An alliance

It was getting dark – the day had vanished so quickly…

Grace wrapped her arms around herself to keep her warm as she moved quickly along the water's edge. Her feet kicked up fistfuls of sand as she took long hard breaths.

The tears had dried onto her cheeks with the cold and her hair whipped about in the wind, getting into her mouth and eyes, but still she kept going, trudging forward as her feet sunk into the dry sand, battling her inner urges to give up and go home…

The thought of going back there right now made the tears come all over again, running over her pink cheeks and onto her lips, lips so cold they were blue.

Grace stopped for a moment as her legs faltered slightly but grinding her teeth she pushed one foot in front of the other and managed to continue onwards.

She didn't know where she was going, but frankly she didn't care…

Grace's stubbornness against the cold and her home was leading her along the beach slowly and she walked with her head down against the wind determined to reach somewhere safe where she could sit and rest for a while.

"Grace?" The wind distorted the voice before it reached her ears, so in her mind it only sounded like a faint hum against her brain, a small vibration of… "Grace!"

Something grabbed her arm and she jumped, breaking out of the trance she was consumed with.

"Grace…are you okay?" The voice was in warm contrast to the blustery weather, causing Grace to look up into familiar eyes.

"Mali?" She asked as if she didn't believe what she saw.

Malaika smiled and took the blanket she was carrying and wrapped it around her friend's shoulders. "Gracey you're freezing…"

Grace managed a weak smile and a small nod. "I'm fine…I'm good…"

"Where are you going?" Another voice asked, deeper, but as soft. Grace looked into the consuming hazel eyes and struggled to recognise the person… "Grace?"

She jumped to attention. "Scott?" It was a question, but also a realisation. The boy with the nice eyes was Mali's 18 year-old brother.

"C'mon you…" Mali demanded taking her arm. "You're coming with us."

Grace shook her head. "No, I'm okay – I'm just…walking…"

"Well walk with us." Scott coaxed said leading her forward.

Grace struggled with her footsteps as the continued towards the houses, away from the shore. She gasped sharply as her left knee buckled with exhaustion, she'd been walking for hours, in the cold with nothing to drink or eat. "Whoa!" Scott caught her quick-as-a-flash. "Careful…how long have you been out here?"

"Not long." Grace lied forcing herself out of Scott's grasp and onwards. "I'm fine."

Mali and Scott exchanged worried glances behind her departing back and followed her.

"Where are we going?" Grace asked, as she began to feel a little like her old self, she was warmer, slightly, and looking a little less ghostly than before.

Mali ran up the steps of an old and abandoned beach house and knocked loudly three times on the door. "In here." She answered beckoning them inside the unlocked door.

When they got inside there was a number of kids all about their age, sitting on various boxes, cushions and even a rickety old wicker sofa. Looking closely Grace realised they were all people she knew, people who greeted her with smiles. Sitting in the corner she noticed a boy, a younger, but almost mirror-like image of Jay.

It was Ved his younger – arrogant – brother, playing on some handheld computer game or something…

Luke got up from his chair and slowly came toward them, he looked at Mali for a moment before she sighed and put her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest. With a sad smile he closed his eyes and kissed her forehead.

"Hey, baby…it'll be okay, you're here now…you're safe." He whispered secretly in her ear.

Mali looked at him and smiled, Grace hadn't heard what he said, but the look on Malaika's face implied it was gospel. Luke and Scott nodded at each other and then Luke turned to Grace. "Glad you could make it Grace, Jay was worried you wouldn't."

"Jay?" Grace asked. "Jay's here?" Luke nodded. "What is this?"

"Patience Grace." He whispered with a smile, returning to his chair, Mali sat on the floor, at his feet and he stroked her hair.

Everyone was sat down talking except Grace who stood alone with the long blanket draped over her shoulders. She was scared and worrying about what was happening – they were acting like the Mafia…This was getting stranger by the second.

"Gracey…" The voice came into her mind and she jumped spinning around. "Where have you been? I've been trying to find you all day – I've been ringing, but didn't get any answer…" He sounded worried.

"Jay…" She whispered her eyes filling with tears and voice cracking slightly.

"Hey Jay! Are we starting this or what?" Scott called.

Jay nodded and put his arm around his best friend. "C'mon Grace…let's sit down." He led her to the sofa, the seats that had been saved for them and they sat.

"Well guys, I'm glad you all came." Jay smiled at Grace in particular. "I'm grateful – especially because it was such late notice." He leaned forward casually; he'd always had a voice that made people stop and listen.

This comment was greeted with a few murmurs of approval and agreement.

Scott continued taking the speech over. "Listen: I'll get to the point. This virus stuff is getting serious – out of hand. The adults don't know what they're doing or how to stop it – if they did it wouldn't have gotten this far. I know many of us have already lost loved ones – and to those who haven't? Expect it. Prepare for it."

"It's survival time." Jay took his turn. "We don't know how far this is going to go…but we need to be prepared. It might not get that far I know, but we need to think about what's going to happen if this doesn't stop…I guess we'll know in a few weeks, but until then we need to be prepared for the worst."

Grace began to stand, not able to listen to this anymore – they were planning the future…a future she wouldn't be part of. Jay put his hand on her leg to stop her rising. "What is it?"

