S a l e t é I I

XV - Côtes - Deux

The factory yard was dark even compared to the streets beyond its walls, the only lights within its grounds those situated on the walls themselves, their intervals irregular due to several being entirely broken.

The building itself took on an even more ominous form now that it was looming directly before them, the formal nature of its construction standing almost as a mockery to the housing only a short distance away, even if the stone and metalwork was murky and dingy for its own league.

Pipes protruded from the walls at various points, a few of those connections rusted and severed. Vents cropped up here and there, many of them aged or crumpled as well. Everything had that same oily feeling to it, and Cassia was mindful of touching things, expecting her hands to be grimy afterwards.

The outbuildings weren't too far away - just on the opposite side of the grounds from where the three of them had made their discreet entrance - and they looked as if they had been designed either for storage or for vehicles, their large, shutter doors firmly closed and intact. Smaller doors for workers were situated to the sides, though even these were bulky, certainly either locked or sealed somehow.

The building had several entrances, all of them currently closed. It sported its own pair of large shutters, most likely a way in for bigger vehicles in the past. A set of double doors was present to one side, probably the main entrance for employees themselves. Smaller doors were dotted elsewhere, serving as little side routes or fire escapes, most of them in poor condition.

Half of them didn't even possess handles.

"It's pretty dark..." Cassia muttered as she began her inspection of her new surroundings, practically speaking to herself.

She followed the other girls back down to ground level, using the stack against the wall to descend safely, Monet taking a moment to dust off her dress afterwards.

"The way inside is simple, don't worry." The older girl told her, wasting no more time as she continued forward. Uliana stayed close to Cassia, the new girl thankful for the added comfort her presence brought.

Even if Monet knew the way, a torch would have been nice. These abandoned places, all big and dark... Anything could have been hiding in the shadows.

She made sure to follow closely, her focus not entirely upon the way forward. New features came into view as they got moving again, the limited illumination unable to mask everything.

On the actual ground of the yard itself was a hopscotch court, drawn in a mostly tidy form with chalk, which looked as if it had seen a great deal of use. Drawings gave the factory walls some colour in a few places - or at least, they would have, with ample lighting - and Cassia could make them out as they drew closer.

Some featured people, like the one of two girls, one of whom had a pair of overly long sleeves, whilst others featured numerous creatures and monsters.

All were clearly done by children. Even with the presence of such murals - definitive signs that young people had at least been here - Cassia still couldn't picture them amongst the darkness and the old, dirty setting.

The three of them were there right now though, weren't they?

Monet had chosen one of the smaller doors as their entrance. As they approached, Cassia looked up at the sizeable windows - or, in some cases, at the holes where windows had once been - in one last effort to catch a glimpse of anyone who might have been inside. She saw nothing, and heard no one.

Upon reaching the door, Monet gave two knocks in quick succession with her knuckle, the metal enabling even a smaller tap to produce a decent sound. Hearing those knocks cemented the situation for Cassia; they were here, about to make their way inside the old complex, and many of her reoccurring questions again came flooding back to her, the usual how did I get here, and what am I doing, kinds of thoughts. All were irritating. Tedious. Nibbling.