Sol woke up first the next day. The room was still very dim, and the air felt lighter since everyone else was still sleeping.
For a moment, he felt a sense of peace. He stood up lazily, rubbing his eyes open, but then he noticed it, the door. Had that been there before?
No, it couldn't have been, he thought, feeling a tightness in his chest. He didn't want to wake the others, not yet. Not Mary, not Chastity, and definitely not Richard.
He froze for a moment before gathering all his courage and quietly slipping into the supply room.
Inside, he noticed Kai, who was slumped against a crate, his head tilted to the side and his eyes closed. A lollipop stick dangled loosely from his lips, as if he had fallen asleep mid-thought.
He seems tired, Sol thought as he analyzed the man's sharp features combined with his calm expression. Sol hesitated but knew he had to wake him. How could he do it? Should he shake him? Whisper his name? He crouched a few centimeters away from Kai, his hand hovering uncertainly in the air with a slight tremble.
The silence pressed in, and you could almost hear Sol's heartbeat. His fingers twitched forward, just enough to brush Kai's sleeve, and before he could decide, in an instant, Kai's fingers shot up and closed around his wrist. Sol froze, his breath caught in his throat.
Kai's eyes opened, sharp and very clear, no trace of actual rest in them. He held Sol's wrist firmly, his grip warm but unyielding. For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Sol's pulse throbbed in his ears. He finally tried to pull back, but Kai didn't let go of him yet. Then, Kai smirked faintly, the lollipop stick finally leaving his mouth. "Couldn't resist touching me, huh?" His voice sounded low and amused, as always, but also edged with something Sol couldn't name. Sol's face burned, and he immediately yanked his hand back with all his force, still very flustered. "I, no, I..." He gave up trying to justify himself. "There's a door." Kai tilted his head. "Of course there is."
He slowly stood up, brushing dust from his coat and then shifting his eyes back onto Sol. "Show me." Sol stood up as well. "We should be quiet. The others are still asleep." This made Kai smile eerily. "Oh, really?" Suddenly, a noise, similar to someone's voice, echoes through the floor. Sol looks up at Kai. "Someone's awake..."
He whispers. Kai leans in a little closer. "I know." He mocks. Sol turns around to walk away. As he exits the supply room, he notices Ivy standing a mere centimeter from the door. "Ivy, wait-" He rushes to her. "Don't touch it." "Why not?" Ivy pouts. "It's a way out, isn't it?"
Sol sighs lightly. "We don't know that." She looks down. Sol looks at her and then crouches to her eye level. "Are you hungry?" He asks gently. Ivy nods. "I want waffles." Sol smiles. "Waffles, of course. We can check the supply room for some.
It seems to have everything." Ivy nods. Suddenly, Kai appears behind Sol. Ivy looks behind Sol, a little scared and momentarily frozen. Sol's eyebrows furrow. "What's wrong, Ivy?" She points behind him. Sol's furrow deepens, and he turns around. Kai was standing so close to him that they almost bumped into each other. Sol let out a small, sharp gasp. "Sorry..." He mutters a small apology. Kai smiles. "Don't worry, Ivy. It's just Kai." "You say that as if you know me." "Well... I trust you." The moment Sol was distracted by Kai, Ivy rushed to her mother. Mary stirred when her daughter reached her. She blinked awake, her voice a little groggy. "Ivy? What is it, sweetie?"
Her words carried through the room, finally pulling Chastity from her sleep. Richard grumbled, rolling over. Sol straightened, noticing everyone awaking. He glanced at Kai, who only smirked as if he'd expected this. Mary's eyes followed Ivy's trembling finger toward the far wall. She froze a little. Chastity also sat up sharply, her gaze locking on the door. "God. Another one?"
Richard pathetically pushed himself to his feet, rubbing his face. "Finally. Maybe this one actually leads to a fucking way out."
The group gathered, all eyes fixed on the door. "Can we open it? Or is it locked?" Chastity asked. "Let's find out." Kai smiled and swung his leg forward, walking closer to the door to open it. "Hold it, pretty boy. I'll be doing the honors." Richard forced himself past him. Kai furrowed his eyebrows very lightly but kept his grin. Richard's hand gripped the knob.
The metal felt cold, and for a moment, he actually hesitated. Mary pulled Ivy closer. Richard twisted the knob, and the door creaked open, slow and deliberate, revealing only darkness beyond. No sound, nothing in sight. Just a black void. Kai leaned back slightly, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, looks inviting." Sol's stomach knotted. Kai's joking wasn't helping him ease his nerves. The group mostly stood frozen, staring into the doorway. Waiting. "There are flashlights... in the supply room," Chastity commented. Sol turned to her. "Do you seriously want to go investigate?" Mary asked. "What else are we supposed to do. This is the first clue we've had." "We don't know what's behind it..." Sol noted. Mary agreed. "Well, it's either that or we die here. They might never let us go." Sol bit down on his lip. "We should send out a few people. Mainly the men." Chastity offered. Sol looked to the side. "If anyone's going, it should be the men." Mary agreed.
Sol understood where Mary was coming from. She couldn't let her daughter go or leave her alone. But Chastity? Why was she sending her husband on what could be a death mission? Richard immediately headed toward the supply room, rummaging for gear. I guess they were doing this. Will they make it out alive?