Chapter 3. The things you do for friends

In order to enter the inner zone, citizens of the outskirts were required to pass two checkpoints. The first was situated outside of Zone 3 and could be reached by an overground tram system that connected each zone within the trawling expanse of the outskirts. 

As the tram slowly meandered its way through the main streets, Love watched the scenery pass with indifference. Off of the main streets, winding alleyways could be seen, each one ending in an inky darkness cast by the shadows of tall residential buildings stacked on either side. 

Without the possibility of an outward expansion the city had instead expanded upwards, reaching towards the perpetually cloudy skies. 

The buildings were constructed in haste and with little to no consistency, creating a strange effect that made it appear as though each floor had been lifted from an entirely different building and was then unceremoniously dumped on top of the next. 

Thick metallic sheets covered the tops of each, an echo of the past, when each building had to be covered in such armour to negate the corrosion of acid rain. In the current era, this was less of an issue, but the old metal coatings remained, appearing both stoic and fragile at the same time when you looked a little closer and noticed the small holes and rusted edges. 

Both women wore black ventilation masks, a standard issued by the military to filter out the thin layer of smog that covered the outskirts.

There was an attempt, of course, to provide each zone with proper air filtration like the residents of the 3 inner zones. This project was eventually abandoned as the radiation levels dropped to a safe level and the pollution in the air began to naturally decline as time passed. 

However, this was not to say that the air was clean, or that the outer zones were fully suited for habitation at this scale. 

Illness and early deaths were commonplace, as were the homeless and starving that littered the streets. Some begged passersby for food or credits for themselves or their families, others stared listlessly at nothing. It was the latter that Love turned away from with a dark expression. 

Finally, approaching the checkpoint of Zone 3, Love directed her gaze higher still as the guards checked their passes. The walls of the inner city were truly colossal, stretching for miles in each direction and encompassing the entirety of central London. Above the walls a faint shimmer in the air could be seen, cast by a supposedly impenetrable force field that acted as a barrier to the harmful air of the outskirts. 

As soon as they passed through the air filtration room inside of the gate, Love and Elora pressed the small button situated underneath their right ears and both breathed in deeply. 

'Well, if nothing else, it's nice to breathe in clear air again' Love thought with a small twinge of optimism. 

Passing further through the gate of Zone 3, their second point of the journey was a simple tube ride from Zone 3 to 2, and required a ticket purchased through each of their communicators. 

The price of such tickets was by no means small and Love mourned quietly at the hit to her credits. 

"So where exactly is this club? And why do I want to go again?" Love asked.

Elora rolled her eyes, smirking at Love's pessimistic tone.

"Because, Love my love, this one is not only located in the best part of zone 2 with an abundance of clean air, and a distinct lack of outskirt odour, but it also allows vampires and humans in together, no segregation, no barriers. Nothing but loud tacky music, cheap shots and beautiful vampire men and women to gaze at longingly." At that last part Elora clasped her hands in front of her chest and sighed dreamily.

"It's going to be like a sexy vampire cocktail, I can just see all the hot guys now..." she stared wistfully off into dreamland while Love concentrated on walking without stumbling in her small heels as they made their way past the barriers of the tube station.

Love had drawn the line at wearing a dress and so had opted for a red jumpsuit with long sleeves that cut a deep v down the centre of her chest that Elora had loaned her for the evening. Already taller than the majority of her peers, she had opted for low 2-inch heels, and had tucked her long black hair up into a low chignon at the top of her neck. 

Elora however, was not averse to wearing a dress and had chosen one that was both daringly short and appeared to be made out of material resembling latex. She also had no such qualms when it came to her choice of footwear. She glided gracefully besides Love in what could only be described as mini skyscrapers attached to her feet, and yet she barely reached Love's shoulder. Nonetheless her friend was deeply impressed with her ability to not just walk, but to do so gracefully and in step with Love's longer stride. 

As they walked through the streets Love contemplated her friend's drastically different outlook on the new world. Elora was into the vampire scenes in a big way.

"So, does this sexy vampire dungeon have a name?" Love teased.

Elora bit her lip, clearly worried for her reaction.

"Mmm, it's called After Dark."

"...because that doesn't sound ominous at all." Love replied sarcastically.

Her jaw tightened, as Elora chuckled awkwardly.

"Really Love, it's just a name. Besides I'll be with you the whole time, we'll have so much fun." Elora beamed up at her friend with that dimpled smile that Love could never say no to.

The corner of Love's mouth twisted up slightly in a half-smile as she shook her head. "Let's just get this over with." 

At that moment, they had stopped in front of a nondescript black brick building with a line of brazenly dressed citizens queuing to the side of a single red door. She tried not to study each person closely, fearing that if she reacted negatively at this stage to a few vampires mixed in here and there, that it would not bode well for the remainder of their evening.

Looking up, the words After Dark were scrawled above the red door in a darker shade of red, and a large, very human bouncer stood to the side, flanked by two military guards in full combat gear, with each carrying a large photon gun. 

 ***