9. Echoes in the Rain

Laughter echoes through the dimly lit pub, bouncing off the wooden beams and flickering between the antique-style lights.

Suddenly, the pub door swings open with a loud creak. In stumbles a man, drunk and naked, swaying from too much whiskey. Holographic pixels buzz around his waist, censoring him just enough to avoid complete scandal, but the sight is ridiculous enough to send everyone into fits of laughter.

“Look at that guy!” Elliot practically wheezes, his face flushed from both alcohol and amusement. “What a legend!”

The man, oblivious to the laughter, staggers across the floor, mumbling something incoherent before disappearing into the back. The whole pub, still chuckling, returns to their drinks. Elliot raises his glass in a mock toast, and we all follow, knocking back our shots as the little train zips by, collecting the empties.

Elliot decides this is the perfect time for jokes.

“A student walks into an exam,” he begins, his voice loud enough to carry across the bar. “The professor says, ‘The swan is no friend of the swine!’ The student replies, ‘Then I guess I’ll fly!’”

A few chuckles, mostly from Kadriya, who shoots him a playful smile. Elliot, encouraged, continues.

“The professor asks the student, ‘If you found two stones, one for intelligence and one for happiness, which one would you take?’ The student thinks for a moment and says, ‘Happiness!’ And the professor, all smug, says, ‘Well, I’d take intelligence.’ The student shrugs and says, ‘Well, that’s because you need it!’”

Laughter erupts. Even Asil, who usually maintains a stern, aloof presence, can’t help but crack a smile. Elliot takes the opening and leans in toward Kadriya.

“See?” he winks. “I’m good for more than just looks.”

She rolls her eyes but smiles all the same. Asil’s dark gaze narrows slightly, but he keeps his mouth shut, watching Elliot with the faintest hint of approval, as if reluctantly acknowledging his sense of humor.

Elliot raises his glass again, still grinning.

“Don’t take anything personally,” he says, looking at Kadriya. “Except for the part where I take your number.”

We drink and laugh, the hours slipping by in a blur of jokes, stories, and whiskey. Elliot even manages to crack Asil’s icy exterior, and by the time we decide to leave, they are draped over each other’s shoulders like old friends, the tension between them forgotten since Elliot found out that Asil was Kadriya’s brother.

As we spill out onto the cobbled street, the night has fully settled in. The air is crisp, cleaner than any city air has a right to be, and the levitating streetlights bathe the campus in a soft, white glow. It feels surreal, the perfect end to an extraordinary day.

“We need to hit more pubs,” Elliot declares, his voice still bubbling with energy. “This night’s not over!”

We follow the path to the main campus alley, the huge stage now visible in the distance. Futuristic escalator tracks line the walkway, and we climb the left-hand side, the movement smooth, effortless. The campus looks like something out of a dream, with the sleek lines of the buildings, shimmering lights reflected in the glassy surfaces, and the hum of distant technology. For a moment, everything feels electric.

At the top of the escalator, the giant Transformer Castle has completed its movements for the night, the entrances sealed, like a fortress resting after a long day of guarding its treasures. Students trickle toward the bus stop, their laughter and voices drifting into the cool night air. We join the crowd, waiting for the next bus.

When it arrives, we climb aboard and find seats on the upper deck. The bus is full, and we are forced to take the very last row. Just as I sit down, the world seems to slow. The familiar scent of summer flowers hits me, sweet and intoxicating, pulling me back into a memory I can’t place. Then, there she is.

The girl in the red windbreaker.

She walks past me, her eyes locked ahead, unaware of my gaze. My heart races as she sits at the front of the bus next to another girl, her presence so vivid it’s as if the rest of the world fades. Time snaps back to normal, and I turn to Elliot, desperate for advice.

“There she is!” I whisper, barely able to keep the excitement from my voice. “What do I do?”

Elliot glances at her, then back at me, an amused smirk on his face. “Is that the girl you’ve been losing your mind over?”

I nod, unable to take my eyes off her.

“Well,” he says, leaning back, “now’s your chance. But I’d wait for her neighbor to leave first. No sense rushing in when she’s got company.”

“But how?” I ask, my mind racing. “How do I get her attention without looking like an idiot?”

Elliot taps his chin thoughtfully. “I’ve got a plan.”

I groan inwardly. “What’s your plan?”

“We’ll hack her neighbor’s smart device and send her away,” he says with a grin, nudging Asil. “You’re good at hacking, right?”

Asil raises an eyebrow. “You want me to hack a random girl’s device so Alex can talk to this one?”

“Exactly!” Elliot’s grin widens. “It’s foolproof.”

I shake my head. “That’s insane. I’m not risking some criminal charge just to say hi.”

Elliot waves me off. “It’s all about fate, my friend. If the universe wants you to talk to her, it’ll happen.”

But I’m not about to let the chance slip away. As they debate their ridiculous plan, I stand, determined to make my move. My heart pounds in my chest as I weave my way through the crowded aisle, my eyes locked on her. But just as I reach her row, the bus jerks to a stop, and I lose my footing. My head collides with the seat in front of her, and I land awkwardly at her feet.

Embarrassment floods my face, but then I see her. She looks down at me, concern in her blue eyes, which surprises me even more because I had thought they were green before.

“Are you okay?” she asks, her voice soft, soothing.

