#tibto

"Will they ever be back?" Vinay peered down at his sole company. The sound of the elevator hitching on its way, catching every small piece of debris possible, told that their final journey was most certainly not a smooth one. Characteristic, he figured, as the entire adventure was conducted in the same manner.

Province only blinked.

“Someday, Vinay.” It took a tilt of her body to be able to return his gaze. “They’ll be back someday.”

The core gave a small nod, the aperture of his eye widening in relaxation. He already wanted to see his friends again, for them to tell the tales of what they haven’t even been able to do yet up there.

“Then… what will we do? We can’t go up there, it isn’t meant for us.”

“We’ll stay down here.” Province shakily rose to stand. “We’ll rebuild. We’ll keep people from stumbling into the past. It’s our job to keep this facility from being a danger once more: it’s our same job to keep what’s left of humanity from discovering the evils that have been cast here.”

“And for them?” He flickered back to the elevator shaft. “What will happen to them?”

“They will go back home.” She tickered off, away from the elevator and deeper into the labyrinth.

Vinay nodded. That was a good enough answer for him.