Archive of Our Own

Mae trudged up the dirt path through the dim light of the woods. Though it was an unseasonably mild evening, a faint chill hung in the air. She felt herself shiver a little as a slight gust whistled through the treetops, brushing past the group. The woods were deathly quiet, broken only by the sounds of their footsteps. As she walked, some stray leaves and twigs crunched under her boots. The sound seemed to reverberate throughout the forest. Looking out into the murky half-light of the woods, she could make out the branches of the trees swaying slightly in the wind.

They’d left Possum Springs later than planned, and with Angus also needing to stop to get gas, it was already well into the evening. A full moon sat high in the sky, though the tall trees conspired to blot out much of the light that filtered through. The State Forest was strangely dark and foreboding this evening, though they could rely on the safety of the footpath. The group cut through the gloom of the woods with Angus leading the pack, Gregg following closely behind him and Mae bringing up the rear. She moved at a quickened pace in order to keep up with her friends. Her legs were still stiff from the journey over, though they were beginning to ease.

Once they passed a cluster of particularly large trees, their twisted branches stretching upwards clawing at the sky, a distant sound then revealed itself to the group – the sound of voices and a faint chorus of laughter.

“I think we’re getting close,” Angus announced to the others, picking up on the sound. “I can hear some people up ahead.”

The party had been Lori’s idea. Her classmates had decided to organize a big party after school on the Friday, and everyone in their year was invited. Lori had wanted to go, but explained to Mae that she wasn’t much of a party person, and would feel better if she had more of her friends attending. With that in mind, she’d extended an invite to Mae, along with any other friends she wished to bring. Gregg and Angus agreed to come along, with Angus offering to drive them up there. Bea, unfortunately, was bogged down with work this evening and wasn’t able to attend.

Mae couldn’t deny it felt a little weird to be going to a party for high schoolers. But who could tell? Maybe there would be some people of her own age group there. Even if it was all juniors, she would be comfortable hanging out with Lori. Still, she remained a little bit nervous. The last party she’d gone to in State Forest, the one in Fall of the previous year, had ended up a complete disaster – a confrontation with her insufferable ex, a bust-up with Bea and a hangover the size of a bull whale. She was only grateful that Lori appeared to be unaware of that particular incident. At least that bit of news hadn’t circulated.

The crew reached the end of the path, leading to a break in the woods. The lights were getting brighter, the sound of voices growing louder as they approached. Leaving the shadows of the woods behind them, the group emerged into a large clearing and were immediately taken aback.

It appeared the party was in full swing. Crowds of people filled this unassuming little space in the heart of the woods. As expected, it was a younger crowd, with most of the attendees being of high school age. The air was filled with the sounds of their happy voices and endless gossip. In the centre of the clearing, slightly beyond where most of the guests were gathered, a great campfire was burning, cutting through the murk of the woods. With no trees hanging overhead, the gentle light of the full moon flowed down into the clearing. The sheer volume of people and the brightness of the light, when contrasted with the eerie darkness from which they’d just emerged, was striking.

Angus peered around at the crowds, then turned to face the group.

“Well, we’re here,” he said plainly as he adjusted his glasses. “Where shall we go?”

Gregg took a few steps forward, his look one of awe. Then he turned towards the group, a big grin spreading across his face.

“I’m heading to the bar!” he announced. “For a party this size, I’ve got to start it off strong!”

“In that case, I shall supervise Gregg,” Angus insisted, a slightly apprehensive tone in his voice. He looked at Mae. “Are you going to find your friend?”

Mae answered with a nod. “I’m sure Lori's around here somewhere. I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

“Alright. Let’s meet back here at this spot if we get lost,” Angus replied before returning his attention to Gregg.

Without another word, Mae took leave of her friends, turning to give a small wave as she left.

“Have fun!” Gregg called after her as she departed.

Mae smiled a little to herself. She suspected it was probably best to give her friends a little privacy. After the car journey over, she suspected that Gregg and Angus would want some time together. She used to be quite dense when reading the signs, but she had gotten better at it over time. Ultimately, it was no problem to Mae at all, no-siree. She was the third wheel here, and she was perfectly comfortable finding her own amusement.

Returning her attention to the swell of people in front of her, Mae set off into the crowd. There were a lot of people here. Many were huddled in their own friendship groups, chattering and joking among themselves. Someone had brought a small portable sound system that was blasting party anthems into the crowd. The group standing closest to her were dancing along to the music, singing their hearts out. Some distance away, Mae noticed a bunch of kids standing near the brush by the trees. They were smoking cigarettes in the shade, eyeing the party from a distance with a degree of scepticism.

Mae continued inwards, walking to the centre of the clearing where the large campfire was burning lively. It was quieter here. She crossed the perimeter of the campfire, keeping an eye out for Lori. Sitting near the fire, some douchebag with an acoustic guitar was strumming away to a small audience. Was that just a standard feature at every party like this? At least he was in tune.

All around her, groups of teens were laughing and chatting among each other. Most of them were drinking out of these funny-looking multicoloured plastic cups, though Mae couldn’t tell what the popular drink of choice was. Something of dubious alcohol content, she figured, given how some of them were acting. But at least she wasn’t getting any weird glances, and she wasn’t seen to be out of place.

After some time spent wandering around, she eventually located Lori. She was stood over in the corner, flanked by a pair of friends that Mae did not recognise. The three of them had formed their own little coterie in the corner, away from the fire. Mae went over and introduced herself to the group.

