Of Solar And Dark (2018)

7 [E]

Edward Kenning

That must be what Daniel was trying to avoid telling me. That the members of the group he belonged to had loved ones that were turned into Darks. As soon as Luke reveals his backstory, I feel myself turn to look at Daniel almost accusingly.

Did he think that I could not handle the truth? There is a pain that sears along my heart as I feel him steadily look away as we continue to make our way to the safehouse. Even though it must be hard for him to live with that fact, it does not mean that I should be left out of such an important piece of information. Especially when this Resistance group is after my brother.

Lowering my voice such that it nearly blends in with the sound of my shoe scrapping against the dry, cracked earth, I turn to whisper at Daniel.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He pretends that he can't hear me but I notice the way the muscles in his jaw stiffens as the way tension seeps through his body, draining the ease and comfortability his stance has provided him with.

Finally realising that he can't avoid me, Daniel answers.

"Look, things are already complicated, what with our political situation and the risk of Solars and Darks at war. You also have a brother who is at risk. I didn't want to put too much on your plate, especially since we just met."

"You know that isn't an excuse to not tell me about what your history with the Resistance."

Daniel heaves a sigh that aches for peace but I refuse to lift my defiant stare from his eye level.

"Even if I didn't tell you that, you should know about it."

"No one has ever told me anything." Living in the cramped apartment devoid of any way to commute with the outside world other than the communication device that only links us up with a partner if we have their number, I don't really keep in touch with the news. I have never really talked to anyone other than Teddy and dropping out of school at a young age to work and get paid translated to no friends.

"You're joking, right? Almost everyone knows about the Solars that were taken and turned into Darks. We're guessing that's what happened to the Solars that were taken from the Plaza today." Daniel's voice is hushed into a whisper that I can barely make out.

As I shake my head, Daniel frowns at me, "Guess the government must really do a great job at shushing things up. I doubt they can get away with what happened at the Plaza today, though."

"We're here."

We come to an immediate stop as Alex announces that we have reached our destination. I survey the landscape excitedly only to realise that we're standing on a piece of barten land- there is nothing around us save for the sight I see everyday- trees and dry ground, with the ocassional lights installed along the trunks and branches of the trees.

"This is the safehouse." Luke says, except it doesn't sound like a question. It comes out like a harsh sarcastic comment which rings painfully in my ears.

The Solars narrow their eyes at him, given the fact that they had provided aid and he was acting like an ungrateful brat but said nothing. Alex scuffs the dirt beneath his shoe and I watch, fascinated, as the sediments slowly push aside from the friction of his soles.

Daniel and Luna get beside him, shifting the what seems to be ordinary dirt away with the tips of their shoes but as they push out more soil, I begin to get a glimpse of a dark surface, rounded and crusted with the soil around it.

Once all the dirt is shoved aside, Alex leans down and his fingers spread along the rim of a manhole cover. There is a small gap where his fingers rest and he dips them inside, feeling for something. As he seals his eyes shut and twists his fingers, I hear two sharp clicks followed by one final snap.