The furthest wall from the front-door displays three well lit glass containers, neatly placed next to one another, or rather, that would normally be the case if the room wasn't overhauled by whatever unknown force rendered the heavy vault door, that once protected this facility from the outside world, completely useless.
There is a round table with blood sprinkled over a messy pile of books, right in front of them, surrounded by a few tarnished couches. The individuals sitting on them have been unnaturally ripped apart.
Orton approaches these containers and notices all of them house a different stage of the same species of flora, superficially unknown. He quickly scribbles their appearance on his sketchbook, as the rest of the team continues examining the room.
Bodies mutilated beyond belief were carelessly stacked on top of the front-desk. Crimson Lotus crew, infected, researchers, amongst others. The sheer amount of people that have died here is extremely unsettling.
Myra finds it difficult to stomach the thick, musky scent of blood that contaminates the air, old and fresh alike.
There are three paths they can pick through specific doors.
North Wing - Entrance to the facility
South wing - Observatory
East wing - Living Quarters/Cafeteria
West Wing - Elevators/Storage
They decide to explore every room in the South and East wings before getting to the elevators. Most of the rooms are trashed, cluttered with nothing but dead bodies, vandalized furniture and utensils, and decaying walls and ceilings that barely hold this facility together.
There are no live infected.
Moving to the West Wing, Kohen and Lily find a staircase that loops around the elevator shaft towards the bottom, allowing easy access to every other floor without the need of power.
Before descending, she ventures into it, out of curiosity. It was constructed using exceptionally sturdy metal beams that connect the overall structure of this facility, from top, all the way to the bottom.
The lift itself feels extremely stable. The cables must be made to withstand quite a considerable amount of weight, since she can comfortably jump inside of it.
She inspects the panel for how many floors await them.
Seven buttons, labeled 1 through 6. With the addition of another which is located far below the others.
Blank.
Lily: "Hey guys! There's seven floors to this place!"
Kohen: "Seven of them? Oooo this is getting exciting!"
While venturing into the West Wing after Kohen and Lily, Myra's steps grow shorter, as she whispers to Myrellie.
"How come he's been so... I don't knowww... calm lately?
....
Nah... that's not the word I'm looking for..."
Myrellie: "You mean collected? Focused even?" She questions, allowing the others to walk ahead.
Myra: "Yeah...
I mean..
He argued with that Jacob guy this morning..
Then he had to deal with Orton splicing...
And when we got here, we saw all of these dead people...
And then he watched that man's face melt into mush right in front of his eyes..
Shouldn't he be a little more... angry...? Affected..? ... Sad..?"
Myrellie wraps her arm around Myra's waist.
"I get what you're saying, maybe he should. But would you rather have this Kohen or the rambunctious one?" She lands her a smirk.
Myra: "If I have to be honest.. I'm not really sure.."
Myra's eyes concern when it comes to Kohen. He's always been someone she deeply cares for, like an unorthodox little brother.
Myrellie: "You know.. With time and experience, people we know might begin changing into someone we don't. And it becomes difficult to pinpoint why we still want to be with them. I don't believe that to be a bad thing, on the contrary. It helps us realize that person's progress, as we evolve to accept whoever they become next. Because we love them.
Change keeps people fresh, and capable of facing bigger challenges as they move through their lives. When necessary, the proper changes arrive. Sometimes it takes longer to occur, and other times... It's sudden. From one moment to another."
Myra: "Yeah but.. His entire personality shouldn't be altered because of it, right? Even though he might be a little more mature, on top of seeing horrible things... He's still Kohen.."
How is it not affecting him?"
Myrellie: "It most definitely is..
You know how the more Pipsypus you eat, the better they taste?" Myra nods, slight tint of confusion in her expression.
Pipsypus is a common fruit native to Thibillith Colony that resembles a mango, despite being purple and possessing an orange like structure in it's interior. The original taste is both soft and sweet, with a slight scent of lavender, which both increase the more you consume.
Myrellie: "Let's apply that logic to you. The more of these horrific things you see, the more agitated you get. Therefore, the more you react.
Kohen is the opposite.
The more he comes in contact with tragedy, the calmer his reactions.
It's as if something clicks in his head. Then he simply knows what to do."
Myra ponders.
"Is that.. normal?"
Myrellie: "If it's normal?" She questions, intrigued.
"Why shouldn't it be? People have various methods of dealing with different experiences. Perhaps, this is the only way he can do it.
....
Kohen hasn't had the easiest of times living through his life Myra. And it's so hard for me to believe that he's grown so much, in such a short period of time.. To the point where he's almost an adult."
Myra: "WAIT YOU'RE RIGHT!! DAMNIT!!"
Myrellie: "What is it!?" She questions, startled.
Myra: "His birthday Myrellie!! We won't be able to celebrate his birthday back at the Colony!!" She slightly pouts.
Myrellie: "Geez Myra.. Don't startle me like that.. I'm gonna get older faster and grow wrinkles on my face..."
Myra giggles through the kiss she lands on the side of Myrellie's head.
"Sorry <3
I'll take care of you when you're an old lady."
Myrellie: "Myraaa~!! You'd do that for meee??" She excitedly questions.
Myra: "Of course! I don't care if you didn't give birth to me.
I'll always see you as my mom."
Myrellie's eyes widen. Slightly glossing.
A slight pout forms, as an heartwarming smile overwrites her previous expression of surprise.
Orton steps back up the stairs.
Orton: "Hey Myra!! Myrellie!! You might wanna see what Kohen and Lily found down here!! You comin' or what!?"
Myrellie: "Yeah!! We'll be down in a minute! Just checking something out!"
