Being in the tunnels didn't make work any less work, but it did keep the cold from snatching all Joey's stamina away right from the start. He was luckier than the dogs up top, that was certain. It put him in the right place and time, hauling heavy bags of gear for one of the men in charge of de-icing roads and important transport lines, to hear the guitar and tinny singing that went along with it; it was something he could've easily missed over the scrape scrape of dragging the heavier of the bags along behind him. Between steps and the dragging sounds behind him, the rhythm he had and the guitar had broke out of sync and gave him pause.

Joey stopped and straightened up, turning his head this way and that toward the small number of little tunnels where the sound could originate from. It was surprising to hear music...well, more than simple humming, anyway. Was it Johnny? It seemed a little too gentle to be him...