Fifth Tribute in the Sewage Lake

and every book you take
and you dust off from the shelf
has lines between lines between lines
that you read about yourself

I happened upon The Pitt by chance. I was stumbling around in the dark corners of Nine, and there it was - a half open manhole cover with light spilling out of it and into the frosty air. I had climbed down the rusty ladder and descended into the brightly lit chamber where vagabonds and criminals went toe-to-toe in a crudely built cage.

It was love at first sight.

Despite the hits taken, the gambling, the losses... The almost drowning, the attempted murders. The threats to people I care about. Despite that, I don't regret being curious, and when I spot a small door in the fissure of a hill I don't break my stride. I waltz over and stare blinking at the cold metal handle, and rest my fingers lightly over it.

I grip and pull the handle down, and open the door to the bunker.

and when your friends are talking
you hardly hear a word
you were the first person herе
and the last man on the earth