The day itself was quite unremarkable. There was no excess gloom, no weeping skies, nor tormented storms. The sun shown weakly throughout the lightly clouded sky, sending out waves of warmth as it traveled across the sky.

As the day turned to night, the warm air from the previous hours still fluttered about the darkness, softly caressing the skin of those wandering in the darkness. The weather was warm and soothing, the wind carrying with it the promise of a pleasant summer.

It was an evening of reprieve for the three friends as they strolled through the downtown district that was filled with various bars and clubs. The night was to be spent in joy and mirth, forgetting the realities of their lives, if only for a few hours. The warm night gave them the opportunity to rejoice, something that they had nearly forgotten how to do. The world had made them weary, much too weary for their youth.

The eldest watched her two friends with a concerned eye all throughout the night. Her heart felt heavy with worry, as if warning her that something was coming. She'd always done her best to look out for them and protect them if she could, even when it meant protecting them from themselves. She'd had to give more than one lecture for foolish behavior which seemed to be becoming a habit for the two. It seemed that the stress of life had only hindered their abilities to think through their actions.

She was unable to sulk, however, as she was sucked into their merriment. Tonight was not about worrying of what had passed or what was to come. Tonight was for them to celebrate being alive and persevering.

"Oh they've stopped the karaoke," the shortest and youngest of the group pouted, glaring at the DJ as he began to pack up his equipment. That was no fun; that had been the reason this bar had been chosen. They wanted to drink themselves into bliss, and then annoy the other patrons of their awful, drunken renditions of hit songs.

"Looks like it's time to find another bar then," the tallest grinned cheekily, throwing back the rest of her drink even has her companions both winced. She was going to be a stumbling mess by the end of the night. The girl sat down her cup and left a bill on the bar as payment before ushering her two friends out. "Let's go then, we've got lots of drinking left to do."

"Hey Sadie," the shorter girl whispered to her older friend who was watching the third stumbling out of the bar in amusement. "Ten bucks says Tessa ends up throwing up in the next place's bathroom before last call."

The older girl looked at her friend with a small smirk on her face. It was a reasonable bet, it wouldn't be the first time that had happened, and with Tessa's problems at home and with her family, she was likely to try to drink her misery away tonight. But Sadie had noticed something her friend hadn't.

"She hasn't had vodka tonight," she grinned, clapping her friend on the shoulder and chuckling when her smile dropped. "You're on."

"Fuck," the short girl groaned to herself. There went ten dollars.

"Would you two hurry your asses up?!" Tessa hollered from the middle of the street, the flimsy material of her dress whipping about her in the warm spring wind. "Your legs are short Lillian, but not short enough to make you this slow!"

"Hey now!" her friend replied indignantly, suddenly taking more hurried, determined steps to catch up with her friend. "That was just uncalled for! You know-"

It was then that Sadie saw it, the reason that she had felt so unsettled the entire night. A bright, luminous light was barreling toward her two friends, ready to consume them.

"No!" she screamed, leaping toward them to try to push them away from the surrounding light. It was so bright, so very bright. She couldn't see anything. She hit the ground hard, next to her two friends, and let out a sob of fear as she saw the shadows of approaching figures.

And I still believe in the good
And I still believe in the light
And I wanna feel the sun
I wanna free you tonight
And I still believe in the good
And I still believe in the light
And I wanna feel the sun
I wanna free you tonight