Deep Beneath (DD)

"Deep Beneath" is the fifth episode of Season 1 of Dark Days. It is the fifth episode overall. It premiered on October 13, 2018.

Synopsis
"Time moves forward at the university, as past actions have very dire consequences."

Plot
The basement door creaks open a bit, becoming ajar enough for an eye to poke out, looking around. The door opens a bit more, revealing Dahlia. She continues to slowly creep out from the door, as quietly as she can, looking around cautiously.

The moment she turns around and closes the door, she hears someone behind her. “Everything good Dahl--”

“Jesus fucking--!” Dahlia swivels around where she stands, slamming her back against the door. She exhales hard, glaring at Raye. “Don’t fucking scare me like that, you bastard.”

Raye snorts and chuckles, shaking his head. “Sorry, wasn’t trying to.”

Dahlia sighs, before chuckling herself, brushing hair away from her face. “God, I thought you were Noire for a second. He’d throw me off a cliff if he saw me trespassing.”

“No shit… he’d lose it if he found us out.” Raye agrees. “I was just coming to check out the basement.”

“Was just down there, couldn’t find anything.” Dahlia shakes her head, crossing her arms as they start to walk away from the door. “With everything that’s happened these past few days, I’ve forgotten about the walkers getting inside. Thinking about it again just kinds puts me on edge even more.”

“It’s putting Alex on edge too. He and I are dealing with all this shit differently.” Raye shrugs. “He’s worried about the walkers, and I’m… just trying to deal with the fact that we’ve lost, like, a dozen people in the past half week, after a year of safety.”

Dahlia nods. “It’s fucking scary.”

There’s silence between the two again, for only a few moments, before Raye speaks up. “You and Warren doing okay? I haven’t seen you two together for a bit, and neither of you have seemed too into each other, if you catch my drift.”

“We’re fine, Raye.” She says quickly. “We’re both fine, we’re just under a lot of stress.”

Raye sighs. “I can relate…” He mutters.

“We just have to focus on the investigation.” Dahlia quickens her pace, Raye stumbling a bit just to keep up with her. “With shit hitting the fan so quickly lately, there’s really… just no time for him and I to focus on our relationship.”

“But won’t that just hurt you both?”

“I said we’re fine, Raye!” Dahlia snaps at him, before realizing what she did. “... sorry, just, go meet with Alex and scout the perimeter of the walls. Check every brick, even the smallest crack could be some kind of clue.”

Raye nods silently, before firing back with a quip, “See you later Daphne, tell Fred I said hi.”

Dahlia laughs again and walks off. “Go fuck a talking dog, you idiot.”

“Right back atcha.” Raye grins at her, but his smile fades the moment he turns around.

“''Hey! Hey you! Yeah, that’s right, I’m talking to you!''”

Chad repeatedly slams the crowbar against the gates of the university, attracting a few of the undead that have huddled around near the entrance. “Get over here, ya fuckin’ geek!”

They snarl and growl, shambling to the gate. He steps back as their rotted arms sway and flail through the bars. Once enough of them gather, Chad drops the crowbar, pulling an ice pick from his pocket instead.

He grunts as he thrusts the pick through one of the brittle skulls of the undead, tearing it out as the body collapses. Chad steps back again, narrowly avoiding a grabbing arm, as he picks up the crowbar and presses it against one of the arms. It slams against the bars and crushes, no longer flailing towards him dangerously. He stabs the ice pick into another head and backs up.

“Two down, two to go…” He mutters, setting the ice pick down and swinging the crowbar down through the bars, striking one of the remaining walkers in the head and killing it instantly. Just as he backs up, however, Erika is at his side, using the ice pick and thrusting it into the final undead forehead.

Chad tosses the crowbar aside. “I was handling it fine.”

Erika rolls her eyes as she tosses the ice pick back to him. “You look like a dork and sound like an airhorn.”

Chad shakes his head with a chuckle. “Dammit Erika… you’re the dork.”

“The correct term is ‘bitch’, thank you very much.” Erika smiles, taking his hands. “Sooooo? We gonna mess around tonight?”

He smirks, pulling her close. “You know it… ready to tell the world to fuck off?”

“Unbelievable!”

The two turn with wide eyes, stumbling away from each other as an older woman with auburn hair storms towards them. “Are you both seriously that disrespectful?!”

