Surviving the Waves

Chapter 5 & 6

Chapter 5: Confrontation

The train moved through the dimly lit tunnel, the faint rumble of its wheels the only sound as the group sat in tense silence. Darius leaned against the window, his thoughts far away. He'd avoided Kenji and Brooklyn since they boarded, pretending to be focused on the dark landscape outside, but he could feel their eyes on him. They were probably wondering why he was so distant.

Finally, Kenji couldn't take it anymore. "Hey, Darius," he started, his voice uncertain but determined, "what's going on, man? You've been acting weird ever since I told you about Brooklyn and me."

Darius didn't immediately respond. He kept his gaze fixed out the window, his jaw clenched. He knew this conversation was coming—it was inevitable—but that didn't make it any easier. After a long pause, he sighed and turned to face them, keeping his expression neutral.

"I'm not acting weird," he said, his voice calm but distant. "I'm just focused on keeping everyone safe."

Brooklyn crossed her arms, her brow furrowing. "Darius, come on. We know you better than that. You've barely said a word to either of us since Kenji told you. If something's wrong, you can talk to us."

For a brief moment, Darius felt the urge to tell them the truth—to tell them how much it hurt, how he had been carrying feelings for Brooklyn that he didn't even know what to do with anymore. But he stopped himself. There was no point. What good would it do to burden them with his feelings, especially now?

He forced a small smile, shaking his head. "There's nothing to talk about. I'm happy for you guys, really. Besides..." He hesitated for just a second before continuing, "I see Brooklyn as a sister. That's all."

Brooklyn blinked in surprise, her expression softening as if she didn't quite believe him but didn't know how to respond. Kenji, on the other hand, looked relieved, a grin spreading across his face.

"See? I told you, Brook! Darius is cool with it," Kenji said, nudging her with his elbow.

Darius just nodded, his smile fading as he glanced at the others in the group, who were watching the exchange quietly. "Look, it's been a long day. We've all had enough excitement for one night. Why don't we get some rest? I'll keep watch."

There was a murmur of protest from the group, but Darius raised his hand to stop them. "I'm serious. Go to sleep. I'll wake you if anything happens."

One by one, the others reluctantly settled into their seats, the exhaustion of the day catching up to them. Brooklyn hesitated for a moment, looking like she wanted to say something, but she eventually followed Kenji's lead and sat down, resting her head against his shoulder.

Darius turned back to the window, his expression unreadable. He wasn't sure if anyone truly believed him when he said he saw Brooklyn as a sister. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. But it didn't matter.

As the train rumbled onward through the dark, Darius remained alert, his eyes scanning the passing shadows for any sign of danger. But in the silence of the night, he couldn't stop his mind from wandering back to what had been lost—what could never be. He told himself it didn't matter, that he had more important things to focus on.

But deep down, he knew the ache in his chest wasn't going away anytime soon.

Chapter 6: The Journey to the Yacht

The group had barely gotten any sleep by the time the train reached its final stop. Darius had kept his promise, keeping watch through the night, his mind racing with plans to get everyone to safety. When the first light of dawn filtered through the dusty windows, he roused the others, already formulating their next move.

"We're heading to the yacht," Darius announced, his voice firm. "If we get it running, we can make it back to the mainland."

Brooklyn, Kenji, and the others exchanged uncertain glances, but there was no hesitation in their steps as they followed Darius through the abandoned station. The tension from the night before lingered, but no one had the energy to address it. Survival was their priority.

It didn't take long to find the yacht. The sleek vessel sat at the edge of the dock, its white surface gleaming in the early morning light. Darius eyed it critically, scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger. They had made it this far, but Isla Nublar had a way of throwing curveballs at them when they least expected it.

"Everyone onboard," Darius ordered, glancing at the sky. "We need to leave before we attract any unwanted attention."

Yaz was the last to climb aboard, her eyes scanning the horizon. She had been unusually quiet throughout the journey, but Darius hadn't missed the way her gaze lingered on him from time to time. As the group worked to get the yacht ready, Darius found himself caught in a moment of calm—just a brief lull in the storm they'd been navigating for so long.