The Secret of Dark Forest

Sour

White looked around the darkened room, staying closer to his brother and Sean. Both men's presence had a strange, comforting effect on him. Yok was already near the closed door with his ear sticking to it, listening to the sounds from behind them. White nervously grabbed Sean's hand. The taller male was closer to him than Black, and he desperately needed to hold someone. Sean didn't seem to mind his actions, though, as he tightened the grip.

"I don't hear anything," Yok announced.

"Try opening the door," Sean whispered. White watched as Yok grabbed the handle, forcing it slowly down. The soft click echoed through the deathly silent room. White almost forgot to breathe when Yok carefully pushed the door, creating a little space to peek through it.

"Clean."

Sean nodded, moving forward and dragging him along. Black's hand appeared on his shoulder, stopping him. The look on his twin's face expressed everything. White reluctantly slipped his palm from Sean's. The taller man glanced at him, but when he spotted Black, he understood immediately.

The group sneaked out from the storage room into the short, dark hallway. White didn't spot any security cameras, and it made him wonder. There was nothing else besides the room they had just left. Sean took the lead, walking ahead of them. Black was right at his heels, making sure White followed after them. Gram and Yok guarded their backs. 

"Two doors in the hallway and stairs at the end of it. No cameras either." Sean informed. 

"We should split." Gram suggested. 

"Right, the group this big would be too conspicuous." Black agreed.

"Yok, Gram, search the two rooms. I, Black and White, will get the stairs. We will meet in the storage room in 45 minutes." 

There was no protest. White thought that his brother would complain, but he nodded instead. He decided to ignore whatever his twin had in mind and focused on the upcoming mission. His whole body tingled with anticipation and nervousness. He couldn't even imagine what awaited them at the end of the stairwell. 

"Go," Sean commanded and left their hiding spot. Black grabbed his hand, pulling him swiftly after Sean. White managed to notice Gram and Yok disappeared behind the grey door before he had to concentrate on the way. Sean stopped at the opened entrance, listening. White pricked his ears, too. He noticed voices coming from the top of the stairs. 

"Let's look downstairs first," Black said, poking Sean's back. It wasn't a question, and Sean seemed to sense it, too. He quickly moved, checking for the nonexistent cameras on the way. White frowned. He was confused. Why there weren't security cameras inside? Did the workers feel safe and confident that they didn't install any protection? It was suspicious. 

They slowly climbed the stairs. White held the hem of his brother's shirt, seeking comfort in him. Arriving at the lowest level, Sean halted. White bumped into his brother's back. 

"The fuck is this horrible smell." Black groaned annoyingly. White frowned, inhaling the air in his lungs. The familiar metallic odour, mixed with something sour, hit his nose, and he had to cover his already masked face with his hand. 

"The entrance is blocked with bars. There's a lock, too." Sean announced after inspecting it. White peeked over Black's shoulder, but he couldn't see much. The area behind the locked entrance was poorly lit.

"Can you pick the lock?" Black asked.

"It's electronic." 

"And?"

"I am not eletrician ." Sean retorted. White was about to stop the duo from arguing when he heard the low growl. His head turned to the side, and he tried to focus on the darkened entrance. Letting his brother and Sean, he stepped closer to get a better view. The small area behind the bars was illuminated, showing a series of rooms similar to prison cells. White counted five in his field of vision. He leaned closer, hoping to see more of the empty area when another growl caught his attention. It was coming from the cell right across from the spot he was standing. He squinted his eyes to see better. Something big moved in the dark place, startling him.

"P' Black, P'Sean." He whispered.

"What?" Black was immediately by his side.

"I think there's something." He pointed at the cell. 

"What?" Sean appeared at his other side. They silently watched until the giant furry animal appeared.