"I shouldn't be here." She whispered shaking her head sadly.

"Why?" Mali asked. "Of course you should! Grace you a friend to every person here and you're going through this the same as everyone! Why shouldn't you be here?"

"Because…" The words choked in her throat as they looked at her expectantly. "Because…I'm leaving guys." She smiled through her tears. "I want to help so much but…they've booked us a flight overseas. Sara and me. We leave in 2 weeks."

Mali was silenced along with everyone else. Jay looked at her, cheeks flushed and tears flowing freely down her face. She dashed them away with the back of her hand and forced another smile. "But I'll be thinking of you all…every day. I promise I will."

Jay reached for her hand and tangled his fingers with hers; his hands were warm and made her suddenly feel dizzy.

Grace took a deep breath. "You should listen to Jay. And Scott. They're right, we need to prepare…"

"Gracey, you'll be all alone…" Mali whispered before she could stop herself.

Grace laughed suddenly. "I'll be okay. Everything's fine over at my aunt Lydia's, if the worst comes to the worst I've still got Sara. She's the most important thing in all of this, I want her to be safe…and if that means leaving…I guess I don't have much choice…"

He watched her, his best friend, so brave and caring - even in the face of such danger. A lump rose in the back of his throat and his stomach turned at the thought he was going to lose her.

Jay squeezed her hand and boldly pushed her dark hair out of her face and behind her ear. "You'll be missed…" He said it in a way that told her he needed to talk to her alone about this.

Grace nodded, so will you Jay, she told him with her eyes, so will you…

They looked at each other, knowing they were being watched but not able to pull away from the moment they were sharing. Their eyes were locked in a passionate clinch and both feared it would be their last and only chance to…

Grace could hardly breathe and was so scared to move she was shaking…

"Did I miss anything?!" Beth burst through the door dramatically grinning and carrying an armful of shopping bags.

Everyone turned to look at her except Grace and Jay. "What?" She paused. "Did someone die or something?"

Mali rolled her eyes. "Sensitive Beth, real sensitive."

Beth turned her attention to Grace as she flopped down onto a chair. "What's up Grace? You look terrible…"

Grace looked at Beth and looked back to him. "Not now huh?" She said to Beth but mostly to Jay.

Grace stood. "I'm going."

Scott took one look at Jay's face and nodded to himself, he and Grace needed this time; they needed the little time they had left together. "Perhaps we should call it a day for now huh? We'll meet up in a few days, same time same place. Then we'll get down to some proper business…"

"See you soon." Mali promised Grace. "Call me?"

Grace nodded and smiled a distant smile and left pulling the blanket around her as she walked away.

Jay paused for a second, but followed as soon as he saw Scott motioning for him to do so.

Beth frowned examining her nails and pouting. "But I only just got here!"

"Grace! Grace – wait up!" Jay called after me and I turned around again to face him.

The wind tugged at the blanket and my hair pulling it tighter around me than I could, something had happened in there…something that couldn't happen, would never happen, especially not now I was going away. My heart couldn't take that – already it felt as though it was dying.

This beach, Jay, Mali, Sara's happiness…they were all things that had made me love being alive, but I had to face it, things were changing and I couldn't stop it.

"What?" I struggled out slowly.

"Why?" He asked. No, he pleaded.

I don't know which. I don't know anything anymore…

I smiled. "Good question. Because my parents think it's a good idea – they're both dying Jay, the doctors said so and they want us to be safe…with a guardian."

Jay smiled his lopsided smile and I watched it dissolve after a few seconds. "Will I see you before you go?"

I laughed. "You're seeing me now aren't you?! Seriously though…of course! You're my best friend Jay, I wouldn't leave without…I've got two weeks, and we can see each other plenty in that time…"

Jay shrugged. "It'd never be enough though would it?"

I raised my eyebrows questioningly.

"Enough time…" He explained. "Never be enough time to do all the things we haven't done yet…all the plans we made for Christmas and next summer and the future…"

"You'll get those things done, you'll live your dreams Jay, even if I can't watch you do that." I felt myself becoming emotional again so I tilted my face to the sky. "Keep dreaming Jay, make them happen. If there's one person who has the willpower and strength to do it it's you."

Jay reached forward and placed his palm gently against my cheek. "Grace…"

I looked at him confused and hopeful wishing what would happen next, but I knew deep down in my heart that I had to stop this right now. I wasn't a part of his future anymore; there wasn't any room for me or…us…in our lives.

Friendship. That's what we had. We couldn't do this to each other…I couldn't do this to him…

"Don't complicate things Jay." I pleaded quietly. "It's breaking my heart enough already…"

Jay nodded and pulled me towards him and held me with everything he had. I closed my eyes as I felt his warm and gentle lips press themselves against my cold forehead, silently telling me he'd miss me.

We exchanged silent vows to care for each other forever, and then we walked home hand in hand as if the world was about to end…

Grace slammed the book shut and threw it angrily against the far wall of her bedroom, frowning she pulled the covers over her head closing her eyes and covering her ears.

She wanted to shut out the whole world forever…she hated it…she just wanted to be alone…