Lori's friends were a peculiar pair. They were both girls – probably a couple of years older than Lori. One of them was fairly tall, and wearing heels that made her seem taller. She sported black hair, with striking purple highlights, and wore what Mae reckoned to be mostly stereotypical goth attire. Her makeup was thick and she’d gone a little wild on the mascara, though Mae didn’t mind it. She was hardly one to criticize others on these matters. The other girl was smaller – closer to Lori's height – and sported a pixie haircut dyed a dark grey. Mae had trouble keeping her eyes off her. She was painfully cute. She didn’t get their names but the conversation was entertaining enough. The discussion ranged from rock music, to the occult, to favourite Halloween costumes, to Possum Springs being an execrable, soul-sucking dump of a place to grow up. Mae had plenty to contribute on all counts and would occasionally chip in with her own observations, though most of her energy was focused on ogling the pixie-cut girl.

After some time had passed, Lori's friends decided they were getting sick of the noise from the crowd and went somewhere private to smoke. Lori followed them, shrugging apologetically to Mae before shrinking off into the darkness of the woods. Mae watched them go, then turned to face the rest of the party. She stood there for a moment at a slight loss.

What now?

Well, she could go for a drink, she reckoned. Everyone else was doing it. Maybe it’d help her blend in a little.

She waltzed back towards the campfire. She kept her attention focused on the larger groups of people, with the expectation that this would lead her towards the refreshments. Sure enough, she noticed some people crowded around a long fold-out table that had been set up. A makeshift cover was draped over the top. A drinks table, Mae assumed, as she eyed it from a distance. On top of the table sat a large, expensive-looking ornamental glass bowl. The glass of the bowl appeared to catch and reflect the light of the campfire, along with the gentle sparkle of the moonlight. The sides of the bowl were embossed with textured patterns of swans on a lake, and the bowl’s outer curve was adorned with six graceful-looking porcelain swans, their curved necks jutting out at angles. Mae almost had a double take when she saw it. What on earth was such a prized ornament doing at some random party like this?

Stolen, she realized. Someone had brought along the spoils of the heist. They must have robbed someone crazy rich to have come away with a prize like this, she figured.

Next to the bowl, there stood several columns of cheap, multi-coloured plastic cups, stacked up like rainbow-colored high-rise blocks. It presented a strange mismatch to the eye. A queue of kids huddled around the table, chatting among themselves while they waited to grab a drink.

Mae hung back for a moment, waiting for an opportunity to jump in. As soon as she saw a break in the queue, she went forward and grabbed a cup for herself. Peering into the ornate bowl, she saw it was filled with a sugary, pale pinkish liquid that appeared to be some sort of fruit punch. Easier to smuggle than beer, Mae figured. Shrugging, she dipped her cup into the bowl, filling it up with the strange liquid.

I’m going to have one, she dictated to herself, and no more than one. After her last experience, she suspected that moderation was key. Tentatively, she raised the cup to her lips and swallowed a mouthful. She winced, barely suppressing a cough. These kids sure didn’t mess around with the mix.

She looked around. With little else on her mind, she decided she would take a moment to do some people-watching. She wandered around the perimeter of the fire at a leisurely slow pace, taking an occasional sip from her cup as she surveyed the area.

It was a big party. Lori had told her that it started out as something at their school, in her year only. Eventually, the senior years had gotten involved. Then some of them had invited friends from out of town, some from upstate and so on. Mae guessed there were easily over a hundred people here, which was a staggering turnout for a party organised from Possum Springs. Mae looked around at the crowds of people. Though she was able to spot the occasional person from her age group, most of the attendees were high school teens. Teens everywhere. So many goddamn teens.

Oh boy. This is making me feel so old, Mae vented. She’d joked on the journey up here about how she, Gregg and Angus would be the old fogies coming to crash the youngster’s party. But now, at the grand old age of twenty, in a sea of high schoolers, she really was starting to feel out of her depth.

After she’d fruitlessly wandered for some time, she decided to look for somewhere to sit. She returned to the campfire at the centre of the clearing, a short distance from the bulk of the crowd. She circled the perimeter, looking for a spot. A variety of logs and tree stumps were dotted around the fire, serving as ideal seats and places to take a break from the busy swell of the party. A few of the partygoers were sat down, laughing and chatting with their friends while warming themselves in the gentle heat of the fire.

As she inspected the area, she came to a stop. Someone sitting near the campfire had caught Mae’s eye.

Her whole world froze.

Around forty feet away from where she stood, someone was sitting on the end of a log by a fire – a person Mae recognized. It was the girl she’d met back in Fall at that college party – the girl she knew only as ‘Bombshell’. She was alone, watching some people dancing on the opposite side of the fire. She had a drink cup that she’d placed on the log beside her. She would periodically reach over for it and take a few small sips. Mae could see she was wearing that shirt with the SCUM tagline – the same shirt she’d worn when they had first met. She was also sporting a small black scarf made of a thin material and patterned with multicoloured animal skulls, which she wore loose around her shoulders.

Mae stood in place, struggling to process what was happening. She was rooted to the spot, her thoughts jammed. There was a clear course of action – walk over there and say hello – yet her body would not obey. Eventually she managed to seize control of her legs, summoning up the courage to act. Mae strolled up towards her as innocently as possible. As she approached, the warmth of the campfire became more noticeable.

“Hi!” she said, announcing her presence with some anxiousness.

Bombshell looked up at Mae. A faint hint of recognition crossed her expression, though she made no move to get up. As she regarding Mae, her posture exuded a relaxed, calm confidence, like a snake bathing in the sun.

“Hey you,” she said with a smile.

Mae’s mind was racing. She felt she had to pinch herself, as if this whole situation unfolding was just a dream, or another one of her fantasies. Ever since that night, this girl had occupied a space in her mind. Mae had spent more time thinking about her than she could calculate, though she’d expected her to remain as nothing more than a memory. But now, out of nowhere, this girl had re-entered her life in a manner she would never have expected.

I can’t believe it’s actually her, she repeated to herself over and over.

There was a tree stump next to the end of the log where she was perched. Mae took the opportunity to sit down, drawing closer to this mysterious figure she’d spent so much time thinking about.