“What the fu…? Ms. Collins, what are you talking about?” Chad asks, swallowing a bit, somewhat nervous.

“So many of our friends just died the other day, and you have the absolute gall to laugh and have sex?!” She shouts. “What are you two even thinking?!”

“... Ms. Collins, we’re just…” Erika mutters.

“Hey, my relationship with my girlfriend is my business.” Chad glares. “How about you stay the fuck out of it?”

Ms. Collins looks taken aback a bit, before she glares and storms off. “Principal Parker won’t like hearing about this!”

“Drop fucking dead, Collins, the world doesn’t work like that anymore.” Chad calls after her, before shaking his head to Erika. “Let’s not let anyone get in our way, okay?”

Erika smiles. “Let’s--”

A blood curdling shriek captures their attention, and they both look towards one side of the building.

“What the fuck?!” Erika shouts.

“Come on, let’s go!” Chad runs off, with Erika following close behind.

They round the corner to find Ms. Collins, screaming as blood pours from her mouth and neck, a walker tearing into her throat.

Chad instinctively tackles it, slamming it to the ground and keeping it pinned. Ms. Collins stumbles, holding her throat before collapsing on her back on the grass. As she chokes and gurgles on her blood, Erika is by her side.

“O-Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…!” Erika looks around frantically, trying to figure out what she can do. “Hold on, Ms. Collins, hold on!”

“Gahhhh!” Chad grunts and yells, feeling the walker’s grip tighten on his arms and biceps. It pulls him down closer, its bloody maw gnawing at his cheek. However, Chad finds the strength to push away just in time, tearing away from the walker’s grasp and rolling off to the side.

The walker begins to roll after, trying to get on top of him, but Chad rolls once more, and turns and kicks it in the abdomen. He scrambles to his feet, the undead still trying to get up, as he kicks it in the head.

Erika looks up and sees him stomp hard on its head repeatedly, until it ceases movement. Then Chad runs to her side, and they both look down at Ms. Collins.

“S-She’s dead…” Erika mutters, the moment Chad gets on his knees. “She bled out already…”

“... fuck…” Chad runs a hand through his hair. “Just… shit.”

“Poor, poor Ms. Martha Collins.”

The two look up, and Kate Gardens is standing there, looking down at them. “It appears she was taken by surprise…”

Chad and Erika look at each other, before staring up at her in silence.

“... she’s going to turn you know.” Kate opens a purse she’s carrying and offers them something. The two look, and see it’s a small hammer and chisel. “One of you will have to put her down.”

Erika stares at it, unsure of what to say. Chad looks the small tools over for a moment, before he reaches for them. “I’ll do it.”

Erika shakes her head. “Chad, you don’t have to--”

“No, Erika, it should be me.” Chad argues. “I mean, I’m the one who told her… ya know, to drop dead.”

The girl goes silent, as Chad accepts the tools. He looks down at Ms. Collins’ cold, dead eyes, lifelessly staring up at the sky, as he positions the chisel over her forehead.

He sucks in a breath, holding it, as he hammers down hard. The spike pierces her forehead, causing blood to pour from the wound.

There’s another bout of silence between the couple, before Kate Gardens kneels down before them. “You know, our safety wouldn’t be so compromised if it wasn’t for the decisions made my Principal Parker.”

“... w-what?” Erika looks up at the woman in confusion.

“It’s simple, really.” Kate smiles. “Blaine has sent students out to die, and hasn’t done anything to rectify the swarm of undead that seems to find its way inside. Even after all of this, he acts like he’s above it all. But is he really? Even now, when he’s incapacitated? When he’s deep beneath the true threat on it’s way? And now with a herd on the way… should he really be in charge anymore?”

Chad and Erika look into each other’s eyes, unsure of how to answer.

As the hours go bye, word of Martha Collins’ death spreads rapidly through the school. Students and staff alike convene in the courtyard, in preparation for yet another funeral. Daniel Noire, however, excuses himself from the upcoming proceedings, opting to continue his investigation into the walker incidents.

The funeral has yet to begin, and many students walk around and converse, still waiting for the remaining people to arrive, with the exception of Parker.

“This is… the second funeral this week?” Oliver mutters, walking along with Warren.

“We didn’t even get to the funeral for Caroline’s group and… dammit, someone else is already dead.” Warren sighs. “What is going on?”

