(Raviel's pov)
My lungs burned as I sprinted through the goddamn huge corridor. I was on the verge of collapsing, but who would want to die in this type of shitty world....not me, definitely not.
The floor 348 was untouched. The paintings on the walls gleamed as I rushed past them.
Overall there was no sign of damage or blood on this floor—but it didn't smell like a peaceful floor, infact it was.....sterile. As if someone had sprayed disinfectant all over the place. Like an average low-cost hospital which saves money, just by spraying the disinfectants all over the place to remove any foul odour in the name of hygiene. And charges their patient more in their politest way for cleanliness and maintenance.
My feet echoed across the marble surface and they felt like collapsing as I ran.
The doors were lining up the hallway. Maybe twenty but ten of them were slightly opened, their locks hanging loose and light spilling out of their tiny gaps.
I slowed down just a little bit to catch my breath. "Man.... I miss my gaming chair"
Gathering my breaths. I kept moving, faster now, as I just wanted it to get done and reached the mettalic wall.
The metallic door stood there. Cold and gray the kind that you see in a bank-Vault, that practically oozed with wealth behind those thick doors. And I really wanted to get my share after nearly being bitten..... not once but twice. By two of the most handicapped zombies. One which liked to squeeze through gaps and the other with beauty issues.
As I touched the metal surface.
I noticed that, right at the corner of the vault was a small glowing board, faint blue light glowing like a heartbeat. And it literally screamed touch me, somehow managing my tendency I quickly removed my hand which was hovering on the keypad, before things could get worse than they already were.
"Seriously?" I hissed pressing my forehead to the cold metal.
"This is what I get after outrunning those yandere zombies, climbing a freaking tower that could guarantee me a spot in red-bull. And after all that, I am stopped by a freaking Keypad that screams touch me"
My voice cracked between a laugh and a growl.
The board flickered as if, being not touched was insulting for it, with three words written on the screen.
[ENTER PASSWORD TO PROCEED].....
That's when I realized,
These doors were not just left opened for enhancing the atmosphere. But they were ten chances of me being dead or alive.
"Alright" I whispered to myself.
"Let's win this fucked up game"
❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖
The door creaked as I opened it,
Inside the air was thick with dust and something old....as if time had left it alone almost like a divorce.
The room was vintage. Heavy oak furnitures, velvet curtains, books scattered all across the floor like carpet. A chandelier hung above missing few of it's crystals, swaying faintly as if smothing had brushed past it before I entered.
And that made me raise my guard.
I realised I was being far too carefree after seeing the untouched floor. And I have always adhered to the saying.
"Don't judge a book by its cover, tear it and you will discover".
Honestly my version was far better than the bland one.
"Great" A haunted library theme I muttered as i kicked the pile of books.
Something glinted near the desk.
A paper stabbed into the wooden surface by a knife.
The knife was little bit rusted around the edges. But the paper was oddly clean.
Only one line was written in it, shaky and slanted.
If it stabs you, Stabb.
I stared at it for a moment, my brow furrowed.
"What does that even mean"
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck,
"Right.... in an post apocalyptic world, one of the bastard still had time to write a cryptic message". Bless my 'luck' as I was another bastard reading this shit while speed running.
I started searching for the drawer, pulling aside a pile of books, why? Because I had all the time to find the password before meeting my ancestors.
As soon as I reached the toilet, I quickly closed it as soon as I opened—because the walls looked like on the verge of breaking and whoever was here didn't bother to clean his mess. So screw it....nine more doors to go.
But before I left the room, I quickly grabbed the knife. Protection obviously. A weapon's a weapon even if it's breaking apart.
Okay I was wrong about finding something.
I searched five rooms.
Five more pointless rooms.
The first room had nothing. Just a overturned furniture and a torn photo frame—behind it was a note.
Forgive me Mary, I couldn't co.....
I stood there for a while as tears of frustration were forming in my eyes. Whoever wrote it wasn't kidding as the ink was smudged probably from the tears of the writer.
But hey!... when the world is in pure chaos. This fucker is pleading for love.
"Mary I hope you the best, this bastard was really down bad"
The third room? Empty.
The fourth. Yeah let's not talk about it.
The fifth was .....different.
Or so I thought.
As when I entered it, a box shone in the desk, old and with intricate carvings and symbols,
a puzzle box.
My pulse quickened.
"Finally" something that needs brain teasing. Something normal.
The box had several interlocking rings and grooves that clicked and returned to their original place after any error. I twisted them
until it popped opened,
For once I felt like progress.
Like I would get anything, a clue or even a key.
But.
Inside was...
A piece of old, hardened brownish gum.
I stared at it and blinked twice.
"...."
It was fossilized. Almost looked prehistoric.
"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME"
This shit looked like even the zombies wouldn't chew on, for their oral hygiene.
Because who cares? All you need is a gum in an apocalypse, so you can chew on it and die with a smile.
"Fuck..."
With a sigh I moved towards the sixth door.
Hoping to find 'anything' after finding these treasures.