“What are you doing here?” Mae asked in disbelief as she sat down, her attention entirely focused on the person in front of her.

Bombshell shrugged idly. “Enjoying the atmosphere. How about you?”

Mae’s thoughts were all a muddle. She had no idea how to respond to the question. A split second later, she’d entirely forgotten what the question even was. All she could think about was this girl she’d never expected to see again. Her mind was flooded with memories and feelings, recalling the dreams she’d had and the fantasies she'd indulged in – a befuddling mix of thoughts that had all spawned from that short yet immensely significant moment in time they’d spent with each other. And now, unexpectedly, they were together once again.

She suddenly felt an urgent need to capitalize on this moment, somehow. To make good on the ideas that’d been floating around in her brain non-stop for months – and to not make the same errors. Mae had walked away that night. That had been a huge mistake. She couldn’t miss her opportunity like last time.

A wild thought entered her head. With no avenues for resistance, it quickly took hold.

Unthinkingly, Mae lifted herself off her tree stump and slowly leaned towards Bombshell, though for what purpose, she couldn’t be sure. Was it a hug she was seeking? A kiss? Seal the deal? Mae didn’t know what was in her head. She just felt compelled to do something like this – to close the gap that’d grown between them.

Bombshell appeared to flinch slightly as she drew close, her posture stiffening. Her demeanour had shifted rapidly from cool confidence to a distinct sense of unease.

Mae suspected the course of action she was committing herself to was skipping several steps and then some. But she knew she wasn’t thinking straight and couldn’t parse the signals coming from Bombshell. Unthinking, she continued to press in, undeterred. In the very back of her mind, someone warned her that she was making yet another mistake.

Something shifted quickly in the corner of her vision. Without warning, Mae felt a hand grip the back of her t-shirt, holding her in place. She gave a faint gasp. Something very sharp was pressed against her abdomen. She froze, knowing she was suddenly in potentially substantial danger.

For a few tense seconds, the pair of them didn’t move. Their faces were inches apart from each other. Mae looked Bombshell in the eyes. Something about her appearance had shifted dramatically. Her pupils were like pinpoints, jolting around in rapid, unfocused movements. She was breathing unusually heavily, her teeth bared. Even with the heat of the fire beside her, Mae could sense the warmth of her ragged, fitful breath against her skin.

Up close, Mae’s eyes were drawn to a previously unnoticed detail about Bombshell – the tell-tale tattoo of a knife located just below her throat. It was only at this point that Mae’s brain caught up as she realized what the stabbing sensation in her gut was. The point of Bombshell’s blade continued to poke at her stomach, though without enough pressure applied to cause anything other than a threatening discomfort.

And then, abruptly, it was over. The hand on her back pulled her backwards, sitting her back down on the tree stump where she had perched, and then releasing its grip on her. The stabbing feeling was gone. Bombshell withdrew her spare hand into the pocket of her jeans in a swift movement, but Mae was still able to catch a glimpse of the weapon – a small switchblade. The blade flashed from the light of the fire before it vanished from view.

“Was that a-”

“Yup,” Bombshell replied curtly. She kept her gaze averted. Drawing her hand up from her pocket, she fiddled anxiously with the scarf she wore. Though it hung loose around her shoulders, she appeared to want to loosen it further. She looked considerably less comfortable than she had a mere moment ago.

Another uncomfortable pause, punctuated by the crackling of the fire and the laughs of those around them. It seems no-one had witnessed what had happened. Mae was perplexed by the outburst. She’d been clumsy. She’d come on a little strong, sure. But did it really warrant a response like that?

She sensed Bombshell was attempting to meet her gaze, but she kept her eyes half-averted. A slight blush graced her cheeks. She seemed profusely embarrassed by what had just occurred.

“Did I… startle you?” Mae ventured.

Bombshell paused for a moment as she considered the observation. Her looks conveyed a sense of introspection. She appeared to be considering how much she was willing to divulge. Eventually, she drew her gaze up to face her.

“What were you trying to do?” she asked with a measured tone. She was looking at Mae intently. Her voice was stern but belied a genuine sense of curiosity.

Mae felt her heart pound unsteadily in her chest. She attempted to answer but could only manage an incoherent stutter, an ill-concealed expression of guilt on her face.

Bombshell sighed deeply. “Look, I don’t like being the sort of asshole who lectures others on how they conduct themselves. But I don’t know you yet, alright? So when you get up in my face like that, I don’t-”

“We’ve met,” Mae interjected. “A few months ago. That night at the college party.”

“Yes. I remember you.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. Samantha something.”

“Oh, crud.”

“Right. I figured that was probably some bullshit,” Bombshell said, a small smile spreading across her lips.

“It was.”

“Musta hexed me real good.”

“Hahaha.”

“Also, I think you gave me your life story at one point,” Bombshell pondered. “I’ve forgotten the details. Sorry.”

“That’s alright!”

“You know, now that I think about it, that was a weird place to meet someone for the first time,” she observed. She seemed more relaxed as she tried to recall her memory of events. “It’s nice seeing you out here, in the open air like this.”

Mae nodded vigorously in agreement. The basement nightclub where they’d first met in Fall was a dingy place – fine for a dance, perhaps, but not for holding a conversation. The lighting had been poor and the murky atmosphere generated from the club’s smoke machine had made it difficult to see further than a few feet in front of your face – factors that, to Mae, had made their initial meeting that more serendipitous. And that wasn’t even considering the loudness of the music blasting out from the DJ booth that’d made any attempt at speaking difficult.

