I’ve waited for a short while to catch my breath, and now I have recovered enough energy to climb the ladder again. I am very tired, my body is sore, and my hazard suit is starting to become uncomfortable. But I still have to carry on.

Once I get Claire the medical supplies I am going to have to take a long nap, or at least drink some strong coffee.

The elevator is on level sixty-three, and the shaft is sealed at floor forty meaning that there is only twenty-three floors that I access, and of those levels only one has a door that is already open.

That is floor sixty, the one we just left. All of the other doors are locked shut, and I would need Claire’s help to get through them which she can’t do.

Fortunately in our rush we did not close the door to floor sixty, otherwise we would be trapped in the elevator shaft.

…

I quickly reach the open elevator door.

Just by the door is my discarded crowbar and spare masks as well as Claire’s tool box.

Everything is right where we left it.

I arm myself with the steel crowbar, and once again walk down the halls.

I stay vigilant and observant of my surroundings, even though I don’t see a single sign of life.

I notice that the lights seem dimmer, if only by a fraction, but it could be my mind playing tricks on me.

There isn’t a clinic, infirmary or first-aid station on this floor, but what I am looking for is a simple first aid-kit. It definitely won’t be enough to heal Claire but it should prevent her wounds from worsening and hold her over until we can get to one of the aforementioned medical areas.

It doesn’t take long for me to find one of the wall mounted bags, with the Red Cross emblazoned across the front.

I take the bag up, and wear it by the backpack straps. It’s surprisingly heavy

“What the fucks in here? This pack weighs at least fifty pounds!’

it feels like it’s full of ammunition and not medical supplies.

I set it on the ground and unzip it, briefly looking inside to make sure that what I am carrying really is medical supplies.

…

‘Yep, definitely medical supplies.’

Now with my supplies in hand I head back to the elevator.

The climb down is arduous, but not more so, my first decent with Claire was more difficult.

Fortunately it’s only three floors down, but even then by the time I make it down to the elevator my sore back become much worse.

I take another rest before opening up the first-aid pack.