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THE CURSE FELL FROM ZEA'S LIPS. Both girls craned their heads upward, the layers and layers of stairs separating them from Treech an ocean. "Well," Zea coughed out, ignoring the itching sensation of her leg, "we can't be sure how long ago he left— those stairs take a while, he might not have been gone long..." Her words came out slurred, resembling those of the other kids back home after a night out.
But Lamina shook her head, curtain bangs falling into her worried eyes. "I noticed a while ago... maybe thirty to forty minutes?" Her voice echoed through the empty stairwell, the hopelessness bouncing back to her, "I waited just in case."
Pushing herself more upright, Zea shrugged, "Maybe he's a slow walker..." a breathy giggle, "I know I am.
She let out the smallest of winces, hardly noticing it herself. Lamina, of course, reacted immediately, eyes falling down to Zea's leg, a dark stain present where Tanner had cut her. "I'm going to go after him, try to get you some medicine."
Zea waved her off, "I'm not leaving you," eliciting a startled grunt from the other girl, she latched onto her wrists, attempting to pull herself up.
Her tanned hands had gone pale and clammy in her sleep, leaving Lamina struggling to grasp on to prevent Zea from sliding right back. "I'm not sure that's safe, Z..."
"Don't worry about me gorgeous," Zea waved, pulling herself up with a groan. Her vision blurred, tiny spots of light blinding her for a moment as the world shifted. Lamina stared back at her, incredulous. "See," she said once her vision cleared, "perfectly fine."
Stuck between an unrelenting Zea, and the thought of Treech needed help, Lamina gave in. "If you need a break at any point..."
Her ally scoffed, setting her hand on one of the rusted railings, "Try to keep up."
Lamina rushed forward, noting the aggressive lean to the brunette's stance. Her pale hand gripped the railing far tighter than she realized, a sole support. "Take it slowly, please."
The two took the staircase step by step, Zea mumbling under her breath to herself words Lamina couldn't quite catch, outside of 'hiding' and 'steps'. Discontented with the silent ascent, Lamina attempted conversation.
"I wonder if they think we're dead," her eyes scanned the ceilings above them, spotting no cameras. "They have no way to watch us, I don't think."
Huffing, Zea nudged her, "Harder to find us, yes?" She managed a few more steps before throwing herself against the wall, "Why is it so hot?"
The redhead beside her frowned, rather cold herself, "It isn't that hot... maybe take off the outer layer?"
But Zea had already set to it, ripping the yellow article of clothing off her clumsily, chucking it over the railing and down, down, down. "Still hot," she moaned, tugging at the thin white cami she donned underneath.
