An Odd Kind Of Wonderful

Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN
"Baby, have me any way you need me. All I want is you." (Garbage)

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF SELF HARM

    I move my wrist in a spiral formation, using Raisa's white to glide upwards from a stem starting at the bottom of the wall. I attach leaves to the stem; then I draw a circle which is then made into a flower. I grin to myself, and hope neither Raisa nor Joel get what I've drawn. A white, pretty flower. I don't know for sure if there actually are real white roses, but for future reference, this one has been dyed.

    I startle backwards a few steps. Raisa's hand falls on my shoulder. "What're you painting?" she asks.

    "Uh," I say.

    Joel stands next to me. "Raisa, have you ever stopped to think about how your art is illegal?"

    "Well, yeah, obviously I know it's illegal," Raisa justifies. Actually, I'm not sure she's justifying anything, but she says it like she's confident enough. "But that's part of the statement, isn't it? 'Yes, this is illegal, but it isn't going to stop me'."

    Joel gives her a look like he can't believe someone with a brain would say something like that. I, however, admire Raisa just a little bit more. The fact that I'm starting to admire a girl for breaking the law in the name of artistic rebellion makes me a bit queasy, though.

    Raisa spins around to face behind her. Her white hair seems to glimmer in the moonlight, but I don't have enough time to venerate it, because I get an earful of police sirens. Honestly, I haven't factored in any plans for this many police sirens. "Guys," Raisa whispers. "Joel, run to the left. Nathan, with me to the right." She talks like she's done this before. I shouldn't find that as attractive as I do.

    Just as the police cars enter the frame of my vision, I hear Joel's leather shoes pelt to the left, where an apartment block is, and I'm tugged to the right with Raisa's assuring hand clamped on my wrist hard enough to hurt. We run, even though I'm pretty sure Raisa has even less of an idea than me of where we're going but she's confident about it. As we run, I feel the haunting thump-thump-thump of my over-reacting heart, like it's fighting to burst out of my chest. I feel a tightness within my ribcage. There's a rise up my throat but it definitely isn't nervous vomit. It's a giddy smile. And that's when I realize the feeling isn't anxiety.

    This time, it's adrenaline.

    -

    "Do you think they'll find—"

    Raisa's hand attaches itself over my mouth. "Shut up, Nathan. Have you never run from the police before?"

    "Actually," I mumble. "No."

    She sighs. "You're something different, I'll tell you that."

    "Really—?"

    Raisa grabs my hair and pulls us downward so we're crouching. We're hidden inside a circle of trees about a hundred meters from the toilet block, which the police are examining. I watch as a torch light flashes across the tree's leaves. I thank the Sydney City Council for being considerate enough to plant trees thick enough to hide two people in this exact spot.

    "I think they're gone..." Raisa whispers. In the trees, it's so dark I can't even see my own hand in front of my face when there isn't a torch light. I hear a mumble from the officers before a siren, getting more distant as it drives away. Raisa peeks through some leaves. "Nathan, they're gone."

    "Then why are you still whispering?"

    "I don't know. Why are you still whispering?"