Alicia POV
I was still leaning against the motorhome, massaging an imminent headache from my skull when I heard the crunch of approaching footsteps. I cracked my eyes open to glimpse Elyza weaving through the caravans, her boots kicking up dust as she set her sights on me.
Her limp was less pronounced now, likely due to the numbing effects of alcohol, but the dark bruise on her cheek was unmistakable even in the faint evening light.
"Not in the party spirit?" she queried, settling her back against the motorhome opposite me as she mirrored my stance. She was deceptively sober in all appearances, but there was a glint in her eye that suggested the alcohol was burning through her chest much like it was mine.
I shrugged, dropping my gaze to the ground as I kicked at the dirt half heartedly.
"Something like that."
Elyza continued to stare at me but I refused to meet her gaze, not daring to reveal what lay in their depths.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Elyza pursed her lips and nodded to herself, lifting her injured leg to rest on the vehicle at her back, relieving the weight from her ankle as she stared out into the growing darkness.
"Then what have I done wrong?"
I sighed lightly before even registering the action, the frustration in my chest bubbling into life to accompany the burn of alcohol.
"You've not done anything wrong," I insisted forcefully, instantly regretting the sharp tone when Elyza quirked an eyebrow at me, her neutral expression fading into disapproval.
"It sure sounds like you're pissed about something," she snapped, her eyes sparking at my dismissive tone.
I pushed away from the motorhome, unable to stand the weight of her stare any longer. I had barely made it a few steps away before Elyza called after me.
"I've been fighting the living and dead for the last week," she burst, her own frustration getting the best of her composure. "I've dragged myself through sewers and barely eaten in days, the least you could do is be pleased to see me."
I whirled back to face her, matching her anguished tone as alcohol fuelled our passionate outburst.
"I didn't think that you were coming back at all!"
We stared at each other for a long moment, Elyza's expression softening as it dawned on her that she had misinterpreted the reason behind my odd behaviour. It wasn't anger that had settled over me this past week, but fear that I might never see her again.
I exhaled softly and felt my anger dissipate. There was no use fighting each other. I settled my back against the motorhome once more, Elyza taking position by my side a moment later.
The sounds of the campfire gathering drifted to our ears, laughter and muted conversations that swept over us like white noise. Elyza brought a whisky bottle up to her lips and took a long swig. I hadn't even noticed it gripped tightly in her left hand.
She passed it over with her right hand, reclaiming the bottle as I winced from the all too familiar burning sensation in the back of my throat.
"I'm sorry for being a jerk," she offered, looking down at the alcohol lapping against the side of the glass bottle. "I knew the danger that we were up against out there, but I went anyway. I didn't mean to worry you."
As much as I appreciated the admission, I couldn't help but feel guilty about bringing the matter up the very day that she had returned. It went without saying that I was beyond happy to see her safe and well, but there was more to my frustration then I wanted to admit.
"I'm sorry for being a downer at your own party," I murmured, not having intended to have this conversation tonight. I glanced sideways and couldn't stop the smirk from growing on my face as Elyza chuckled at the ridiculous situation.
"We should be celebrating, not standing around here like a pair of saps," she said, glancing down at the whisky in her hand as an idea formed. "You know a quiet place where two idiots might share a drink?"
I barely hesitated, the perfect location coming to mind in seconds.
"I might know just the place."
Elyza grinned and stepped away from the vehicle, throwing out her arm with exaggerated motion, blonde hair cascading over her shoulders as she bowed mockingly.
"Then lead the may m'lady."
I chuckled and smacked her on the arm as I passed by, my grievances long forgotten as we fell into our comfortable routine. Elyza would prat around to make me laugh as I pretended to hate every moment of it. She saw straight through it of course.
Many of the pitches were left empty and abandoned, but the random scattering of caravans around the camp offered a more secluded environment in some areas, one in particular had caught my eye on my first tour of the site.
The harsh gravel gave way to fake strips of grass that were intended to act as homely front lawns for each unit, in the days long gone by of holidays and family fun. Now the trailers lay abandoned and rusted in a semi circle, a large bench situated near a large gathering of trees that stood proudly, reaching with great arms towards the heavens. One had fallen in the midst of a storm, its roots torn from the ground with immense strength to send the thick trunk hurtling down to earth.
Now it lay behind the bench, half crushing one of the caravans that had found itself beneath the imposing structure. The end result was a section of land bordered almost entirely on three sides, offering as much of an escape from the other park residents that could be achieved.
"Not bad," Elyza stated, circling the area curiously before propelling herself up onto the bench, using the seat as a foot rest whilst she perched casually on the wooden surface. I settled beside her, the bottle of whisky standing between us.
"I've been coming here with a radio each day, not that there's been anyone on the other end," I explained. This had become a sanctuary of sorts as I had attempted to send a message of my survival to my family. So far there had been no contact. It was a matter of debate if they were even still alive. A lot could happen in a few months.
Elyza silently picked up the bottle and pressed it into my hand. She knew better than anyone how long I had been searching for my family and how futile the effort had been.
"You'll find them again," she said softly, tilting her head back to gaze at the faint outline of the moon that drifted in between a thin layer of cloud above us. "I never break a promise."
We had first met when I had become separated from my family and Elyza had promised from the very start to help with the daunting task of finding them again. I couldn't have come this far without her. I took hope that she had managed to find her friends again after over a year without contact. It made anything seem possible.
"Anyway, this is meant to be your celebration," I said, shaking myself free from such memories as I extended the alcohol towards the blonde. "Let's drink to our epic survival skills."
Elyza grinned and took the offered bottle, lifting it in motion of a cheers.
"Damn straight."
I drank far too much that night. Whether it was in the name of celebration or because I just needed the release, a lot of whisky disappeared in a short amount of time. I found myself staring at the empty bottle, shaking my head when a second hazy reflection drifted into sight.
