Chapter 25

The wall behind the pedestal moved back and to the side, revealing another doorway.

"Let's go." Kristie tried to get up, but Jae kept her in his arms.

"You can barely move; I don't think it's a good idea to move onto the next room." Jae gazed into her eyes, worry evident on his face.

"But what if something happens because we stayed here too long?"

Jae looked up, waiting for AI to talk to them again, but it stayed silent.

"I don't think it's worth chancing the floor falling out from under us again." Kristie tugged on his shirt. "I should be well enough to walk."

"Did you forget about your ankle, too?" Jae sighed and shook his head. "If you're going to be this insistent, I guess I'll carry you to the next room. Let's hope we're almost done with all of this." Jae stood with her in his arms and walked through the doorway.

A bedroom. A furnished room with a bed, table, and a cup full of water.

"Is this room for resting?" Jae asked and set Kristie on the bed.

"I don't think it's going to answer us, unless it's for something it needs."

Jae peered into the cup. "It looks like water." Wondering if it was safe for Kristie, he took a sip and waited. "I think it's safe." He brought the cup to her and held it up to her mouth.

"Wait, did you just taste it for poison? I doubt it wants to kill us yet." Geez, how sweet can you get?

"I don't want you to end up sick or worse off than you already are. Here, drink. It should help flush whatever toxins they put in us through."

"Shouldn't you have more than a sip? I can't imagine you're doing well hydration wise since you've been carrying me."

"Drink."

"Yes, sir." Ack. Since when do I call anyone, sir? It's just came out. Kristie gulped down the water, and Jae set the cup back.

"While we have the chance, maybe I should have a look at your ankle." Jae took her shoe off and held her leg in place as he slipped her sock off.

"That tickles." She twitched and tried to pull away, but couldn't.

"It's a bit swollen. We could use some ice down here," Jae called out.

"It's not going to..." Kristie trailed off when a block of the ceiling moved off to the side and an ice pack wrap fell through onto the bed beside them. "What does that mean? Oh, that's cold!"

"Stop squirming around."

"But it's too cold."

"It needs to be like this to be effective. Reducing the inflammation with ice will help ease the pain."

"You know what else eases the pain? You carrying me." Also, something I didn't know I'd enjoy. "If I don't have any weight on it, it doesn't hurt. It can't be that bad, right?"

"Not sure about that. I have some training, but it's hard to tell how bad you hurt it. It's possible it's only a twisted ankle, not a sprained ankle, but it's quite swollen." Jae tracked the time for the ice pack on her ankle with his watch, his hold on her foot steady as he made sure she didn't shake it off.

"You know, if you were really trying to help us, you'd give us more than one cup of water. There are two of us here," Kristie said as she stared at the ceiling.

"Maybe it's another part of its trial."

"Try to see who dehydrates first? You're doing more work and gave me that bit, so I guess that'd be you."

"Maybe it was testing to see what we'd do with it. Would we trust it? Share? One person hog it all?"

"I didn't hog it."

"I know I basically forced you to drink it." Jae leaned in close. "If I had to, I would've fed it to you mouth-to-mouth."

Kristie's cheeks flushed. "You..." Oh geez, would he do that? He's not serious, right? That's a bit much... Is that normal in his time? I should've studied history more.

Jae looked back down at her ankle, hiding his smile. "Ten minutes are up. How does it feel?" He set the ice pack aside.

Kristie rolled her ankle a bit before standing. "It feels better, thank you."

"I'll help you with this." He lifted her bare foot and slid her sock back on.

"Ah, stop doing that." What is wrong with me? He's only putting my sock back on. "I can do it myself."

"But it was easier for me while I'm down here. Don't worry about it so much." Jae rubbed her knees and placed a gentle kiss on them. "Are you ready to continue?"

"Don't you need to rest longer?"

"I'm okay. Despite the freeze, I still seem to be conditioned to keep going."

Must be nice to have real stamina.

"I can keep carrying you, but it'd be easier in a piggyback ride."

"Piggyback?"

Jae turned around while knelt down in front of her. "I mean carrying you on my back."

"Oh, okay."

"Just make sure you hold on tight without choking me, and we'll be good."

Kristie climbed onto his back and clung to him when he stood. "Sorry."

"No worries. Please, don't let it be anything bad."

The doors closed behind them as they walked into the foggy hallway.

"Are they trying to poison us again?" Kristie asked, wondering how big the room was. The fog was too thick to see the walls beside them, never mind the end of the hallway.

"This would be a lot easier without you on my back slowing me down."

"W-what was that?" Kristie couldn't believe her ears. "I can get down if you want me to."

"Would that help? It's not like I'm allowed to abandon you here. More will always be expected of me, no matter when we are."

More? What have I expected from him? Is he still thinking about my fantasies? He's different from those, but it's not a bad thing.

"Did you say something?" Jae asked.

"I wish you didn't unfreeze. Then I could keep my daydream rather than this disappointment, and I wouldn't have to be stuck here with you right now."

"Kristie? Is that how you really feel?"

"Of course it is. Who would be satisfied with you?"

"That's not what you said before..." Jae's steps slowed. "Something's wrong..."

"I was just being nice, but I've grown tired of the lost little pup clinging to those around him."

Jae stopped walking and took a deep breath. "I'm certain Kristie is who I'm carrying..."

"Jae?" Kristie gripped his shoulders. "Maybe you should let me down..."

"Why bother? It's not like you can do anything on your own. You're just excess luggage at this point. I would've been better off stuck with Elias; at least he can be helpful."

Ouch. He's not wrong, though. It's always been that way. I'm just an add-on. If it wasn't for me, he'd probably have more friends. "Y-you can put me down..." She tapped on his shoulder. I don't want to be a useless burden.

"Something is definitely wrong here," Jae said and took another deep breath. "That was Kristie's voice, but it didn't sound like her." His grip on her tightened. "What are we breathing in? Maybe this isn't real. She would never talk like that."

"Don't be so foolish. I was only ever interested in your face. That's it. My fantasy has been ruined by your awful personality. Maybe I should turn you in to the authorities when we get out of here. Then, you won't be my problem anymore."

"There's no way that's her talking." His grip on her still firm, Jae took off, running down the hallway.

"Ah!" Kristie yelped and clung to him, making sure to not choke him like he asked. What is he doing? Is he rushing to get away from me? But then why would he still carry me around? None of this makes sense.

After what felt like the longest hallway they'd ever been down, they stopped in front of another door.

"Enough of this nonsense!" Jae yelled. "I know you're making us have auditory hallucinations, and I will not fall for it. We will not fall for it, so let us out." He hoped Kristie figured it out, or at least could hear him yelling.

The door opened and vents filtered out the fog.

"Finally."