The Disparate One

Chapter 30

The amber in the middle of the pile of ash twinkled like a star in the night sky. Ray stared at it ever since the flame died. He was flat on the ground, facing the source of the warmth, but now, he was embraced by cold and darkness. Looking past the amber, he saw the robot's green glow, looking over the railings. He held both his hands. His rifle stood next to him.

Ray slowly raised himself, the helmet was still nearby, in the same place where he left it. The layers of magazines beneath him rubbed against the floor making a scratch that made Nite look at him.

"We better start going before you get hungry or thirsty," said Nite straight up, turning and grabbing his rifle, swinging it around his back.

Ray didn't say anything because he was already hungry and thirsty, he just didn't want to admit it, figuring it would make Nite angry for dragging a weakling. After Ray retrieved his helmet, he followed the robot to a shop, behind the counter where they passed a door, and onto a hallway built for transporting goods.

At the end of the hall were large, dead elevators and a staircase. They headed up. And up. And up. They continued to do so even when Ray began to gasp for air, Nite didn't bother to stop or slow down. It was quite unfair for Ray. He squinted when his knees and feet started protesting. His left hand did all the work, clinging onto the railings and dragging himself up the stairs.

"Just a few more steps," said the robot, marching a few flights ahead of Ray.

"You said that an hour ago!" Ray rolled his eyes with a loud sigh.

Nite secretly hid his smirk despite hearing the sounds of defeat from below. Arriving at the top of the staircase, he turned his rifle into a battering ram and slammed it against the metal door, its bolts and locks popped off, falling into the open space of endless abyss on the other side.

Ray was crawling up the steps when he reached Nite's feet. He could somehow feel a slight breeze from the opening. His arms and legs were shaking when he got on all fours, coughing and wheezing. A puddle of sweat formed beneath him.

"We still have a long way to go, makes me wonder why you wear that uniform," said Nite, staring through kilometers of empty space between the terminal and the lowest part of the facility.

The sounds of the door reaching the bottom finally came a few minutes later. Even with that spare time, Ray still hadn't recovered.

Ray's vision was hazy as if he was staring at television without a signal. He was lightheaded. His heart was punching out of his chest. All of his organs were blaming him for the sudden hardcore marathon. Nite stood still and remained calm, yet disappointed to see how pale Ray had gotten in a short amount of time.

Ray sat and leaned against the wall as he stared at the opening, seeing the impossible distance to the main structure of the facility. He slightly looked up to the numerous large guide rails and steel cables stretched to their limits above. It was where the terminal connected.

"Yes," Nite said, leaning against the opposite wall, using the rifle as a cane, "The only way to get to the facility is those," his eyes pointed at the guide rails.

It made sense because it was the only visible path that bridged the terminal to the facility. Ray couldn't imagine both of them balancing their ways across it.

"Don't worry, those things won't give in on us, otherwise this terminal would've fallen to the abyss a long time ago," said Nite, staring at Ray who looked dying.

Nite also told him that there used to be a safe way between two places, but sadly, during the rebellion, they blew it up.

"Take your time, it's not like someone's life is already at stake, or everyone," he added.