Equinox

Part 1

"Are we there yet?!"

"You're the one with the map, Ellie. You tell me!"

Ellie, who sat in the passenger seat with one of her long legs on the dashboard and an arm dangling outside the window, pouted. "I knooow, but you're the one who's driving us there, Becca".

Becca shook her head, smiling. Though hadn't kept an exact tally, she was moderately confident that her friend had asked that same question at least several million times since they had left the city limits, approximately one hour earlier.

"Hold on", mumbled Ellie, doing her best contortionist impression as she retrieved a glossy, colorful piece of paper. "Yeah, we shouldn't be too far away now. Probably twenty minutes, thirty tops", she added after examining the secret invitation for a few seconds, in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Twenty minutes sounds good!"

"But I can't wait!! I can't, can't, can't", retorted Ellie, shifting back to her performative tantrum and lightly kicking the dashboard. Going to EDNOX had been her idea and, besides, she was the true rave connoisseur of their friend group, especially when it came to those of the not-so-legal persuasion.

Becca laughed. "I'm driving as fast as I can, babe!". She glanced at the speed gauge before adding, in a somewhat concerned tone: "and could you please sit like a human being?"

"Geez, thanks mom", Ellie shot back, though she did follow her friend's advice and finally untangled herself into a sitting position that wasn't as close to that of a drunk cat. "What kind of party girl are you?"

"The kind that actually gets to the party alive?!"

The two friends' laughter echoed in the secluded country road. It was hard to believe that they had left Becca's tidy studio apartment downtown only one hour ago. The skyscrapers and glamorous glass office towers had morphed into dreary apartment blocks, then into sparse suburban houses, then into farms and fields. And, finally, into endless trees.

EDNOX was supposed to be the last big event of the Summer, taking place - as the name suggested - on the 22nd of September. Though the weather was still fair for the most part, it was that time of the year when all the warmth of the day vanished as soon as the Sun went over the horizon. What better timing for an explosive rave deep in the woods, for getting lost among hundreds of bodies driven wild by trance-inducing music?

Becca shivered. Though the car's air conditioning was on, both of them were already dressed for the party, that is to say very lightly - she had her sandy blonde hair done in a double bun and wore a fluffy rainbow miniskirt matched with a simple white top. Her friend, who had always been the more "alt" of the pair, was covered in black fishnets - legs, arms, body - plus tight neon green shorts and top. But Becca's shivers weren't just from the chilly night air. Though she tended to play the straight face to Ellie's chaotic energy, she was as excited to get there as her friend, if not more.

"When was the last time you've been to a rave, babe?", asked Ellie. "Like what, ten years ago?"

"More like last April", Becca shot back, trying to keep a straight face but unable to hold back a smile. They had gone together, of course, and it had been the highlight of a tough month for her.

"Ten years", sentenced Ellie. "Ohmygosh, remember the light show for-"

"Ohmygod I do!! Remember that guy??"

"Aaahhh!", Ellie emitted an impossible, high-pitch wheeze. "He tried so, so hard!".

The two friends burst into uncontrollable laughter, lost in a memory that only the two of them could truly understand.