I hurriedly pulled on my abaya and tried blocking the musty tunnel scent from my mind. I quickly lit a candle and began to hurry out of our tunnel. I thought of Spring, petunias and roses, of Autumn of leaves crunching beneath my feet, of hot Summer days and cool Winter breezes.

I was so lost in my dreams that I knocked into Mrs Ali, the head of the school. There are eight people who work in the school and mostly everyone else attends. 

" Assalamualaikum Sarah, " someone from a passing crowd called as they hurried past. 

" Assalamualaikum Sarah, " Mrs Ali frowned," Watch your step dear. "

I look at her sheepishly," So sorry, couldn't see that well. "

Mrs Ali raised her eyebrow at the candle, glowing brightly in my hand," You do know candles aren't coming until a volunteer comes in two weeks. "

" Yes, I know, " I quickly blow the candle out so that everything is dark again.

" It's good you bumped into me though, we're having a late night class for the adults and I might need an assistant, Karima couldn't make it. "

Every teacher apart from Mr Ahmed who insists he doesn't need an assistant and can deal with young adults ( 20 - 40 ), has an assistant. 

Mrs Ali deals with older adults and is also the head of school, her assistant is 17 year-old Karima. Mr Khan works with teenagers ( 10 - 19 ) with 20 year-old Nadia, and Ms Abbas works with youngsters ( 5 - 10 ) with me. Basma isn't a teacher but she's amazing with kids so she looks after all the kids below five. 

But I'm not in the mood to work with my very boring 'elders' today so I think up a lame excuse," I'm ever so sorry Mrs Ali but I really have to go to Karima's, It's been planned since ages! "

Mrs Ali gives me a withering look," And since I can't find anyone else I'll have to do it on my own! " She exclaimed, shaking her head.

Oh, not right NOW. Please can you go away? 

" Well, I'll take you to Karima's then, " she smiled trying to look helpful. Sadly this one knows when I'm up to something. She escorted me through the pitch-black tunnel until I lit my candle again and we travelled in semi-darkness for another ten minutes.

" What are you up to? " Mrs Ali whispered in my ear.

I twisted around, " Nothing! "

Creepy! 

" You are! You so are Sarah, and I really hope you won't set fire to the tunnels again. "

I blush red and look away.

Hey! That wasn't MY fault! I didn't want the tunnels to fire up! So maybe I lost it because Auntie Naziha was trying to act like a proper Mum, fussing over me, it was okay at first but when she started following me to SCHOOL! It got too much! 

I was holding a candle and I tilted it (only a small angle!) to the left, it was a TOTAL coincidence that Auntie Nahiza was holding the one and only world map on PAPER! It caught fire and so did Auntie's abaya . . . Life wasn't the best for a month. But luckily Allah forgave me and so did Auntie Nahiza so life goes on.

I keep slipping into that daydream of the outside world. Subhanallah!  That beautiful world, if only I could feel that breeze -

" Assalamualaikum Sarah? " Karima arrived in the doorway of her tunnel. Alhamdulilah, she's at home! 

She glanced at me in confusion, I gave her a quick purlease look. We aren't exactly best friends but her, Nadia and Basma are the only girls my age because most people here are adults and since there are no hospitals here not many people risk children. Most children here are from before we got to this bunker. 

" Assalamualaikum Karima, " Mrs Ali steps next to me," I believe Sarah is coming to your home? "

She glances at Karima's gentle face for any sign of confusion but she doesn't show any.

" Yes, she is Mrs Ali. Didn't I say I'm a tad busy and can't make it? May I ask what you would like? " 

Mrs Ali looks annoyed because she was outwitted, by a few kids! 

We say our alahafizes and she leaves. The second she's gone -

" What, are you trying to do Sarah? " Karima puts a hand on her hip. Behind her appear Basma and Nadia. Basma has hazel eyes, a pale face and is pretty nice, her long black hair is flowing behind her. Nadia's hair is cut short, she has light brown eyes. 

Basma doesn't know what happened to her family, she had two brothers, parents and grandparents who lived with her but only she could make it to the bunker. Karima's family had escaped without her because otherwise they would have been killed, they found her an underground bunker and told her where it was and that they'd come back for her when this was all over, it said in a note. Nadia came here with her ill mother who died days after, she never says anything about the rest of her family but the only thing she told us was that she knows they escaped. They were all looked after by the rest of the adults and soon learned to fend for themselves.

" We're experimenting with hairdos, want to join? " Basma asks. I look past their faces into Karima's pretty home decorated with hordes of furniture, she definitely had time to pack!

I sigh, " No. I have to go somewhere. "

" Where? " Goes Nadia.

" None of your business! " I snap back.

" Chill out! " Nadia huffs, offended.

" I can't okay? It's important! "

" Are you going to spy on the Town Hall ? " Basma looked intent.

" Weirdo, " I sighed, " Course not! "

Basma huffed," Learn some manners! "

While Nadia muttered," Wouldn't put it past you. "

Karima just said," Ignore her, come on. "

She stepped aside and I walked along, taking a look at a bright purple rose-smelling-candle lighting up the room. I took in the pure and beautiful scent reminding me that I had to hurry up if I didn't want to get caught.