Orton: "Roger that!!" He says, making eye contact with Myra through the grates of the elevator shaft. Although her stare towards him is strange, he doesn't lift it. She understands his apology, and he understands hers.
....
--------------------------------------
Abandoned Research Facility
Codename: Lotus / Level B1
--------------------------------------
The room found by Lily and Kohen has a thick layer of paperwork littering the floor, which Lily collects in order to reach the other side of the room. There lies a desk with a strange symbol imprinted in it's center.
It resembles a spinning spiral with several 'wings'.
She signals Myrellie to walk over, and not even a second after spotting it, she freezes in place.
Myrellie: ".....
There's no way...."
Lily: "What? What is it?"
Myrellie brings her hand up to her mouth, attempting to digest what her eyes, which grow wider by the second, show her. Her breathing attempts remaining steady. Confused wrinkles decorate her eyes.
Lily: "What it is Myrellie? What's this symbol?" She questions, as Myra approaches.
Orton and Kohen have gone to explore the remaining rooms on this floor.
-------------------------------
POV: Kohen and Orton
-------------------------------
As they're checking the perimeter for any infected that might roam the first floor of the basement, Kohen takes the liberty to ask.
"Orton.
The fuck was that earlier?"
Orton: "....
It was nothing. Don't worry about it."
Kohen: "Quit playing mysterious with me dude! What the hell happened?"
Orton: "I said don't worry about it!" He raises his voice.
Kohen grabs him by the shoulder, flips him around and slams his back against the wall, pulling a fistful of his shirt.
"Don't do this to me right now. I'm really not in the mood to be fucked with today."
Orton grabs his wrist.
"Then let me go! Pushing me around ain't gonna fix shit OR give you any answers!"
He shrugs Kohen's hand off.
"You really don't know how to fucking talk, do you?"
Kohen: "Don't play this shitty game with me! You were fucking splicing! The hell's going on with you man?"
Orton: "Tch." He pulls the bo behind his head, comfortably resting his arms on it. "Since when do you care?"
Kohen stares at him.
And he exhales.
Orton: "Look.
All you gotta know is that you're not the problem, 'kay? So please, let's focus on checking if there are any infected on this floor. I don't feel like getting ripped apart for the second time today."
Kohen hesitates.
"Listen man. I don't talk about this stuff often, but I'm not stupid. This is about Myra... Isn't it?"
Orton exhales.
Kohen: "You know I don't see her that way, right?"
Orton: "That may be. But what if it's the other way around? Ever thought about that?"
Kohen: "..."
The silence disarms Kohen.
Orton:" ....
Alcatraz..
I'm scared of losing her."
Kohen: ".... I would be too... But I'm sure that won't happen. You're not gonna lose her!
From what I've seen, you two kick it off everytime you're together! So she must like you back to some extent, right? I mean, she even kissed you outside and apologized for what she's done! It'll be fine dude."
Orton: "Pff." He smiles. "Thank you for trying to help Al.. But I'll deal with this myself."
Kohen: "But you said-"
Orton: "Leave it!" He raises his voice, closing his eyes and turning towards the next room as he speaks. "Just make sure you're there if I splice again."
Kohen: "Shit Orton! That can't be the only way to help you! There has to be something else I can do!"
Orton: "Stop talking to her." Kohen flinches. "Don't look at her, don't smile at her, don't even think about her." He turns and approaches him. "Forget about her existence, forget about the books she gave you, and forget about everything she has taught you."
He presses on, placing his hand on Kohen's shoulder to stare further into his soul.
"Are you willing to go to that extent to help me? To go through with a sacrifice like that for my sake? Where you have to stop talking to someone you consider an older sister just because I can't control what I'm feeling in my chest? Because I just want everyone to simply get away from her so I can finally have her for myself?"
Kohen: "... I-...." He exhales through his nose, lowering his head.
Orton: "That's what I thought. And it's okay man. I wasn't expecting you to do any of that either. So, like I said, I'll deal with it." He turns back around. "We can't control what other people do Al. It's just something we eventually learn how to deal with.
Kohen: "You could've just told me it was love...."
Orton: "...."
He assumes a combat stance, as a silhouette approaches from the room ahead of him.
"I'm not sure if you would've understood it."
Kohen: "...."
They charge ahead.
--------------------------------------
POV - Myrellie, Myra and Lily
--------------------------------------
Myra: "Myrellie?"
Myrellie: "Yeah- Yeah I just... Hold on. I just- need a minute.."
.....
.....
She rapidly taps her foot on the ground.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
.....
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap
Stomp!
Myrellie: "Pen."
Lily: "What?"
Myrellie: "Find me a pen. Quickly."
Without further thought, Lily scurries through the office in search of a pen of all things, and surely enough uncovers one from under a series of papers that Myra approaches to read.
Pretty handy in an abandoned place such as this.
Myrellie begins writing several notes as she frantically looks around the room upon staring at the symbol. Myra and Lily glance at each other, eagerly awaiting an explanation.
Long minutes afterwards, she stands, proceeding to open the creaky metal shelves that have been left to rot around the room.
Lily: "Myrellie, what are you-"
Myrellie: "Not right now Lilith."
She never calls Lily by her full name.
Desk after desk, creak after creak, Myrellie runs out of drawers to open, and shelves to search. More lines, more scribbles. Calm yet powerful expression, troubled head-scratches.
She finally sets the pen down, exhaling from the bottom of her lungs.
Myrellie: "There's no fucking way... This just isn't possible.."
They eagerly await.
Myrellie: "This place might be way more of a problem than I first anticipated.
Go find Kohen and Orton, we need to talk about this immediately and report it back to Abigail.
Now! Hurry!"