“Beats me.” Oliver shrugs, looking down. “But this is all incredibly fucked up.”

Dahlia notices the two and approaches quickly. “Hey, Warren, you got a moment?”

Warren and Oliver look at each other. Oliver looks around and spots Virgil sitting at one of the picnic benches. “Uh… see you when everything starts up, I guess.”

“... yeah, bye.” Warren and Oliver wave, and once he walks off, Dahlia turns to Warren. “What’s this about?”

“We’ve been waiting for another hour, and almost everyone is here… but we’re still missing a few people.” Dahlia looks around. “It’s making me anxious…”

“Hey, everyone will be here soon, Dollie. Don’t worry.” Warren exhales, hands in his hoodie pockets. “I think it’s just… taking everyone time to process this.”

“This is driving me insane…” Dahlia shakes her head. “What the fuck is going on anymore? Why do all these people keep dying? We’ve been fine for the past year!”

“I just… I don’t know, Dollie, okay?” Warren replies. “I don’t know, I don’t have all the answers. Believe me, I wish I did, cause then maybe Ms. Collins wouldn’t be dead.”

Warren then spots Raye speaking to Alex. The two make eye contact, and Warren motions for Raye to come over. Raye speaks with Alex a bit more, before they part, and Raye sprints over. “Hey guys, what’s up…?”

“Dahlia’s trying to find whoever hasn’t shown up yet.” Warren answers.

Dahlia looks at her notepad. “Have you seen… Kenny? Or Melanie? Or Mike?”

Raye shakes his head. “No, I haven’t seen them anywhere. Why?”

And at that moment, Kenny appears, quickly approaching the three of them. “Guys, guys, I need your help.”

“Speak of the devil.” Raye mutters, earning a nudge from Warren.

“Kenny, where the fuck have you been?” Dahlia snaps. “And where’s Mike and Melanie?”

“Jesus, what’s the matter?” Kenny holds up his hands defensively. “I was gonna ask if you guys saw them anywhere… I can’t find them.”

“I’m gonna have a fucking heart attack, holy shit…” Dahlia wipes sweat from her forehead. “People keep going off on their own, they keep going missing, and before you know it they’re dead.”

“Dahlia, come on, calm down.” Warren beckons, before he turns back to Kenny. “Ken, where are their dorms again? They could be asleep, or getting ready, or who knows what.”

“Fifth floor… I didn’t even think to check.” Kenny smacks his forehead. “Dammit, I feel stupid.”

“Well we better hurry and check.” Raye says. “We need everyone accounted for, don’t we?”

Kenny is about to respond, before he notices someone approaching in his peripheral vision, and he turns his head. “Mel! There you are!”

The three watch Kenny hurry over to the girl, who looks down at the ground, avoiding eye contact. Her face is noticeable blushed, as if she had been crying.

“Melanie, where were you? The funeral is about to begin.” Dahlia presses. “Is Mike with you?”

“... I was just with him.” Melanie shrugs, muttering quietly. “I mean… I’ll be with him soon enough.”

“What?” Kenny takes her hand. “Mel, c’mon. Where is he?”

Melanie pulls her hand away, looking up to the others. “... I can take you to him.”

She doesn’t bother waiting for a response before she starts walking off. Kenny follows without hesitation, though the other three share one final glance before following.

The five re-enter the building, Melanie leading them up several flights of stairs, until they reach the fifth floor.

Kenny stops Melanie before they can enter the hall. “Why are you being so quiet?”

She glances at him, before she pushes the door open, and they enter the hallway. It’s darkened, a dim light coming from the nearby supply closet being the only source of light for those in the hall.

They walk forward, looking straight ahead for any signs of Mike. Kenny briskly paces ahead of them, Melanie not too far behind. After a moment, they reach the intersecting hallway at the supply closet, and Kenny stops dead in his tracks, Melanie standing beside him. The other three hurry over and look at whatever it is the young man is staring at.

A puddle of dry blood, on the floor and against the wall, and resting in it, a bloody hammer.

Kenny’s eyes widen. “What… the fuck…?”

Dahlia stares before grabbing Melanie by the shoulder. “Where the fuck is Mike.”

Melanie stares at Dahlia silently.

Warren hears a footstep, and squints his eyes down the hall. He makes out a figure. Quickly, he steps into the supply closet, and grabs a flashlight. Warren flicks it on, and points it down the hall.

