Project R.A.R.E

Chapter 4: The Hidden Door

The next night, they waited until the hallways were silent.

"Think it's still there?" Wither whispered, strapping her bo staff under her hoodie.

"Only one way to find out," Willow said, eyes sharp. "Ready, Daisy?"

Daisy knelt near the corner of the wall and tapped twice on the floor. From behind the food cart rolled a familiar little mouse with twitching whiskers and curious eyes.

"He says the locked door leads somewhere he's not allowed to go," Daisy murmured. "But he can sneak inside and open the other side for us."

The mouse zipped down the hallway, disappearing under the locked door.

Seconds stretched. Then: a click. The door creaked open.

"Good job, buddy," Daisy whispered, scooping him up and tucking him into her pocket. "We owe you some crumbs later."

The Passage

The door led into a narrow hall, dimly lit with dull blue lights that flickered overhead. The air felt cooler here, and the walls were lined with metal and screens that blinked in patterns none of them recognized.

"Why would they keep this locked?" Wither asked, eyes darting.

Willow didn't answer. She was too focused on the whispers.

The voices were back—soft murmurs, somewhere deeper inside.

The girls moved slowly, each footstep deliberate. Willow led, hand on the hilt of her katana. Wither watched their backs, staff in hand. Daisy walked in the middle, arms close to her body, her eyes flicking to every little movement.

The hallway opened into a slightly larger chamber. And that's when they saw them.

The Others (Rewritten)

Three figures stood near a lit-up screen on the far wall. They wore the same black-and-white uniforms—but something about them felt... off. Sharper. Like they'd been through more.

One of the girls had stark white hair with soft gray edges, falling just past her shoulders. She looked calm but distant, her gaze flicking around like she already knew this place too well.

Beside her stood a girl with matching double buns, her posture tense and alert. Something glowed faintly in her hand—too fast to catch.

The third girl, younger-looking, turned and caught sight of the group.

Her eyes widened.
"Run!" she shouted.

The others didn't hesitate.

All three bolted toward the far corridor, footsteps echoing wildly behind them.

"Wait!" Willow called, lunging forward—but they were already gone.

Daisy darted ahead, her foot brushing something on the floor. A folded piece of paper. She scooped it up, heart racing, and opened it slowly.

Two bold words stared back at them, scrawled in dark, rushed ink:

R.A.R.E.