The Island Of Freedom

Chapter Eight

They stood still for a few minutes as the masses divided to the sides. Evi couldn't detect her friends as the stage lamp turned off. The Ferris wheel still shined and slightly spun giving enough light to the space. Thomas squatted down and Evi climbed off his shoulder. She took off the hair tie from her wrist and gathered her hair into a messy bun. Soon she stood on her tiptoes, trying to find her friends.

"We will meet them back at camp," Thomas reassured her.

"You are coming too, right?" She took his palm, entwining their finger. At this point, the action seemed so natural, she was surprised at how comfortable she felt with his hand in hers.

"Well, Avid sort of invited me, so it would be rude not to go," he said following Evi's lead.

"So you're coming just for him?" She glanced at Thomas through her shoulder, holding a twisted smirk on her lips.

He halted, forcing Evi to stop as well. "I'm coming for you," he said when she turned around to face him. "We should talk." He dragged her closer by her hand. "About what happened back at the camp." Evi's eyes widened. "And not just that."

"Do we really need that?" She felt his closer proximity endearing.

"We talk about everything," he said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I need to tell you this, at least once." His brown eyes met her green ones.

She gulped. "Tell me what?" she asked and noticed Selma behind Thomas' shoulder.

Thomas followed her glance. "Later," he said. "I will tell you later." He repeated as Selma joined them.

Selma approached the pair as they stared at each other. The murmurs of the crowd and Selma's presence forced them to divert their eyes.

"I thought, I lost you," Selma said. She appeared to be out of breath.

"It's not like I'm all alone." Evi glanced at Thomas. "There were too many people."

"Right," Selma followed Evi's glance. "We should go." She grabbed Evi's hand.

Evi reacted quickly and caught Thomas's hand. They moved toward their camp, meeting Avid, Oswald, and the Sepp brothers just outside the market tents. They broke off the hand chain as soon as they reached the clearing.

The night felt suffocating and even with the first sun rays behind the hill it still seemed quite dark. The group reached the campsite shortly after, they made a small campfire and took out the food, blankets, and drinks. Setting everything they started with the food.

"I need to wash," Evi said, snacking on crackers.

"Wait until morning," Selma replied, smacking her lips after taking a shot of whiskey. "I think you can use just cold water, anyway." She poured the liquid into a plastic cup.

"Yeah, a cold bathing is actually what I need at the moment." Evi followed Selma's actions with her eyes. "I won't be able to sleep with all of this on me." She caressed her painted legs.

"A shot before you go?" Avid asked, lifting his hand with a cup, as Evi stood up.

"Sure," She took a plastic cup and scrunched her face after a stinging liquid ran down her throat.

"I will come with you." Thomas stood up from the blanket.

Evi nodded to his suggestion and traveled toward her tent. Selma scanned him, she seemed unamused by his statement and by Evi's choice to accept his proposal. After gathering everything for the shower, Evi and Thomas left the camp. Even with the wind blowing through her exposed legs, Evi still felt overheated.