Underground

This is an adventure. Things are really happening. I thought adventures weren’t possible anymore.

 

The walls are brown with damp. An occupational hazard. Everything’s damp down here. There’s fungus everywhere.

Isn’t it bad for you?

You have to expand your notion of health.

I think they breathe through their skins. Or they’re training themselves to.

 

Don’t you understand the calibre of these people? These are not ordinary people. They’re not postgraduates – not anymore. They’ve freed themselves from that. From the university. From institutionalised education.

 

This is lower education – this is underground education. It’s an anti-university.

 

The antechamber. A gesture for us to sit.

Someone will come up and get us. Why are they making us wait. They want us to become acclimatised. Tuned in. Get calm. For our heartbeats to drop.

 

Like, vintage stuff. From World War II

It was an air raid shelter. We’re sitting in an air raid shelter.

 

Are we being watched?

Of course we are.

Assessed?

I'd say so.

 

Sound of footsteps from the other side of the door.

The door, sliding open.

A cowled figure. A woman, face hidden. Ushering us in.

 

A guide, walking ahead of us. Hooded. Quiet.