The lecture ends.
There's a smattering of applause, before the usual cathartic release of suppressed chatter:
'What are you having for dinner?'
'What do you think of the new lecturer?'
'Want to go pub after?'
'Want to go gym?'
'Hey'...
'Hey, do you want to go gym?'
I feel a hand on my shoulder. This bit of chatter's directed at me.
I open my eyes, lift my head up and turn around to see Han looking down at me.
His large green eyes are piercing and his buzzed black hair glistens with sweat from having sat in the only corner of the lecture hall with no AC.
'Forgot it's summer?'
He smiles.
'Nah, just going for that wet hair look.'
'I don't think it works quite as well on a buzz cut.'
He lets out a laugh:
'Fuck you man'
'Anyway it's back day; your favourite. You should come with.'
I get up from the desk and start gathering my things. The lecture theatre is almost empty now.
'Honestly, I think I'll call it a day - pretty wiped out after that philosophy all-nighter.'
'The essay's probably shit but shit's better than nothing'
I hear him smirk behind me.
'Depends on the kind.'
I sling my bag over my back and we make our way out into the corridor.
We chat and make our way up the flight of stairs into the lobby where a rather depressed looking security guard sits behind the reception counter and blankly scrolls through his phone. The clock above him reads 19:00.
'So...Basically, you don't want any gains? Am I hearing that right?'
'Whatever. I'll catch you tomorrow morning for chest.'
'I better see your fatass there.'
I flip him the bird and start shuffling towards the Highstreet-facing exit.
I give him a final wave before turning away and stepping out onto the street.
Struck by a wave of hot air, I'm immediately grateful I dressed light today. After making sure there weren't any balaclava-clad wannabe gangsters on e-bikes coming my way, I plug my earbuds into my ears, pull out my phone and click on my RnB mix on Spotify.
I put my phone back in my pocket as Big Mountain's 'Baby, I love your way' starts playing.
Making my way up the street toward my nearest tube station; Holborn, I start thinking of dinner. Should I stop by Itsu on the way back for their late evening half-price deal, or should I eat those leftovers in the fridge? I'll have the length of the tube ride to decide.
I tap my way through the turnstiles and descend the escalator. Although I usually walk down, today I decide to stand on the right. The escalator going up is pretty much empty and I end up spending my descent looking at the posters plastered all over the wall opposite.
A gust of warm air hits me as I turn left onto the westbound platform.
Damn it. Missed the train. The next one's in eight minutes.
The song ended and the next one doesn't play. Underground the signal's disappeared.
I sigh and case my earbuds.
I start rifling for my bag for something to occupy myself with.
I pull out my rather beat-up copy of Solzhenitsyn's Cancer Ward, lean against the wall, and begin to read.
"... No one on this earth ever says anything 'once and for all.' If they did, life would come to a stop and succeeding generations would have nothing to-- "
The air to the left of me suddenly turns hazy - almost mirage like.
I'm lifted off my feet and thrown down the platform. Time slows down enough for me to realise where I'm headed but not enough for me to be able to do anything about it.
I hear a loud crack and in an instant, I'm lying on my side, a couple dozen feet from where I was standing, covered in dust and rubble. I think my arm is bent underneath me at an awkward angle, but that's the least of my concerns. Though my vision is blurred, looking down, I notice the distinct absence of my legs.
It doesn't quite register. Blood begins to pool under me and I feel its sticky wetness soak into my shirt and shorts. This can't be real. I have to be dreaming.
I force myself to blink and the scene changes.
I find myself on the tracks in a dark tunnel illuminated by a burning train carriage ahead. I'm in the same position. Rendered immobile and bleeding out. I open my mouth to shout for help, to scream, but no words come out.
I start gurgling and close my mouth. I'm dying.
Trying to stay awake, I keep my eyes open and see a figure emerge from within the flame-engulfed carriage. It gets closer. I see it raise something at me. The 'something' looks suspiciously like the barrel of a gun.