Take the phone

Lucy decided the current task was too important for her to worry about her phone battery. Besides, everything would be resolved when the lights were on, and Lucy had her clothes on.

She grabbed the phone and returned to the dark hallway. The Asian girl paced back and forth as she psyched herself up before finally opening the heavy door to the basement again.

The wooden stairs creaked against her bare feet as she descended. Soon, the door had swung shut, closing out any natural light that could reach this musty room.

When Lucy felt cold concrete against her feet, she figured it was a good time to start scoping the room out, so she held her phone high and took a picture.

The flash absolutely blinded her. The poor girl rubbed her eyes as they tried to readjust to the darkness. Recovering, she came up with a new plan. She would close her eyes, take a picture, and then look at the picture.

Using this method, she navigated slowly to the breaker box. The rigid metal box was tough to pry open.

Lucy pulled and fiddled at the breakers, but the power refused to return. She slammed the box shut, audibly annoyed.

Things were not going to plan, and she cringed at the amount of battery her phone had left. She contemplated whether she should waste any more of her last lifeline. The goosebumps on her bare legs told her she should save it.

The Asian girl stumbled along the wall until almost tripping on the old stairs when she found them again. The anxiety of leaving her underwear behind ate at Lucy as she left the darkness.

She sifted through dark kitchen drawers to comfort herself until she found some small kitchen towels. They would be enough to dry her damp skin.

Lucy still got chills when she removed her apron, her last line of defense. Wiping the water from under her breasts, she slipped her arms into her button-up.

Walking to the office, Lucy whipped her head to the side when she caught some movement in the corner of her vision. She stared into her dim reflection in the shiny stainless-steel fridge.

Her appearance caught her off-guard. Her messy hair lay on her shoulders. Lucy always felt uncomfortable showing her legs, but how the patterned shirt contrasted with her exposed legs made her feel a certain way, "Could I be... hot?"

The Asian girl blushed when she came back to her senses. She got her folded jeans. The denim was at home against her skin. Though, the way it scratched against some of her skin made Lucy feel a bit more excited than relaxed.

Leaving the diner would prove to be a challenge left. Her keys were still in the basement, and she only had enough battery for one call.