DOOM DAYS ✓

Chapter 2: Explosion Touch

Explosion Touch: the ability to make anything you touch explode.

tw: homophobic/racial slurs

Tiana is out of the doors the moment the bell rings, dragging Josh by his wrist and going on about some new building she wants to break into. They climb onto the city bus they take downtown every afternoon and sit in the second to last row, Tiana on the left and Josh on the right.

"There's supposed to be, like, tons of stuff left behind from that explosion seven years ago, which just so happened to be right before Alley Cat surfaced," she rants, pulling out her sketchbook from her bag. "People don't go in there because it's dangerous or whatever, but we have to go in. Who knows what might be in there!"

"So, you're trying to convince me to go with you into an abandoned building because you want to look for stuff that might have something to do with Atlanta's scariest villain," Josh says.

She nods. "Obviamente, isn't that what I just said?"

"You're going to get us both killed on this superhero crusade of yours," he laughs, leaning over the aisle and snatching one of her pencils from a side pocket.

Josh doodles a smiley face on the corner of the page. While he does so, Tiana sketches out a layout of all ten floors in swift, thin lines. She grabs a red pen and draws a path from what Josh assumes to be their entry point all the way up to the top floor.

"How'd you perfectly draw-"

"The layout of the floor?" Tiana grins. "You forget I have a photographic memory, J."

"Like you'd let me forget," he laughs.

When he takes a closer look, Josh knows exactly what building she's drawing. It's the old Vessel Industries facility that lays dormant in the middle of downtown.

One that killed a crew of over thirty scientists during a experiment gone wrong. Nobody dares to go exploring it because it's been on the brink of collapse for over seven years.

"You can't be serious about this," Josh says.

"Of course I am," she insists, rolling her eyes. "I'm always serious. And this could be perfect for your research on the superpowers of existing heroes."

He squeaks in protest. "Don't turn this around and make it about me-"

"I'm not! All I'm saying it that we can both benefit from this mini escapade, but only if you're down to do it too." She slaps her hands together and stares at him with wide, begging eyes.

"No, don't use those damn puppy dog eyes at me, you know I can't say no to those."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Josh tries to fight it, but eventually gives in and groans. "Fine! We can go tonight after dark since it's not a school night."

"Yes!" She cheers.

"But-" Josh puts a finger up, making Tiana deflate in frustration. "If I die, I'll hunt your stubborn ass for the rest of eternity."

She sends him a cheeky grin. "Bold of you to assume I'd let your dumb ass die."

They make a plan for that night, after her dad clocks in for the night shift. Since Josh usually spends Friday nights at Tiana's house anyways, it's not suspicious and they can sneak out with ease.

Or, at least, that was how it was supposed to go down. Josh hadn't factored in outside forces to interfere before they even got off the bus.

Case in point- Dallon Weekes.

Dallon is half a foot taller than the two sophomores, and three years older too. Not to mention he's as intimidating as a Mormon can be, with enough tattoos to be a mural and a vocabulary that extends to the amount of slurs he can fit into one sentence.

Josh is scared shitless of him. Tiana hates his guts.

He stops them when the bus stops outside of the library, blocking not only them but the other passengers from leaving. "What's up, faggot? Got your bodyguard on you this time?"

Tiana flares her nostrils, standing up straight to use up the extra inches she loses slouching. Josh can she's itching for a fight. They're far enough from the school that she won't get in trouble, but he won't take the chance.

"What do you want, Weekes?" Josh grumbles, shrinking into his sweater.

"Nothing, just making sure my favorite little shits are staying of trouble." He pushes Josh square in the chest, making him stumble into the person behind him. "Especially you, spic. You've gone through more schools than I've gone through chicks."

"So not that many, huh?" She counters, earning a shove back as well.

The bus driver barks for Dallon to move. As soon as Dallon turns his back to them, Tiana kicks his knees out from underneath him. She hops over the seats towards the door, pushing him further down with one swift kick to his back.

Josh scrambles to follow her, climbing the bus seats with less grace than his best friend. He makes it over Dallon and a few rows down when he feels a hand around his ankle. His chin smacks hard against the ridged bus floor, no doubt splitting it open.

"Let him go, asshole!" Tiana shouts.

Out of panic, Josh flops onto his back and kicks to get his foot free. He feels the bottom of his vans hit Dallon's teeth, and he flinches at the crack upon contact.

"Mother-"

"Levántate, you idiot!" Tiana's tugging on Josh's bookbag, urging him to his feet.

As soon as he's standing, she's dragging him again, and they bolt down the street. Josh can hear Dallon's outraged voice grow closer as they dart into an alleyway. He sees a fire escape that goes up to a cracked open door several stories up. It looks like a seemingly empty building, so Josh skids to a stop, nodding at the ladder.

Tiana looks the building up and down. "Uh, J, I think we're going to take our trip a little earlier than we expected."

Josh looks up and sees a large crooked logo that read VESSEL, with the second E dangling dangerously low from a string of cables. "Oh, you've got to be shitting me."

"Does it look like we have any other choice?"

He follows Tiana as she sprints up the shaky stairs, Dallon entering the alley as soon as they make it to the door. Together, they pull the rusty door wider, just enough for them to slip through. She dives in first, with Josh close behind, closing the door and shutting out Dallon's voice.