Tired and confused Cami stared around as she emerged from the service tunnels into a crowded basement. “Should I go outside?” she asked out loud. The sound of her voice echoed in the room and startled her, the fright almost convinced her to turn to go back into the tunnels but a growing urge changed her mind, she needed a washroom.

Carefully opening the only other door and hoping that it lead out of the basement, she found some stairs leading up several flights to a second door. Carefully opening this door Cami saw that it led to a corridor with many numbered doors on each side. Having no idea of what type of building she was in, Cami cautiously crept down the worn wooden floor of the hallway. Reaching a corner she peeked around finding yet another corridor which had still more doors.

The floor here is just as bad as the other corridors, a lot worse than at ma and pas, she thought. The rooms must be small too. No bathrooms inside, the doors are so close together.

Finally she found a door marked with the correct sign, women’s washroom.

*********

Stepping into the bathroom, Cami came to a complete stop. What she found was totally unexpected! Instead of the private stalls and wash stations she was familiar with, the toilets were partitioned off with gaps under all the doors and partitions exposing the floor. Large gaps existed between the top of the partitions and the ceiling, although this did not worry her quite so much. Equally surprising, the handwashing basins were set in one long counter top with no partitions what-so-ever!

For a fraction she stood there, unable to decide what to do until need forced her into action. Quickly checking the stalls, she picked out the cleanest one, then, first making sure that it had all she needed, relieved herself. Done she tided her clothes washed her hands and checked her face in the sole mirror provided. Seeing evidence remaining of the meal she had eaten earlier, she washed her face as best she could. Wrinkling her nose at the used towel hanging on a roller, Cami dried her hands and face, all the while wondering, what part of the city is this?

Leaving the noisome room behind her she put her thoughts into words, “Where am I?” The sound of her voice echoing down the empty hall startled her and she glanced around, uncertain about which way to go. Deciding to continue in the same direction that she had been heading when she had come up from the tunnels she kept moving, finally arriving at another set of stairs, some going up and others going down to a hall of some kind.

Hesitating for a fraction at the muted rumble of many voices that she could hear, Cami caught the enticing scent of a well cooked meal. The bit of bread and jam she had eaten earlier had barely taken the edge off her hunger and a random whiff of cooked food decided her. Cautiously she started down the stairs, following her nose. A sound at the entrance to what apparently was the room which the smell of cooking was coming from, had Cami freezing at a bend in the stairs.

Crouching down, Cami watched as two men, both wearing the black beret and black jacket common to the underclass came out of the double doors, talking at the same time. She stifled a gasp and listened as they scuffled to the doors a few dozen centis from the foot of the stairs. The underclass! This is Nether West, but I was told never to go there! The unexpected memory froze Cami in place on the stairs.

“That was some crazy thing, arr, eh?” One said to his companion.

“Aye, I hopes that girl don’t get hers, that would be rum!” the second man replied.

“Eh, right. She got away clean! The black one musta….”

The pair had gone through the door and what else they might have said vanished in the throb and bustle of the street that came and went as the door opened and closed.

Cami sat back, What girl were they talking about, was it me? She wondered. And who where they meaning when they said the Black One? The snatch of conversation that Cami had overheard puzzled her and she sat still for a fraction. Another couple came out of but they talked so low that Cami could not make out what they were saying. These were followed three people, a man and two women all dressed in the garb of the underclass. To Camis eyes, none looked friendly as she remembered what she had been told about the part of the city where the underclass lived. Don’t ever go there, she had been told by Jan ot Weir when she had arrived all those months ago.

About to move down the stairs, Cami froze as the doors to the kitchen opened again. A man and two women came out.

“… and I don’t know why all the fuss,” a rather thin woman spoke whined.

“Look, I have to go,” the man growled, “I have to get up with my brother, Ilari.”

How strange, Cami thought, the underclass talk so differently and are so emotional. Not at all like Jean. She strained to hear more.

“Your brother, is he such a big hat eh? You run to him when he calls, quick, quick!” The thin woman either was angry or was making fun of the man, Cami couldn’t decide.

“Ina, don’t be squzzy, Edek has to go, and you know that’s natch.” The other woman’s voice sounded soothing to Cami.

“Well I have to go first,” Edek laughed and before Cami realised what was happening, Edek was stomping up the stairs.

“And when you’ve gotta go, you gotta go.” The second woman also laughed even as she called out to him.

*********

At the sound of boots on the stair, Cami gasped, the man was coming up the stairs! For a tiny fraction she froze, then goaded by sudden fear she stood and trotted as quietly as possible back up the hall until she came to the ladies bathroom. Hesitating at the door, she turned automatically at a shout, right hand sliding to her knife.

*********

Just one thing was on Edeks mind as he climbed up to the second floor until he caught the sound of soft footsteps. A frown lined his saturnine forehead as he began taking the stairs two at a time. He knew that there should not be anyone upstairs as this was a private residence, each room being owned and occupied or rented and everyone from this floor would be at work now or eating in the dining room. That meant that there was a stranger, possibly a thief present. The thought of calling the patrol never crossed his mind, those guardians of the law were not welcome in Nether West at the best of times, besides he felt confident in his ability to handle any situation.

