Close The Door

Chapter 20- The Cryptic Concrete Jungle

We all remain in place where we are, frozen in time. We want to go back, but I don't think I would forgive myself if I left someone out to die in the cold. "Ash... we have to go back," I say. I expect a negative response, but he's supportive of my decision. We grab onto the unconscious being, and walk back to the room we were previously trapped in, even if by choice.. I lock the door, and take off my jacket and cover them with it, hoping that the small amount of warmth is enough to keep this person from dying.

In the room, we're greeted by the darkness again. I lay the person down away from the cold floor. Ash grabs objects that aren't flammable to construct a small fire pit. I look around for something that can set the old books on fire. Unfortunately, there isn't a lighter anywhere around, but there is a flint and steel nearby that could do the same thing. The only problem is that I've never started a fire before.

Ash looks at my hands, grabbing onto them to console the trembling from the cold by providing his warmth. He grabbed the stones from me, and proceeded to attempt making a fire. It took some tries, but he eventually made some good progress. As he struggles starting the fire, I look over at the figure. They still weren't moving, but I made sure that they leaned against the wall. Upon further inspection, they weren't severely malnourished, but one could see visible ribs.

The room gains a glow thanks to Ash's fire, and within a couple of minutes of being near the flame, the room eventually begins to feel warm. I look deep in thought, so invested in my own mind that I don't notice Ash calling me out. "Goh?" He asks, and I break from the trance. "Hm?" I asked, half aware. I turn to face him, the flame enhancing his brown eyes. We're looking at each other's eyes, and I feel my heart warming up, mostly because of the fire.

"Do you think they'll wake up anytime soon?" He asks. I shrug, wishing I knew any sort of positive response. In reality, I'm unsure if they're even alive. "Should we check for a pulse or something?" He asked, with slight hesitation in his voice. I grab hold of Ash's hand and squeeze it tight, signaling that I'm here for him. He begins to tear up, the memory of death creeping up on him, afraid if another one was to be witnessed. I crawl over to the figure, and place my fingers on their wrist. I didn't feel a pulse, and even if I did, it's most likely weak. I place my hand on their chest, and am relieved to feel a heartbeat, even if it's slow. I crawl back over to Ash, while he wiped his tears.

"They're still with us," I say reassuringly. Ash lets out a sigh of relief, and inches closer to me. I hesitate to reciprocate for a moment, but Ash switches our view, so we end up facing the figure in case the person wakes up. After we shuffle around, I let him lay against my side, and ruffle his hair. I hear a soft giggle, and I smile at the sound.

I hear a stomach growling, but it wasn't mine. I looked over at Ash. "Was that yours?" I ask. He shakes his head. We both look over at the person, and deduce that the noise came from them. "Ash, there has to be some sort of food here. What about that pile Serena found earlier?" I asked. He looked around, and found the food pile behind the counter we were laying against.

Ash hands me a packaged dessert, and I place it on the person's lap. I don't expect them to wake up anytime soon, so for now, Ash and I decide on taking turns over looking after them. I volunteer to be first to keep watch, so he lays down next to me, holding me. I check my phone for any messages, but none appear. My phone battery is also nearing the halfway point, so from here on out I need to be more mindful of my usage.

A few minutes pass, and Ash's snores become the very thing that keeps the room from being dead silent. The figure's chest is now rising and falling, more apparent, which was a good sign. I look over at Ash, who's smiling in his sleep, which was adorable, even though his snoring doesn't sound like it. I let out a small giggle, and focus on the figure again, inspecting their features. Their hair was tied on both sides. On their arms were bracelets, or they looked like it, but the material was hard to distinguish.