Ablizorm

A Date With Zorablim - Nov 08

10 seconds...Toni stepped into the clearing, clutching Zuri's hand. She bit down hard on her lip, breathing in deeply. Almost time.

9 seconds... Toni watched as her friend fingered with her hair, eying her watch. The silence dragged on, the only sound in the rustle of the soft breeze, the puff of breath that froze in the late November air; the steady ticking of Zuri's wristwatch.

6:00.

Toni didn't know what she had expected, but she expected...something.

What she got was nothing.

At first, she convinced herself that they were just late; but as the minutes dragged on....

Later, she realized how stupidly naive she had been, actually expecting someone.

But in the moment, all she felt was crushing disappointment. And worry. What did this mean for Ellie?

The two sat there for almost three hours, waiting.

But... there was nothing.

They were supposed to meet us. They promised. They promised. This was supposed to be the moment. The moment Ellie strolled through the trees. Toni slumped over, her back pressed uncomfortably against the tree. Zuri fell next to her, and Toni caught her friend staring glumly at her lap. She doesn't think they're coming. Toni started hopefully into the woods. And yet, still, there was only the soft rustle of trees swaying in the forest, the occasional bird call, the smell of—

Toni sprung up from where she was leaning against the tree. "Do you—do you—"

Zuri stood up, confused. Toni brushed the dirt from her tunic, turning around in a frantic circle.

"Do you—do you smell that?"

It was like something fowl and burnt was floating through Toni 's notroils. Something that felt very much like— "No..." Zuri scrunched up her nose. "Is that—" Her eyes widened.

"Smoke,"

"It's definitely smoke"

Fuck. Fuck—that's—this is—what? Oh god. What the hell? The smell was getting thicker—closer. The two girls shared a glance. Toni grabbed Zuri's hand, and together they ran back down the narrow trail. As they got closer, Toni could make out thick tendrils of smoke twisting lazily through the woods. From the direction of— Toni rounded the corner; the smoke was getting thicker.

They came out of the woods, not where they had started, but further into town. And at the end of the block, lay a smothering pile of ash and soot. Iron gates lay haphazardly across the ground, and as Toni got closer, she could see burnt trash and debris everywhere.

Firefighters were swarming the scene, and curious pedestrians stopped to stare. A crowd was forming around the Caution tape, watching the scene play out in horror. Toni and Zuri shoved their way to the front and watched, transfixed, as the firefighters got rid of the last of the burning flame.

~•~

SWISH. Toni jumped a little as Zuri violently jammed the knife into the unoffending tomato, splattering juice all over the counter. Sighing, she got up from the table to get a rag, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"This was no accident," Zuri muttered, stabbing the knife into the tomato again. Toni wasn't entirely sure she wanted to eat it anymore. She paused, the dish rag floating above the kitchen island. "Of course it was," Toni rolled her eyes, startling out of her reverie. "I mean," She added, catching her friend's inquiring expression "What does anyone have to gain in blowing up a dumpster?" Zuri opened her mouth, but Toni cut her off.