"Nicole!! Bella!!! How is he now?"
Bella responded to his inquiry, "We managed to stop the bleeding, but he has lost a significant amount of blood. He may not wake up anytime soon."
Fred felt a sense of helplessness wash over him. He wanted desperately to assist Kalsie, but his options were limited to guarding against potential monster attacks.
Wendy suggested a course of action, "Shall we move closer?"
Job agreed, and John nodded, deciding it was unproductive to remain where they were. The group inched closer to the staircase, their dwindling resources weighing heavily on their minds. If the Dead Walkers continued to advance despite their efforts, their only recourse would be to fight until dawn.
Job and John approached the staircase, assessing the situation ahead. The scene was one of destruction, with debris scattered everywhere. The stairs themselves appeared to be intact, although the remnants of concrete and bricks covered the area.
Job pondered their next move and asked the others, "Do you think we should descend?"
Nick, filled with trepidation, voiced his concern, "W-Won't it be dangerous?"
"I don't think we would be able to see much over there due to this dense smoke," Noah replied.
Job clenched his teeth tightly and then spoke after sighing deeply, "I will go there alone."
"What?" Several voices expressed surprise.
"Someone has to descend and assess the situation. Do you think we should stand here for hours like this?" Job looked at the group and continued, "Every time, Kalsie took the lead in doing dangerous things, and I... I was always at the back, thinking of supporting him in some way. But after what happened to him, I realized I never did enough to help him or this group. That's why I want to go down there and be of some use to this group."
"Then take me along with you! I also want to help as much as you," Jack shouted.
"Then take me with you too. Three of us are enough. Trust me, no one is more proficient in working in dark places than me," John also offered his assistance.
"No!!" John's request prompted a swift response from Sylvie, who was not known for shouting or being confrontational, especially not to her cousin.
"NOT HAPPENING!!" she shouted.
Sylvie's outburst was met with support from others who emphasized the potential danger.
Wendy even suggested they all go together for safety.
However, John quickly intervened, saying, "As Noah said, it's completely enshrouded in smoke, and having more people could make it even more dangerous. So it should just be the three of us."
Sylvie was adamant about accompanying him and firmly grabbed John's hand, refusing to let go.
John sighed, realizing that when Sylvie was this determined, no one could change her mind.
"Please-"
But before Sylvie could say anything more, John swiftly struck the back of her neck with his hand, rendering her unconscious, and deftly caught her before she fell.
"Please take care of her," he told Wendy, who stood in stunned silence at what had just transpired.
"Was that necessary?" Wendy finally managed to ask as she held Sylvie in her arms.
"It was," John replied firmly. He then turned to the speechless Job and Jack and said, "Let's go."
*******
Five minutes later, Sylvie began to regain consciousness, emitting a soft murmur.
"Oh, you're awake," Wendy said gently upon hearing her stir.
Sylvie, not yet fully alert, mumbled, "Where...?"
"You're fine, don't worry," Wendy assured her, sitting down in front of her.
"What?... Where did that idiot go? Ouch!" Sylvie's memory suddenly returned, and she tried to get up but winced in pain.
"Relax, take it easy," Wendy advised, attempting to soothe her.
"What happened? Did he leave?"
"After knocking you out, they went down immediately. Now we're just waiting for them. It's been about five minutes or so," Wendy explained calmly.
"Damn it! Not again...." Sylvie's mood soured instantly. She felt the urge to join them, but then she sighed and restrained herself.
"... Why do I feel like this isn't the first time such a thing has happened to you?"
Sylvie looked at Wendy and sighed, standing back up. "I feel embarrassed talking about it, but yeah, he does this every time there's a dangerous situation. I know he does it to protect me, but I can't just accept it! Even though he has a cold personality, he doesn't want me to take risks when he's around."
"You're not thinking of going down there, are you?" Wendy asked as she noticed Sylvie moving closer to the rubble.
"Don't worry. I'm not. Besides, I don't think I would be much help to them, and shouldn't we help them instead?" Sylvie gestured towards Fred, Noah, and Nick, who were standing in front of the staircase, looking tense.
"Yeah, right," Wendy agreed.
"Wait!!! I see something moving in there!!!" Fred suddenly alarmed everyone.
"!!!" Sylvie and Wendy immediately grabbed their weapons and positioned themselves beside Fred and the others.
*Dump* *Dump*
Their hearts were pounding loudly, uncertain whether the movement was caused by a Dead Walker or their friends. Nevertheless, they prepared themselves for the worst.