Dark Days

Illyana hadn't moved an inch. She refused to move an inch. A pool of her own tears was the only comfort she had. Her face and eyes were red and puffy. The unsettling noises of car crashes and traffic had died down. There was the occasional scream, but it had mostly become quiet. But Illyana didn't dare check out the window. She remained completely still. Her only connection to the outside was her phone. She had texted her friends whom she'd left inside the mall. No response.

Now the only connection she had to the outside world was the group chat with Darnell and the others. She was getting a play-by-play of everything they were doing. From what she could tell, they were nearly fully rounded up, and meeting at the daycare near their school. Illyana had no one around her, nor a safe way to reach anyone.

She didn't dare ask Darnell and the others to help her. They were at least ten to twenty minutes away driving distance. She wanted to ask. She wanted to beg that they save her. But she couldn't. The thought of asking made her heart twist. Not because she was afraid they would leave her, but because she knew they would come for her. Illyana couldn't bear the idea of them putting their lives at stake for her's. Or them perishing on the way to her.

Darnell had reached the gym with Ryan apparently. That was great. Tristan, Vanessa, and Michael had reached the daycare. That's nice. It didn't mean anything to her. Illyana looked up at the windows in the car. All she could see from the floor were the grey clouds blanketing the sky. Illyana reminiscenced on how many times she'd laid eyes on skies just like that one. How many times had she found peace in that monochrome view? How many afternoons had she been lulled into sleep during that weather? The sight of that sky only made her chest hurt more. Illyana knew she was never going to get afternoons like that again. Everything in the world has changed now. So why was the sky still the same? Illyana soon found herself cursing the sky now. Why did she have to see clouds that reminded her of peaceful memories? Peaceful memories she'd never relive. Her eyes attempted to cry, but they were dried out. Illyana was left with the unsatisfying feeling of built-up tears. Illyana's fist closed. She wanted to slam it into the floor. But she knew if she did, she would risk getting caught. She had to silently vent her frustration.

Illyana reread the same messages over and over. Not sure what else to do. Would she ever see her friends again? Was it possible? She wanted it to be possible. Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard. She kept reading them. They were out there. Surviving. Fighting. She could tell their spirits hadn't broken. Darnell was all over the place like a special agent. She giggled at the thought of him in gold armor and red cape, conquering every small town for the glory of Sparta. If he could fight, then why couldn't she? Granted, she wasn't Darnell. "But he did say that success always starts with a mental, then mental makes physical," Illyana mumbled to herself.

Illyana looked up at the driver seat in front of her. She paused for a moment. Is it possible?

"It's possible." Darnell stated.

Darnell, Ryan, and Alicia stared out of the window of a stranger's home they'd broken into. They were now only a couple of minutes away from the daycare. Major problem. A couple of minutes turns into half an hour when a horde of flesh-eating monsters is in your way.

The trio had been sneaking through the neighborhood when they'd come across the intimidating obstacle. Across the street, around the homes, and in the backyards, a collection of zombies had accumulated. They were lucky to even have a good view of the enemy.

"Darnell, that's even more than how many surrounded Tristan's house." Alicia said.

"Yeah, like a buttload more," he agreed.

If it wasn't the apocalypse, anyone would assume there was a parade going on.

Darnell continued, "But we can get past them." Ryan and Alicia's hearts began to pound. They looked past Darnell and at each other.

Ryan spoke up, "Darnell, there's-"

"Gotta be another way?" Darnell finished his sentence. "There isn't. Look."

Darnell pointed down at the sidewalk near the window. "There were three lurking there until now. Guess where they're at now."

Alicia and Ryan thought for a moment. What was Darnell talking about? Alicia imagined a tattered zombie, frolicking to the only area out of their line of sight. Slowly, walking around the house. Around the house. Alicia immediately felt a shiver down her spine.

Darnell let it sink in before assuring, "We're surrounded."

Ryan glanced over his shoulder, with panic in his voice, "What? No, no."

"If there's a few back there could be even more that we don't know about."

Ryan raised his voice, "Well I'd rather fight a few than a hundred!"

Darnell remained grounded, "It don't make no difference how many are back there. If even one spots us, it makes noise, and the entire neighborhood knows we're here."

"You've gotta be kidding me." Ryan dropped his face into his palm, shaking his head.

"It's insane that they're gathering like this…" Darnell uttered.

