Subway tunnels breathe. They exhale when trains come and inhale when they leave. Their concrete lungs fill with smoke and soot and rubber and the scents of a hundred ladies' perfumes. When trains aren't running, the tunnels hold their breath. They might let wisps of warm air drift into the cold night, draw in slow nips of bracing frost, but mostly they sit still, waiting for trains to bring them back to life.A thousand times a day their breath coursed over Joe Tesla's body. It was not so warm as human breath, nor yet so cold as stone. He was used to it, now.Because he lived here, underground, in the tunnels of New York City.
The tunnels of the subway system in New York City can be imagined as living entities, with the ability to breathe like humans. They exhale when trains rush through, filled with various scents, and inhale when they depart, creating a distinct atmosphere within their confines. When trains are not active, the tunnels remain dormant, occasionally releasing warm air or drawing in the cold, but primarily they lie in wait for the trains that animate them once again.
Joe Tesla, the character who inhabits these tunnels, is acutely aware of this unusual environment. The air he breathes is a mix of warmth and chill, different from human breath yet familiar to him. Living underground has become his reality, where the subway's rhythm dictates the life around him. The tunnels, with their unique characteristics, almost become a part of his existence, shaping his experiences as he navigates life below the bustling surface of the city.
