Pulling on his hand, Molly guides Al to the side of the building landing next to the green hills.
Landing lightly, she looks around to make sure they weren’t seen and listens for any shouts or alarms but all she can hear is Al, breathing heavily.
For a first flight it was a long way, and she feels sorry for him but is also a irritated. She needs a Defender not the Office Boy. As soon as she thinks it, she feels a pang in her stomach and to make up for her thought, pats Al’s shoulder and tells him to rest whilst she makes sure it’s safe.
“I’ll be back in five minutes,” says Molly.
The side door opens at her touch. Dimming her light, she takes one last glance at Al sitting with his back against the wall and sneaks inside.
Shutting the door behind her, she gives her eyes time to adjust to the weak internal light. She’s at the bottom of a grey, empty stairway, that marches up at right angles and out of sight.
But there’s a door in front of her. Easing it open, Molly releases a cacophony of rumbling and churning and stomping noises. The assault makes her jump and she nearly slams the door shut, but stops herself and lets it go gently. Ears ringing, she makes her way up the stairs.
Creeping up four flights, her sandals tap on the hard steps and echo up into the grey stratosphere. Finding another door, she eases it open, bracing for another on slaughter, but there’s no noise, except something. A hum and the smell here is sweet like flowers but not. She slips through, onto a corridor and walking its length notes the plaques on the doors. Her steps are more confident here because it feels like the Never-Ending Office, but just then she hears a door further down open and voices floating toward her.
Pushing through the nearest door she finds herself in an office. Listening at the door she realises the voices are coming closer and might come into this room. Frantically she looks around for somewhere to hide and seeing another door pulls it open. But the voices pass without coming in the office and Molly breathes out unaware she’s been holding her breath.
Looking round, she finds herself in a meeting room with another door to the corridor – a way out. But there’s wall of windows, looking out at the greenery growing on the foothills.
She’s forgotten all about Al.
It’s been more than five minutes and she wonders if he’s alright. She shouldn’t have brought him, she thinks but he knows more about the office system. Going to the window she lifts the handle and the window swings open, leaning out she sees Al at the door just about to go through.
“Up here!” she whispers.
Glowing brighter Al rises to the second floor and topples through the window. Mentally sighing, Molly can’t help but think of Gabriel.