When Charlie descended the dark and empty stairs, it was cave-like, his footfalls echoed in the shadowy blackness. There was no light at the end of the tunnel, though he knew the world outside was not that far away. He could see nothing, he only held onto the handrail and took his time.

He glanced overhead pointlessly. The lightbulb that should have been in place and lit up at the motion detection seemed not to be working. He shrugged it off and when he reached the bottom he was finally close enough to see the glass exit.

Charlie pushed the door open and searched in the predawn dark for his friends, he knew where to look. The overhead street lamp just off to the right, out of view of the building, it was blinking on and off, but when it lit up, there they were.

It was easier for him to see into the light than for them to see out of it, and so Charlie didn’t bother waving. His heart however, ‘wavered’. His last visit, ‘I wasn’t exactly welcomed… not that I blame them, but still.’ He thought, and looked over his shoulder back to his home. The building was one big common cube, a simple ordinary structure built entirely for function, fitting for its purpose but nothing beautiful about it.

His eyes lingered on the building, the door that would take him back inside and back to his quarters. Then he turned again and saw them chattering away under the light. They had their backs to him while they watched Josef do a series of back flips, each time shouting “Hup… hup… hup…” as he pushed off the ground.

Charlie smirked, the big oaf was usually the first to be seen, and the center of attention when he wanted to be, usually just to play around.

He reached down and touched the gut he had hanging off of him and swallowed his nervousness with an audible gulp before he ambled across the street.

When he drew closer, Charlie could hear them.

“...I really don’t think he’ll show. I mean he didn’t even stick around before.” Judy remarked while tying off her ponytail at the base of her skull.

“Does or doesn’t, I’m running anyway.” Charlie heard Philip remark.

Charlie had his hand up when he heard them, then slowly let it droop down to his side. He forced a smile he didn’t feel and announced louder than he needed to, “I made it! I hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”

Josef landed on his feet with a final decisive hop with a goofy grin on his face. “See, ten and I’m not even dizzy. Coffee is on you, Mary.”

“Nuts.” She snapped her fingers. “I didn’t think you could even do one.”

“He’s always been full of surprises.” Charlie replied while they turned to see him approach. “Are we doing this or what?” He said as close to his old self as he could.

Before Judy could say anything, he moved to what would be the back of the line.

“Same route as yesterday, we’re going to keep it simple for the week…” Mark said with a sheepish grin briefly illuminated by the overhead light before it blinked out again and then died completely after one final fizzling pop.

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“Okay… I worked late and didn’t have time to lay the trail. Sue me.” Mark chuckled and the rest of his group chuckled with him.

“Meh, a few repetitions won’t hurt.” Judy pointed out with a casual flip of her hand against her bouncing auburn hair.

“I bought better beer to make up for it.” Mark said with a bigger grin that was somewhat less sheepish.

“Our hero.” Charlie sprang into the conversation and opened his mouth to laugh.

Silence greeted him.

Josef cleared his throat, “We ready or what?” He covered the awkward moment.

“Ah, yeah…” Mark accepted the cover, lined up with the others.

“Just don’t die out here, Charlie.” Judy admonished him, but to that, Charlie was silent.

“Go!” Mark called out and took off.

Charlie began to jog.

He ran in silence while he watched the rest of the group take off, some pairing up, others springing ahead.

Josef however, seemed to be content to pace Charlie.

“You do-don’t have to le-let me hold y-you back.” Charlie huffed and puffed, his body fat jiggling and bouncing in ways that made him glad it was the earliest hours of the morning before anyone else was around.

“Nah, it’s no problem.” Josef looked down at him and answered, “I go where I choose and am where I am, and it’s fine.” He said with a steady, easy tone that said he was not even trying.

Silence stretched out again.

“I told them you’d be here.” Josef said, “That’s why I didn’t bother to come knocking. I knew you would make it.”

“H-H-How could you know th-that?” Charlie gasped out.

“Because you were always stubborn.” Josef replied.

“Ah-hah-ah,” Charlie huffed, “Not e-enough to f-finish yes-yesterday.” He huffed and puffed along, and Josef was quiet again.

Until they’d gone an eighth of a mile further, and then Josef added, “But now you’re a little farther than you were just the other day. That’s something.” Josef pointed out, and Charlie, in answer, just kept jogging.

Unable to concentrate, and in too much pain too soon, Charlie was unable to determine just how far they ran that morning before he was reduced to walking. But one word came to mind, ‘Farther.’

Josef on the surface, seemed to him to be correct, it was farther than before, and they reached the coffee shop just as the sun began to appear on the distant horizon to bring a daylight Charlie still wasn’t comfortable in.

“You’ve still got my card?” Charlie asked.

“Yeah, and… I did with it what you said… both kids got a nice tombstone and I set up the start of a college fund in their names for their last sibling.” Josef answered.

“Both...?” Charlie asked, briefly closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before walking through the gate of the outdoor seating area.

“Yeah, the little boy and little girl, I went to see their mother… horrible mess, turns out she had another son… you covered the medical costs, the funeral, and… well with a little extra, they’ll be taken care of… I didn’t go too far, did I?” He asked and removed the card from his pocket.

Charlie shook his head, “No… no that’s not it…” He bit his lip and Josef extended the black card back to him.

Charlie held up a soft, sweat covered hand while looking down at the card. “Keep it, get another round for everyone on me, I’m not… not comfortable right now, you know? Making them feel at ease in… the time left, that’s fine. I just…” Charlie moved his palm in a sharp wave up and down the surface of his body. “Not liking this right now…”

“Sure man… sure.” Josef answered and with some reluctance, slipped the card back into his pocket, going into the shop, while Charlie thought better of his brief desire to take a seat, went back out the low black metal gate, and jogged back to his apartment.

When he returned, the big bags were just where he left them, waiting to be thrown out. They seemed to be staring at him, and over on the table by the head of his bed, a little round black alarm clock had begun to beep.

The trash and filth of his apartment began to vex him more in that moment than it ever had before, his jaw clenched, his fat fingers tightened into fists, a fog of confusion and loathing for what lay around him held his every sensation hostage and for what felt like minutes but was likely seconds, he could not move.

“I can’t… fucking… stand it.” He hissed, unsure of what he even truly meant when he darted his over his shoulder to the empty hall and out where the rest of his friends were still running while Josef waited for them at the Starbucks.

Whatever it was, when Charlie gained the ability to move again, he stormed to his kitchen, yanked up the gloves, grabbed the black bags and began to violently throw things into place, starting with the little alarm clock, and then piling more, and more, and more trash on top of it, and happy to see it gone.