"You have a plan right?" Alicia prompted. Her eyes stared at Darnell in wonder. Awaiting to be in awe about whatever idea Darnell schemed in his head. Darnell just continued to stare out the window. The glare of Darnell's obsidian pupils didn't even glance at her.

After a moment of silence, Darnell finally spoke up, "Ryan… can you punch through the roof?"

Ryan looked at Darnell with skepticism, then at the ceiling, "I mean, yeah?" Ryan rapidly shook his head, trying to make sense of Darnell's question, "W-why?"

"You guys are going to escape. Get to the daycare, as fast as you-"

"Why are you saying 'you guys?'" Alicia interrupted Darnell. "'You guys?'" Alicia echoed what Darnell said in her head. Her heart dropped at the sound of that. Alicia attempted to speak calmly but her voice rose on it's own. "What are you going to do?" she questioned Darnell.

Darnell looked around the ceiling then in the direction opposite of the daycare. Darnell brought his eyes back down to Alicia, who had worry written all over her face.

"I'm going to run too…" Darnell smiled, "in the opposite direction."

"What!?"

"As soon as Ryan breaks open the roof, I'm going to jump onto it. I should attract the attention of every monster outside-"

"Darnell, are you crazy?" Ryan scolded.

Darnell was unfazed by Ryan's comment, he continued, "The houses are close enough that I can jump from roof to roof."

"You can do what!?" Ryan shouted.

"No, Darnell!" Alicia took hold of Darnell's hand, "You don't have to do that, let me help!"

"You wanna help?" Darnell said calmly.

"Yes, please," Alicia had hope in her voice.

"You can help by making it to the daycare safe."

"No!" Alicia's head fell and she gripped his hand tighter. Not again, she thought to herself. Alicia couldn't be a liability to Darnell again. She thought she'd been doing so well. But history was repeating itself. Alicia had memories of a specific night sky surfacing. She tried to suppress it. But the more she fought, the stronger it grew. She remembered the yellow hue of the street lamps illuminating the sidewalk. The blue letterman jackets of the strangers. Darnell's back coming between her and them. The pounding in her chest as she left him behind. The streams of tears down her cheeks.

It was barely a year ago. Alicia had finally managed to get Darnell to go bowling with her. Just the two of them. It was no easy task. Darnell had always busied himself after school. Then when he did agree to hang out, it was always with the whole group. Alicia had to go all-out to persuade him into it.

"Can you teach me how to bowl?" Alicia suddenly brought up during class.

The two sat in the back of the average sized classroom. All of the desks were set up in pairs, so naturally, the two sat together. The teacher had finished the lesson and informed the class of their assignment. Now they were allowed to speak freely. While the rest of the class chattered, Darnell immediately started hustling through the work.

Without even looking up, Darnell responded, "You don't know how to bowl?" he had his eyebrow raised.

"I know how to bowl…" she answered, then cheered, "But I want to bowl better!"

Darnell flipped a page back and forth, "What makes you think I'm better than you?"

"Teemo told me you went bowling with his church, and you, and I quote, 'whooped 'em all.'"

"I can't deny that story."

"So you'll teach me to bowl?"

Darnell sighed, "Yeah, I'll show you a thing or two."

Alicia jumped with joy, "EEEE!" she cheered, both fists in the air.

Darnell flipped another page, "When you wanna go?" he asked, "I think Teemo and Makayla are free-"

"Just the two of us." Alicia cut in.

Darnell slowly turned his head to face Alicia. His eyebrows were raised with a slight grin on his face. "Alicia." he said sternly.

"It's not like that," Alicia corrected, "I just want to learn, that's it!"

Darnell's expression didn't shift. "Okay look, hear me out," Alicia continued, pushing her hands forward as she spoke.

"Aight."

"You know how when you do work, you don't want distractions, right?"

Darnell glanced at his classwork, "Crazy, right?"

Alicia followed his eyes and giggled, continuing, "Well if we invite anyone else, it'll be like a distraction."

"Oh really?"

"And… the harder it is for me to learn… the harder it is for you to teach, right?"

Darnell's eyes darted away for a moment, then came back, "True dat."

Alicia put her hands on her heart, "It needs to be convenient for you," she said.

"Convenient for me."

"So… we should go alone." Alicia put on a wide grin stretching from ear to ear.

Darnell paused for a moment. Alicia held the smile. Darnell returned to the assignment, then said, "We'll meet at your place tomorrow-"

"Yes!" Alicia shouted immediately.

Darnell smiled, "Be ready by 6 ight?"

"Gotcha!"