A study conducted after days of the fog spreading loosely concluded that since the phenomenon is man-made, animals can't detect it with their superior natural sensory abilities. However painful it is to see an animal's molten body wither away slowly by he Fallous' acidic fog, it was more soul-stabbing to see one that has traveled kilometers away from the nearest fog. Poor cat.

The scientists say that the fog only moves every 2 years now and only by centimeters, if you can even measure fog by centimeters.

This fact comforted her a little. Enough to work with knowledge of her seeing the fog coming near her area. She sometimes wonders in her broken apartment late at night that if she sleeps, she might miss the alarm for the incoming fog. She waved the memories away and focused on the man in front of her. "Well, nothing we can do about that. It doesn't matter now." The man stood up; he was about an inch taller, then finally met her eyes and said, "No. It does have meaning; it does matter."

Curiosity gone, rage back.

Kemuri stomped towards him and shoved him a pierce of her rope. Philosophy was never my thing. "Let's go—". The earth trembled furiously. The soil making up the walls shakes and expands. Damn, really unstable. She rushed to the walls and started climbing. Each time she gets a few feet up, the earth erodes from her palms, sending her falling.

The blonde simply looked at her and laughed. "What's so funny?" she snorted out. "Well, why climb now? Can't you wait until others come and rescue us?" Kemuri stepped in front of him, eyes barely centimeters away. "Listen here; we are in this mess because of you. Unlike your blond butt, I have places to go."

"Where?"

"None of your business?"

"Why?"

"Dude. Stop. I'm in no mood."

He opened his mouth to say something, but Kemuri's thunderous glare shut it back down.

As the hole kept expanding, they sat in silence for several minutes. Kemuri looked at the soil. The man looked at his palm.

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The man coughed. "Hey. I'm sorry."

Kemri rubbed the bridge of her nose and sighed, "Nah, man, it's cool. Should have worked out more. Maybe then I could climb out without using the walls." The man looked at her amusingly.

"I see. Why don't you exercise more?"

"I mean, I don't really have time."

"Why?"

Kemuri hesitated. Why is this person asking me questions anyway? Small talk? If so, he is certainly not slick with it, Kemuri thought. Regardless, it doesn't really feel bad. Especially if your conversational partner actually listens. Someone who wanted to know more. When was the last time she ever talked to a friend? She lost her girlfriends after getting the job; she "tried" to reach out, if walking past them at the malls because she is scared of confrontation is even trying, but she didn't have time. Or maybe she chose not to make time.

"Well, I don't know."

"Okay then. Let's say you had all the time in the world right now."

Kemuri paused thoughtfully this time.

"Yes. Wait no. I would use it to do other things."

"Like what?"

Kemuri stood up and said, "Bro, you don't even know." She started gesturing wildly, " I would go to space, learn how to play the piano, dance, watch all the Harry Potter movies, get drunk, and watch them again because hangovers really dice your memory, you know?" The man chuckled at the rapid fire of ideas, "My, my, you truly are... unique."

Kemuri's cheeks flushed. She looked away, not meeting his eyes. "And what about you? What's with the oh-so gentleman talk?"

"Oh, this. I grew up in Britain."

"I grew up in Britain too, and not one person would even think of saying my-my."

"You just didn't look hard enough, my dear." Kemuri pretended to be a noblewomen, fanning her face with an imaginary fan. "Oh you, it would seem you were a..." she lowered her head and looked up through her red shirt hair," a smashing reject."

The blond man was stunned. He pulled his invisible cap backwards and said," Well, punk. I don't have any wassop."

Kemuri chuckled. "My man, don't ever do that again." She falls to the floor, coiling with laughter. "Yo yo. I can do madness."

"Stop! You really can't."

A resounding screech rattled their ears. It was a speaker. High up on the surface, Rowan stared down from his nose — speaker on hand. "I hope your little date is over because mine is now cancelled because of you." What! You weren't on a date, unless staring down from your balcony is your idea of a romantic afternoon. Despite herself, Kemuri was about to apologize, but the man just stood in front of her, staring Rowan down, and said, "Nah, bro. You are killing the vibe."

This idiot. Kemuri jumped in front of him. "So sorry. You don't have to waste your time with me." "I don't intend to," he said, then shoved his speaker at a nearby worker and stomped off.

"Babe. At least now —"

"Stop."

"Yes... mam"