Birthmarks and Bruises

Rise and Shine.

Peering lazily into the distance with half lidded eyes, Andrea was aware of nothing except the dull evening sun streaming through the windows, and the throbbing pain in her side. She exhaled loudly through her nose, raising a sleepy hand to wipe her eyes. She suspected that she had slept oddly, again- probably leant weird on her side as she fell asleep. It reminded her of the hot school days walking home, how she would collapse as soon as she entered her room and awake in the late dusk to the last rays of the sun gently touching her eyes- signalling that it was time for tea. She smiled, rolling back over. Andrea's mother hadn't called her down yet- she probably had a few more hours before food.

A sudden grab of her hand caused her eyes to snap open with a yelp.

Rough fingers traced the outline of the bruise stretched across her palm, yanking Andrea's arm forward and inspecting it. Her breath came in short, panicked spurts as she took in her surroundings, confusion clouding her mind.
The sickly orange glow of the streetlights outside she had mistaken for the autumn sunset illuminated the locker room dully. In front of her, Maxine's ashy eyes were set on her palm, her short hair wild and glistening with what could've been either water or sweat. Peering over her shoulder, Andrea spotted the sleeping figures of the boys: Felix curled up in the corner with Daniel next to him. Andrea was surprised at how peaceful his face looked in his sleep- no smug smirk or trademark "I-can't-be-assed-with-your-bullshit" look plastered across his face.

Shifting uncomfortably, the teen cleared her throat, grabbing the attention of Maxine.
"What are you doing?" Andrea whispered, being cautious not to wake the others across the room. Maxine said nothing for a moment, studying the mauve marking on her companion's hand. And then, in a concentrated mumble:
"Who is this from..?"
Andrea spluttered, bewildered by the situation she had been thrown in.
"I- well, no one did it, it just- it appeared there, no one, um..."
Andrea attempted to pull her hand back, but Maxine resisted- causing a light dusting of crimson to appear on the blonde's cheeks.
"No. I mean, who did you lose to get this?"
Andrea noticed that Maxine's gaze had flickered upwards to meet her own. She was unable to answer in a fit of awkward spluttering, still trying to tug her arm back towards her body.

Andrea was saved by a annoyed groan from the other side of the room. "Could you, like, shut the fuck up?" Daniel slurred, propping himself up on his elbows. "I'm exhausted, man. Let a guy sleep." Andrea had to stifle a laugh at the Afro-like mass of hair which had stuck up on the boy's head. Daniel scoffed, noticing Andrea's expression and attempting to finger comb the birds nest of curls back.
"Come on." He grumbled, suppressing a smile of his own. "It doesn't look that bad, right?"
"I mean from this angle it really does look pretty terrible." Felix yawned, beaming upwards at his best friend with his hands folded behind his head. The redhead rolled to the side to avoid a sharp kick to the ribs.

Maxine jumped to her feet, striding over to the cobweb littered window and brushing away the debris.
"We're late." She commented. "It's almost evening. We maybe have a few hours of sunlight left."
Daniel flopped back onto his backpack he was using as a pillow. "Then it's too late for this."
Andrea fiddled with the cloth of her shirt, her nerves starting to get the better of her again. "So... we have to stay in here for even longer?" The idea was unpleasant.
This place smells of feet and sweat.

Felix sighed, sitting up against the walls and stretching out his legs. "Well, do we have a destination?" The other three looked towards him. "I mean, if we have somewhere to go that's safe then we can get there before dark, right?" He suggested.
"The twig's right, I hate to admit. Maybe his brain isn't too frazzled." Maxine grumbled, already tying her shoelaces and repacking what extra clothing she had used as padding to sleep on.
"Are you sure it's safe..?" Andrea asked, her tone cautious and apprehensive. Maxine paused, turning to look at the smaller girl. "No." She replied, flatly. "But when the night comes this place will be riddled with Snatchers. And the lock won't hold, it's just one of those useless slide ones." Felix shuddered, pulling his hoodie back over himself.
"Well, we could go to Daniel's. We said we'd find his brothers, right..?" Maxine cocked an eyebrow. "I mean, they're probably camping there so-"
"Maybe." Maxine interrupted. Snapping her gaze back to the door in front of her. "Sure. We could go. No harm in it, but if you're wrong and we get hurt-" she tugged the zip of the back back violently. "It's on you."