Kindred

He waited in the room with the young woman. She waited too. There was nothing more that she could do, sealed in this place as she was.

She stumbled about in the dark, at first. She carefully approached the nearest wall and traced her fingertips over it, seeking out the minute crack in the stone which outlined the entrance. It took some time. She was thorough in her explorations.

She did find it, eventually. She braced herself and pushed at the wall to see if she could dislodge the stone which covered the entrance using her own strength. It did not move.

She sat, then. She did not speak. She curled her arms around her body for comfort or for warmth and waited. He watched her do this. He felt no need to speak, either.

He wondered if he could move this stone. He had moved others, before, in the very first room with the boxes. They were not this size. He still carried his tool. He did not doubt that it was possible.

She was not aware of the stone's movement until it was done. Pale, greenish light dimly illuminated the sterile room through the growing opening. She stood and moved to the opposite side of the room.

The way was open, but a stranger in red stood in the opening The leader from before. Some others of the red-mantled ones stood a short distance away. The leader of the strangers in red carried something draped across the arms. Another mantle.

The leader spoke to the young woman then. The voice was calm and controlled. The ranks of the strangers in red were always in need of more members with appropriate skills. She had these skills and talents. It made compelling arguments and promised incentives to the young woman and to the young woman's companions, the ones who had pushed the carts here to this place far below the surface and the ones which still resided at the bottom of the stairwell above. Service would be rewarded.

The leader of the strangers in red continued. Denying this would be punished. Dereliction of her purpose would be punished. Punishment would be meted out in an appropriate way. The leader of the strangers in red emphasized this point. The young woman grasped the intent behind those words.

The young woman considered. She was stubborn. She was also compassionate. She would not allow innocents to suffer for her misdeeds.

The leader of the strangers in red extended the mantle. She took it and draped it across her shoulders. It was still moist with the blood of one which she had slain before.

The leader of the strangers in red spoke to the other red-mantled ones outside the room, and the large stone was moved back into place. Darkness returned.

The young woman in red collapsed to the floor. She clutched the mantle to herself. She felt pain. He watched.