She walked faster this time through the dark to another set of tall doors. These double doors were set in a large doorframe and rounded high at the top. There were some more of the intricate carvings in the wood and Evey wondered now if their beauty was the work of V himself. She would have to bring a flashlight or candle next time so she could see clearly. Now, she ran her hands over them and felt the wood, becoming more conscious of a light humming sound within. She turned both handles and pushed.
She caught her breath.
The view inside was overwhelming. The room was quite large with high ceilings and full of thousands of brilliant Scarlet Carsons in various stages of growth. They were in long pots atop of long tables, arranged in an orderly fashion. The light humming was the sound of the ultra-violet lighting used to sustain their life. The view was breathtaking and the smell of the room refreshed her senses. Why did you keep this from me, V? She walked in and touched one of them. So beautiful.
She closed her eyes and turned around to center herself between two tables stretching her arms outward so that her hands could touch the flowers on either side. She felt the rose petals give way to her hands as she moved forward. She felt the sting of a thorn on her middle finger and opened her eyes to examine the small wound. The color of her fresh blood was not unlike the red of the Scarlet Carsons and she understood why V favored them so much. Evey put her finger in her mouth to try to deaden the pain, and her eyes caught sight of another smaller door camouflaged by roses at the far end of the room. She went over and tried to open it. Locked. Remembering the keys in her pocket, she tried one key and it fit on the first try. She was about to reach for the door handle and startled.
"Evey!" Someone shouted her name.
Bolting from the rose room, she headed through the hallway, cautious this time. She scanned the Gallery showroom.
"Shit." She whispered and looked around the room further to investigate the cause. She put the keys in her pocket.
Many times phantom voices disturbed her silence and screamed her name. She wasn't the only person to experience them. All of the time she spent at the reclamation center with the other homeless little girls taught her that. Still, it was suspicious and unnerving, but she tried to shrug it off as a voice in her head and maybe she let the silence of this place get to her. She felt exhausted, and it was time to get dressed. Tomorrow would be a new day and she would try to go back to work to get away.
She undressed in her room putting on soft, warm, pajamas. She scanned the rows of books in her room, looking for nothing in particular, trying to notice the ones closest to the top of each pile. She sighed and put the book searching off for another time. Getting into bed, she slid under the covers, and felt her weary body start to relax. Maybe tomorrow night I'll sleep in V's bed. She closed her eyes feeling comforted by the idea and fell asleep. She left the light on.
The chime from the gallery clock told her it was 8:00A.M. Her workday usually started at 9:00, so she got up out of bed and put her clothes on from the previous day. She would have to shower or bathe after work when she was able to retrieve more fresh clothes from her flat. She actually looked forward to work this morning. A cashier at a small grocery, where they sold fruits, nuts, and sundries.
She grabbed her overnight bag before exiting, so she could bring more clothing. Then the notion hit her. Where would she live? She could co-exist in both places, but the gallery was free and she had everything she needed right here. The gallery was hers after all, and it would need a caretaker or curator just as any other museum would. She would have to get used to the loneliness down here, but she could find plenty to do. V managed to keep himself busy for twenty years. Evey ignored her despair and left.
Once outside, the cold air hit her and she was grateful for the heavy sweater. It was bright outside, even though the day seemed more overcast. Curious. The streets looked more deserted than yesterday.
A large piece of paper blew in the wind and stuck to her leg, looking for a lover. She peeled it off her calf and read a headline. "London on Fire! 'City in chaos, as Norsefire is vanquished!' Whereabouts of codename 'V' and his alleged accomplice Evey Hammond still unknown."
Evey crumpled the page, with both hands and looked around for any one recognizing her. She walked with more speed, putting the hood from her sweater over her head. It would take her about a half hour to walk to work every morning. She would have to be careful.
The city had decayed overnight. There was litter everywhere and people rushing as if their lives depended on their quick pace. Some were carrying large items. Broken windows and graffiti marked what looked more and more like a desecrated graveyard instead of the London she once knew. A few more yards, and she turned the corner coming to what was left of the small food store. The windows were broken and the sound of the gale whistling in and out of the empty storefront confirmed its emptiness. A shard of glass hung by a thin piece of metal, giving way to the bustling wind; it made a light chiming noise as it hit the brick on the outside wall. Evey walked in front of the store to peer inside, stepping on glass fragments that littered the pavement.
It was then that she heard screaming in the direction behind her.
A block away, two men were running into an alleyway, the first limped, with an injury. He screamed, not having the chance to look around for help as his pursuer was carrying what looked like a large blade. The two disappeared and the screaming became more intense until finally-silence.
Unable to help the victim, Evey ran in the opposite direction toward her flat.
Hot tears stung her eyes. This is not what V wanted. Two more blocks and she would reach her home in what seemed more like an eternity. She tried to watch her surroundings. Close to her destination, she bumped into someone.
"Oh!" She looked up into the face of Inspector Finch as he grabbed her shoulders.
He knew right away that she was in trouble.
"There…were…two…men and...I think he's dead." She was out of breath and pointing at the same time.
"Go to your place and stay there, I'll be back." He withdrew his firearm and signaled to someone waiting in a car across the street.
Heeding his advice and not looking back, Evey used her keys to open the door. The door closed behind her. She leaned against it coughing, wheezing, and remembering the assault. She ran, not out of fear or dread, but out of anger.
What would her next move be? If she stayed, Finch would question her, and she was not ready to tell him about her whereabouts. She had to move, and wanted to collect enough belongings in case she decided to leave the country. Evey went up to her flat and opened the door, heading for her closet to retrieve a small suitcase. She clicked it open on the bed, and stuffed small amounts of clothing and personal items. The inspector's card was on her night table. Evey tossed it in the suitcase. I will contact you inspector, just not now.