The morning was filled with uncertainty and tension for everyone. Mary and Chastity decided to prepare some breakfast since the others were getting ready for their mission. Richard, clearly in a hurry to gather the necessary gear, was already rummaging through the supply crates, pulling out equipment before anyone could even argue.
Even though everyone agreed. Mary and Chastity were comfortable with staying behind and watching Ivy and the floor. Sol also thought he couldn't let Mary or an old woman investigate something possibly dangerous.
Kai just went along, God knows for whatever reason. Richard already strapped on a padded vest, clipped a flashlight to his belt, and hefted a length of pipe like it was a weapon.
The supply room offered defense but no offense, so he had to improvise with that pipe. Sol was still sticking around Ivy and Mary. They combined some fruits and other foods to make a decent enough and nutritious breakfast. After eating a decent amount and gaining some energy, he moved a little slower than Richard. He picked out a jacked, small pack and nothing else.
He personally didn't want to be weighed down. He's a much better runner than a fighter, and if push comes to shove, he could easily escape rather than win in some threatening situation. Although his fingers lingered on the straps, he tightened them carefully. He didn't know what could possibly be waiting for them on the other side. Other than that, Kai didn't even bother. He leaned against the wall, chewing on some waffles Ivy surprisingly shared with him. He was watching Richard and then Sol with that half-smile that never seemed to leave his face.
Then he provocatively commented, "Gear slows you down."
If Richard was thinking of exploring and finding a way out, then Kai was right. Richard ignored his remark, "Let's move, shitheads." As planned, Mary, Ivy, and Chastity stayed behind. The rest stepped through the door, with Richard at the front. Richard immediately felt the cold air, even though he was as guarded as one could be. Their footsteps echoed through the halls. Sol and Richard turned on their flashlight and pointed them in two different directions. Sol to the left and Richard to the right. For a while, they stayed together, silence pressing in around them. Until Sol finally broke the silence, "What exactly are we searching for?" Richard didn't answer until he reluctantly said, "Exit. There's more than one way to explore, so let's split up, gather information about these halls, and then meet up again."
Before Sol or Kai could respond, Richard veered off down a narrow passage without a word. "Wait, Richard-!" Sol called, but the sound echoed uselessly through the halls as Richard had already left. Kai followed behind Sol and grinned. "Should we also split up?" Sol turned around, pointing the flashlight directly at Kai's face, flashing him. Kai's smile slightly dropped, and he covered his eyes. "Oh, sorry, sorry." Sol moved the flashlight away. "Trying to blind me?" Kai asked, jokingly. Sol instantly shook his head, "N, No, of course, not." Kai chuckled under his breath. "I'm joking with you." Sol blinked once and then looked down. "Oh, right..." He tried to laugh lightly. Then he remembered Kai had asked him something, "You asked me something?" Kai repeated his question. "Yeah, you want to split as well?" Sol felt his stomach tighten. He glanced up at Kai with unease. "I, I think, we should stick together." He muttered under his breath. "Right, safer for both of us." Kai's grin widened again.
They continued to take steps into the unknown. They tracked their steps on a piece of paper with a red marker and continued to walk in the narrow hallway until they reached a room neither of them expected to find. Sol slowed his movements down a little bit. The door to this room was wide open, and they could peek inside. Kai stepped in front of Sol without hesitation and decided to step into the room first. He inspected it, making sure it was safe enough for Sol to follow him inside. Finding nothing threatening inside, he turned his head back and nodded, signaling to Sol that it was pretty safe to step in. Sol stayed close to the door, filled with unease, but then reluctantly took a step inside. Kai glanced around the room, hand in the pockets of his coat, and eyes flicking lazily over the various closets in the room. "Closets," he said, almost amused. "How thrilling." Sol looked around as well, but he didn't dare to open any one of them yet.
He couldn't shake the feeling that if he opened one, something would be waiting inside. He swallowed, forcing himself forward. The air smelled faintly of dust, and it was a little bit suffocating. Sol then glanced at Kai, who leaned against one of the closets with no fear or hesitation in his eyes. "You don't feel it?" Sol asked softly. Kai tilted his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Feel what?" Sol pursed his lips together and looked around the room one more time before answering. "The... vibe," Sol muttered, frustrated at his own lack of words. "Like the room is watching us."
Kai chuckled under his breath but decided to actually take Sol seriously. His eyes turned sharper. "Maybe it is." Sol shivered due to Kai's non-comforting and cold answer. For a beat, neither of them moved.
Sol only noticed his pulse had quickened. Alone with Kai, in this odd room. He didn't know whether to trust Kai, but to him, he seemed the most real and trustworthy out of everything that was happening right now. Sol was hyper-aware but seemingly not enough to notice that Kai had moved behind him. He leaned his head down and whispered in one of Sol's ears, "So, which one do you want to open first?"