“I… I think so,” I manage to stammer, my heart still racing. “What’s your name?”

She laughs, a light, musical sound that sends warmth through my chest. “It’s Mia.”

I smile, pushing myself up. “I’m Alex. I think I’ve been looking for you.”

Her laugh deepens, but there’s no mockery in it, just curiosity. “Really? You’ve been looking for me?”

“I have,” I say, trying to sound less like a stalker. “I just… had to know your name.”

She smiles again, and for a moment, I forget the embarrassment, forget everything but the way her eyes sparkle in the dim light. “Well, now you know. What are you going to do about it?”

“I was thinking… maybe I could take you to dinner sometime?” The words tumble out before I can stop them.

Her smile widens. “Sure, Alex. I’d like that.”

Relief washes over me as she pulls up a holographic screen on her bracelet and enters her number. My own bracelet buzzes with the incoming contact, and I hold onto that tiny spark of hope, knowing I won’t let this chance slip through my fingers.

As I return to my seat, Elliot and the others stare at me, clearly impressed.

“Well?” Elliot asks. “Did you get her number?”

I hold up my wrist with a proud grin. “Got it.”

They cheer, Kadriya even clapping lightly, and we all toast to the moment. Outside, the rain begins to fall, a steady rhythm against the bus windows. I glance back at Mia, who catches my gaze for just a second before looking away. My heart still races, but for the first time, it feels like something real.

It’s almost fully dark now. Inside the bus, seats empty as we approach Covent Garden, but Mia remains seated, her profile illuminated by the faint glow of the streetlights. I can’t bring myself to approach her again. Maybe it’s for the best. I don’t want to ruin whatever it is I’ve managed to start.

When we get off the bus, the rain has turned into a downpour, and we run for cover, laughing as we dash through the wet streets. We duck into a pub, the glowing sign overhead reading “The Green King’s.” The smell of old wood and beer envelops us, a comforting contrast to the chaos outside.

The night is far from over. We find a corner table, and the hours slip by as we laugh, drink, and tell stories, but my thoughts keep drifting back to her. To Mia, the girl in the red windbreaker. And to the possibilities that now stretch out before me like a promise waiting to be fulfilled.

Eventually, I need air. The pub, with its heat and noise, has grown too stifling. Slipping outside, I lean against the damp brick wall, the drizzle cooling my skin. The rain has lessened, now just a soft mist, but the night is thick with the scent of wet asphalt and the quiet hum of the city.

And then, I see him.

Across the street, under a flickering streetlight, stands a tall, thin man, his long grey hair plastered to his face by the rain. His clothes hang loose, almost ragged, but it’s his eyes that stop me cold. They are wild, intense, fixed on me with an unsettling focus. He lifts a bony hand, pointing straight at me, his mouth moving, forming words that the rain swallows at first.

Then I hear him.

“You’re all blind,” he rasps, the words cutting through the silence like a jagged knife. “You can’t see a thing.”

A chill runs down my spine, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. The street around him seems to darken, the light above him flickering as if the power can’t decide whether to hold or fail. The way he stares, like he knows something, something terrible, roots me to the spot.

Just then, Elliot comes out, the door swinging shut behind him with a loud thud. He notices my rigid stance and follows my gaze, but by the time he looks, the man is gone.

“Who are you staring at?” Elliot asks, lighting a cigarette, oblivious to the lingering tension in the air.

“There was a guy,” I mutter, scanning the street, which now seems too quiet. “Right there. He was yelling something, saying we’re all blind. Couldn’t you hear him?”

Elliot raises an eyebrow, shaking his head as he blows a stream of smoke into the air. “Old people like that are everywhere, mate. They babble all kinds of crap. Most of them lost their minds after the chaos of 2030.”

“But why would he—?”

“Alex, don’t let it get to you.” Elliot’s voice is casual, but his eyes narrow for a split second, like he’s considering something darker, before he flicks the cigarette to the side. “People like that… they’re relics of a world that doesn’t exist anymore. And the ones that survived? Well, they didn’t come out the other side in one piece.”

The rain has almost stopped completely now, just a light drizzle, the air feeling cooler. I try to shake the unsettling feeling, but the old man’s voice still echoes in my mind, and his wild eyes haunt me in the spaces between my thoughts. Was he insane, or did he know something?

“Let’s not ruin the night,” Elliot continues, his grin returning. “We’ve had a damn good day. I don’t think people used to pack this much into 24 hours back in the old days.”

I can’t help but laugh, even as my mind races. “All we did was attend a lecture,” I say, though even I know that’s an understatement.

Elliot claps me on the back, his laughter contagious. “Alex, we made friends, explored the university, met some interesting girls, and hit up a few pubs. That’s what I call living.”

His carefree grin finally breaks through the fog of unease that has settled over me. “You’re right,” I say, shaking my head. “It’s been a hell of a day.”

Elliot nods and pulls a small pouch from his jacket. With a familiar buzz, he inserts a cigarette filter into his device, the tip glowing as the machine clicks softly. In seconds, a perfectly rolled cigarette appears in his hand, indistinguishable from the real thing.

He lights it and takes a long drag, the smoke curling lazily around him. “Welcome to the future, my friend.”

I watch him for a moment, the smell of smoke mixing with the damp air. After everything that’s happened, I decide to join him. It seems like the perfect way to close out the day.