It was dark. Very dark. Aviana barely saw anything, listening hard for anything that might move. She sucked in a breath and slowly stepped forward. She felt for the walls and the sodden, weak wood pushed inwards. She quickly retracted her hand and cradled it to her chest. Slowly, she gathered all her courage and started walking at a faster pace. She saw a flash in the corner of her eye. Immediately she halted, daring to hope. She reached for the area where there was a flash, but it had gone. She started stepping back slowly, before something brushed the area just below her thigh and just above her calf. Aviana gave a shriek and started running blindly. She crashed into a wall, blinding pain searing her forehead. She fell, disoriented and scared. Aviana quickly scooted herself into a corner and stifled a whimper. That's when she heard a high pitched bark.
  "What?! Oh my god, oh my god!" Aviana burst out laughing then winced as her forehead gave a throb of pain. A dark object started moving forward towards her. A wet something nosed her palm, and it let out a low whine. She cooed and was shocked at the thought of the dog being alive as she tried to stroke it in the dark.
  "How'd you get here, darling? I bet you were one of the passenger's. Stick close," Aviana purred as she picked it up gently. At least now she had a partner with her.
  "Arf!"
  "What is it?"
  "Arf arf!"
  "Sh, little guy. Or girl. We don't know what's in here."
  Just the thought sent shivers down Aviana's spine. Ignoring the unwanted sensation, she went on. They found packets of jerky, nuts, dried fruits, and the plastic wrapping kept them perfectly fine! Aviana decided to move them into some chests she found in the corridor just to be safe. Turns out, the hole led was in a room that was one of many in a corridor. Aviana couldn't tell which part of the ship it was, but the stuff she found was great. Tins of beans and soups and vegetables, packs of fish and meat, and even a jar of sweets. The fish and meat smelled terrible and were undoubtedly rotten, but everything else was fine, apart from some leaked tins and cans. Aviana put three of the sugar coated, orange hard candies in her pocket for later. She decided it was time to head back, worried about the time because there was very little light inside and she couldn't see the sun's position in the sky. She called for the puppy or dog- she wasn't exactly sure which- and picked it up when it obediently came. After checking through multiple rooms, she found the one she came through, recognizing the sharp edges of the hole. Just as she stepped over the edge and went through, her shirt got stuck. Looking and leaning back to get it unstuck, she put out her right hand before freezing: her shirt was stuck on a sharp wooden plank- next to a pile of glistening bones.  Judging by the skull, it was human.  Sick and terrified, Kellie yanked her shirt and ran for her life.

  "I'm telling you, they were wet," Aviana persisted anxiously, "I reached back like so, and saw them. And they were wet."
  "Vi, I'm glad you ran. Who knows what did that. But, I think that we should check it out," Rick said quickly in one breath, knowing their reaction.
  "WHAT?!" Lewis and Aviana see simultaneously. "As soon as Vi sees the bones and on top of that, whatever happened was done fresh and recently? And you wanna go? Suicide's not cool man," Lewis fired back in disbelief, his hands waving around in the air. Aviana put on hand on Rick’s chest and one on Lewis’s,  holding them back gently. Both boys relaxed but Lewis kept his jaw clenched.
  The guys had ran out as soon as they heard a faint shriek. As soon as they had left the ship, they had ran towards the hole through which Aviana went. They had crashed head first with Aviana, who'd breathlessly shouted to them to run. Her expression itself had displayed that whatever just happened could be  explained later but that they had to get out of there. After wordlessly sprinting back to camp, Lewis (who had been the fastest) stood panting and held up his hand.
  "Hold on a second. Who's that?" He said pointing to the dog.
  After running here,  Aviana had found the time to name the caramel colored puppy with the floppy ears and velvet tail with deep, beautiful brown eyes Toffee.
  "Guys, meet Toffee. I bumped into her while in the ship."
  Now, while the three were glaring at each other minutes after Aviana finished her story, Toffee was sound asleep in the corner after becoming friends with Lewis. Aviana felt a dull ache in her eye followed by a sharp pain on the left side of her forehead. Reaching up with her right hand, she touched the area, only to pull back and see a smudge of wet blood.
  Rick cursed and said, "I forgot! What happened to your head? Come here, I'll find you some leaf or something to staunch that bleeding." He picked up a leaf that was quite big from near Toffee, and pulled a strip away.
  "Ugh, you're like a mom," Lewis said as he rolled his eyes. A second later, what he just said settled in.
  Everyone went quiet and Aviana stifled a whimper as she pressed the leaf against her wound.
  "I..I'm so sorry guys..my tongue just..slipped," Lewis mumbled with a lump in his throat. Rick turned away, his eyes glistening.
  After everyone calmed down, they discussed the other good things they found in the wreck. Lewis found cans of broth and fruit and even some jewelry,  which in this situation was worthless. Rick found a framed sword, which he took and was now polishing. He also found spare mattresses that were just a little damp in one big room.
  It was decided without discussion as they lay down to sleep. First, that they would all take a bath tomorrow,  and two, they would go scouting soon after they discuss the layout of the base.

☆Haii! Hope everyone is enjoying the story! Sorry for the late update. Keep hoping that the next chapter will be out in a few days!
-SugaKookies05 ♡