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It was dark.
The evening patrols had just finished a sweep of the streets, I had 10 minutes to get to Luna's before another wave of police came.
I ran across the street, thankfully only a few cars were on the road tonight, otherwise I'd be out of luck.
Next I climbed a fence and then passed by the theater. (As a child I remember enjoying films of creativity and passion. Those were gone now, only the propaganda of the regime remained. The theater had tried to protest this at the time but all the people who did had been arrested, and a new owner was put in place.)
I turned into an alleyway and knocked thrice on a locked door, then after a pause, twice more.
A voice came through the door. “State your business”
“I've come to pay my dues.”
The door unlocked and the Watcher (they would not tell anyone their name for safety reasons, and they always wore a mask.) quickly pulled me inside.
They moved to pull aside a piece of furniture from the floor then lifted a trap door that had been under it up.
“We are glad to see you safe. Head on down.” The Watcher said.
I entered the trap door's opening and as I climbed down the ladder, The Watcher closed the trap door back up. I could hear the furniture being slid back into place.
As I reached the bottom of the ladder I relaxed at last. I hadn't been able to get here in over 2 months. I lived much farther than most who came here which meant more patrols to get past, and less time to do it in.
I entered the room of the underground basement. It had been a bar before things had gotten real bad. It still looked like one but significantly less food was around these days and what little we did have was shared among us at no charge. Money was a fiction of the state anyways.
No alcohol was ever about either, the state had banned it's manufacturing even before the regime took full control. It was rare we had anything other than water.
Luna saw me enter the room and sighed in relief, she placed a hand on her chest over her heart. My partner Yan saw me and ran to hug me. We kissed and a few quiet cheers were heard.
Tears were streaking down Yan's face. “Elizabeth!” She exclaimed my name. “I was so worried. I thought… I thought you'd been taken.”
I hugged her again, and began rubbing her back. “I told you, I’ll never let them catch me. I'm sorry, I couldn't make it sooner.”
Otto, one of the regulars (somehow he always managed to make it even when Luna couldn’t) interrupted. “Hey lovebirds. If you two are done squeezing each other get over here. Elizabeth you're in luck. Luna here managed to secure enough flour to make some fresh bread! It's delicious!”
I rolled my eyes at Otto's antics. He was something else.
Luna scolded him. “Otto let them have their fun. You know it's been far too long for them.” She turned to me. “The bread's 2 slices a person dearie.”
“Thanks Luna.” I said.
I sat down to sit and watched as Valen, Luna's partner sliced the bread. “Here ya go kid. It's good to see ya.” Valen said. Xe looked a bit more tired than usual.
“You too Valen. Thank you.”
I picked up the bread and bit into it.
“Mmm”
It was the best food I'd had in months. Stale state provided waffers paled in comparison to the glory that was this bread.
“You like it I take it?” Yan asked.
“Well-”
Otto interupted. “Well of course she likes it ya lesbian dork, we all know Luna's a great cook.”
He was right. Luna had run the bar before the regime, and had regularly cooked for us and others back them. (Some had been lost to the patrols or worse. Some like me couldn't make it most days.) She had been the best cook I knew.
Everyone shook their heads ignoring him.
“It's wonderful.” I said to Yan. Then I turned to Luna. “Thank you.”
Luna blushed. “You're most welcome hun.”
Valen chuckled. “You've got her ripe as a tomato kid.” Xe was obviously glad to see Luna happy.
Otto stood up then. “I was going to save these for a special occasion but now's as good a time as any!” He pulled open his leather jacket and revealed a few bottles of root beer, hidden away in a pouch on the side; He began pouring them into glasses, then handed one to each of us.
“A toast to Luna, who's kept us sane in these dark times, and those we’ve lost or those who couldn’t make it today.” He said
“To Luna!” We said, as we clinked our glasses. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a tear go down Luna's Cheek as we all drank the sweet nector of the gods known as root beer.
Yan draped her arm over my shoulder, Valen kissed Luna on the Cheek and Otto began telling jokes about the so called supreme leader. We laughed at evrey one of them.
Things were dark in those days. Soon each of us would trickle back to our sleeping areas, but even in those times we could still find small moments of joy together, as we awaited a soon to come new dawn.
It was dark indeed but the light always shone through.