After a quick stop at a fast food joint to get me something to munch on, we left the shopping centre and started heading back towards the park the same way we came. The sun had started to set behind the clouds and as such it was rather dim out. All the cars moving had their lights on and I expected the street lamps to come on soon too.

 

We walked at a reasonable pace, I wanted to get back now before Erina noticed anything too off about my absence. “So?” I probe her for the information she promised me.

 

“...right” she sighs. “Every creature in the world has some form of understanding when things are nearby, your normal senses like taste, smell, sight. You know?” I nod. “The Dullahan have an innate sense of the life force within everything. Around me we’re surrounded by a thousand bugs and other creatures” she spins her arms gesturing to the surrounding area, the park down the end of the alley and the buildings all around us.

 

“Right, I guess that must bug you…” She shakes her head.

 

“I can tune it out, I’ve learned to. But heres the thing. I was born at home, a few years before the world discovered us. And I was a sickly kid, the type of things that our small society never really had the equipment and medicine to deal with. So the moment, the exact moment that we knew it was safe. I was sent straight to a hospital” She winces, looking at her feet.

 

“I received the medical care I needed at the hospital, but to a child that could not yet tune out that sense. I could feel it every single time anything in the hospital was weak or dying. Be it slowly or quickly like a catastrophic injury. Most people just put it to the back of their minds that people die at hospitals. I had to face the ugly truth of death at a very young age”

 

She looks at me with tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry I had to put a downer on our little shopping trip Sylvie” she wipes the tear away. “You’re fascinating, you know? You have no life force that I can detect”

 

“Well I am already dead I guess?” I spread my arms inviting her for a hug. Which she accepts and gently hugs me, putting her head on my shoulder.

“Thanks, I haven’t told many people about that. My parents know but what choice did they have?”

 

“I get it, I appreciate that you consider me a good enough friend to tell me that. You and me both I guess have a common bond in that aspect. We’ve both stared death in the face and come out the other side. In one way or another” 

 

“I suppose so” she chuckles and snorts, in that half-crying-half laughter sort of way. She breaks off and straightens up, composing herself. “Come on then Sylvie, lets get back and enjoy ourselves” she sprinted across the empty road and up the grassy berm at the side of the park. “Come on!” I cautiously look several times for incoming cars before rushing across to follow her. 

 

Having placed my tablet in my bag to keep it safe. I ran after Maeve, who had begun sprinting across the park. I wasn’t really in the correct sort of shoes for this but screw it, I was going to try and catch her.

“Wooahhh!” There was a thump sound from in front of me as I watched Maeve trip and tumble to a halt. I skid to a halt beside her and help her up, although her head was a bit on the wonk. “Thanks Sylvie. I’ve learned my lesson. Hit an ice patch and skidded out” she winks, twisting her head back into place.

“Clumsy Maeve!” I waggle my finger scoldingly and set off ahead of her. That was enough excitement for today.

 

***

We got back to the Uni just in time to witness the street lamps light up along the road ahead of us, like the welcoming lights on a runway to direct us for landing. I breathed a sigh of relief. The euphoria of the run through the park was wearing off. When did I regress to being timid and safe? I used to love being outside, why is it now so tiring to leave the grounds of the college?

 

We strolled through the gates, which had been left open for us. Maeve thanks the security guard and he closes the gate behind us. The rear car park was empty save a few vehicles and the security guard’s van, with most of the staff having gone home by this point. We took a left down beside the sciences building and made our way back towards the dorms. Which was always blazing with activity and lights even this late in the evening. 

 

I had hoped that Erina had been over in the sports courts, but my luck wasn’t with me just then. I spotted her a long way off standing at the entrance of the dormitory, arms crossed and wings unfurled. Shit, I pull Maeve back behind a corner before Erina sees me. “Hey Maeve? I’ll give these to you and I’ll hit her with the plan B excuse. Music lessons. It should fly. You can drop them off later” I hand her the plastic bags with Erina’s gifts in them.

 

“Right right, I see. See you later then. I’ll hang back” she winks and gives me a thumbs up. “Good luck with Erina”

 

I wave her off then turn around, launching into a jog towards Erina.

 

“Sylvie! Where’ve you been?”

 

“I’m so sorry! I was with Klien practising for the exams”

 

“I went over to the music blocks and you weren’t there” Double shit..

“I went on a walk through the woods after, its why my shoes are a bit muddy” I point down towards my shoes, which thankfully were dirty from the park.

 

“Tell me next time please, come here you silly zombie lets get you back inside” her stern expression gave way to her normal kindness. I gave a thumbs up signal behind my back that I hoped Maeve picked up on as Erina carts me inside the building with her arm tight around my waist.

 

She drags me into the elevator. “You’re awfully cold Sylvie”

 

“I’m always cold dum-dum. I don’t need to be warm if I’m dead”

 

“You’re not gonna be much fun to hug warm, maybe I should warm you up a bit” She smiles, a flicker of flame dancing around her teeth.

“Don’t set off the fire alarm” I pinch her cheek as the lift dings for our floor. 

“Owwww! Ruining my fun!” She walks me to my room, I pass my card over the sensor and let myself in.

“Thanks for waiting for me Erina, sorry for making you worry. I really am. Won’t happen again I promise”

 

“Better not” she pouts.

“It won’t. I’m going to go sleep now so do me a favour”

“What is it?” she asks, looking a little confused.

 

“Lean down will you?” She obliges, still perplexed by my request. Or well, she was until I kiss her, right on the lips, and with as much passion as I can muster.

“Mmph” she lets out a noise before submitting and kissing me back, it was both the most simple and most obtuse way for me to let her know I loved her and had plenty of things in store for her. I break off the kiss after a little while, her lips tasting as sweet as I remembered them. Huh, maybe Makeup might help me look less...horrifying. I hadn’t thought of that before. I retreated back a couple of steps.

“Night Erina. See you tomorrow” 

 

“Yeah...see you…” I could tell I’d stunned her a little with how brazen that kiss was. She gave me a small wave goodbye before walking back towards her room in a daze. I close the door and switched on the TV. I was going to go to bed, but only after Maeve drops the the presents off so I could admire what I got her.

 

She deserves the world. I wish I could give it to her.