The light illuminates the figure of Mike, walking down the hall, with his back to them.

Kenny speaks without hesitation. “Mike? Is that you?”

Mike stops where he stands, before he slowly begins to turn around, and the group gasps, except for Melanie.

The zombified Mike growls, as they bear witness to his crushed eye and bloody face. He snarls and begins to shamble down the hall towards them.

Kenny’s eyes slowly widen, and he rubs them to make sure his eyes aren’t deceiving him. “... M-Mike?”

“Oh my god…” Raye shakes his head.

“What…” Warren’s hand shakes. “What… the fuck…”

“What happened?!” Dahlia asks, glaring at Melanie again. “Melanie, ''what the fuck happened?! Who did this?!''”

Melanie doesn’t respond, and Dahlia looks back at the undead Mike, shambling towards them. Melanie glances at Dahlia, before looking down. She notices something on her belt.

She mutters, “... I did this.”

Then she grabs the gun from Dahlia’s belt.

The girl can barely react before Melanie holds up the gun, points it, and pulls the trigger. A bullet zips into Mike’s skull, and the undead young man is finally put to rest, collapsing back onto the floor and ceasing movement.

The other four stare at her in shock, as Melanie casually lowers the gun. “... I panicked. Killing him was an accident.”

Silence falls over them again.

Dahlia swallows, staring at Mike’s corpse, before she looks to Melanie. “... do what you need to to get through this.”

Melanie shrugs a little. “I will.”

She sticks the gun to her chin and pulls the trigger.

Melanie’s blood splatters across their faces from different angles, and they stumble back in shock as her body collapses to the floor.

Kenny’s lips quiver as he drops to his knees. “N-No, no… n-n-no…”

“Oh my god…!” Raye turns and vomits onto the floor.

Warren steps back, looking between both corpses. He looks up, meeting Dahlia’s eyes.

They share no words.

The infirmary door creaks open, and Parker looks up to see Gina poke her head in, looking around. “Is Anderson in here?” She whispers.

Parker chuckles a bit, beckoning for the girl to enter. “Please, come in Gina… she’s not, but if you want to visit, this can be our little secret.”

Gina rolls her eyes, stepping in and closing the door. “... how are you holding up? A lot’s been happening since Jackson tried to send you to Jesus…”

Parker’s smile falls. “... so I’ve heard. Ms. Gardens told me about what became of Caroline’s group.”

“... yeah, well… that’s not all.” Gina sighs, crossing her arms. “It’s just… it’s all getting to me.”

“Gina, I don’t mean to interrupt, but…” Parker points to the counter. “Could you get me that cannister there? My pills are in it.”

“Oh, uh… yeah, sure.” Gina quickly walks to the counter, grabbing the small container and bringing it to the injured man. She sits in the nearby chair as he picks up a bottle of water and takes his pill with it.

“Ah… now, what did you want to talk to me about?” Parker smiles a bit at her, though she can tell it’s forced.

“Well, other stuff has happened since the whole… massacre with Caroline’s group. And uh…” Gina mutters. “... it’s just that, it’s all made me--”

Parker holds up a hand as he coughs a bit, but it doesn’t stop, and he keeps coughing. Gina looks around before scooting closer. “Parks…?”

Parker lets out one loud cough, blood flying from his mouth onto the bed sheets. Gina screams and stands up, watching as the man shivers, before collapsing back on the bed, foaming at the mouth and convulsing, his heart monitor rapidly accelerating.

“'Parks? PARKER?!'” She grabs his shoulders, trying to shake him. “What the fuck is HAPPENING?!”

She quickly sprints to the infirmary door, screaming at the top of her lungs. “'SOMEBODY, PLEASE! PARKS IS IN TROUBLE! SOMEBODY HELP!'”

Special Guest Star

 * Jarod Joseph as Mike

Co-Stars

 * Sarah Bolger as Melanie
 * Mare Winningham as Martha Collins

Uncredited

 * Craig Gellis as Clark

Deaths

 * Martha Collins
 * Mike (Zombified)
 * Melanie

Trivia

 * First (and last) appearance of Martha Collins.
 * Last appearance of Mike. (Zombified)
 * Last appearance of Melanie.
 * The title of this episode comes from Kate's speech to Chad and Erika, regarding Principal Parker as being "deep beneath the true threat" to the university.