Endure for Today

FIVE

As silently as she could, Nalani eased down from the top of the half wall onto the metal counter, ensuring that her sneaker wouldn't slide against the smooth surface before putting her weight on it. There was the softest protest from the metal in the form of a creak, but nothing more. Considering that the counters were simple slabs of flat metal secured against the wall at waist-height, and was just an open space underneath, she figured she should be more worried about it supporting her.

But she hasn't had any issues so far when she sat on the counter and read her books. Nalani highly doubted any would pop up now.

"Careful now, Chelsea," she whispered, turning to aid the girl in getting down. Thin legs dangled down the stone from where she sat patiently waiting. There was a quarter sized spot of red that stained the left knee of her torn jeans, but Nalani wasn't too concerned about it. Scraped skin could be seen through the shredded material, meaning it wasn't a bite, and there was only a bit of blood. She'd take care of it once they were safe. "Just hold my shoulders, yeah?"

With a furtive look down behind her, where the sounds of the bloodied students were still knocking against the half wall, Chelsea gave her a quick, nervous nod. Her hands trembled when they reached out to settle on Nalani's shoulders, but her fingers dug in securely. Nalani smiled up at her in reassurance – or at least, she hoped it came across that way – and tugged the girl off of the wall by her waist.

Thankfully, combined with the support of the small hands on her shoulders, she was able to control how fast the girl dropped down. The last thing they needed was for Chelsea to hit the metal counter and cause a thud that would attract attention, especially with the people that they had escaped from still well aware of their presence.

After they both hopped off the counter and onto cobbled brick, Nalani gently pulled the girl down until they were crouched low. The gate on the opposite side was still intact and locked shut, but she wasn't willing to chance being spotted. There was no telling just how successful the gate would be as a blockade.

"We're gonna crawl to the door there, yeah?" she murmured, leaning close enough that blonde hair tickled against her face. A shaking breath and quiet sniffle were the only response she got. "Chelsea, we have to do this. We need to get inside so we're safe."

"But what if they're in there, too?" Chelsea asked, the words hitching with her uneven breathing.

Biting down into her lip, Nalani couldn't help but contemplate the thought. What if they got inside and were attacked as soon as they stepped through the door? The lights were off. She could see that through the glass windows and door. And every time she's eaten out here during lunch, nobody was seen inside. But was it the same during Lunch A? Were there any culinary students assigned to a class during this period, who might have hidden inside?

Nalani didn't know. However, she was far more inclined to take their chances with the luck of a dark room than stay out here, completely outnumbered by lunatics.

She just needed to get Chelsea on board with the idea. "If there are any in there --" she started, falling silent and sucking in a sharp breath when a tall woman stumbled past the open air by the gate. When the woman paused there, seemingly content to stare absently at a wall despite the commotion of panic and fear rampaging around, Nalani bit back a curse and inched closer to the girl pressed to her side. "If there are any in there, I'll get them out, okay? I'll get them out while you hide. But we have to move, Chelsea. Now."

Keeping her eyes pinned on the idling woman, Nalani felt the girl nod in hesitant agreement, knocking her pointy chin into her shoulder.

It was enough for her.

"Nice and slow," she said as a final warning. "Don't rush it. Just keep low and go slow."

Knelt down, Nalani ignored the harsh grating of stone on her knees and palms, and did her best to heed her own advice. There were only six feet, at most, between them and the door. It truly wasn't that far of a distance. Yet with every low breath and steady shuffle forward, Nalani's heart thudded deafeningly in her own ears, leaping into her throat with every shift of movement from the woman that her gaze was centered on.