The Precise Art Of Staying Alive

Chapter 24 - The Precise Art Of Getting An Albi

I tucked back a piece of my hair, adjusting the dead girl's dress that I was wearing. It was too tight around my waist and hips, and whilst it was floor-length on Nadia, it trailed along the path on me, the hem getting stained with dirt and becoming soggy, thanks to the snow. I stayed clear of the lamps on either side of the street, trying to avoid even the slightest light. Although I might've looked the most similar to Nadia out of the four of us left, I still barely resembled her. I was too short, my skin too light and my face had none of the elegance and beauty Nadia's possessed. I did know Nadia though, how she acted, how she walked with such confidence, daring anyone to stand against her, and I did my best to emulate that, tilting my chin up, letting my body relax, a lazy smile playing across my lips. My hair was tied back in a bun, with strands of hair covering my face should anyone look too closely, and although the look was something Nadia would have objected to, it was the best I could do, given the large disparity between the length of my hair and Nadia's.

As I entered the busier part of town, the area bustling with teenagers and young adults having the little bit of fun they could have in Lake Meurtre, I looked around, trying to find anything that stood out. Theo's words rang in my head: "Look for signs, anything conspicuous. If someone sees you with something unusual, there's more of a chance they'll remember it." He didn't need to tell me that, but I appreciated the gesture as I searched for something around the street. My - Nadia's formal white dress was strange enough, but I needed more. We needed more if we truly wanted this to work. I crossed the street, finding my way towards a sign, flashing neon pink and green, the colours bright against the night. The shop was closed down, darkness lurking in it's windows, and the street near it was mostly deserted as I paused, leaning against the wall. I let more tendrils of hair cover my face, turning my face to the side so that it was hidden in shadow. The light from the sign washed over the white dress, colouring me in alternating shades of pink and green, and I paused for a bit, savouring the colour on the stark white of the dress, before beginning to walk down the street once more.

The other side of the street was far more crowded than the side that I was on, but I still had to dodge a few people as I walked, ducking into shadows when needed. Across the side of the street, I noticed the entrance to one of the few nightclubs that Lake Meurtre had, a blue-ish glow emanating from it. There was a small group out front, made up out of Asher, and a few people I'd seen at the wrecking yard, as well as River, dressed in an eye-catching yellow sundress, looking cold as they talked to the group. Almost as if I'd summoned them, goosebumps appeared on my own arms, reminding me that I was wearing a sleeveless dress outside in below freezing weather. I turned back to the nightclub, seeing River smile up at the group and Asher reach out, his fingers brushing their arm, before cracking a grin, his teeth blindingly white in the night. I heard him say something to the others, and they all disappeared into the entrance of the nightclub.

I'd almost reached the middle of the street when I heard a group of voices call out from the other side of the street, loud and jeering. It took me a moment to realise that they were calling out to me, or to Nadia. And not just Nadia, but Nadia on her way to meet someone, on her way to her "disappearance".

"Hey gorgeous, why don't you come over here?" A voice shouted, louder than the others, and I swallowed my revulsion, as well as the urge to wave at them with my middle finger. A glance at the group, too quick to be noticed, showed me that they were a group, mostly boys my age, and, judging by their collared sweaters and chinos, none of Asher's group. I ignored them, arching my head forward as if I were looking for someone, studying the gloom. I glanced back at them out of the corner of my eye, hoping that they would've given up, and saw Nicole slip past them, bumping into one of them so hard that they sprawled into the street, landing on their hands and knees. They looked back, but Nicole was already far ahead in the crowd, doubtlessly on her way to "study" in one of the few cafes left open, ignoring the shouts coming from their group. I suppress a smile and hurried my walk slightly, just as we'd gone over before.

I was left looking for my third landmark, almost at the end of the high street and the populated area. Only a hundred metres had passed since the group of boys, but the atmosphere was different, more subdued. My side of the street was busier, and I took great care to blend into the shadows as I passed another clump of people. A few blocks ahead was Lake Meurtre, and near me was an abandoned car park, the lamps lining it flickering on and off, my eventual destination. Next to the car park was an abandoned building, ivy creeping up it's walls, plants growing out of it's windows. The empty building and car park were ominous enough, and I walked towards it, making sure to pause at the gate to the car park, long since broken and overgrown. I lingered there for a minute, before glancing over my shoulder as if to check if anyone was following me, and pushing the gate open, slipping into the empty car park. I surveyed the car park, look for the perfect hiding place, before my gaze came across a flash of black, nestled against the wall and hidden by ivy.

Blending into the shadows, I made my way to the black backpack that Nicole had left for me, slipping it up onto my shoulder before hurrying behind the building, out of sight. I didn't want to go into the abandoned building, no matter how much cover it provided. Something about it made me feel uneasy and venturing into the awaiting darkness - and whatever it held - was the last thing I wanted to do.

I zipped open the bag, pulling out a set of my black leggings and a grey, woolly jumper. Crouching behind a bush, I slipped off the dress, taking care to fold it neatly and place it on top of the bag, and pulled on the clothes, which were a respite from the bitter cold. I tucked the dress back into the bag, hiding it underneath the various accessories Nicole had stuffed into the bag - a water bottle, my sketchbook, pencils and a container of biscuits from the pantry, all useful for my cover. With a sigh, I stood up, swinging the backpack over my shoulder as I walked out into the forest, the dead girl's dress in my backpack burning a hole into my back, all the way to my heart.