Out here in the open air, by the light of the fire, she saw a whole new dimension to the person she had held in her memory until now. Studying her face, Mae could more easily make out finer details she’d struggled to discern at the time – features such as her small metal earrings. They captured and reflected the light of the fire, as did the stud piercing below her lower lip. She also fully appreciated how her short, dyed light-blue hair perfectly complimented her eyes. There were other smaller details she noticed: the thin lines that crossed her brow; the delicate flicker of her eyelids when she blinked; the slight blush of her cheeks when she smiled. Features that brought the images of the person circulating in her head to life. She was a real person once more – no longer a fantasy, but no less enchanting.

“So, not-Samantha,” Bombshell continued, “do you mind telling me your real name?”

“It’s Mae.”

“Mae,” she spoke, weighing the name and its sound. Her fingers slowly caressed the lobe of her ear as she played with one of her earrings. She peered at Mae inquisitively, as if she was testing to see if the name matched the face in front of her.

“Mae….” she repeated in a more hushed tone.

Mae felt a jolt of electricity course through her. How did it feel so incredible to hear this girl say her name? A furious desire enveloped her mind.

Say it some more, she pleaded silently. Yell it in my ear.

“Mae Borowski, if you want the full article,” she said with a veiled coolness.

“Brrrrowski,” Bombshell purred seductively. “Sounds tough.”

“None tougher!” Mae said with a grin. “I once beat a guy half to death.”

“Nice.”

“It was actually pretty bad and not fun at all and also really scary.”

“Oh,” Bombshell blinked. “Well, I’ll try not to get on your bad side.”

“Getting on my bad side is, like, an all-around bad idea.”

Bombshell gave a flirtatious smile. Mae took the invitation to look deeply into her eyes and was taken aback. There was a tremendous depth of feeling, so powerful it could sweep her off her feet. She could scarcely believe what she was experiencing. It was the most incredible feeling in the world, just to look into this girl's eyes and have her look back into hers. She felt she could drown in this moment – drown in the depths of those eyes.

“So, what happened that night?” Bombshell asked, breaking Mae out of her reverie. “You seemed like you were in a hurry.”

“Oh, right!” Mae started. “I was there with my best friend, Bea. It was her idea. But I screwed up and ruined her night.”

“Is she here tonight?”

“She’s busy with work.”

“She’s not at college?”

“Oh, she’s not a student but she would go to the parties,” Mae explained. “I went to college for a little while. I, uh, dropped out.”

Bombshell stopped to consider this information. She appeared to be deep in thought. She turned her attention back to the fire. Mae watched her for a while, observing the flickering whites of the fire light reflected in her eyes – those gorgeous light blue eyes.

“Are… you at college?” Mae asked a moment of silence.

Bombshell looked at her with a wry smile. “What do you think?”

“No chance. You’re way too cool for that garbage.”

She responded with a low, throaty chuckle, then gazed into the campfire again. Mae, deciding to follow suit, turned her head to look into the depths of the fire.

“Bea’s friend thinks I’m a real jerk and she’s probably right,” she continued. “I had some stuff going on at the time. But I chased Bea down that night and we made up. We hashed out a lot of stuff over chattrBox afterwards. And since then, things have been a lot better between us.”

Bombshell gave a small nod, seemingly content with the knowledge that Mae hadn’t abandoned her friend, but without anything of particular note to add. She coolly reached over for her cup and drained the last of her drink. Watching her, Mae felt a need to change the topic.

“Umm. I’m sorry I startled you earlier,” she apologized. “That was really dumb of me.”

Bombshell paused to consider the apology. She gave a small hum in agreement.

“You’re a little intense. But you’re lucky you’re cute.”

Mae’s eyes widened at the compliment. He words were like gold dust. She sensed a rush of blood to her cheeks. She thinks I’m cute – and I feel cute.

Bombshell smiled deeply at Mae with a sultry flutter of her eyelids. She seemed pleased by the response her comment had elicited.

“Do you remember the handshake?” she asked.

“Hell yeah, I do!”

Bombshell held out her hand. Mae matched it with her own. The pair brought them together, their fingers outstretched in such a way as to form the unmistakable shape of a pentagram.

“Wow. WOW.”

“Pretty great, right?”

“I don’t know why I haven’t tried this on more people,” Mae wondered aloud.

Of course, that was a lie. She knew why – it was because it was their thing. To use it on anyone else would spoil it. In fact, it would probably constitute a betrayal of some sort. She inspected their pentagram – their creation – a while longer, then slowly drew back her hand. It was trembling slightly.

“You know, I created a name for you,” Mae offered with some trepidation.

“You did?”

“From that night at the club. I didn’t get your name at the time. Actually, I still don’t know much about you,” Mae explained. “So to me, you’re, uh… ‘Bombshell’.”

Bombshell laughed. Mae started in surprise. It was a lovely laugh – generous and unburdened. A laugh that lifted the spirits of those who heard it. And it was, she reflected, a laugh that came from the unlikeliest of places. She hadn’t expected to hear such a laugh from the girl that’d produced it.

“Bombshell,” she purred, weighing the name with the same imaginary scales she’d used for Mae’s name. “You know, that’s pretty good. I think that works just fine, for now.”

It was at this moment that Bombshell absently reached into her pocket and produced a phone. The phone case was a mess of punk rock stickers and there was evidence of – to put it generously – some ‘wear and tear'. Bombshell briefly checked the display, the glass cracked almost to the point of illegibility. She frowned, returning the phone to her pocket.

“Shit. I need to head,” she announced briskly as she made a motion to stand up.

“Wait! Do you really have to go?” Mae asked. “I was hoping to speak to you some more!”

“Sorry, darling. I lost track of the time,” she said with a warm smile. “Having too much fun.”

She was about to rise to her feet. Mae reached out, placing her hand on top of hers.

“You really can’t stay a little longer?” Mae pleaded. “We can dance or something, if you’re sick of hearing me talk.”

Bombshell appeared to hesitate for a moment. Then she shook her head ruefully.

“Afraid not. But there’s always next time.”

