Done For

Chapter Five | Rest

Ate had quickly settled down beside Tommy once he had basically coaxed her over. At least he could tell she was on edge.

She was slowly pulled into the previous conversation he and Cory were having, before Ashlie returned to the living room, a plate in her hand.

"Eat," Ashlie told her as she placed the plate on her lap. What was on the plate surprised her. It was a sandwich, like something she would have made herself at home. How did they even get food like this?

"It's just here," Ashlie said, answering Ate's silent question. "We get pulled into the walls of one of many 'maps'," she made quotes with her fingers, "and we're forced to get out, and when we get back, the food is here."

"It's beyond us why, but this isn't food like ramen or whatever. Stuff you could barely live on. It's actual food." Cory told Ate with a shrug.

Ate pondered the thought for a moment. She tried to think of a logical reason, but she had no idea.

"I mean, we got food, and we haven't died yet, right?" Tommy gave a shrug.

"Don't jinx it," Nick's voice was heard, accompanied by the steady sound of his footsteps down the stairs. "Sal thinks she'll be fine, but there's still a chance."

Ate's identification of Nick as the most logical one in the group was confirmed by his words.

"She's made it before, Nick," Ashlie countered. "Give her the benefit of the doubt."

Ate's face fell. "That's happened before?" She quietly asked.

Tommy must have felt her tense up because he wrapped an arm around her. "Every single one of us," He told her. It didn't help. "But we're all still alive. And it doesn't hurt forever. You end up sleeping for a while. Whoever it is that brought us here lets that person sleep while we go in again. But it seems like you're not bad at the surviving thing. You only got a scratch."

"And that's more than any of us can say." Ate quickly recognized Uni. She glanced back to see him following the exact path of Nick, before going behind Cory and leaning against the couch behind him.

Uni glanced down at her, her gaze diverting from him in response.

"You should probably get some sleep." He said, and Ate knew he was directing it towards her. "Come on. I'll take you to your room. I hope you don't mind sharing."

Ate remained in her sleep until a pat on her shoulder from Tommy pushed her on.

So she stood and walked to Uni's side, who had already pushed himself off the couch and stepped to the bottom the stairs.

Uni nodded for head up, and she did so as soon as he started to walk upstairs.

"So, you just got here," Uni said, earning a nod. "What were you even doing in the forest?"

Ate sighed. "You know, doing stupid teen stuff." She told him. "I was dared, so I did."

Uni only let out an 'ahh' in understanding. The two fell into silence after this. Ate follows behind the man, glancing into any open rooms. In most of them, she just sees pairs of beds. But in one, her eyes fall on two figures. She recognizes Addie laying on a bed, still unconscious, but she doesn't recognize the person beside her.

"That's Sal," Uni quietly said. "They're the healer of the group. The best, at least." Ate nodded as she and Uni stepped into the next room over. "And this is where you'll be staying. Usually, this is Sal's room, but they'll probably be staying with Addie until she's better. You'll end up being with Ashlie for a bit."

Ate was slightly relieved. She was comfortable with the older woman already.

"Go ahead and settle in. Get some sleep. Then, we'll explain," Uni told her before leaving the room, closing the door.

Ate stood still for a moment before heading to the unoccupied bed before laying down. Against what she wanted, she fell asleep immediately.