Kai moved through his morning exercise routine, his muscles protesting as he pushed himself through each repetition. The familiar motions helped to clear his mind, allowing him to focus on the present moment and the challenges that lay ahead.

Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the silence, causing Kai to whirl around in alarm. His eyes fell upon Anya, who was sitting bolt upright on the cot, her eyes wide with terror and her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath.

Kai rushed to her side, his hands outstretched in a gesture of comfort and reassurance. "Anya, it's okay," he said softly, his voice low and soothing. "You're safe now."

Anya looked up at him, her hazel eyes brimming with tears. "I... I'm level two," she said, her voice trembling. "And I'm healed. The Silo... it told me I can claim a sanctuary."

Kai nodded, a sense of relief washing over him. "That's good news," he said, offering her a small smile. "I have a sanctuary too, in a chamber similar to this one. It's easier to defend, and we can be close to each other."

Anya's gaze drifted towards the door, and Kai could see the hesitation and fear in her eyes. He knew that leaving the room where her friends had been with her would be difficult, a painful reminder of the loss she had suffered.

"I know it's hard," Kai said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But we can't stay here forever. And... I'm sorry, but we don't have a way to bury their bodies."

Anya's lower lip trembled, and she closed her eyes, a single tear rolling down her cheek. Kai felt his heart clench at the sight of her pain, and he wished there was more he could do to ease her suffering.

After a long moment, Anya took a deep, shuddering breath and opened her eyes. "Okay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let's go."

Kai walked over to the cabinet and grabbed the four nutrition bars. He idly wondered if four was really all the nutrition a human needed to survive.

"Here. Eat and build up your strength. Its a few hours walk from here to the atrium." Kai said and gave two of the bars over to Anya.

"Ugh. I hate these things." Anya grumbled.

Kai laughed, "yeah, not a great taste but at least its food."

"Big stretch calling it food." Anya responded but bit into one of the bars.

Kai did the same and then filled his water bottle and drained it all, filling it again. "Do you have any way to carry water? Or a bag?"

"No. When I woke up here in this pekel none of my stuff was here. Just the clothes that re-appear every morning." Anya shrugged.

"Okay. We will need to find you a bag or something we can use as one. Drink as much water as you can. We can share my water bottle for now." Kai said.

Anya nodded and walked over to the fountain to wash her face and drink. Kai stepped outside to wait for her and give her space. He couldn't help but glance over where her friends were 'buried'. He shook his head sadly and tried to focus on his map and the way back to Haven.

* * *

Kai gently motioned for Anya to follow, offering her a reassuring smile as he led her out of the room and into the dimly lit chamber. He could sense her hesitation, her steps faltering as she cast one last glance over her shoulder.

As they made their way through the labyrinth of passages, Kai remained vigilant, his senses heightened by the oppressive silence that enveloped them. He constantly checked his map, determined to avoid any missed turns.

Kai held out his arm as the sounds of small scratches on the metal floor reached his ear. He didn't need to wait for the glow to appear to place the scratches. A swarm of glowing rats scurried across their intended path, their eerie luminescence casting flickering shadows on the walls. Kai felt Anya tense beside him, her grip tightening on his hand.

Without a word, Kai guided her towards a derelict machine, its rusted frame offering a temporary refuge from the scurrying creatures. They clambered atop it, their breaths held as the swarm passed beneath them, the chittering of their tiny feet echoing in the corridor.

Kai kept a watchful eye on the scurrying glow rats, his grip tightening around the broken pipe he had retrieved from the atrium. Beside him, Anya shuddered, her eyes wide with unease as the creatures scuttled across the rusted metal.

"What are those things?" she whispered, her voice barely audible above the faint chittering.

"Glow rats," Kai replied, his gaze fixed on the swarm.

Anya gave him an incredulous look and he shrugged "it's what I've been calling them."

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Anya's brow furrowed as she studied the creatures more closely. "They're... almost beautiful, in a strange way," she murmured, her initial fear slowly giving way to curiosity.

Kai glanced at her, surprised by the shift in her demeanor. "Beautiful?" he echoed, his lips quirking into a faint smile. "I suppose they have a certain... otherworldly quality to them."

Once the last rat had disappeared from sight, Kai exhaled slowly, his eyes meeting Anya's. He could see the fear and uncertainty etched on her face, and he knew he needed to bolster her courage.

"Anya," he said, his voice low and steady. "Do you have a weapon?"

She shook her head, her eyes widening slightly.

Kai nodded, reaching for the battered pipe he had been carrying. "Take this," he said, pressing it into her hands. "It's not much, but it's better than nothing."

Anya gripped the pipe uncertainly, her fingers wrapping around the cool metal as she tested its weight. Kai could see the hesitation in her movements. She gave it a few practice swings before nodding to herself.

Drawing his grandfather's knife, Kai felt a shiver move across his body.

"Come on," he said, offering Anya a hand as he jumped down from the machine. "We are about halfway through. let's get to the Atrium."