“Next time?”

“Sure. It’s not an impossibility, right?” she smiled. “Stranger things have happened.”

She gently slipped her hand out from under Mae’s and rose to her feet.

A wave of panic ran through Mae. This couldn’t be the end. She couldn’t let Bombshell walk out of her life like this. She had to say something – anything – to stop her. To make her stay just a little bit longer. Even if it’s the nuclear option, Mae decided. Even if it may backfire.

“Wait!” Mae called after her. “Please just… hear me out.”

Bombshell stopped and turned to face her. Mae met her gaze, feeling her heart in her throat. She was shaking with nerves, her pulse rising. Maybe this was a stupid idea. Maybe this would result in another knife being pressed against her gut, she considered. But she couldn’t stop herself now – there was no other option. Fighting against the pressure, she forced out the words resting on the tip of her tongue.

“I’ve been thinking about you, like, every single day since that night,” she started. “I don’t know if that sounds weird. I should’ve told you this when we first met but I was too busy effing up my best friend’s life. I probably sound like a moron right now but I think I’m attracted to you. Like, madly attracted to you. And I just… I mean, this is all so strange. I walked away that night without thinking things through properly – without realizing what I was feeling at the time. Since then, I’ve been frightened – like really legitimately scared – that we would never see each other again. But now you’re here and it feels like my heart’s gonna burst and I-” Mae paused, almost choking on her words. Her mind was rushing but she forced down her panic. “I just need to know that I’m gonna see you again. Please.”

Bombshell paused for a moment, as if in consideration. There was a faintly chill breeze in the air. It almost seemed like she was listening to the wind, as if it had something to say on the matter. Finally, she looked at Mae.

“Have a drink,” Bombshell replied with a teasing wink, her tongue stuck out. Swiftly but deliberately, she drew her index finger across her throat in a quick motion. Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and strolled away.

“Wait, what do you-” Mae stuttered. It took a moment for her to process the comment and its apparent implications. Her confusion suddenly morphed into anger.

“Really? That’s all you’ve got to say, after I put it all out there?!” she shouted. She rose to her feet, ready to chase after Bombshell. But somehow, it was already too late. She had moved at a tremendous pace, as if the Universe had conspired to whisk her away. By the time Mae had it in her head to pursue her, she’d already vanished into the crowd. She was gone.

Mae stood there for a moment, dumbfounded. Then, she fell back down onto the log where Bombshell had been just a moment ago. She sat alone, staring into space. She felt like she’d been hit by a train. A feeling of hollowness rippled through her chest, a gnawing pain in her heart. Bombshell was gone. She’d let her walk away, after she’d poured her heart out in front of her. And she didn’t even get her name! What a joke.

Would they see each other again? It felt unlikely. The wildest chance had brought them together tonight and she’d blown it. Their reunion – the moment she had anticipated for so long – had passed. With no promise of another moment with her, the world suddenly felt very empty.

Mae felt tears begin to gather in her eyes. It was all so unfair. She bit back the urge to cry, her thoughts turning to spite.

Whatever. I’ll take her advice. I do need a drink. Eff this party. Life sucks. Everything sucks.

Mae absently reached over to where she’d left her plastic cup. She almost knocked it clean over. She looked. Her hand was trembling. Try and she might, she couldn’t make it stop. This loss of control only made her more upset. She bit her lip. Unable to tear her eyes away from this awful sight, she imagined she’d fallen into a deep, dark hole, and that she was falling endlessly, with no end in sight.

“Hey duder!!” someone yelled at her.

Mae broke from her trance to see Gregg stumbling over towards her. His shirt was partially unbuttoned, and his hair ruffled out of shape. He wore an exaggerated smile on his face and was visibly very drunk.

“Hey,” Mae murmured in a low voice. “Where’s Angus?”

“I had to take a leak, so I left him waiting somewhere. Then I thought I’d check in on you!” Gregg chirped. “What’s going on?”

“Not much,” Mae muttered. “Was just about to grab another drink.”

“Don’t bother. They’ve run out of punch. To be fair, I think I drank most of it,” Gregg grinned.

“Could be an ugly one tomorrow.”

“That’s tomorrow’s problem,” Gregg smiled, tapping the side of his head with one finger. “So, who was that girl you were talking to?”

“Oh,” Mae breathed, somewhat taken off-guard. “No-one.”

“You can’t brush me off that easily, man. But whatever – we’ll come back to that later,” Gregg said as he sat down next to her, almost stumbling as he did so. “Listen. I’ve just had the best idea I’ve ever had.”

He pointed an outstretched finger towards the table, directed her gaze back over to the ostentatious punch bowl.

“You know, I’ve been wanting to smash that thing to pieces all evening. It’s empty now and no-one’s looking, so it’s time to strike,” he proposed, a wicked smile creeping over his face. “I brought my baseball bat. It’s in the trunk of our car. What do you say, partner? Ready for some practice?”

Mae gave a deep sigh. “I don’t know, Gregg,” she muttered, her voice cracking a little as she spoke. “I’m not really feeling it right now.”

“Come on, Mae!” Gregg implored. “We’ve gone through so much cheap junk at Snack Falcon. When’s the next time you’re going to get to break something this expensive, huh?”

Mae tried to meet her friend’s gaze but couldn’t hold it. She looked away quickly. The laughter of the partygoers nearby swelled for a brief moment, then slowly died down. Distracted by the crowd, Gregg attempted to get Mae’s attention. He looked at her face. It was at that moment he noticed there were tears in her eyes.

Carefully, Gregg lowered himself to the ground. He was swaying slightly, still a little unsteady from the drink. Kneeling down beside her, he gently placed his arm around her shoulders.

Mae shuddered as she felt Gregg’s touch. Something gave way inside of her. She drew her feet up onto the stump, hugging her ankles as she curled up into a tight ball. Gregg wrapped his other arm around her front, drawing her close.

