A Smoke Break
Life on the road was nothing new for Claire Redfield. She had gotten used to being in vehicles with no suspension, stuck sitting for hours in uncomfortable positions, as what was left of the air conditioner tried to battle desert heat. She had even accepted the discomfort that came with being in a confined space with another human for hours on end. There were awkward silences, or oppositely people who didn't know when to shut up, with no radio to save her. These were things she could handle.
But she could not handle living without cigarettes.
She anxiously chewed on her thumbnail as the convoy left the Desert Trail Motel. The sign read: 89 miles to Las Vegas. That wouldn't take more than an hour or two at the most, given there was no traffic anymore. That was one perk about the end of the world. Rush hours never happened. So, they intended to book it Vegas without stopping. That was the plan, anyway.
Thirty minutes later, Claire's radio hissed. "Claire, it's Carlos."
"Go, Carlos," Claire responded.
"One of the kids in the truck is saying she feels sick and needs a bathroom. We're coming up on a gas station. Can we stop for just a few minutes? Let her get some air?"
Sighing, Claire nodded like Carlos could see her. "Fine. We'll stop for a few minutes."
The convoy stopped near a gas station. Carlos left to clear the area. When he deemed there were no undead in sight, the little one was free to use the bathroom with her mother. Claire figured this was a good excuse to get out and stretch. She saw some others were doing the same, including Alice. Alice had stepped out of the truck, wearing that scarf on her head, and was leaning against the hood in a nonchalant manner.
Claire couldn't help staring. Alice was the most breathtaking woman she'd ever encountered. Her eyes were like precious stones, and she had a body that was as dangerous as it was divine. Claire had done her best to avoid Alice for that reason. She didn't want to let onto her attraction, and she didn't want to get attached. She'd lost enough people, and Alice didn't seem like the type who'd stick around. It was best if she left eventually, as Claire had indicated, though she tried make it sound like it was because the convoy was afraid of Alice. Claire was the one who was afraid.
She could see herself falling for Alice, and it'd be the sort of fall she knew she'd never recover from.
However, her staring had not been as discreet as she thought. Alice caught her looking, and she chose to wander over. Claire was leaning against the tech van, trying to act natural. Alice flashed that disarming smile of hers with a single word: "Hey."
"Hi," Claire returned. There was a pause as Claire looked up at the sky. "This heat is making me crazy."
"It's unforgiving," Alice agreed.
"Then again, everything is making me crazy. I think it's because I haven't had a cigarette in days."
Alice smirked at that. "You ran out, huh?"
"Everywhere has. That's one way to quit smoking. Get stuck in the middle of an apocalypse."
Alice dug through her pockets. To Claire's amazement, she had half a cigarette. Alice offered it to her. "Here. It's my last one. Try to enjoy it."
"I couldn't take your last one," Claire argued.
"No, go ahead. I only smoke occasionally. It's not a big deal."
"It is. You should hang onto that."
"Take it. Carlos told me you've had a rough six months, and you lost a lot of people back there. I think you deserve a smoke."
Claire took the cigarette, entranced by the beautiful woman's kindness. She smiled as the idea came. "Okay, but I'll only smoke if you smoke with me."
"All right," Alice agreed. She patted her pockets for a book of matches. When she found it, Claire held the cigarette between her teeth. Alice struck a match, fighting the wind, and moved closer. Claire's hair was in the way, whipped by the same wind that came through, so Alice brushed Claire's hair aside. Claire's heart was racing as the cigarette lit. "There we go."
"Thanks." Claire took a long drag and instantly felt better. She passed the cigarette to Alice. "Damn, that's nice."
Alice took a drag, smirking. "I'm glad."
"Do you think they'll still have smokes in Alaska?"
"I don't know what they'll have, if anything."
"I guess we'll find out together," Claire commented.
"I guess so."
Claire took another pull of the cigarette, studying how the sun framed Alice's form perfectly. "It's a long journey. Maybe I'll get to know you better along the way. You're sort of an enigma to me."
"I don't let people know me very well, Claire."
"Not even Carlos?"
"Not even him. I don't really know how to be a person much anymore."
Claire handed Alice the cigarette with a somber expression. "That'll change the longer you're around us. We're a small group, but we're a good group."
"A good group with a great leader," Alice returned as smoke drifted through her lips. "They're lucky to have you."
You can have me too, Claire thought to herself. She shook the thoughts as the cigarette came back to her. There was only one good drag left. She took it and then dropped the butt to the road, grinding the ashes with her heel.
"I hope you're right. I want to do right by them," Claire said.
Alice smiled that perfect smile. "You will."
"You sound so sure."
"I'm a good judge of character."
Alice was standing right there, so near that Claire could feel their shoulders brush together. Claire gulped at the slight contact. It was subtle, but lovely. She could see herself turning in, towards Alice's luscious lips. For a moment, she felt her body swiveling. She was turning, moving closer…
"Hey, we're good to go!" Carlos shouted.
Dammit, Claire thought to herself. The moment was ruined. Alice had started to back away. Claire could only sigh with a disappointed grin. "Thanks for the smoke break."
"Thank you for sharing," Alice replied.
Claire leaned against the side of the van, watching Alice walk to the truck. She had such a confident and powerful stride, with just the subtlest of sways in her hips. It was killing Claire. She wanted to go after her, to steal a fast kiss before the convoy had to get rolling again. It would be a bandit's kiss, hard and quick, leaving them both utterly breathless.
Yet, she didn't. She got back into the van, scowling. Her nicotine craving had been satisfied, but she had been left with an even more powerful hunger—one for Alice.
And there was no telling if or when she'd get a taste of her.
xX … not sure if this will be continued … so THE END… for now… Xx
