Mara was only ten years old when her family escaped the deadly rain that made Earth uninhabitable, settling on the distant planet, Kepler. Life on Kepler has been safe but harsh for Mara, living with her parents and younger brother, who has never kn...
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The air hung heavy with anticipation as the group stood at the top of the stairwell, ready to descend into the facility's unknown depths. The dim light flickered ominously, casting jagged shadows across the crumbling walls. Each one of them seemed to feel it—an unease creeping in, amplified by the cold silence that surrounded them.
Mara shifted her weight, her mind racing as she glanced at the others. What are we about to find down there? Her thoughts were loud, though she kept her face neutral, hiding the nerves bubbling inside. Bellamy stood rigid beside her, his face set in its usual stoic mask. His eyes, however, darted around, assessing every dark corner. He's always on edge, always hiding something, she thought, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. She knew what he was hiding—he had confided in her, after all—but that didn't mean she completely trusted him yet. In fact, there was something about his mysterious demeanour that put her on edge.
Theo, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. His eyes practically sparkled with excitement, unable to contain his eagerness to explore the mysteries below. His boyish enthusiasm seemed out of place in the gloomy, crumbling ruins around them. But Mara couldn't help but smirk slightly at him. He's an optimist. Maybe a little too much.
Clarke, Nora, and Lucas stood a little further back, their faces marked by a mix of apprehension and curiosity. Clarke was the most composed, though her hand hovered near her equipment bag. Nora's wide eyes and fidgeting hands betrayed her discomfort, while Lucas seemed the most unsettled of all, his normally composed face now tight with tension.
"Everyone ready?" Bellamy's voice cut through the silence, low and authoritative. His words felt like an order, more than a question.
They nodded in response, though no one said anything. With a final glance around the group, Bellamy led the way, and they began their descent.
The stairwell was claustrophobic, the air thick with mildew and age. It wrapped around them like a suffocating blanket, damp and oppressive. Each step down felt more ominous, the darkness growing heavier with every echo of their boots. Mara felt a shiver run down her spine as her flashlight barely pierced the black void ahead. What the hell are we walking into?
The walls around them were cold to the touch, slick with moisture that seeped down in thin rivulets. The faint, distant sound of dripping water echoed, filling the silence, and their footsteps seemed unnaturally loud in the enclosed space.
Mara found herself clutching her weapon a little tighter, eyes darting around as shadows danced on the periphery of her vision. What if—no, don't think about that. Focus.
When they reached the bottom, the air hit them like a wall—a thick, oppressive mixture of decay and something sharp and metallic. Mara's stomach turned as she inhaled, resisting the urge to gag. The deeper level was a stark, eerie contrast to the upper floors. This wasn't just some old building; it was a labyrinth of rusted metal, decaying walls, and long-forgotten experiments.