“Dude, it’s ok. I know you’re hurting right now,” Gregg said delicately after a few moments had passed. “I didn’t see what happened. I’m guessing that chick’s probably just gone and trampled on your heart. And that really, really sucks. But we’re still buddies. I know you better than most, and I know for a fact that you’ll only start to feel better about this once we’ve smashed some shit up. So, what do you say?”

Mae hesitated, then gave a small hum of agreement. Of course Gregg was right. There was no sneaking anything past him, and she didn’t doubt he was right about what would cheer her up. She needed to get these overwhelming feelings out of her system. Perhaps a little bit of wanton destruction would help with that. Hitting things with a bat usually helped – except for that one time when it really didn’t.

“Alright!” Gregg cheered, jumping to his feet. “I’m gonna sneak this thing away when no-one’s looking. Go wait by the car. You remember where we parked right?”

Mae gave a small nod. She sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her arm. As Gregg was about to leave, he turned to face her.

“Crimes?” he asked.

Mae hauled herself to her feet, which felt like a gargantuan effort. She felt like her whole body was made of lead.

“Crimes,” she murmured – the most unenthusiastic answer she’d ever given to that particular question, though it seemed to satisfy Gregg. He crept away, looking for an ideal position from which to commit his act of theft.

Mae turned away from the campfire and began walking, her feet dragging heavily. She followed a dirt path that led away from the centre of the party, towards a thick line of forest on the edge of the clearing. A group of teens ran past her in the opposite direction. They were heading towards a livelier spot near the fire where people were dancing. She heard the whooping and hollering behind her but kept her eyes lowered, glued to the path. Before long, the voices had grown distant. The trees of the State Forest rose up in front of her. Taking a few steps forward, she left behind the light and noises of the party, retreating back into the gloomy darkness of the woods.

The car park was totally quiet – a stark contrast from the bustling party they’d been at moments ago. The only sounds came from the gentle rustling of tree branches, and the faint, distant voices from the party, carried on the wind.

Gregg and Mae had emerged from the cover of the trees, with Gregg carrying the ridiculously ornate punch bowl in his arms.

“This thing’s pretty heavy!” Gregg complained as he hauled the bowl into place.

Well, this was your idea, not mine, Mae thought to herself.

The earth beneath their feet was laced with fine dust – much of the grass had withered away. Mae and Gregg’s shoes had kicked up dust as they’d crossed the parking lot, returning to where they had left the car. There were a few other cars parked in the area, though the occupants were no-doubt still revelling away from here. The space was dimly lit, the only light coming from a few poorly maintained lamp lights that were dotted around the area and the light of the moon. Beyond the reach of the lamps, the oppressive darkness of the State Forest rose up. It’d been marginally lighter when they’d arrived, but it would be a challenge to retrace their steps now.

At least the darkness had provided the cover for them to sneak away the party’s punch bowl without being followed. How Gregg had managed to swipe it from under their noses without anyone noticing, Mae couldn’t understand. He was a talented guy, that’s for sure, even though he often chose to use those talents for evil.

“You know this thing was most likely stolen by someone at the party, right?” Mae questioned as they’d retrieved the baseball bat from the trunk of Angus’ car. “And now we’ve stolen it from them. Aren’t they going to be mad?”

“No honour among thieves, dude,” Gregg said reassuringly. “They’ll get over it. Besides, this is urgent business!”

Mae decided not to question why smashing fine tableware for their own amusement constituted ‘urgent business’ in Gregg’s mind. He scratched a horizontal line in the dirt with the toe of his shoe. Still cradling the large punch bowl in his arms, he took a few steps backwards to gauge the distance.

Mae took up her position roughly twenty feet away from the line, dragging the wooden bat they’d retrieved from Angus’ car. The pain of the evening had not yet subsided – the bad feelings inside her were beginning to resurface. Her vision was unfocused and bleary, distorted elements beginning to creep into view. In the corners of her eyesight, she could sense unsettling movements – misshapen things crawling in the shadows of the parking lot.

She took a deep breath, drawing her attention back to the game. The varnished wood of the bat felt smooth and reassuringly cool against her palms. It felt good to be holding something so familiar in her hands. She gripped the handle firmly, letting it act as a conduit for the waves of anguish churning away inside her.

“Now, we only get one shot at this,” Gregg slurred drunkenly, placing the bowl down at his feet, “so I’mma throw this as straight as I can, an’ you gotta hit it real hard!”

Mae nodded in understanding. The bowl was beautifully designed but undeniably fragile. Gregg had almost broken it placing it down on the ground. Regardless of how careful they were, they would only get one attempt.

Gregg lifted up the punch bowl off the ground with both hands, wielding it like a trophy. Then he shifted its entire weight onto his right arm, taking another few steps backwards.

Mae blinked in disbelief. He was actually going to attempt an overarm pitch. She had no idea how he would be able to pitch something so large with an overarm throw. It didn’t seem possible. He’s probably going to drop it or plunge it straight into the ground, she told herself. Regardless, she planted her feet, her bat raised, preparing herself for the possibility that this unusual idea doesn’t go horribly awry. Deep inside her chest, those knotted feelings of grief and anger continued to rage, demanding to be let out.

“Here it comes!” Gregg said. He took two steps forward, then broke into a brief sprint towards the line. Winding his arm around in one clean motion, he threw the bowl towards Mae.

It was a prodigious throw. Despite his inebriated state, Gregg’s pitch was just right – the angle, height and speed of the throw were spot-on. Despite the bowl’s size, he had adjusted his aim so that it followed an arc in a way not dissimilar to a regular baseball. Not to mention the strength required to heft something that large with one arm. It seemed almost incomprehensible, but Gregg – drunk as a skunk – had just served up a perfect pitch, and she wasn’t going to waste it.