Elyza was lying flat on her back along the low wooden plank that acted as a seat, pointing up like a child at the clear moon that presented itself in the dark sky. We were fortunate that it was a full moon as we had lacked the forethought to bring a torch with us.
"Could you imagine if werewolves were real?"
A hiccup burst from my throat and dissolved into a huff of laughter at the strange comment. My legs dangled freely from the bench as I leant back on my hands, tilting my head to gaze up at the shining object. My vision swam for a second at the sudden movement and I could've sworn I felt weightless for a fleeting moment.
"I'm glad they're not," I replied, my words blurred by alcohol. Life was hard enough with the undead roaming the streets without a shapeshifting creature thrown into the mix.
Elyza heaved herself into a sitting position, pausing to avoid the head rush before standing somewhat unsteadily. I wasn't sure whether she had heard me as I watched her take a few steps away from the bench, holding out her arms to maintain some semblance of balance before twirling back to me with a sly grin.
"Elyza, hunter of the undead, defender of the innocent, and slayer of wolves. Not to forget world renowned bad ass of course."
The dramatic effect was somewhat hindered when the pose threw her weight over her injured leg and she hopped with a wince to rest her weight on its uninjured counterpart. I couldn't help but laugh at the display.
"Elyza. Drunk, disorderly, and renowned bull shitter," I slurred, my smile lingering as Elyza pouted with clear disappointment. It lasted only a fleeting moment before she swept her arms out and threw her head back to release a resonating howl at the glowing sky.
I was taken aback for a stunned moment, that was until I heard the singsong voice that followed.
"Strut on a line, duh duh and rhyme...coming after you, and I'm hungry like a wooooolf-"
The laughter was unquenchable from then on, tearing through my lips until I could barely breath but still Elyza pranced across the grass, playing a fairly decent air guitar as she made up half of the words with natural confidence. I had never seen anything quite like it.
I was so focused on catching a breath in between bouts of laughter that I hardly noticed Elyza's figure rotating to an unusual angle until the world tilted alarmingly and the comforting solid surface of the bench beneath me disappeared.
I kicked out my legs on reflex, stumbling forwards and staying on my feet only through sheer luck. My heart seemed to drop simultaneously with my body but a wide smile soon replaced the panicked grimace as Elyza swept by midway through her solo and dragged me into the display, steadying me with a strong grip as my head spun giddily.
"I didn't know you could sing," I gasped, fighting the urge to squeeze my eyes shut as the world span by in a blur of moonlight. It took a moment to realise the cause of the sensation was an impromptu spin beneath Elyza's arm, her grip on my hand the only force preventing me from tumbling down onto the ground from the momentum.
"A girl's gotta have her secrets," Elyza said with a grin, refraining from spinning me again when she noticed my efforts to regain a natural balance and tugged me closer instead. "I would hate to be boring."
"You're the least boring person I've ever met," I laughed, willing to bet that not a single soul would call Elyza boring after crossing her path. It just wasn't possible.
With the spinning sensation fading I could finally lift my eyes to meet Elyza's gaze without seeing double, maintaining a grip on her arm even as the world came to a rest beneath my feet. Had her eyes always been so beautiful? Perhaps it was the moonlight exaggerating the crystal blue depths. Regardless, it felt good to be near the girl again, not that I was ever able to anticipate what crazy idea or action was going to come from her next. It was one of the many quirks that I found so endearing.
"It's good to have you back," I said hesitantly, the alcohol burning through my veins dismissing any concerns that I was yet to step back and create a more respectable distance between us. In that moment I couldn't have cared less and Elyza wasn't voicing any complaints.
My eyes dropped to her lips before I could even register the action, my breath catching, not from laughter this time but something entirely different. Something new. There was hardly any distance between us, far less than there ever had been before, but it still felt like too much.
I could virtually see the same thought flowing across Elyza's face, her emotions reading like a book as the alcohol tore through any composure that she might naturally throw up in defence.
"It's good to be back," she confirmed, my eyes mesmerised with how her lips moved with each syllable. I wondered without conscious thought what her lips would feel like against mine, if they were as soft as they appeared. The sweet scent of whisky on our breaths was tangible, and perhaps this was nothing more than alcohol fuelled insanity but the sensation in my chest discredited the theory.
Elyza bit her lip tantalisingly and must have read my mind because she leant forwards without further hesitation and captured my lips in hers, sending a thrill of excitement through my body at the contact. It was a feeling like no other, as if my very being were unravelling at the touch, merging with Elyza in a moment of unquestionable desire.
There was no time for doubts or uncertainty, only the knowledge that this felt right, that this was all I had wanted and more. I almost didn't dare to believe what was happening, but there was no denying the warmth of her lips on mine, nor the electricity that seemed to dance over my skin in response.
A gentle hand grazed along my back, pulling me ever closer as the kiss deepened, capturing my breath and my senses as I was aware of nothing but the mesmerising girl before me and how well we merged together, like two pieces of a puzzle that had finally been solved.
It were as if I were breathing in her very essence, capturing every emotion and sensation that could never be put into words, enveloped in a world of our own without a care of what lay beyond.
In a strange version of time that felt both eternal and far too short, our lips parted and the world fell into place around me once more. It was the same world that had existed only minutes ago, but now the tinge of moonlight cast a shimmer of new light into existence.
A smile spread across Elyza's face as we gripped onto each other like survivors of a ship wreck, not daring to let the other go. Fireworks still glowed in my chest, bursting with newfound energy as I found myself smiling in return. It was a giddy happiness, one that came rarely, but only for the most special of moments.
What happened from there was beyond the realm of my alcohol addled mind, but in that moment I was happier than I had thought possible and nothing else mattered.
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