Coming to the top of the stairs Edek quickly checked the corridor to his left then the right where he saw a young looking girl, about to enter into the women’s washroom, surprised he called. “Hold’en there.” A frightened face turned towards him.

“No closer,” she said holding her left hand up to stop him while her right slid behind her back.

Eyes narrowed, Edek coolly appraised the young woman. Clearly young, well dressed, she obviously did not belong in Nether West. Indeed, a second look at her clothing had alarm bells going off in his mind, this girl is high class, what is she doing here and what is she holding behind her back? As he wondered, at a sound behind him he quickly glanced to where the two ladies he had been talking to were now standing at the top of the stares. They stared at the unexpected appearance clinging to the common bathroom door.

*********

Too scared to move, Cami stood frozen, her eyes flicking between the three adults studying her. Out of ideas and at a loss to say anything, she waited to see what the three people from the underclass would do. At the back for her mind was the door leading to the basement and the tunnels, just a few dozen paces away.

I could make it if I try, she thought.

*********

“OK girl,” Edek, a lean young man wearing hard worked clothes spoke as soothingly as he could to Cami, “don’t go freaky, I won’t hurt you, not unless you get gnarly and I have to.”

“Don’t get closer.” Cami repeated.

“Yours’re not around here.” It was a statement.

Cami shook her head.

“Watcha called.”

“Cami.”

*********

“You be Cami?” The older woman stepped up beside Edek as she spoke, causing Cami to slide several steps down the corridor.

“Keep back Flo!” Edek growled at Flo, a well-built, comfortable looking woman.

“Cami sis Nep?” Flo ignored the younger man and took a step closer, “You be the girl who lives with the Dressler’s?” At Camis nod, Flo continued, puzzled. “Why you be running away?”

“Don’t get natch with the girl Flo, she be trouble. Just let her go, willy-nilly.” Ina, the third adult put in, she was a thin woman with a sour, suspicious face.

*********

Taking in the thirds woman’s sour look and grating tone, Cami decided that she wasn’t very nice. She took another step backwards, a glance showing her that she was almost at the corner.

*********

“Stop Cami, we won’t crack you.” Flo studied Cami, took in the exhausted look and haunted gaze. “What you be doing in Nether West?”

The thin woman grunted and appeared to be about to speak but closed her mouth at a look from Flo. Edek frowned as he looked Cami over. His eyes narrowed and he suddenly spoke again. “What you be running from?” He asked.

*********

Cami glanced over her shoulder at a sound from behind her. “I have to go,” she pleaded. “They might be following.” She brought her hand from behind her, crouching and holding the knife she had found in the tunnels in front of her. The three watching gave out a hiss of in taken breath.

*********

“Now that’s a bigge knife,” Edek smiled hands on his hips, “what gotcha in mind to do with it?”

“Quiet,” Flo commanded the young man. “Cami, you didn’t answer me, why you skooting.” She frowned as a thought came to her, “Where be your contract family?” Flo slowly moved forward.

“Don’t get closie close, Flora, she’ll be into cutting you.” Ina cautioned the older woman. At Camis sudden step forward, Edek stepped in front of Flo.

*********

Hearing Flo’s full name, Cami remembered with a start what the man who had helped her escape had said, Listen for Flora.

“Your name is Flora!” That brought nothing but a stare and a startled exchange of looks. “Flora, your name is Flora?” Cami repeated, taking a step forward. “Please tell me it is.”

“Yea.” the matronly woman replied, frowning as she moved out from behind the young man.

With a wail, Cami ran forward giving Flo, Ina and Edek such a surprise that they all took several steps backwards.

“Knife, knife!” from the group brought Cami to a stop. Oh yes, better get rid of that, she thought. “Here, take it,” she held the knife out. “He said to watch for Flora.”

*********

Slowly Edek stepped closer to Cami and with care accepted the knife. Cami never looked at him, still staring at Flo as he took it. Another frown creased his forehead and balancing the knife in his right hand, he turned and spoke to the women.

“This is edgy, let’s get outa this place.”

Flo and Ina nodded and Flo held out her hand to Cami. “Come along little one,” came with a reassuring smile. “My bedy place is nearby and we’ll chit chat there.”

Following, Cami began to speak but was immediately shushed by Ina. “Speak not here, no good if others hear.” Covering her mouth with her hand, Cami went with the two women. Edek following, watching carefully all around.

About thirty paces past the stairs leading down, there were more stairs going up to the next floor. Flo lead the group to these and started up.

*********

At the top, Cami stopped for a fraction, looking around. She could see that this part of the building was different from the one below. The doors were further apart by several paces and the floor was polished with a durable clear finish that brought out the grain of the wood.

“Your walls are nicer here then below.” Cami spoke more calmly than she felt. “Painted with pictures.” She moved to look at some of the murals but Edek took her arm and lead her to where Flora was waiting at her door. “Hey what are you doing?” Cami protested.

“We have to get out of eyes seeing.” Edek replied.

“Come in Cami, we’ll talk in here.” Floras voice stifled any more protests from Cami.