ALICE

Chapter 63: MONSTER

Angel felt anxious as he walked towards the exercise yard that Alice was doing situps in. He was wearing a beater and jeans, feeling the crunch of gravel underneath his boots as he walked towards the tarmac area.

 “Hey, Alice.” Angel said, putting his hands into his pockets.

 “Hi.” Alice said, out of breath.

 “I, I have a request. I know you’re in charge of this mission, but I was wondering if we could do another thing on the mission.”

 Alice stood up. “What is it?”

 “I, I have a daughter. Me and an LSF girl, we had a child. The woman was killed for being with me, but they decided to keep my daughter. She was an LSF soldier for a while, but she was too rebellious and they put her in the prison over in Threader. I was just, I was just wondering if we could find her at some point on the mission.” He started to speak faster. “I’ve mapped it out, it’s on the way if we do just a minor adjustment in our route. And- And-“

 Alice cut him off. “Angel,” She saw his watering eyes. “Of course. Of course we can do that.”

 He wiped a tear from his cheek, and embraced Alice. “Thanks.”

 When they broke apart Angel still looked at her, his hands on her shoulders. For a moment, Alice wondered if he was going to kiss her. She wondered what that would mean for her, but didn’t get the chance. Angel blinked a few times, and walked away. He knelt a few metres away from her, and began to tie his boot.

(BREAK)

 Alice felt empty when Angel broke off of her. She called his name. His real name. “Simon.”

 He stood up and looked at her, and slowly, Alice walked towards him, and when she was close, she kissed him on the mouth. From a different view for a moment, it was picturistic. The man, well-built, messily dressed, nearly two heads taller than the girl, who was in short shorts and a t-shirt, and had messy hair, were silhouetted in a liplock against the cloudy sky.

 For a moment, Angel wanted Alice. He put his hand on her low back, and French kissed her passionately. Not that you couldn’t French a girl without passion. It took a second for Angel to think with his brain, rather than something else. He pushed her off, looking at her with wide eyes. Alice threw herself at him again. But he pushed her off.

 “Alice. Stop.”

 “Simon, I-“ She came at him again, stronger this time.

 Angel pushed her off and then back-handed her across the face, hard enough to leave a red mark. Alice looked up at him, her hand clutching the hot mark on her face and with tears in her eyes.

 “Simon – What the hell?”

 “Don’t call me Simon. My name is Angel.”

 He turned around and walked away.