Page 69 of Not Her Day to Die

Down in the dark depths of the concrete hallway with the flickering bulb, I walk briskly to the cracked door. The same one as before.

My heart is pounding out of my chest, my forehead is sweating, my palms cool and clammy, my temple pounding with each step.

But when I make it inside the room, when I see the big red button, when I slam my palm onto it and watch through the CCTV as the metal doors slide open, all of my previous anxiety and unease filters out of me.

Until the door behind me slams shut, and I scream.

34

October 7th

Where is she?

He has been circling the same spot for longer than he wants to acknowledge, but he can’t find the entrance. But heknowsshe is nearby. Can practically feel her. It is causing his blood to pulsate with unused energy.

In the distance, sirens have ignited the night and Darius knows he’s running out of time before this entire place turns sideways. Circling back one more time, he closes his eyes and simply allows his feet to guide him.

And that’s how he finds the entrance. He runs into it, literally. Rubbing his head with one hand and drawing back vegetation with the other, a metal door reveals itself. It is built into a tree and is nearly impossible to find if you don’t already know where it is.

Or have some innate power tugging me towards the girl I love.

Stomping behind him draws his attention, and he twists uneasily.

“You! What are you doing out here?” a guard yells.

Darius doesn’t recognize one of the men that is pointing a gun at his face.

But the other, he does.

Disbelief and shock are knives that stab him over and over again.

“I’m Sterling’s son.” He puts his hands up, pretending he doesn’t recognize either of the men. “I’m here on his order.”

The two men exchange a look. From this distance, Darius can’t tell if they believe him or not. It is too dark and the trees are much thicker here, leaving no room for the moonlight to trickle through.

The man he recognizes twists back first. “You and I both know better than that,”Ricksneers, leveling his gun at Darius. “No hard feelingsboy.Surely your father will understand it’s better off if you don’t make it out of here.”

Darius doesn’t have the chance to think of an exit strategy before two gun shots ring out.

He winces, expecting pain, but when there is nothing, he rolls his lips and flares his nostrils, exhaling heavily.

The two men who had been questioning him slump to the ground and from behind them, Axel and Grayson step out.

A smile and relief spark to life.

“Thank fuck, I needed to see him die,” Axel exclaims, shifting his attention towards Darius. “There you are!” He runs up, gathering Darius into his arms.

“Darius,” Grayson says. “I’m happy to see you here, but where is Sunday?”

Axel lets go of him and looks around. “She isn’t with you? Where is she? Is she okay?” The questions are fired rapidly, growing increasingly desperate and their happy reunion is short-lived.

Darius’s joy at seeing his brothers transforms into guilt. “We were separated after–” He can’t speak it into existence. At least not yet. The others will need to know what he was made to do. And if they can’t forgive him? Well, he would worry about that once they were reunited with Sunday. “She’s down there, I just found the door.”

He turns back and wastes no more time in opening it. Inside is complete and utter darkness, but Axel whips out his phone’s flashlight.

Down and down they go.

The stairs are steep, but they all move swiftly. They are shrouded in complete silence save for their footsteps. But the closer they get to what Darius thinks should be the end, they all start to hear it.