This time around, it took me 5 days, but I seem to have reached yet another cliffhanger. So, I hereby provide you with the fifth installment of my continuing story: 'Carnaval Apocalypse'.
Just in case you missed (any of ) the previous write ups, here's links to: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4
And now, without further ado:
PART 5
Her scream is, in fact, so loud that the two figures in front of her are starting to move, as if they woke up from a deep sleep.
They disentangle from what they thought would be a final hug and back up, in an attempt to get some distance between them. Both the girl and the boy appear to be uncomfortable with what just happened. They don't dare to look at each other. Only minutes ago, they hardly knew each other and now they 'wake up' from an intimate embrace. This seems like a little too much too handle for their hormone invested teenage minds.
With his back turned to the girl, the boy starts to cough heavily. As if she feels obliged to answer his sounds, the girl starts doing the same. It's a nervous kind of cough, induced by the awkward moment as much as it is a consequence of the maskless exposure to the cloud.
The boy's mother is witnessing all of this from a distance, not sure what or how to feel. She senses that she doesn't need to be too worried though. Her son has been very lucky and so has the girl. She just wishes that they would put their gas masks back on again, soon. They might not be this lucky next time.
As if the boy can read her mind, he stands up and walks towards the place where he left his mask, his head held low as if ashamed of what happened. It's clear that he doesn't want to confront his mom right now. If he had been a dog, his ears would be drooping and his tail would hang between his hind legs.
As soon as he reaches his mask, he puts it on, without hesitation. It automatically starts functioning and the filtered air - that he's so much used to - immediately makes him feel better. He focuses on his breathing for a while, with his eyes closed, and tries not to think of anything at all. Then the girl pops up in his mind again. He wonders how she's feeling.
She has waited a little longer – not wanting to be the first to take up their mask – but now she's also back in the safety of what she calls 'her body armor'. The girl blinks her left eye repeatedly, skipping through her favorite memories, in an attempt to get rid of the uncomfortable feelings that keep rising up inside of her. But no matter what memory she picks, it doesn't have the desired effect on her. Nothing seems to work right now.
What if that cloud had actually killed us?
she wonders.
She realizes that that thought doesn't really scare her, that she accepted the situation. In fact, she went looking for it. She took the initiative. And let's be honest: Was she really just trying to impress that boy or was there more going on? Was this her dark side acting? No matter what, part of her is really shaken up now, deeply scared. But, just below the surface, she can still feel that utter darkness. It seems to be hiding for now but also eager to reappear, when she will be least expecting it. She shivers and closes her eyes.
All is well
she thinks.
All is well
without actually believing in these words at all.
TO BE CONTINUED
Photo take on El Hierro, Canarly Islands, 2016