They Call it The Maze
One of the first things newcomers say about this place: they're surprised at the quiet. They haven't realised yet that this isn't Manchester anymore. They might know it on a factual, logical level, but they don't feel it yet. Not really. Sooner or later though, they'll learn.
This is The Maze.
Deansgate, Central
He stands on broken glass, looking up at the bus smashed through a 4th-storey window. He snaps a picture on his phone, but it comes out wrong. Those people dangling from the car windows aren't there when he looks with his eyes. He's too transfixed by the sight to hear the click of the safety behind him. One sharp pain at the back of his neck, and he sees nothing else.
Oxford Road, Central
Her breath is fog, but it's July. Everything is coated in a thick layer of snow, but the street behind her is thick with summer's haze. Her footsteps crunch in the snow and she sinks up to her knees. It's biting cold, but she can't move, she can't turn back. The sensation leaves and though she screams, no one comes to help her.
St. Peter's Square, Central
He holds up a hand and calls his group to a stop. Through the pouring rain something has caught his eye. A faint glow at the roots of a nearby tree, slowly rocking back and forth. They approach, step by tentative step. The source of the glow could best be described as a sphere of fine webs, but truthfully we don't have a word for the shape. He doesn't know what it is and neither do the rest of them, but the Owls will pay a pretty penny for it, and that's good enough for them.
AO Arena, Victoria
It's been 15 years since anyone played at the arena, but the rumours are true. If you go inside you can hear Bittersweet Symphony still playing, though no-one's on the stage. It never stops, day or night.
Affleck's, Northern Quarter
Affleck's, one of the few bits of neutral ground in The Maze. Lauren looks out for everyone in the twisting halls with more stairs than floors, and everyone respects that. They're hunkering down here as the winds scream outside, trying their best not to hear the pounding at the doors. Poor fuckers didn't make it in time, and the doors open for no-one when the winds are up.