"Why do you keep calling it that?" Anya asked.

"I don't know, I like to name things. It kinda reminds me of one of those massive hotel entryways, just felt right." He responded with a shrug.

They pressed on, their footsteps echoing in the silence as they navigated the maze of corridors. Kai kept a watchful eye on their surroundings, his senses attuned to the slightest movement or sound that might signal danger.

Finally, they reached the Atrium, and Kai felt a sense of relief wash over him. He guided Anya past the carefully laid traps and barricades, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of disturbance.

As they approached the row of rooms lining the curved wall, Kai gestured towards the one he had claimed as his sanctuary. "That one's mine," he said. "You can choose whichever one you'd like for yourself."

Anya's gaze swept over the open doors, and after a moment's hesitation, she nodded towards one on the right side of the Atrium. "That one," she said, her voice steady but quiet.

Kai watched her approach the room and disappear inside. He turned and surveyed the rest of the atrium. The lights high up on the ceiling flickered, casting alternating shadows. His barricades still looked untouched, he busied himself by checking them over while he waited for Anya to return.

* * *

Kai took a deep breath, leaning back against the cold metal wall of the Atrium. He could feel Anya's gaze upon him, a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. They had both found themselves in this strange, unforgiving place, and now they needed to figure out how to survive.

"So, Anya," Kai began, his voice echoing slightly in the vast chamber. "What's your story? Who were you before all this?"

Anya shifted uncomfortably, her fingers idly toying with the pipe Kai had given her. "I was an economics student," she said after a moment's pause.

"With a minor in statistics. I wanted to work for the World Economic Forum, advising on monetary policy." She finished with a sad smile.

Kai nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "That's impressive. I can't imagine trying to wrap my head around all of that. I've never been great with numbers."

"It's not for everyone," Anya conceded, a hint of pride creeping into her voice. "But I've always been good with numbers, and I wanted to use that to make a difference."

"Well, I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunities to put those skills to use," Kai said, his tone reassuring. "We're going to need all the help we can get to figure out this place. It seems to love numbers."

"Have you noticed how it's like a…" Anya trailed off.

"Video game? Yeah. And not a very fun one so far." Kai responded.

Anya nodded, her gaze drifting towards the barricaded hallways. "And what about you, Kai? What was your life like before this?"

Kai couldn't help but chuckle, his mind wandering back to simpler times. "I was an urban explorer," he said, his eyes sparkling with a familiar enthusiasm. "Well, I wanted to be a famous one, at least."

"Really?" Anya's eyebrows raised, a flicker of interest crossing her features.

"Yeah, I had this whole plan," Kai continued, his hands gesturing animatedly as he spoke. "I was going to document all these abandoned places, uncover their secrets, and share them with the world through my video channel."

He paused, his gaze growing distant as he recalled the events that had led him to this point. "That's actually how I ended up here. I was investigating this old hotel, the Seaport, trying to unravel the mysteries surrounding it."

Anya leaned forward, her attention piqued. "What kind of mysteries?"

Kai took a deep breath, his expression growing somber. "There was this cult, back in the 70s, called the Children of the Eclipse. They were rumored to have used the hotel's basement for their rituals, and I think they might be connected to all of this, somehow."

Anya's eyes widened, her grip on the pipe tightening reflexively. "A cult? That's... terrifying."

Kai nodded, his jaw clenching as he remembered the horrors he had uncovered. "They were into some seriously messed up stuff. Sacrifices, apocalyptic visions, the whole nine yards. And from what I've pieced together, they were obsessed with finding this place, a supposed safe haven from the end of the world."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crumbling walls that surrounded them. "I think this might be it."

Anya shuddered, her eyes darting around the Atrium as if expecting danger to materialize from the shadows. "How did you end up here, then? Did the cult bring you?"

Kai shook his head, his expression growing distant once more. "No, it was... something else. I was chasing a lead, trying to track down information on the cult's activities, when I got jumped outside this office building. I managed to get away, but they chased me all the way to the Seaport Hotel."

He swallowed hard, the memory of that harrowing night still fresh in his mind. "I was running, trying to find a place to hide, when I stumbled across this door. It was locked, but I managed to pick it, and the next thing I knew, I was here."

Anya's brow furrowed, her gaze searching Kai's face. "And then what happened?"

Kai sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly. "I got some kind of error message, something about the Silo not being ready for habitation. And then... I was just dropped here, in the middle of this maze. Alone"

He gestured towards the barricaded hallways, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "I've been trying to survive ever since. Collecting tokens, leveling up, trying to figure out what the hell is going on."

Anya nodded slowly, her expression pensive. "Well, at least we're in this together now," she said, offering Kai a tentative smile. "We'll figure it out, one step at a time."

Kai returned her smile, a newfound determination burning in his eyes. "Damn right we will. We've got each other's backs, and that's a start."

"Now here's how I have been trying to level and finish my quest…"