Search the Building Instead

The thought briefly crosses your mind that you could pick the lock. You do have the kit you took from Charlie's room, and presumably there’s not much chance of anyone catching you or even caring now that the world is going to hell. But at the same time, you don’t know for certain that the key will be inside, and if the office doesn’t have what you’re looking for, or even some other thing you can use, then the time spent fumbling with the tension wrench and picks will be a waste.

Nodding to yourself, you take stock of your options and decide to search the building. You know the basic layout for the most part; You live here after all. But there might be supplies you could use, or even other survivors who might be willing to cooperate with you.

The silence lays heavy in the halls as you search. You can’t decide for certain whether the silence is disconcerting or a relief, and the number of doors that have been left open, either by careless students rushing to class, inhabitants **** to escape the disaster outside, or opportunists who have taken the opportunity to scavenge even before the world has finished collapsing, leaves you with a sinking feeling in your gut.

Then, you hear something. It’s faint, almost inaudible, but you think that someone is… playing music?

The sound is strongest behind a door that’s only a short distance away, and even pressing your ear against the door itself you can tell that whoever is inside is keeping the volume down.