Max didn't know where to look as they walked the busy long streets of the Under. The heat was unbearable in some parts of the city. Some parts were so dark you couldn't see your own feet, and it made Max feel like all of his senses were being deprived all at once.

River knew each step and pothole that covered the dusty roads, she walked confidently even through the darkest areas. Max held onto her hand tightly, he trusted her. He had only just met her a few days ago but he trusted her with his life. She was the only person in his life that had never lied to him.

The darkness seemed to lift as they got closer to where River lived. Lights flickered on and off as they passed different buildings until they finally reached River's apartment.

River opened her front door and invited Max in. He looked around at her tiny box apartment and felt that pang of shame again. His kitchen was bigger than her whole apartment. She motioned to her chairs in her front room so they could sit. Max felt so much frustration about not being able to just talk. River pulled her pad out again and gave him the pen.

This is so hard not being able to talk. Max looked sad again, River knew this wouldn't be easy on him.

Learning to sign makes it feel like you have a voice again in a sense, you can communicate, and it helped me survive. We have this too here, writing.

Max nodded and felt his tummy rumble, he was hungry but didn't want to ask for food as he knew it was harder to come by down in the Under.

Are you hungry? I will make us something. River signed all the easy actions like hungry. Max wondered how she knew he was hungry, she seemed so good at reading people.

River opened her tiny fridge and stared into it until she had an idea of what she could make.

Veggie Noodles it is.

She quickly prepared two bowls of noodles and brought them into the room passing one over to Max, he smiled as he smelt the lovely veggie noodle aroma coming from the bowl. After they finished River passed him one of the bananas that Max had given her.

The doorbell light flashed and River knew it would be Jay. She had locked the door just in case anyone had figured out who was down here with her. Jay walked in and stopped when he saw a stranger sitting eating.

River motioned Jay over to her chair.

"Okay, Jay don't freak out. This is Max and he is from the Upper, he snuck down with me to see what life was really like down here because everyone gets told lies up there" River signed the whole sentence so quickly.

Jay sat and looked at Max, it was more of a stare as he was in shock. He thought to himself why would any sane person want to come to the Under if they were from the Upper?

Max gave him a little smile as he continued to eat a second helping of noodles. He missed the slurping noise it would make.

"So Max can't sign I take it? Have you gone crazy River?" River had to smile because even though Jay was in shock it was a good shock. After all, the boy lived for any kind of gossip in the Under and this was the good.

"I have something for you" River passed Jay a banana. Jay had never seen a banana before, they only grew certain fruits in the Under and sometimes the Upper would provide them with food on a seasonal basis but never bananas, these were luxury.

Jay's eyes were amazed by the yellow long fruit. River showed him how to open the banana and he quickly peeled the other parts of the skin and then took a bite.

"Good?" He nodded enthusiastically "Better than good River, it's delicious"

"Max got them for me and also banana cake, I will try and sneak you a piece tomorrow if I can, it will blow your mind"

River wrote a note to Max telling him what she was signing to Jay.

Your first banana? Wait until you try one of these.

Max reached into his pocket and got out his slightly crushed coconut chocolate bar,  he snapped it into two pieces for the both of them. 

Both of them instinctively took a sniff of the bar and then gently took a bite. It was a moment of bliss on the tongue as the sweetness danced on their tongues and then the crunch of the coconut, milky and exotic. Their eyes lit up with joy.

Jay scribbled a note down for Max.

WOW, that is the tastiest thing I have ever eaten in my whole life, thank you, Max.

Max couldn't help but feel shame again because something he took for granted was such a great joy for them. He could buy 100 of those if he wanted, but down here, it didn't exist.

River pulled out her playing cards and the three of them played cards for a while until it was time for Jay to leave. One thing River and her friends could enjoy in the Under was reading at least, they didn't need sound for that. Books were hard to come by though. River had a tiny shelf with about five books that she owned and she was proud of every one of them. Her Father was a great book collector and they both would read together and laugh about the silly characters.

Max stood looking at the small bookshelf, he only recognised one book it was Treasure Island. He had read that so many times as a young boy. He smiled as he looked at the old tatty book.

Do you like to read? Max held up his notebook with the question for River.

I love to read. We can't do much else for entertainment on a night. There are very few TVs and no music. I've always loved books and words.

What's your favourite word? River laughed at the question and Max gave her a cheeky grin.

No, seriously. Words can have power. We delight in certain words and then some seem ugly to us or even move us.

Why do I like him even more now he likes words.

River needed a minute or ten, this was such a hard question. All the words in the English language and she could only pick one. She thought for a moment

Serendipity. When you think about the words Fate, chance or fortuitous they all mean the same but serendipity is far more beautiful. And you?

His lips tugged as wrote down a word holding back a laugh.

River.

River glared at him and pushed him over playfully.

Okay, my favoruite word is Dazzle. I don't know why but I just love it. I love yours, it is such a beautiful word.

River wrote down that it was time to sleep as they had a very early start. She laid a couple of thick blankets and a cushion down on the floor in her front room for Max and waved good night.

Max laid on his blanket and stared at the ceiling, now he was on his own he noticed how loud the silence was. Was it even silence, in the Upper silence, was a quiet moment in a busy room but he could still hear his heart beating or in nature, the water making ripples of noise but there was something greater than silence. This was a blackout, total deafness. Max didn't think any sleep was coming tonight. He thought about River and his smile grew as if she was the bringer of sound making things seem easier to deal with. Max thought about her smile and how her eyes lit up when she was happy or surprised and her beautiful voice, he missed it.

River lay looking up at the ceiling at the same time thinking about Max and if he was comfy on the hard floor. She worried about the journey back up because it was easy coming down, what if someone noticed, what would the punishment be? She tried to think about something different. A smile grew as she thought about Max and his love of words, he was full of surprises. River couldn't believe how much he trusted her today how vulnerable he was and the feeling that tingled in her hand when they were in the elevator together. It was like electric dancing up her hand into her heart.

Goodnight Max.

Goodnight River.