Orbs

Chapter Eight

Heavy panting filled the empty air. The sun was at it's apex, causing sweat to drip down the college students' necks. Relia felt like her legs were jelly by the time they reached the building. They made it across the dividing street and avoided the guards patrolling. The red head didn't know whether to be impressed by her speed, or disappointed in the security.

Emeric never let go of the smaller hand in his. The only way he felt he could keep Relia safe was by making sure she never left his side, not even for a second. During the run, he was practically keeping the younger girl  at his pace. Even though she was exhausted, Relia felt a relaxing calmness.

They stayed close to the building, sliding along the walls. There weren't many shadows, but anything helped. The air was thick in their lungs. Emeric placed his bag down and unzipped it. Pulling out two pairs of thick gloves, he handed one to Relia. She pulled them on, waiting for the next move. With his bag closed and once again on his back,  Emeric slid cautiously to one of the lower windows. He gave it a quick tap before smiling to himself. All it took was a firm shove to pop the window from it's frame. The glass shattered on the building's floor inside. Both held their breath, eyes closed. When nothing raised alarm, Emeric turned and beckoned to Relia. 

" I'll hoist you up. Be careful of the glass, ok?" 

" O-okay." Relia stifled a squeak as firm hands grabbed her waist. She was no slouch with climbing, but something about this method made it better. She grabbed onto the abandoned window frame and pulled herself over as she was boosted. Landing on the other side was a mix of both anxiety and relief. The back of her gloved had flew to her mouth and nose. The stench of stale air and wood rot was an assault to her senses.

With  a soft thud, Emeric joined her inside. He immediately reached into his bag again, this time pulling out two respirator masks. Once again, Relia stared in shock at how prepared her friend was. He handed a mask to her then slipped his own over his face. She put hers on and tightened it. The smell was lessened dramatically.

" Odds are, the tunnel is in the basement. " Emeric's voice sounded distant in the safety gear, but no less stern. Relia pulled a flashlight out of her jeans and clicked it on. The room they were in was filled with different types of machinery. Shadows danced across the walls as the small light changed directions. The spring air outside had a chill, but nothing compared to the icy feeling in the building. 

They slowly spread out, searching for the door that would lead them farther down. Relia couldn't help herself, gently touching the giant mechanical beings. She wondered what sort of objects would be made in here? How many children died due to the dangers these tools provided? It was heart breaking to think about. 

" Relia...?"

"H-huh.."

"You're crying..." Emeric pointed out. Relia wipes her eyes with her long sleeve shirt. Small wet spots were visible in the green material. 

"...I didn't realize..." She mumbled, embarrassed that she came off emotional. Emeric said nothing but instead grabbed her shoulder reassuringly.

" It's not your fault. Places like this can have an affect on empathic people. When something tragic happens, the energy lingers for centuries."

"That.." Relia took a shaky breath through the mask. " That makes a lot of sense."

"It's gonna be alright. Now, I found the door but we have a problem." 

Emeric lead her over to and old, heavy looking door.  The word Basement was badly faded on the plaque next to it. Relia scanned her light over the door, seeing just how bad it was. Her beam landed on the large, rusted hinges. Emeric nodded, admitting that was the issue he mentioned. 

" Oh..."

" I could probably open it if the hinges weren't impossibly rusty."

" Hold this. " Relia said, handing the flashlight to the man beside her. She yanked her bag open, pulling out two items. I metal nail file and a can of WD40. " I figured at some point, we'd deal with corroded metal."

" That...was actually very smart thinking." 

" I try." 

Relia was even more thankful for the respirator mask. She scraped away at every bit of rust she saw. She made sure to get as far into the curves as she could. With most visible rust gone, she shook the can of rust remover and sprayed all over each hinge. A few seconds passed as the clear liquid dripped to the floor. She replaces the cap and tossed her supplies back into her bag.

"Give it a shot now."

Emeric handed the flashlight back and walked up to the door. He grabbed the handle, turned, and pulled. The whole building seemed to groan as the basement door shifted. Holding the light between her teeth, Relia joined her friend by the door. She grabbed as much of the handle she could and nodded. 

" One. Two. Three!"

Both pulled on the door, muscles straining. Another groan echoed. The door was stubborn, but eventually gave in. With all the strength given, the pair managed to open the door wide enough to slip through.  Relia spit the light back into her hand and shined it through the slim opening. Stairs descended far down into a pit of black. Emeric pulled out his own light and flicked it on. They silently looked at each other, confirming they were still willing to go on.

With what could be seen, the basement was even more packed. There were moldy boxes slumped in a pile. Fabric laid crumpled over the floor. Cob webs occupied every corner, and Relia was positive she saw a rat run past. Eating before coming here was starting to seem like a terrible decision. Emeric pulled the hood of his jacket over his head.

" You see the gated passage over there?" He indicated the direction with his light. The redhead followed it.

"Yeah. That's where we have to go." Relia said. Emeric grabbed her hand again, leading them around all the abandoned tools and items. 

Upon reaching the gate, they were met with more rusted metal. Relia was about to get her supplies again when;

Thud! Screeeeee. Clang.

Relia looked up just in time to see Emeric lowering his leg. She thanked the poor lighting for keeping the rest of her face hidden. Her breath caught in her throat, she would blame it on the mold.

"Sorry. It was faster this way. " He said sheepishly. Relia stood up and cleared her throat.

"No no I....Yeah it works. Great job."

" Yeah ha. Let's keep going."