Heavenly Blood

3 - Alice

I yawned. My eyes hurt but that was just because of the strain from driving in the dark. Our suitcases sat in the boot of the car, the zips swaying from the vibrations of the car. I looked back to the back row of seats. Max lay curled up asleep across the Micra's seat, her jacket draped over her shoulders and mine on her midsection. Good. She was knackered when she came in. She managed to stay awake with me for the first ninety miles but when we stopped for petrol and coffee I convinced her to get in the back. Fifteen miles later and her soft snores accompanied Queen's bohemian rhapsody.

Weirdly, she had been so stressed as we packed. Saying she had forgotten something she had just packed then losing the keys that were in her pocket. It was only when I asked why she was acting like she didn't want to go that she sorted her shit out. My best guess was she hadn't spoken to her family in years. In all the time I had known her, she had never gone home to visit them before...

"Are we nearly there yet?" Max's mock whine tone come as she slowly pulled herself back into the passenger seat, shaking off the jacket she's was using as a blanket, "Fuck it's cold!"

I slapped her hand from the AC, "Welcome back sleepy head. Just because you have rejoined the land of the conscience doesn't mean you get to control the heating. I need it cold to stay awake missy."

"Sorry mum!" She laughed, "What the time?" I flicked my wrist towards her, "What the fuck are we still doing up at three in the morning?"

"And still have another two to three hours on the road," I laughed, "Go back to sleep it will go quicker."

"No, I wanna talk to my best friend," Max replied.

"Aww..."

"These dreams..."

"Max! I'm not gonna talk about this!" I interrupted, "I'm begging you, don't go there when we have three hours left in a car together. By all means interrogate me when we are there. But not now."

She slumped in her seat and crossed her arms, "Fine. I just think you need to seek help is all."

I sighed, "Look I know. I know how crazy it is.... but they just feel so real....like they are memories..."

"You know that's..."

"Insane? Yeah I know. I mean I've thought recently that it's just like an imaginary friend I had when I was little or something?" I lied, "It would explain the impossible elements."

Max smiled and seems moderately satisfied, "I'm glad you are figuring it out." She paused, "Did I tell you about Kelly?"

I half listened to her story about flirting with her co-worker, the usual of he was being shy and stuff, but I was more focused on my own imaginary love life, if it could be called that. I was in love with a fantasy. Max was right, I needed to get over it, but I couldn't. Not until I was certain.

****

I turned off the ignition and looked at Max. She smiled at me. Her parents lived in a house on the cliffs of Gwithian beach, three miles from Hayle. Their back garden was the three mile stretch of sandy beach just below the cliffs. Retrieving our bags from the car, we gave each other a relax, all will be fine look before walking towards the door. I gave Max a nod and she knocked.

"Max!"

We were pulled in the door by a slightly middle aged couple. I almost couldn't accept these were her parents. The woman, Max's mum, had a soft face with a ivory skin tone on which was a full face of make up to cover up what I guessed was rosacea. She had perfectly straight dirty blonde hair, but her natural brown roots were just coming through. Her eyes were a piecing lime green that almost hurt to look at but very intriguing. She was dressed in a pair of slim jeans and a cotton shirt that was tucked into her jeans that seemed to display comfort but a I'm in command here attitude. She looked about thirty. I smiled at her. I was pretty sure I was gonna like her. Her dad had more the stereotypical dad look in jeans and a polo top. His rich brown hair slicked back emphasising his softer look of tanned skin and silvery grey eyes with a few more facial lines than his wife and gave off a radiance of intelligence, but the same facial shape as Max's.

"Alice, these are my parents. Janet and Keith Knight," Max smiled, hugging both her parents.

"It's so nice to finally meet you!" Janet said beaming, "Max has told us so much about you!"

I smiled. She hadn't told me anything about them, "Yeah. Hopefully good things."

"Of course not," Max laughed, "Come on. I'll show you around!"

She dragged me by the arm and pulled me upstairs. We were both staying in her room which was mercifully pretty empty and so could fit two beds. She explained that her parents rented out the room when she wasn't at home. After dumping our stuff and grabbing some coffee, somehow I was convinced to go swimming in the sea. In October.

The wind bit me as we ran down the cliffs in our bikinis and flip flops. What the hell we were thinking I don't know. I could feel the goose bumps emerging just as we reached the sand. Kicking off the shoes, we both ran into the sea; screaming bloody murder at the sudden shock to the body. The wind whistling in my ears did nothing but freeze me further. I ran out quickly before Max pulled me back in.

"Don't be such a pussy!" She screamed.

That was it. I dived in the water. Ignoring the shock to my senses and swam beneath the waves that still crashed onto the sand behind me. I found her legs under the water and yanked as hard as I could. The sound of the splash rippling in the water as I emerged. I ran in land as quickly as possible before she had time to get me back. Immediately the wind froze me to the bone which, coupled with the already cold conditions from the sea, guaranteed my shivering. I wrapped a towel around me in an attempt to retain any heat I had left. Max joined me and together we retreat towards the cliffs which offered a slight shelter.

"That was insane!" I breathed.

Max laughed, "We should come back at Christmas. People from all around come to the beach and run in dressed as Santas and elves. That's insane! If it wasn't for the wind it would be quite warm."

"Warm?" I mock laughed, "I think you need to look up the definition in the dictionary."

"At least you are awake now!" Max laughed.

I snorted, "That's true."

Something, well someone, then caught my eye. He was a way off so I couldn't make out his face. He seemed distracted in thought as he walked towards us. The wind blew in his direction, ruffling his hair. His body then went rigid, the best way to describe it is like when a dog smells something in the distance. I then felt his eyes on us before he turned quickly to walk away. I tapped Max.

"Who's that?" I breathed, pointing in the direction.

She laughed, "I haven't been here for five years! You expect me to remember everyone? And from this distance? Hell no." She laughed, "Come one! My mum is making breakfast soon. And then we are going to St Ives."

I nodded and followed her back up to the house. True to her word, Janet was cooking breakfast. I went upstairs and took a shower, shivering as I slowly regained my normal temperature. I had to admit to myself that it was pretty fun. Certainly a rush to wake me up. Downstairs a full English awaited me which I couldn't wait to tuck into. I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast the previous day.

"How was the beach Alice?" Keith laughed.

"Cold," I replied with a mouth full of bacon, "But one hell of a wake up."

"Good. You will need it when shopping with these two," he replied.

I looked at him, "How bad?"

He beckoned me in closer, "They invented shop TIL you drop."

I closed my eyes and sighed, "Crap."