If I wanted to watch the blue sky, the orange sun and see the green grass . . . 

I glanced at the grapes in a bowl, Karima must have swapped a lot for that -

I snapped myself out of my daze and tried halting my tounge, licking my lips continuously -

" No, " I said a lot more firmly than I felt," I have to go! "

" Please tell us where! " Begged Nadia. 

Seriously? I don't have time for this -

As if she read my mind," Or we'll keep annoying you! " Added Nadia.

I sigh and walk inside the beautifully furnished tunnel, at the front of the tunnel were pink fluffy cushions, on a large beige couch, leaning on a tunnel wall. In front of it was a wooden table with bowls of fruit and foods and underneath it was a small hole with a top to keep food cool, further in the tunnel were suitcases of clothes, a comfy bed with a few teddies, books piled next to it and at the very end a fireplace and makeshift toilet.

Subhanallah Allah gives when He wills. But my fate will be good too, and after the test of life I will go to Heaven. Or Hell. 

I took a deep breath and looked around if anyone was there because I had a creepy feeling I was being watched. It was all peaceful and calm. 

Suddenly the voice of a man echoed the azan. 

" Mahgrib prayer, " Nadia whispered after it finished. 

Karima just walkedto her biege sofa and peeked under her wooden table, grabbing two prayer mats.

We did prayer.

" So? " Nadia asked impatiently as I adjusted my abaya and scarf.

" So what? "

" Where are you going? " She huffed.

I tried finding comfort in Karima but she fixed me a steely glare.

" Look, " I whispered," I'm leaving the tunnels. " I said it casually as if I was saying 'I like pears,' so no one freaked out until-

" You're going out of the tunnels! " Exclaimed Nadia. You see that's why I never trust these three with anything, you might wonder why I said these three not Nadia because -

" But that's not allowed! " Karima squealed," You'll get caught! "

" It's not the first time is it? " Basma sighed loudly.

Luckily someone wasn't a complete idiot. Luckily? Not so lucky.

I mentally face-palmed myself," Shut up! " I  whispered ferociously.

Basma puts a hand on Nadia's mouth and rolls her eyes at Karima, " You do know anything we say won't stop her and whatever we try will fail. The one thing I know is that she will go out of the tunnels today. I don't know anything else but I do know that. " She looked at Nadia meaningfully and let go of her mouth.

Nadia's eyes dawned with light," You are so right Bas! "

Karima stood up," Well if you're thinking what I know you're thinking then let's get a move on! "

Oh help. 

" No, no, no. You are NOT coming with me! "

" If you're going like we know you are then we are too, it's so unfair you get to see the world and we don't, " Nadia pulled on her abaya then stopped," We so ovbiously look muslim. "

" Oh about that, we need to fit in or we'll get killed, " I say pleasantly.

" How can you talk so casually about this! " Squealed Basma.

" Well, if you are going," I shake my head," You can't get killed. " I resolve finally.

" What do we do? " Karima looks worried.

I pull off my abaya and show them the baggy jeans and long-sleeved shirt and makeshift hood to cover my hair.

Basma looks doubtfully at them.

" Basma, everything's covered. "

" What about us though? " Karima looks angry," I don't HAVE a hood! "

I draw out four hoods I had made from my old clothes, they were for emergencies.

Luckily Basma, Karima and Nadia had packed well before they came to the bunker and had plenty of baggy clothes from older residents.

While we change in darkness my gut tells me I'm going to get them killed and that I'm stupid and can't go out today. But then my heart showers me with beautiful visions of the outside world and I continue my plan, selfishly. Guilt tries tearing these visions apart but can't succeed . . .

Suddenly a figure bursts inside.

" Who is here? " Karima said commandingly.

I'm so stupid . . . I knew I was being watched, if it's Mrs Ali -

Basma lit the candle and peered around until she saw the intruder. Yasmine.

" If you're going, " she squeaked, " I am too, so you'd better get me some clothes so I don't die! Because if Sarah's going, which is a definite, you are going and so am I ! "

" At this rate we'll all be evacuating, " Karima said grimly.

Nadia smiled," Then we'd better get going! "

I knew I needed to stop this, and now, it's already gone too far but by the time I opened my mouth they were all dressed and nothing came out of it. It was true. I can't stop now. If I'm doing something I am. If my heart's set on it my mind can't do anything to stop it. 

" Lead the way, " Basma smiled. They started walking to the beginning of Karima's tunnel. 

I grabbed Yasmine's hand," Yas, you're not coming. "

She ignored me and followed them. I knew there was only one way. But I just couldn't, couldn't follow that path. I couldn't NOT go. If I don't, they can't because they don't know the way.

Those visions invaded my mind, seeing my old home. Or just breathing that cold breeze . . .

I'm so selfish. Astaghfirullah!

So you think they're gonna get caught! I agree with you there. But by WHO will they get caught? 

Thankyou for reading this chapter. Any suggestions? I will most definitely use them when I edit. 

Also what do you think of the entire gang going ? Are you smelling a Big Problem?