Episode 6 · Mara Vale, Young woman, Fleeing man
The young woman clears debris and water in the flooded basement. She discovers a hollow space behind a stone wall. Mara Vale uses an iron pry bar to break through the stones. An archway labeled S7 opens into a deep tunnel. The young woman tests the air with a cloth strip and finds a draft. Mara stops her from entering. She sets up a wooden barrier and paints a sign to delay exploration.
The young woman clears water and debris in the flooded basement and finds a hollow wall. Mara Vale takes an iron pry bar and smashes through the stones. The breach reveals a deep tunnel behind an archway marked S7.
The young woman approaches the newly revealed corridor and wants to step inside. Mara blocks her path. To show the tunnel is open, the young woman holds up a cloth strip. The fabric catches an inward breeze, but Mara refuses to move forward.
Mara places a wooden barrier across the channel to shut off the passage. She inspects a small ration pouch from her gear. Then, she takes paint and brushes the word LATER across the wooden sign before preparing their meal.
“there's space behind it”
“not tonight”
“that's not a dead end”
“after we eat”
Mara Vale seals off the drafted tunnel with a wooden barrier and paints the word LATER across the surface. She inspects a ration pouch and makes eating their priority. What lies further down the S7 passage, and will the barrier hold back whatever might travel through that draft while they eat?