Mae lined up the incoming object, waiting for the exact moment. Her muscles tensed. Then, with a wild yell, she swung as hard as she could.

As the bat connected with the side of the bowl, time seemed to slow to a crawl. She felt the impact shudder through her arms – heard the devastating sound as the glass and porcelain exploded in front of her, shattering into a thousand pieces. Jagged chunks of ceramic sprayed out from the point of impact like shrapnel. Following the arc of her swing, glimmering fragments of glass rained down like tears made of diamonds. They caught the light of the car park lamps, dancing like fireflies or stars in the night sky. Though it lasted only a moment, it was such a beautiful, entrancing, magnificent sight – a blend of earthly and cosmic splendour that was almost transcendental in nature. It was far more wonderful than she could’ve imagined it.

Time began to unfurl. Razor-sharp shards shot past her face like tiny knives. It occurred to her, a little too late, that potential injuries weren’t something they’d accounted for. But whether through fate or sheer dumb luck, she wasn’t hurt. She held the bat aloft a moment longer, her muscles straining. Finally, she dropped the bat, letting it fall to the ground with a clatter.

“Dude, that was incredible! Absolute perfection! I’ve never seen anything break like that!” Gregg exclaimed, waving his arms wildly in excitement. “How are you feeling?”

Mae looked at her palms. She was trembling, but she did feel a little better. Their silly, destructive little game had given voice to those aggressive, painful feelings that’d lodged themselves in her heart. The pain she felt was beginning to dull. The hollow feeling in her chest had abated and she felt lighter. She even found herself giggling slightly from the sheer intoxication of the moment.

However, she noticed a new, unexpected emotion had emerged: guilt. She looked down at what was once an ornate and no-doubt very expensive bowl, now ruined. It was a shame – it really had been a nice ornament. Its owner will be devastated. Thankfully, it couldn’t possibly have belonged to anyone at that party. Jagged fragments of the bowl were scattered all around her, the ground littered with debris from their little game. Tiny fragments of glass glimmered in the faint light of the overhead lamps. The decapitated heads of the bowl’s ornamental porcelain swans were strewn across the ground, resembling the aftermath of some demented rampage.

Her eyes scanned the ground as she scoured the wreckage. As she examined the larger pieces of the bowl that hadn’t totally shattered and ground into the dust, she noticed something out of place. There was something tucked into one of the porcelain necks of the swans that had decorated the bowl, pinned in the curve of the neck and the rim of the bowl that remained partially intact. Mae knelt down and fished it out, examining it. It was a small square of thick paper, almost like a business card but smaller. The side facing her was blank. Mae flipped it over.

Someone had scrawled what appeared to be a name on the other side. Only it wasn’t quite a name….

Mae’s eyes widened in sudden realisation. It’s a chattrBox handle. Her chattrBox handle. It had to be. This note belonged to Bombshell. What was it doing here? Had she dropped it accidentally when she’d left? No, that couldn’t be right. She’d left here deliberately, in hopes that it would be discovered.

Gregg waltzed over to where Mae was crouched down, fumbling the small note in her hands. He peered over her shoulder at the note. On account of his drunkenness, it took him a moment to register its meaning. His looks grew more excited once it hit home.

“Hold on. Is this what I think it is?”

Mae nodded shakily. Gregg squinted closely at the note in his friend’s hand.

“That’s her name?”

“I guess so,” Mae said, casting her eyes over the note repeatedly. “I mean, I don’t know for sure. It could be.”

“Wait, you didn’t know her real name before stumbling across her handle?” Gregg gawped. “Lame, dude!”

“She wouldn’t tell me!” Mae argued as she leapt up, thumping Gregg roughly on the arm.

“Ow, okay! Okay!” Gregg winced, rubbing his arm sorely. “But you’re definitely sure it’s her? And that she left this for you to find?”

Mae nodded with certainty.

“Then you’re in there, dude. Like, in the best way possible. I’m excited for you!” Gregg grinned, full of delight. “No strings convos. Taking a step back from all that stressful real-life, in-person stuff. You set the pace. You get to build things up. The anticipation slowly ratchets up. You’re gonna talk so much filth to each other. And then, when the time is right-”

At that moment, they heard a rustle as they noticed someone emerge into the clearing. Angus stepped towards them unsteadily. He was out of breath, sweat glistening on his brow. He wore a concerned look on his face.

“There you are!” he gasped, striding over to the pair of them. “I’ve been looking for you two everywhere. What are you doing out here?”

“Ah shoot. Sorry for leaving you waiting back there,” Gregg mumbled apologetically. “Just being a bad influence on Mae.”

“Well, I can believe that,” Angus sighed irritably as he took a moment to catch his breath. His voice was laced with panic. “We were supposed to meet at the spot we agreed. I had no idea where you both were. I ran all around that space again and again, checking to see if you were with someone. I asked a bunch of people if they’d seen you. I even had to go searching in the woods. I was worried. I thought something could’ve happened to you.”

Gregg lowered his gaze in contrition. He appeared ashamed, humming a small apology. Angus’ features relaxed, his anxiety beginning to fade. Though slightly disgruntled, he seemed satisfied knowing his friends were safe.

“Anyway, enough of that,” he said, turning away from Gregg. “How was your evening, Mae?”

“It was good!” Mae chirped. “I caught up with Lori and her friends. Then I chatted with this other girl. She threatened me with a switchblade at one point, but it was mostly a good experience.”

Gregg looked up suddenly, a glint in his eye. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his own knife – one of the several knives he kept on his person at all times.

“That chick pulled a knife on you?” he laughed heartily as he started waving the knife around wildly. “You should’ve shown her your knife fighting skills, dude. Sliced her up real good!”    

“Come on. Put that away,” Angus cautioned, reaching over to steady Gregg’s arm.

