The Death Knell

Steve wrote down his whereabouts exactly on the paper and placed it in a conspicuous place in the living room.

After locking the doors and windows, the two ran down the old stairs. The greasy walls of the old apartment building could even reflect people's reflections. They came to the road in a hurry. On the roadside in the early morning, the manhole covers were still steaming out. .

The homeless people like to sleep on it, which at least prevents them from freezing to death on winter nights, but this year is different. People's coldness comes from their hearts.

The two thin figures were wrapped in ill-fitting cotton clothes. The cold wind made them shiver. Some black blood stains could still be faintly seen on the street, which were left behind by the jumping craze last month.

They quickly walked around the bloodstain, as if the body was still there.

"How do we get there?"

Steve looked at the deserted street. Although he didn't know what the Great Depression meant specifically, he understood the general meaning just by looking at the eerily quiet street.

"Take the subway, it's cheaper." After Bucky said that, he pulled him towards the street. The nearest subway station was still some distance away, and they had to walk through a block.

Steve tightened his clothes and pinched the corners of his clothes.

"But...I have no money."

"Where's your pocket money?"

Bucky didn't stop and continued to pull him along.

"I gave it to my father last month. The family needs to buy food."

Although the pocket money is only a little bit, not a single penny can be wasted.

"I knew it, but it's okay. Today's travel expenses are mine." Bucky smiled and patted his chest, jumping over a puddle of sewage: "After all, I forced you to come out."

The two of them were going to work to make money, not to play. Bucky could have gone alone, but he had to pay for Steve's travel expenses, which made Steve very embarrassed.

"Bucky..."

"Okay, don't act like a girl. We are good friends." Bucky made a disgusted expression. He was most afraid of Steve looking at him 'affectionately'. The more touching his tone, the colder he felt: "Besides, we will make more money today. If we can exchange a few cents of travel expenses for a bunch of food, we will all be big winners."

The empty streets were no longer as bustling as before. The footsteps of the two people echoed on the road, making it look like a ghost town.

The usual beautiful cars were gone, and now there were only the occasional people wandering the streets like zombies, and no one even looked at them, as if they didn't exist.

But these days Steve and Bucky have become accustomed to it. These people have become like this after the stock market crash.

He and Bucky discussed the matter and agreed that the 'stock market crash' should be a serious disease that can turn people into fools.

The two celebrated that their family members had not become fools, and then continued selling newspapers, but the business was predictable.

.............................

After bypassing the 'living corpses', they got into the subway station. It was much warmer here. Apart from them, there were more people than on the road. However, these people were half-dead, either lying or sitting. on the ground.

They looked at the two children numbly, then quickly looked away and continued to be in a daze.

Bucky leaned close to Steve's ear and whispered: "If we earn food, we won't be able to take the subway when we come back. These people will eat us too."

Steve looked around and walked forward quickly. He believed what Bucky said. The looks in these people's eyes were terrifying.

Finally, surrounded by strange eyes, Bucky and Steve arrived at the subway. They hurriedly hid on it, feeling their hearts pounding.

"God." Bucky crossed himself on his chest and swallowed: "These people seem to be weirder than before, as if...as if..."

"It's like a dead person, right, but a dead person who intends to eat us." Steve pressed his heart and said what Bucky wanted to say.

Those people seemed to have no human emotions at all. There was only appetite and darkness in their empty eyes.

Bucky patted Steve on the shoulder, and the two found a place to sit down in the empty car. The cold seats made them feel a little safer.

"You're right, damn, we shouldn't have gone out today."

"It doesn't matter, it's safe during the day." Steve calmed down. He knew that no matter how crazy these people were, they wouldn't do anything to passers-by during the day.

Before dark, the two of them could take the tram home on the ground, but it would only cost a few cents more.

"I hope I have better luck today."

Bucky nodded and pursed his lips hard. He had a habit of doing this when he was nervous.

In the dark tunnel, with only the faint lights from the subway, both of them were in a state of confusion.

They usually don't feel it when there are many people, but now the emptiness brings fear to them.

It was so quiet here, and the dead silence and emptiness made the hairs on both of them stand on end.

The endless interior of the carriage had not been cleaned for an unknown amount of time. There were garbage and stains everywhere, like a port that had been hit by a typhoon.

The driver was probably the only living person in the entire subway train, which made them feel even worse. The only sounds they could hear were each other's breathing and the collision of wheels and rails outside the window.

"Should we go to the front car? Talk to the driver?" After a moment of silence, Bucky suggested to Steve.

"No, it's better not to disturb other people's work. It's just us here, and it's actually quite safe."

Steve declined the offer, at least their car was fine.

Fortunately, he refused. If the two of them went to the front of the train, they would probably be scared to death if they saw the driver driving the subway with a numb expression on his face. He was a 'living corpse'.

"The city has become like a cemetery. I went to the cemetery once and got sick when I got home." Bucky said to Steve again. This topic was not helpful to their current situation. He just had no words to talk about.

Steve forced a smile, took something out of his pocket and handed it to Bucky. It was a piece of fruit hard candy with a very simple packaging.

"My mother gave me this when she went out. Eat it. Sweet things will make you feel better."

Bucky took the candy, held it in his hand and slapped it on the armrest. The inferior candy immediately split into two halves. He spread his hands and tore open the wrapping paper.

"Half of each of us."

Steve smiled and picked up half of Bucky's hand: "That's okay."

In an era when there was no concept of 'zombie', the two of them experienced the horror of biohazard through imagination. It must be said that the experience of going out this time greatly increased their courage.

As long as they have each other by their side, encouraging and supporting each other, there will be no difficulties that they cannot overcome.

At least now, that's what Steve, who hasn't become Captain America, and Bucky, who hasn't yet become the Winter Soldier, think.