NOVEL NEXT Chapter 25: Shopping Center
Ethan and Bianca didn't question Sete's idea, they just watched as she wrapped the huge chicken in an overgrown orange leaf. Then she held the green package in her arms and looked at the two heirs, as if waiting for something. They quickly volunteered to hold the largest backpack open, where the young deity deposited the slaughtered bird.
— Show the way. — Sete said, stepping forward to put the backpack with the chicken on her back and handing her empty bag to Ethan.
The three of them continued walking along the terraces of the buildings. Sometimes they had to go down from one building to another and then up again, while at other times they had to duck or hide behind something to escape the watchful eyes of the winged monsters.
Despite their limited mobility due to the heavy backpack, they were not noticed by the creatures of Chaos and reached the terrace of the huge shopping center in half an hour, without any major difficulties.
In the gigantic area of that place there were various types of junk, some old fans and a covered area with some destroyed tables and sofas. Also in the covered area were a set of four unused elevators and a door to the emergency staircase.
Sete observed the surroundings carefully, checking the security of the terrace as the group advanced to the covered area. They passed through a huge broken glass window and headed for the emergency staircase.
— Do you remember which floors we have to go down to? — Ethan asked Bianca as he pushed open the fire door, his voice low so as not to provoke unnecessary echoes. — The supermarket is on the second floor, and I know there's some kind of convenience store on the fourth floor that might have a few things for us...
— So let's go straight up to the fifth floor, so we can get off at the fourth. — She replied, also controlling her tone of voice. — If I'm not mistaken, the pharmacy is on the third floor. We have to go through the food court, maybe there's something left that we can use in the restaurants.
Everyone agreed, the fire door closed behind them and Ethan switched on a flashlight. As there was no electricity for lamps or windows in the stairwell, the room was pitch black.
First, they went down to the fourth floor and into the convenience store. There they found a few cans of soft drinks and energy drinks, as well as a variety of unhealthy snacks. The group put everything they found in one of the bags, in which there was still room for more supplies, and moved on to the third floor.
Instead of using the emergency staircase plunged into darkness, they decided to continue down via the paralyzed escalators. The ancient mechanism creaked as they stepped on it, but gave no sign of giving way.
On one part of the third floor there were a few stores — including the pharmacy — and the other half of the place was reserved for the food court.
— Let's split up to finish faster. — Bianca suggested, tying up her long black hair with an elastic band she had taken from who knows where. Sete looked curiously at the girl's practical hairstyle.
— That's a good idea. — Ethan agreed. — You check out the restaurants and I'll go to the pharmacy, whoever finishes first goes to where the others are.
— Shout if you need help. — Sete also agreed, but somewhat reluctantly. She didn't want anything bad to happen to the heirs, so she'd be on alert.
Ethan nodded to the girls and set off in the direction of the pharmacy, they also turned and went to look for supplies in the kitchens of the surrounding establishments.