BatIM Steps of the Survivor

Chapter Four

After the four were gone, Jade also left, taking the other set of stairs. She felt like she didn't even want to breathe the same air Joey did, let alone take the same stairs. Though she had wanted to stay and listen to what the Projectionist had wanted to say earlier, he refused, not trusting Joey or one of the members of the Trio to not listen in. By the time she was back up at the elevator, it was gone. She called it, waiting patiently for it to lower down to her floor. Soon it got there and she stepped in.

If I remember correctly, the stairs I'm looking for are on Level 9. . . oh, what's that? She noticed something a little off below the button for Level 14, like some kind of hatch was in the process of being opened. Curiosity got her to pry more at it. . . only to reveal a hidden hatch with a sixth button, labeled with the letter S. There was a hidden button the whole time? What else is Joey hiding? She pressed the button, wishing she knew about it during the Trials as the elevator sunk. What had raced by in a horrifying moment of denial in the past now felt as though it would never end, making her wonder that, if she fell so far, how she had survived.

Finally, the lift stopped at Level S, and since she wasn't in a massive hurry, she could take a better look at the Trial Four sign looming in the room. The symbol on it was a Boris head. Maybe it's something to trick you into thinking you can save him. . . how cruel can someone be?

Proceeding forward, Jade gave a wary look to the hallway ahead, instead unlocking the door next to the lift. To her dismay, this was only a storage closet with nothing inside. Oh great. . . floor, please don't collapse on me. Slowly, carefully, with the lightest steps she could manage, she walked into the hall.

The usual sense of dread from approaching something dangerous or sudden was not present this time, as if she were in complete safety. The notion of it was correct as she turned the corner previously unseen by her eyes without the floor collapsing from under her, revealing a door which previously had been out of sight. Using the key on this one revealed the stairs she was looking for, which she proceeded down. What the heck is with this studio? Was my perception all wrong before?

Once getting down, she found that she was back down before the archives, the locked door across from Grant's office. At first, she had been surprised by this development, but shook it off, heading toward the archives. The metal door was open, but was missing its handle. The rooms ahead didn't have its usual unknown, foreboding feeling that it had when she first trekked through it. Perhaps not a surprise, the cart was back up, as if she didn't have to jump for her life when the thread snapped. It was on her side, gaining a much more sturdy look. Despite this, she deemed it to not be trusted in the slightest.

No other doors were there to provide a way across, so all she had left was the pulley system over the chasm. She had to face all of her fears to even step on the mechanism, and once she was securely on, it started carrying her across the dark abyss below her. It seemed much more sturdy and stable this time around than last time, not even slowing down as it approached the other side. Fully intact, it reached the other side much to Jade's surprise. She quickly stepped off, not wanting to chance fate any longer with the thread collapsing. She didn't look back to make sure the thread was still strong, proceeding instead through the metal door proceeding it. No visions overcame her senses, the walk was normal. No Ink Machine altered her heart rate, no Alice came to taunt her over the speakers. It was quite relieving, but at the same time it all felt so. . . off. Soon, she got up toward the Lost Ones, the familiar sad soundtrack still resonating in the room. No one walked across the balcony overhead, pleading for the salvation already known to be far beyond something to hope for. Jade sat down next to the record player which created the sound, just allowing herself to soak up the music and rest her eyes. The couch was rather comfortable, allowing her to take a break from the journey and relax for a breaking moment or two.