Escape - Chapter 10.1
Chapter 10.1
“What are you doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m trying to open the door.” Adeline snapped, pulling out a gold pocket watch. She’d managed to grab some anesthetic gas from the armory before making her escape, but it was only a matter of time before they came after her.
“You said the first door opened with this.”
“The door? Open the door? You mean… go outside?”
“Yes. There’s nowhere else to run.”
“Are you insane? Did you commit some act of terror? Did you try to assassinate the District Governor or something?” Luce gasped, running a hand over his face. His already-haggard features seemed to have aged ten years in the last few minutes.
“Sorry, no time to explain. And no intention to, either.”
“How very considerate of you.”
Adeline ignored his sarcasm and carefully extended her hand. While the second and third doors opened without any special permission, the first door’s security was incredibly tight. In other words, it wouldn’t open without official authorization from the authorities. It was their lifeline, after all. Not only was it secure, it was practically indestructible. A grenade like the one she’d used earlier wouldn’t even scratch the first door. Not even a cannon would. This was common knowledge among the officers.
‘The first door cannot be opened without official authorization.’
Could it really open? Did a master key that could open the first door at any time truly exist?
With trembling hands, Adeline held the gold pocket watch against the square screen next to the double doors.
A beep echoed, followed by a message on the screen: [Identity confirmed. District 13 GM123. Please state your reason for entry.]
GM? Reason for entry? Adeline’s brow furrowed. She’d never heard of the GM position, and she had no idea what reason the ‘door’ wanted. But the reason had been decided from the start. It was simple.
“I’m going to find my husband.”
Beep.
[Recording saved. Door will open in 5 seconds.]
Moments later, with a grinding roar, the massive stone doors began to slide open.
Whether she wanted it or not, there was no turning back now. Her steps were firm. Without another word, Adeline stepped through. Only one thing bothered her in this situation.
“Luce, coming?”
“What?”
Turning her head, Adeline looked back over her shoulder at her friend’s stunned face. He looked like he’d just been told to jump off a cliff.
“Judging by what happened earlier, I don’t think you’re involved. I don’t have much time, so I’ll be quick. I can’t explain everything, but that accident you had outside… it might have been staged.”
Already halfway into the intermediary zone between the doors, Adeline turned back. The two stood facing each other, the door the dividing line.
“…What? That’s impossible…”
“Don’t say it’s impossible. I know that too. But Luce, remember what I always used to say?”
Luce’s mouth opened and closed silently, as if trying to form a rebuttal. Even without hearing him, Adeline knew exactly what he was thinking. He probably thought she’d finally lost it. Watching him calmly, Adeline continued.
“There’s no such thing as impossible. Back then, it was just something I said, but now, I’m pinning my last hopes on those words. Hope is always like that, isn’t it? It’s what remains even after Pandora’s Box is opened.”
“…Adeline.”
“I’m sorry, Luce. I hate to say this when I don’t even know what’s out there, but you might already be involved because of me.”
“Involved? What do you mean?”
“The people chasing me… they might suspect you, too, even though you have nothing to do with this.”
“W-wait. This is all too sudden. So, you’re saying someone deliberately orchestrated that accident? And now I’m in danger too? Why? No, for what purpose?”
“That’s what I’m going to find out. So, are you coming or not?”
“I…”
Luce hesitated, then pressed his lips into a thin line. A brief, tense silence fell between them.
Under normal circumstances, the answer would have been obvious.
‘No, absolutely not.’
It wasn’t because of family or relatives. Adeline knew he’d lost his entire family in the massacre and was drifting through life like a tumbleweed. That’s why she could make this offer without hesitation.
But Luce valued his life. He wasn’t the type to gamble it away on pride or vanity. Safety first. A staunch supporter of self-preservation.
Yet, he hesitated. Was it the guilt that had been gnawing at him for days? Or was it the lack of sleep that clouded his judgment?
In this moment, he thought of Damian, unbidden. The way he’d cut his own hand without a moment’s hesitation to open the second door.
He’d always been uncomfortable around Damian. Right up until the very end. Damian was like a persistent grain of sand under his fingernail. No matter how hard he tried to brush it away, it remained.
‘Could I have done what he did?’
The massive double doors were slowly beginning to close.
