"Octavia?" A voice echoed in curiosity down the hallway filled with various people in different shades of black attires. "Has anyone seen my sister?"
The girl herself shrank into the shadows which the pillars offered, from the view of anyone who could recognize her. With a heart palpitating a little faster, palms slick with sweat, she shut her eyes tight hoping for none to stumble upon her hiding place.
There were several echoes of 'no, we haven't' and the unmistakable miserable sigh of her sister, Janice as she walked on still calling out for her. In a matter of seconds, the sounds of her heels clicking against the floorboards faded into a distant thump, like the beating of her overexcited heart.
In what she hoped to be a noiseless escape, she appeared from within the darkness where she'd concealed herself and dashed out towards the back door of their house. Her head bowed low to prevent recognition from any of the guests milling about the four-bedroom cabin.
She looked up at the sky which was quickly darkening with grey lines. Dusk was closing in and the sun sunk its glamour behind thick clouds.
Today had been the final burial procession of her parents who had tragically passed on in a horrible car crash. Her heart clenched painfully when she recalled the final departing words and prayers of the priest as he kindly instructed the family of the deceased to step forward and say their final goodbyes.
She recalled how dry her eyes were and how hollow she felt inside like everything that mattered had been ripped out from within her. It first seemed as though she wasn't remorseful when she faced the coffins with expressionless eyes and lips pulled taut together, but in truth, there were no tears left to cry.
Her voice had cracked from several nights of crying herself to sleep, soaking her pillow with bitter tears, wishing to reverse the fate of her parents. They did nothing.
Now more than ever, she wanted to leave the horrid memories threatening to suffocate her, the hollowing depths of loneliness- she needed to leave it all behind and grapple for a breath of redeeming air.
As she neared the back of the house where several other people were gathered, she made a sharp retreat before she could be spotted. She watched as several heads turned as though in search of something- specifically put- someone. Her.
A hand stretched out towards the spot she was and Janice's head followed in that direction- and that was her cue to flee. Without stopping to look back to see if she was being chased after, she shot off mindlessly into the woods, hoisting her black lacy gown onto her hands and away from her feet.
Instead of heels, she had chosen black sneakers as opposed to what Janice wanted. Now, she felt grateful for listening to that rebellious part of her that opted for sneakers instead of plumps.
How would she have been able to run in those without being spotted?
She heard faint echoes of what sounded like her name but she was already swallowed deep into the throng of towering trees for her to heed.
It was dark when she came to a clear opening. A gentle draft of cool breeze licked her bare shoulders, carrying through her hair and caressing her face.
From somewhere ahead, there was a distant roar of a large body of water, rolling along and swaying seductively to whichever way the wind twirled it to. That's when Octavia realized she had gotten to the beach.
Her feet burned with ache and her chest heaved with exhaustion but she didn't stop moving. In the distance, she caught sight of a group of people dancing around a bonfire. The cheeriness in their laughter was infectious and it caught her interest, so she drew nearer to them.
They all looked old enough to be college students, each with a bottle of beer in their grip, dancing carelessly with all their worries tossed to the wind.
She dropped down on the soft dunes of the beach at the same moment an image of Janice's disapproving face popped into her mind. She buried the image with a mental flick of her middle finger at it.
Janice was never one she could rely on as she'd always failed in her duty as an elder sister. Subsequently, Octavia decided she was no longer answerable to her reprimands and did as she pleased.
It included her flight from the burial. Her presence was no longer needed anyway, she thought, Janice and her boyfriend were already playing the role of host and hostess beautifully.
The people whom she was quietly observing, now moved around the fire with renewed youthful agility and vigor when a different song boomed from a speaker box nearby. Frantic excitement rolled off them in noticeable waves and to her uncertainty,
It was gradually danced over to where she sat. Before she got lost in the beats, she noticed somebody's eyes on her. The broad grin on her face fell off when the pretty blonde waved her over.
A few of them turned their heads in her direction, imitating the gesture of the blonde.
With her spine stiffened in shock, Octavia pointed to herself when she was certain they were referring to her.
The blonde didn't waste time in jogging over to pull her up to her feet.
"Come join us." She urged a playful twinkle in her green eyes now darkened with haziness, the effects of the alcohol in her system kicking in.
Octavia found herself unwilling to say no to their requests, especially since she was hoping to get lost in anything that would drown her sorrows.
Tripping on her gown, she blindly fumbled for the hem and in one swift movement, ripped the maxi dress, giving it a jagged end at her knees. She instantly regretted her impulsive action but at least she wouldn't have to heft it in her arms while she joined in their gyrations.
A hand from nowhere passed her a bottle of beer which she cradled in her hands, teeth shivering involuntarily as the chillness from the bottle coupled with the night breeze traveled up her arms. She tipped the bottle back and into her mouth, face contorting in displeasure at the bittersweet taste of the drink.
Someone by her right nudged her drunkenly, almost knocking the beer bottle out of her grip. "It's not love at first swig. Take a second and a third."
"Thanks." She murmured in response. Minutes later, the alcohol kicked in, numbing her to the cold and bringing her out of her cocoon shell. She found herself linking hands with the people by her side as they linked hands with other people.
Ecstatically, they resumed their gyrations, dancing wild and freely around the raging fire whose warmth was nothing compared to what they felt inside.
After what seemed like a long while of careless dancing, Octavia broke away from the circle to grab for herself another bottle of beer in a cooler next to a big tree log. After she took a first swig, a lanky guy ambled up to her with a ridiculous grin on his face. She chalked it up to being buzzed from alcohol until he produced a tiny white tablet she didn't recognize.
"Hey, beautiful. I see how eager you are to get drunk tonight so I'm here to tell you about this baby. Alcohol leaves you puking all over the place but this right here sweetens your taste buds and makes you go wild."
She gave the tiny tablet a long suspicious look, contemplating if the drug was the reason why all of them were acting erratic and careless.
At the last minute when she almost caved in, the person was shoved out of her face. Ignoring the sounds of protest coming from him, she snapped her eyes up to look into black eyes, humor laying in their depths.
A boyish grin tugged at both sides of the newcomer's lips and black hair that looked like hands had gone through countless times.
"Do you take random things from strangers?" His spelled out in a deep voice. His head was tilted to the side, studying her with growing interest. His gaze had her warm and uncomfortable at the same time. She licked her lips, swallowing numbly.
"I wasn't going to... Well, I was. I just need something to--"
"You're sad. Something happened?" He abruptly cut in.
She threw back her head with a loud giggle. She wasn't sure why she responded like that. She pinned him a look of renewed curiosity. "I'm human. Humans are subjected to a miserable life of sadness. When happiness comes, it's only for a fleeting moment. Like a faint flicker of light submerging amid the swirling darkness. Wait, what are you? Some kind of psyche?"
He gave her a lopsided grin in response. "I'm anything you say I am. Who knows, I may be able to take away the pain gnawing hard in your chest."
She froze momentarily then shot him a smile that hurt the muscles in her cheek. "I wish you could. Even if you did, how do you intend to do that?"
He exposed another of his lazy grins, his black eyes seeming darker as he sent her a small wink. "You want to forget about whatever led you here?"
She wanted to take steps away from the stranger who made her insides quiver with anticipation and anxiety. She very well knew what he was hinting at.
Instead, fueled by alcohol taking up most of her melting brain, she stepped closer to him, tipping her head back to have a better look at his handsome face, she stated with an outstretched arm.
"Make me."
