chapter 2

The subway tunnel grew colder, as Jane moved warily through the darkness, illuminated by the faint emergency lighting that lined the walls and roof of the tunnel. It seemed almost impossible to believe that up above was the city of New York. Once one of the world's greatest cities, the gleaming crown jewel of capitalism, the very symbol of America's wealth and prosperity... and now, it lay in ruins. The great skyscrapers were almost completely engulfed in the dreaded Lipomass, and of the city's eight and a half million residents, only Jane and about a thousand others had managed to escape.

Those few who survived managed to escape the worst of the ever-encroaching Lipomass by retreating underground, to the subway tunnels beneath the city. They had set up camps in many of the stations down there, from Manhattan to as far as Brooklyn. Jane and about fifty others had sought refuge in Houston Street station, where they had quickly set up camp and settled down to wait out the worst of the disaster.

That had been almost a week ago, and there had been no word from the surface. The NYPD and, eventually, the military had quickly set up cordons and organised evacuations, and had made it clear that nobody was to step onto the surface until the all-clear was given. But so far, nothing. The group had gathered around their radios waiting for news, but only got occasional broadcasts from other groups in other stations, offering to exchange water and food as their supplies began to dwindle.

Finally, Jane could stand it no longer, and had elected to set off down the tunnels herself and see if there was any word from any other survivors. She'd decided to head down the tunnels to the south, knowing that the next station on the line was Canal Street. The rest of the group had given her their best wishes, as well as warnings to watch her step, lest she stumble into one of the patches of Lipomass growing in the tunnels. The cold, dark tunnels didn't allow the Lipomass to thrive nearly as much as it would on the surface, but it was still a very real threat for those venturing between stations.

And so, armed with only a flashlight, Jane continued to make her way through the tunnel, stepping down the middle of the tracks as she shone her light ahead of her, illuminating the gloom and damp of the tunnel. It had only been a week since this same tunnel had been filled with rattling, crowded trains, carrying the citizens of Manhattan to and from their jobs and their homes... and yet, it already seemed like a lifetime ago. Rats scurried in front of Jane as she made her slow, cautious way forward. No Lipomass on the ground, thank God, but there were several brown patches of the stuff on the ceiling, which worried her. How long would it take for those patches to creep down the walls...?

After examining the deadly meaty moss on the ceiling, Jane shone her flashlight forward once more, and gasped. Ahead of her was a train, sitting there in the middle of the tracks. Its engines were silent, its wheels still, as it sat there, patiently waiting to continue a journey that would never resume. Swallowing, Jane stepped forward to get a better look at it, noticing that some strange material was pressing against the sides, and all the windows had burst. Even the doors were things of the past, laying in pieces on the track opposite. A closer examination of the material revealed it to be human flesh. Jane was taken aback by how squishy it was, and then horrified. What an awful fate -- to be trapped on a train with that awful Lipomass, with nowhere to run or escape. They must have been some of the first victims, given how they had become blobs.

A thick layer of Lipomass grew over the top of the train, spreading over to the wall opposite it. It was fresh, judging by its lighter brown colour. That wasn't what frightened Jane, however. What truly horrified her was the sight of a naked human foot, sticking out of the Lipomass, the rest of the body completely engulfed.

Trembling, Jane reached forward and touched the sole of the foot. It twitched slightly, and a muffled, "mmmph... mrrph..." could be heard from within the Lipomass. Whoever was trapped in there, they couldn't have been there for more than an hour. A foolhardy explorer who neglected to watch their step.

There was nothing Jane could do, other than press on, lest she join them. Carefully stepping around the mass, ignoring its muffled moaning, she bit her lip and continued on to Canal Street.