Idiotic Majesty

Handler’s Initiation Ch. 1

Chapter 1 February 17, 2199, 8:12am Ash and dust sifted through the broken skylight above Old Metro Line 7, tinting dawn light the color of dried blood. Houston Ward crouched on a cracked stair and held his breath, searching for sounds that didn’t belong—boots on tile, the click of a safety. All he heard was the tunnel’s tired breathing: water dripping somewhere far away, metal groaning under its own rust and decay.