Pawtners in Crime | Skephalo

.:To scent the invader of your domain:.

CHAPTER 6

──────

Bright light shines through the blinds, alerting Darryl to the oncoming morning. Quiet birds chirp outside of the building  as he threw the blankets off from his tense body, rubbing sleep from his tired eyes. He stepped out of bed and onto carpeted floor, crouching down under his desk and pulling open the mini fridge's door handle. He took a container of spaghetti that his mom cooked for him the day before and slipped on his socks and shoes-- though he didn't really need them, since the college campus dormitory building is basically his home. He trudged through the cleared hallways, feeling cold air rush at him from every angle. It wasn't early enough to be freezing cold outside, but it was still pretty cold for Spring. I let my mind wander as I made my way to the cafeteria area. I set my container in the microwave with the top slightly popped off so it didn't explode under the heat(don't ask). It was finished in no time, mind numbing any emotions I wished to feel at that time. Sadness, fear, paranoia to protect me in her absence. No, I didn't feel a thing. I went back to my dorm and ate my breakfast spaghetti in silent thought, feeling myself on the verge of tears yet so far away at the same time. That's how my story goes, isn't it?

Being without Lucy should be setting new levels of fear for me, shouldn't it? Then why do I feel nothing? I stabbed my fork into the warmed pasta, trying not to let my mind wander this morning. I don't feel okay going out-- I didn't go to college yesterday, my mom actually called in for me that day right before we explained the situation. I had to call in again-- I don't think I could ever go back without her, it doesn't feel the same. The same memory keeps replaying in my head.

Two years ago, when Lucy was still in training, she missed an alert. I fainted and hit my head so hard that I ended up in the hospital for three days. Some kids were cooing at her from a distance, and I didn't think much of it. The next part was hazy, and my mom (who was thankfully there) told me I was bleeding so much that she thought someone had spilled a red paint bucket. 

It was terrifying. I didn't want to go back to a hospital ever again in my life-- the only reason I would end up there would be if something bad had happened, right? 

Not to be a Debby-downer, but something bad can happen at any moment. You can't predict that the next morning you wake up will be your last, or your job is going to fire you, or that your mother will end up in the hospital. But it still happens. Today could be your last if you take your dog on a walk in the wrong area, and get hit by a car, or faint and hit something way too hard.

Before I knew it, dawn turned into bright afternoon. I listened to music through blaring headphones, currently writing an email to my biology professor about our latest lesson. My phone buzzed from beside me, and I used one hand to grab it off of my nightstand where it laid. I finished the sentence I was working on before opening the notification I got. It was a text notification, from contact 'Zak Ahmed'. It was already after school was 'over' for the most part-- I didn't know about his night schedule, but I figured he wouldn't be in class right now.

A smile tugged at my lips when I realized it was him. We haven't texted since the incident happened, and I haven't gone to school- so we haven't seen each other either.

'Why havent u been to school? u sick?'

I quickly typed a response, met by an even faster reply. 'Sorry Zak, I'm just worried about going places other than my dorm without Lucy'

'Oh, i'm sorry dude. I'm sure she'll turn up eventially'

I chuckled softly at his bad spelling and grammar. 'it's ok. i'd rather be where it's safe in case i have an episode'