Ethan entered the seemingly endless hallway, barely lit by flickering ceiling lights. Every step echoing louder than it should have.
After turning right, he spotted a door. A male symbol was fixed above it.
He opened the door and stepped into the quiet washroom. The air was stale and cold. He went to the nearest urinal and took care of his business.
When he was done, Ethan's expression relaxed, as if a heavy weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders.
He walked over to the sink and washed his hands thoroughly. After turning off the tap, he stared at his reflection in the cracked mirror, his thoughts spiraling.
Ethan: (…)
Ethan: (Now what do I do? This situation is worse than I thought.)
Ethan: (Should we go back to our house and wait it out… or try to leave Fugisawa?)
Ethan: (If the government hasn't handled this yet, that means there are probably far more dangerous threats out there than goblins.)
Ethan: (Staying here means we could be found by those threats but.. trying to leave might lead us straight into them.)
He turned the tap back on and splashed water onto his face.
Ethan: (…)
Ethan: (I should talk to Dylan first.)
Ethan stepped out of the washroom and noticed a pair of double doors directly across the hallway. A sign above them read 'Cafeteria'.
Ethan: (Might as well grab something to eat.)
He walked over and pushed the doors open.
The cafeteria was eerily silent. Rows of empty tables and chairs filled the room, some pushed aside as if people had left in a hurry. The lights were dim, and a few trays were still scattered across the counters, untouched. The place felt frozen in time.
Ethan scanned the area, searching for anything edible. Near one of the counters, he spotted a basket filled with fruits.
He walked over, picked up an apple, and took a bite.
Ethan: (Mmm. Sweet.)
He grabbed the rest of the basket and made his way back down the hallway, returning to room 101.
Ethan placed the basket on the table and sat down onto a nearby chair.
His eyelids felt unbearably heavy, as if all the fatigue he'd been holding back finally crashed down on him at once.
Ethan: "Yawn."
He glanced at Dylan, still unconscious on the bed.
Ethan: (Doesn't look like he's waking up anytime soon.)
With a quiet sigh, Ethan stood, walked over to the second bed, and dropped onto it. He stretched his arms and legs, exhaustion pulling him under almost immediately.
???: "Ethan…"
A soft female voice called out to him.
Warm arms wrapped around him.
???: "D—n't wor—y… ever—thing w—ll be o—ay…"
Her voice stuttered and warped, like a broken recording.
Ethan looked up.
The face staring back at him was disfigured and bloodied, shattered glass fragments embedded in her skin.
Dylan: "Ethan. Ethan. ETHAN!"
Ethan jolted awake, gasping for breath.
Dylan stood beside the bed, concern written all over his face.
Dylan: "You good?"
Ethan took a few steady breaths, forcing himself to calm down, returning to his usual composed expression.
Ethan: "Yeah. Just… a nightmare."
He glanced at Dylan.
Ethan: "Go down the hallway and turn right. You'll find the washroom there."
Dylan: "Got it."
Dylan stepped out of the room.
(Ten minutes later)
Dylan returned looking far more relaxed, like a heavy burden had been lifted off him.
Ethan was sitting on the bed, with an apple.
Ethan: "Catch."
He tossed an apple toward Dylan. Dylan caught it easily and took a bite.
Ethan: "Feeling better now?"
Dylan: "Yeah. So… fill me in. What did I miss?"
Ethan: "Well, basically—"
Ethan explained everything that had happened after Dylan fainted.
Dylan finished listening, his expression serious.
Dylan: "That's a lot to take in. But do you think we can trust Elin?"
Ethan: "What she said about the monsters feels true… but she's definitely hiding something."
Dylan: "So what do we do?"
Ethan hesitated.
Ethan: "Realistically, we've got two options. We go home and wait things out… or we leave Fujisawa."
Dylan looked surprised.
Dylan: "You're asking me to decide?"
Ethan: "…"
Dylan: "Nothing to say?"
Ethan: "I don't know."
Dylan: "Huh."
Ethan clenched his fists and stood up.
Ethan: "I don't know what the right choice is."
Dylan: "Pfft—hahaha."
Ethan: "This is funny to you?!"
Dylan: "You usually have everything figured out. Seeing you like this—panicking—it's new."
Ethan: "I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK TO DO!"
Dylan stood up and walked over.
Ethan: "WHAT IF I MAKE THE WRONG CHOI—"
Dylan shoved the apple straight into Ethan's mouth.
Ethan: "Mmm—mm!"
Ethan spat it out, coughing.
Ethan: "The fuck was that for?!"
Dylan: "To calm you down."
Ethan: "Who does that?!"
Dylan: "It worked, didn't it."
He placed a hand on Ethan's head.
Dylan: "There's no 'correct choice.' But if we don't choose… we'll regret it forever."
Ethan: "That's, not fair."
Dylan: "Life never is fair."
He stepped back and stretched.
Dylan: "Anyway, I'm going for a workout."
Dylan walked out of the room.