THE GRIM

THE GRIM 03.

THE GRIM —
ZOMBIES AREN'T REAL, SILLY!

DAY 384.

"bev?" yvonne's voice is faintly heard from upstairs.

beverly's head pops up from her work, blinking into the darkness, "down here!" she looks back at her photos, her eyes seeing freely in the dark space. the sounds of heels clicking against stone floors are heard as beverly concentrated, then slight yelp followed by an irritant sigh.

"girl, i almost fell," yvonne quips, wobbling next to beverly, squinting, "dark as hell in here." beverly moves over slightly as yvonne comes closer, allowing her some space as she worked at processing her photos.

"sorry vonnie," she said, her eyes still trained on what she was doing, "you need to be more careful, doll. what's with the heels? i thought you were going to the fair for this date." she turned to yvonne then, straightening her back.

yvonne frowned, "i am. i just came back from work, i came in just to check up on you," she motions to poke at one of beverly's photos in the water, but beverly quickly moves to pop her hand, "why do you even bother with this stuff anyway? it's so . . . old fashioned. nobody uses a darkroom anymore."

before beverly answered, she slightly moved yvonne back some so that she wouldn't accidentally bump into any chemicals, "nobody using it anymore is exactly why i do, vonnie, we've been over this i'm sure. my photos just need to be processed this way; they would look odd if i used something else. not enough contrast, too many light marks. too perfect and postcard-like. but not with this baby, with this, my photos come out just as i expect them to: perfectly flawed." she looked over at yvonne, smiling. yvonne looked at her friend fondly; she was so cute when she explained her passions.

"processing without my darkroom kind of removes me from my brand, you know? i'm probably the only photographer in paradise who uses a dark room, i'll bet you that." beverly bends back down to tend to her photos again.

at this, yvonne looked at her friend pointedly and snipped back, "more like you're the only talented photographer in paradise period." she watched beverly slip a photo out of the enlarger and adjust it to another photo.

beverly giggled cheekily at yvonne's comment, "not true."

"don't play modest with me, you know it is."

she did.

"anyway," beverly drawled, standing up straighter, "who're you going out with again?" then she remembered, "oh, the jack daniel's guy?"

yvonne snorted; that had been jeongguk's nickname as soon as she told beverly of the boy. she didn't ask why, it was just her way of remembering him. "yeah," yvonne replied, not knowing where to look, "he's sweet. we've been texting and stuff, and he's one of the only guys i know who isn't on social media every two seconds. he's so cute," she smiled, "i'm excited."

"you should be," beverly hummed, "it's been a while since you've been on a date, hasn't it? have fun, babygirl, make sure he protects you from all the zombies in the haunted house; you know how much of a scaredy-cat you are," she teases, not looking up.

yvonne scoffs playfully, "hey! who isn't afraid of something every once in a while?" she rolls her eyes, "i'm just frightened a bit more often, is all."

hearing beverly's bell-like laughter, she continues, "and zombies aren't real, silly! they shouldn't jump out and actually harm me or anything." she kisses her teeth, "i think i'm about to head out too, he's picking me up at 7."

beverly nods, continuing to process her photos in silence. in all honesty, yvonne did deserve this. she's been a bit underwhelmed of love since the outcome of her last relationship; and deserved someone to really treat her right. "mhm," she says, "he better behave tonight and treat you well, vonnie. i've still got my daddy's gun." she makes a face to ensure that she was serious, but yvonne couldn't see it and just laughs,

"girl, hush, you ain't ever gonna use that thing; it's been collecting dust for years!" she turns to stumble her way to the stairs, "have a good night, bev! mwah, mwah!"

beverly turns, faintly seeing her figure struggle to ascend her basement stairs, "you too, vonnie! and i was serious!"

—
a/n: the way i haven't wrote for this in years 😬 oopsie
still love y'all tho 🥰😗