“That’s what, uh, HE said!”

“Please, bug,” Angus frowned impatiently. “You’ve given me the run-around tonight. And I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you’re a drunken mess.”

“I’m your drunken mess,” Gregg retorted with a tipsy grin as he gently stroked Angus’ chest. “And I’ll never let you forget it.”

Watching her friends, Mae felt a wave of drowsiness sweep over her. She gave a deep yawn and rubbed her eyes. They stung a little from the smoke from the fire, but also from self-evident tiredness. Today had proven to be more eventful than she’d predicted.

“Can we go home?” Mae asked quietly. “I’m shattered.”

“That sounds like a sensible idea. And since it looks like I'm the only one who’s still with it, it’ll be my pleasure to be the dedicated driver,” Angus said with a thinly-veiled hint of smugness.

“Thanks, Angus. You’re a lifesaver.”

“At your service,” he replied with a small bow, discarding even the slightest pretence of humility.

“Alright, no need to lord it over us, Mr Tee-Total,” Gregg protested with a slight stumble. “We know you gave up drinking just for this very privilege. It’s extremely noble of you.”

“Bug, you'd better believe I'd give up anything for you.”

“Awwww...” Mae cooed. She swayed, almost losing her balance. She’d fall asleep on her feet before much longer. Even her legs were getting tired.

Angus fumbled in his pocket for his car keys, then paused as he noticed something.

“What’s all this?” he asked, his eyes drawn to the jagged, sharp-looking pieces of shattered glass and ceramic that littered the ground.

Gregg puffed himself up. “Mae and I had to deal with some difficult feelings by smashing up someone else’s property. Don’t worry – we had a great time doing it!”

“I’m more bothered by the fact that you opted to do it in the parking lot. Right behind our car,” Angus protested. “You could have taken it somewhere else.”

“Look, it’s fine. Just be careful when you pull out.”

“That’s what HE-” Mae started, cutting herself short when he saw the expression on Angus’ face. “Uhh.”

Angus grumbled as he unlocked the car, with Gregg jumping in the backseat without a second thought, cackling maniacally to himself like an idiot. The door slammed behind him, with Angus taking the driver’s seat.

Mae knelt down to pick up the bat she’d left on the ground. Dutifully, she swept aside some of the larger, more dangerous-looking shards of glass, brushing them into the longer grass away from the path. A burst tire in the middle of the woods wasn’t what anyone needed right now.

Before joining them in the car, she turned back towards the direction of the party. The lights were fainter now, the voices of the partygoers more distant and harder to pick out. Perhaps things were beginning to wind down. She had no idea what time it was. The moon had vanished behind the towering heads of the trees.

She held the note she’d found out in front of her. She read the name, rolling her thumb over the letters. What a wild evening. It almost felt like some kind of dream but she knew it wasn’t. Bombshell had really been there. And now Mae had a means of contacting her. What incredible promise, she thought. For the first time in a long time, she was genuinely optimistic and excited for what the future would bring. There were still challenges to overcome, but she suspected things were going to be ok.

She looked out into the darkness of the shadows beyond the parking lot. For a moment, they appeared to be completely still. As her eyes focused, however, she saw the familiar twisting and convulsing of the shadows – unseen shapes and formless things that lurked out of sight, silently watching her – calling her back to the depths from which they’d escaped. She held their gaze for a few moments, as she often did when noticing their presence. Only, this time, the accompanying feelings of fear or dread did not emerge. For the first time in months, this ominous display had no power over her.

Mae gave a slight smile. Then, with a gentle intake of breath, she turned back to the car, opened the rear-seat door and got in.

The ride back was peaceful. The roads were quiet and almost completely clear of traffic.

Angus peered into the rear mirror to check on his friends. Mae was passed out in the backseat alongside Gregg. The two of them were curled up next to each other like little kids, fast asleep. He smiled. It was a strangely adorable sight – he couldn’t deny that – and certainly preferable to all the noise they’d made on the way up.

So, it seemed he had a moment to himself.

Keeping his focus on the road but relaxing his grip on the wheel, he willed himself to unwind, releasing some of the tension in his neck and shoulders. He focused on his breathing for a few moments, just as those guidance videos had instructed. Slowly and intently, he allowed himself to breathe out those toxins and unpleasant sensations he’d been carrying around with him this evening, purifying the mind and body.

He had been sceptical at first. He’d initially dismissed these sorts of techniques as nonsense. But he couldn’t deny it – they really did work. It’d been Gregg’s suggestion to give them a shot. Not your typical Gregg suggestion, Angus figured. Regardless, he supposed this was just another one of the countless ways Gregg had managed to measurably improve his life since they’d first met.

God, it was such a relief that nothing had happened to those two tonight. After the events of last year, with them just disappearing like that, who knows what could’ve happened? It would be a while yet before Angus would be able to put the insanity of those months behind him. Heck, it was going to take them all a long time to readjust. Until then, he expected his evenings would continue to be graced with paranoid thoughts, the now-familiar bouts of existential dread and the not-so-infrequent night terrors.

But they were safe – that was the important thing. His friends were safe. They’d had a good time at the party. Apparently, Mae had even met a girl she liked and got her details – someone she’d met before and thought she would never see again. Gregg seemed excited for her and, to tell the truth, Angus was too. She deserved her shot at real happiness – probably more than any of them. And as for Gregg? Well, he’d regret his fun in the morning but he would have Angus’ forgiveness, and perhaps a little something extra, if he was lucky.

Angus saw a break in the line of trees at the end of the road, marking the entrance to the State Forest. Once they were clear of the forest, Angus took in the impressive view of the horizon. They were quite high up here. It was early in the morning in Deep Hollow county. The sun was already beginning to rise in the distance, bathing the valleys below in a warm glow.

A new day was approaching, and there was so much more to learn.