We, as sentient, self-aware beings, constantly search for self-worth, a reason to move forward, to find meaning in a world balanced by light, and dark. The intellectual pursuit that one individual can be something such as "important", can often lead to the possible conclusion of quite the opposite; a blip, a grit of truth that wears down the soul, bringing bouts of depression and unhappiness, and occasional glimpses of the reality that most choose to hide from.

The halls were dark, and cold, and the black watch around her lean wrist beeped, as the numbers appeared in a sharp green light, cutting through the heavy atmosphere - 8:30pm. The soft light dispersed through the hallway she walked down, radiating from the low lit ceiling lights, gave a gentle, yellow glow, a comfort in comparison to the buzzing, and planning in the stranger's mind. She hummed a foreign, forgotten tune. No one knew what it was, and neither did she. The sound of her thick hiking boots playfully jumped off the walls, and hints of nostalgia and distraction were quickly pushed aside as she strolled, dark body hunched forward as if she could hide from no one that was there to watch her. The feeling of eyes never dissipated these days.

Charlie had heard of the darkners several times by this point, even before the new species of these creatures were discovered underground just weeks ago, stumbled upon by children no less. They were foreign, aggressive, and struggling with the acclimation to life above ground.

The interview with Susie was a week ago after the incident. A monster, perhaps a head shorter than Charlie, gave an inspiring, yet harsh rundown of what went down when her and the other child had pushed through the barrier in the closet - if that's what it was. Charlie was about to find out.

The boots stopped their soft clicking, just at the end of the foreboding hall Charlie traveled down, staring into the abyss, the gaping blackness of the caverns and entire world just a few yards beneath her feet. Unzipping the pocket on her dark jumpsuit, a phone was produced, followed by a dial and waiting seconds before a smoky, baritone voice spoke.

"You're there?"

"Yeah, confirming coordinates. I'm about to descend."

"Are you ready, Chuck? Headlamp ready?"

"I brought it, but I shouldn't need it, the kids maneuvered fine down there without any tools, it's almost amazing. I'm planning to be in, and out with him before midnight."

"This isn't some light job. We've still got a few people left down there, hostiles. No one's even gone to the damn prison cell yet for that nut job."

"I know, I'm doing that tonight."

"This isn't going to be an in and out procedure, kid. His files present he's armed, unstable-"

A sigh escaped Charlie, audible over the phone as the agitation set in standing in place, she was completely aware of the hell she was putting herself in. She raised her voice as she stepped forward, into the descending void ahead.

"Fuck, can I walk while we do this? I'm wasting time here. I read the specs. He has magic."

There was a gentle slope of Earth, a brownish/purple, soft and muddy by contact, causing Charlie to delicately step through. Placing a hand on the wall, her other hand continued the debate she was looking forward to ending so quickly.

"I get it, just dunno why they want him 'out' with the rest of the world?"

"We've talked about this. The data listed his reason for imprisonment was speculating and questioning things, I didn't catch reports of violence."

"The kids completely missed him, didn't they?"

Charlie was silent. They missed him, yes. Whomever locked him here did a good job of making it difficult to get him back out. She spoke.

"The other 'darkeners' are adjusting well with the programs, they also -just- got out, we can't leave anyone behind. If he's trapped down there, we have a job to do. I. Have a job to do."

"Okay. Reason with Jevil, you have the sedative if you need to use force."

"I'm the scariest thing here, relax. I need to go."