Black Roses {Skephalo}

Day Twenty

—————  4 days remaining —————
Saturday, January 20th, 5:27 pm

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-Darryl's POV-

"Zak we really should tell them..."

I watch the boy in front of me, who's awkwardly fiddling with the headphones around his neck. His laptop lays in his lap, editing software open in the background. He takes a deep breath, sighing heavily. "Darryl I've already told you, we can sort this ourselves."

"Well maybe if you believed that yourself, I'd be more convinced." There's no confidence in Zak's eyes. He looks defeated, like he's accepted the task is impossible. It's near impossible, that's for sure, but there's still hope.

Somewhere.

Tension hangs thick in the air, silence dragged out so long it's awkward. Zak grabs his headphones, placing them back over his ears. The clicking of his fingers on the keys is the only thing audible other than the rush of wind outside.

Rat barks at my feet, circling one of my legs with concern. She then goes over to Zak, pawing at his leg for attention. He ignores her, something very out of character for the usual excitable boy.

He just looks...

Empty...

His chocolate eyes are soulless, the usual mischievous glint shining through them swallowed up. It's like an extinguished candle, sitting lifeless to until someone kindles the light back into it. I've tried desperately to be that lighter, but you can't light a candle that has no wick.

This demon has taken the Zak out of Zak. He's not the chirpy, loving boy that he was before. Even yesterday he was brighter, hopeful. There was a spark in him that has since died out.

I take a seat beside Zak, who for some reason decided to sit on the floor. He doesn't move at all, headphones still over his ears. I wrap an arm around him, bringing him closer. Almost immediately he pushes my arm away, scooting further across the room.

How do I reach him?

Rat lays beside me where Zak was, leaning against my leg. She looks at me with large eyes, as if sensing something is wrong.

What if...

I pick up the little Maltese, holding her tightly. She tries to escape, but quietens down when I take her in the direction of Zak. I edge across the room very slowly, taking careful steps across the floor as to avoid the creaking floorboards. I kneel beside Zak, holing the fluffy dog up to his face. Rat yips happily, licking Zak's cheek.

The raven boy turns to her, and I wonder if it worked. His eyes hold a hollow glare, the life sucked from them. "I think I'll head home" he says quietly. Rat circles his legs as he stands, getting in the way of his things. Zak pushes the dog aside, gentle enough not to hurt it but not gentle enough to actually care.

After packing his things, he heads for the door. On instinct I spin him back around, pulling him into a hug. He doesn't bother to hug back. I lower my head, our lips so close they almost touch.

Surely he'll kiss me...

I wait for him to close the gap, hoping desperately that he will. A sparkle shines in his eyes as he tilts his head up, reflecting back from the lights. He contemplates it, you could practically see the cogs spin in his mind. Something breaks through the sadness in that moment.

But only briefly, the light swiftly engulfed by despair once more. One second a spark is there, the next it's gone. "I-" he chokes on his words, debating how to end the sentence. Words fail him, leaving the space quiet.