Day's End

To Be Alive Again

((A/N: So, I just want to put a trigger warning at the beginning of this one just to be on the safe side. Do not fear, author notes will be rare.))


7:43 A.M.
Two months before the outbreak.

       Sidney awoke from their sleeping state, only to be greeted by the pacing footfalls of their father. Joseph hadn't been getting much sleep after she had died, and Sidney's early awakening was a sign that his pacing was getting disruptive.
          As of a typical teenager, Sidney was used to sleeping in on the mornings, but, for the sake of at least pretending that they cared about their father, Sidney pulled themselves out of bed. They often wondered why their father even cared; after all, he wasn't even there during those few paralyzingly nerve-wracking days. 
            Sidney sighed as they stomped down the stairs, and their growing body already demanded food in the form of a growling stomach. They slid their hand through their ruffled, slightly greasy hair and reluctantly walked into the connecting room, past the place where the solution to their body's demands lay.
"Dad," Sidney groaned. "What's wrong with you?"
"I'm just thinking," Joseph curtly answered, continuing his pacing without so much as a glance at his son.
"Why do you even care? You weren't there," Sidney grumbled, in far too bad of a mood to pride themselves in their unintentional rhyme. "Don't you dare start with that," Joseph demanded, raising his voice only slightly.
"Fine, fine, but it's not like you missed her funeral or anything," Sidney tempted, ruffling their hair once more and wandering off into the kitchen.
"I was half way across the country, for God's sake! What the hell did you expect me to do?" The elder shouted.
Sidney scrunched up their noise in displeasure at their father's tone. "So, what? Are you just going to live your life in regret and not give a shit about your kids? Just because you've stopped eating, doesn't mean everybody else will."
"Just shut up and go back up to your room," Their father sighed, slouching down on the couch.
"And why should I?" Sidney dared, taking out a jar of peanut butter from a cabinet and eating it as is.
Joseph didn't look up when he answered, "Because I don't want to see you anymore."
Sidney's mouth pulled down into a scowl, and they muttered under their breath, "Asshole."
            Without another word to their father, Sidney stomped upstairs, hoping that their stomps sufficed in communicating their anger. Leaning from his own doorway stood the young boy's older brother, flashing them a lop-sided smile. "Hey, kid," He brightly greeted, ruffling their dark hair. "Is dad any better?"
Sidney's shoulders relaxed, as they were previously tensed from their anger. "Not one bit."
"That's a shame," He whispered, his grin slowly faltering. "Anyway, whadd'ya say about going to town to see Aunt Mary?"
Sidney smiled. "Yeah, sure; it's not like dad will care anyway. But, isn't it, like, five hours away?"
"Does it matter, Sid? You'll be gone longer, and maybe she'll let us stay the night."
Sidney looked up at him without even half a minute's worth of debating and enthusiasticly answered, "Hell yeah!"
"Just a sec'. Gonna write the old man a note."
             The brother finished up his note and laid it outside his open door, and it read as follows: 'Yo, me and Sid are going over to Aunt Mary's, so don't worry about us. She might let us stay the night. 
                                         - Kegan'
​​​​​​
"Alright, little man, let's go," Kegan said, grabbing his helmet helmet that sat on the very top of the stairs and handing it to Sidney. "You can wear it; I'll be fine."
           Sidney proudly wore their brother's bike helmet and followed him out of the house, trampling on a faded, green mat that bore the word 'Welcome'. Beside the house to the left sat Kegan's motercycle, and the owner of said vehicle mounted and started the engine, patting the padded seat behind his own. Sidney hopped up behind their brother, holding on to his sides as the two sped off.

3:49 P.M. 
A week before the outbreak.

             Kegan and Sidney snuggled up to eachother, both wrapped in blankets as their eyes were trained on the T.V. before them. Neither really bothered to watch the news prior, but this they considered too interesting not to. "Holy shit!" Sidney exclaimed. "Did they really shoot him six times? And he's still going?"
Kegan, who, being more mature, was stricken with worry at the sight, but he nevertheless feigned laughter. "Damn, I guess so."
Joseph strolled in on his two sons, taking a peek at the television. "Something the matter, boys?"
Sidney scrambled off of Kegan's shoulders and to their own spot. "Dad, check this out,"              They hurriedly exclaimed, rewinding the program for their father to witness the scene.
The man sighed deeply. "That's strange.." Still keeping his eyes on the T.V., Joseph awkwardly tapped the top of the object and walked back into the kitchen. "Keep an eye out for anything."
"Yeah.." Kegan muttered. "Will do."
              Even when the others were visibly disturbed by the predicament, Sidney remained awe-stricken and naive. 

1:32 A.M.
Three weeks after the outbreak; the day Kegan went missing. 

          Sidney tossed and turned, grumbling to themselves about the thunder that still rang in their ears. They dejectedly sat up, giving up on sleep completely and tiptoed out of their room. Sidney traversed the messy hallway and knocked on Kegan's door; receiving no answer, they figured he was still asleep and let themselves in. 
               However, Sidney was met only with an empty bed and bunched up sheets, and, on the desk near the bed, still laid the note Kegan had written to their father; Joseph hadn't bothered to check with them, and Kegan hadn't bothered to clean his room. 
               They slowly shut the door and made their way down the stairs, careful not to wake up their father. Sidney peeked outside and, at this point, began to panic; Kegan's motercycle was missing from its usual place.
               As the kid jumped back from the blinds, an expression of panic began to show on their face, and they dashed up the stairs, barging into Joseph's room and shaking him awake. "Dad! Dad, wake up! Kegan's missing!" Sidney shouted desperately.

5:18 P.M.
Three years after the outbreak. 

            Rose and Sidney both entered Sidney's former home; everything had remained untouched since she had found them. Rose, with her hook in hand, waited at the bottom of the steps as Sidney jogged up. "What did you need again, Sidney?" She yelled up, her voice muffled by the walls of Kegan's room.
"I just wanted to see something is all! Don't worry!" They yelled back, carefully stepping over piles of clothes in their brother's messy room.
                 There it laid; the note that Kegan had written years ago. Sidney, unlike before, finally bothered to pick it up and read it over and over again before folding it and placing it in their hoodie's pocket. Sidney quickly descended and was greeted by Rose's voice, "That was quick. Did you get what you needed?"
"Yeah, I got it." They patted their pocket. "I think I know where we should go next."
Rose looked down. "Where's that?"
Sidney smiled, rubbing the back of their neck shyly. "I know it's far, but we could go to my aunt's house. You know, for old time's sake."