Darkness Falling

End of Days: Chapter Two

1
Our reality…

Eleanor removed the VR headset and looked up at the night sky, her heart racing. Darkness had fallen, and the old, haunting golf course sent shivers up her spine. She could hear endless yips from coyotes, dozens of hungry eyes searching for their next meal, which the pack could rip apart and devour.

She grabbed her backpack, put the VR headset into its case, and zipped it up. Then, she hurried out of the drainage ditch and jogged to the road connecting her street. The lights from the apartment building guided her. She rushed inside her apartment, locking the deadbolt, feeling a weight lifted. There, she saw a note left on the kitchen table.

She set her pack down and picked it up:

E, there are some hot dogs in the microwave for dinner. Had to get to work a little early. Don’t burn the place down, and don’t leave the headset on its charger. – Mom

“Of course, she’d say something about the headset,” Eleanor set the note down, annoyed, “And I only left it on the charger once—maybe twice. It’s not like I…”

There was a bang, and someone stopped at the front door. Eleanor could see the shadow of feet behind the door gap. She heard paper rustling and the rickety sound of a masking tape dispenser.