Wrapped in Bandages

Path to Ascension

The next morning, when she entered the kitchen, the chefs were complaining about how one of their meat pounders was missing. Dez would've put the item back in its proper place last night, but the camera would've caught her. Moreover, if a similar accident happened today, with the metal rack falling, they would begin to get suspicious. At the same time, though, she was glad she had held onto it. This was due to the fact that they might need it for the third level.

Neither Chance nor she had ever been up there. They would be entering the area blind, but it was their last destination on their journey to discovering the secrets of the building. Granted, they wouldn't be completely reckless, but it would be hard to make a good plan, since they didn't know the layout of the highest level of the building. Still, they would try to come up with something, but there would be much room for error to invade.

Sighing inwardly, she finished the simple breakfast of toast, eggs and green grapes. Having completed her meal, she made her way back to her room and decided to find a good hiding place for the meat pounder in her jacket. If the chefs ever did suspect her, they wouldn't be able to find the tool. She wouldn't let a simple item foil her plans to reach the third level.

Reaching her room, she shut the door and glanced around the area. She wouldn't be able to hide it in the sink drain like the key, so she would have to think of a new location. Avoiding the typical hiding places of the dresser, under the bed or in one of the desk drawers, Dez tapped her right foot in concentration. The ticking of the cuckoo clock matched the rhythm of her foot. Letting the clock aid in her concentration, she began to pace around her room for a few minutes.

Her grey eyes landing on the desk, she went over to it and examined the structure. Between the topmost left and right drawers, there was a section of wood, which went down about three and half inches from the top of the desk. Pulling her chair out from its place, she crawled under the desk and looked upwards. Inwardly grinning, she found the wood above her to have small clips, similar to frame clips, holding a piece of wood to the desk.

Carefully unlatching the clips, she pulled the piece of wood down. Setting it on her midsection, she placed the meat pounder on top and lifted the wood back into the air. Holding it up with her right hand, she secured the latches with her left hand. Seeing that latches held the wood and pounder in place, she sighed in relief before mentally celebrating for her hiding place. After getting out from under the desk, she sat down in the desk chair and began to sketch the day away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few minutes after ten in the evening, Dez heard her door open. It shut a few seconds afterwards, revealing none other than her good friend. By now, Dez had already taken a shower and was in her pajama set, which was in the hue of blue. Currently, she had pulled up the blinds on her window and was staring at the tinted glass. She couldn't see what lay beyond it, but she was imagining the snow covered land outside. It wasn't hard to picture the unique snow crystals descending from the dark grey clouds above, while the ground was being covered in the soft white substance. Placing her right palm against the glass, she could feel that it was indeed cold outside.

"Well, have you thought of anything, Dez?" Chance questioned, taking a seat on the side of the bed closest to the window.