much was actually real.

I was nearly back to the bench when I heard voices. A group of four men rounded the corner up in front of me, all loud; cheering, yelling and laughing. It only took a second for the wave of smell to reach me- urgh, vomit and alcohol.

One of them, the one with the darkest eyes, searched the road up ahead, and those coal-black eyes came to rest of me. He gave a leer and said, with malice, 'Ooh, look, little dearie. Come over to us.' He beckoned to me with a pale finger. 'Come on, now. Hey, look at this.' His fist swung out and he punched his nearest companion in the arm, getting their attention.

This one was short with a buzz-cut and yellowing teeth. 'Hey, girly.' He took a step up onto the curb. His eyes closed lazily and his arms swung out and he tried to regain his balance. 'Come on over 'ere!'

I felt my body tense as the other two swivelled their heads, their eyes almost as vacant as mine, to look at me. 'Hey, come on, now.' The first one said. 'Want some f- fun?' He turned and vomited into the gutter. I took the chance and turned, running down the street, dodging bins and jumping at the sounds of the cats I startled.

I ran until all sounds of pursuit had stopped. I collapsed in a heap on the ground. I knew I should cry, it was not normal people did after what normal people considered "traumatic experiences". I sat until I felt tears stream down my face, though my mind remained blank. Satisfied, I rolled back onto my back, right where I was sitting, found all the constellations again before finally closing my eyes, and forcing myself to sleep.