[from
here]
Still keeping his back to the wall, Sai kept his flashlight low to the ground. He could hear Mello behind him, and the stairway up should be right as they reached this next area of hallway. The storage areas would be above them here, and they wouldn't have to worry about going through most of the mess of people already upstairs. Keeping Mello protected was still top priority aside from getting supplies, after all.
"Go up the stairs first," he said just above a whisper. "I'll leave room for you to fall back should something be up there."