Accidental Demon Slayers: Melody of Light pt. 11

Max had reserved three rental cars for them.  Kurt and Bobby got one, Rita and Ashtyn were in the other, and Clare and Max got the final car, a small brightly colored Smart Car with a large Heartsong Island decal smacked on both doors. 

Clare stood there, looking at the motorized, rainbow monstrosity that she was about to get into, and sighed.  As beautiful as this island was, it just stank of being a tourist trap.  The Skittle on wheels just drove that point home harder. 

“Come on, it’s perfectly safe.” Max gave her a soft nudge with his shoulder.  Both his hands were clasping their suitcases. 

“It’s just so… cheery.  Didn’t they have anything more subtle?”  Clare approached the vehicle slowly, as if she was approaching a sleeping wild animal.  “You know, like a bright pink Hummer?” 

“These are the only cars they allow on the island.”  Max made his way to the back of the car, and flipped open the hatchback.  “All of the vehicles are completely electric.  They help keep the air fresh, and the island beautiful.” 

“Did you just quote the brochure at me?”  Clare helped Max stuff the two suitcases into the back of the car.  There really wasn’t that much room.  “Thank God I packed light.” 

“Well, if I get my way, you won’t be needing many clothes.”  He leaned in close, the tip of his nose touching hers.  He kissed her softly. 

She let the kiss linger.  She had fallen for him, head over heels, and as much as she hated to admit it, his kiss made her melt a little.  “What about your show?” 

“It’ll only take a day or two.”  He closed the hatchback, and started towards the drivers’ side door.  “No lock ins, just some interviews with the locals, and a walkthrough of the house.” 

“I wish you had told me about this stuff before.”  She made her way to the passengers’ side door.  “I really didn’t enjoy figuring your episode out from an issue of Weird World News.” 

Clare had confronted him about it not long after Ashtyn had shown her the article.  He hadn’t spilled much, but what she had heard was enough to peak her interest.  Still, he was standing his ground.  She was not going along on this one, and as much as she wanted to fight him about it, she let it go.  She would still go.  She didn’t need his permission.  She just wouldn’t let him know she was going. 

They pulled out of the rental car lot, and started down the winding road towards The Hideaway.  Clare couldn’t believe how beautiful the island was.  The roads were lined by thick, lush jungle.  Occasionally the sea of vibrant green was broke up by some equally vibrant bird soaring through the trees, or by a smattering of stunning, exotic flowers.  She didn’t even know the names of half the things she was seeing, but it didn’t matter.  It had been too long since she had been to a place as alive as this. 

So much of her job required her to face death, in all its forms.  Her life had been filled with rot and decay for as long as she could remember.  She had almost forgotten what vitality looked like. 

“Speechless.”  Max laughed.  “I was not expecting that.” 

“It’s all so… bright.”  She glanced at him. 

“Are those tears in your eyes?”  He reached over, and gently wiped away a tear that had started rolling down her cheek.  “They are!” 

She hadn’t even realized she had been crying. 

“Thank you.”  She leaned over, kissing him on the cheek.  “As much as I fought you, thank you for bringing me here.  I needed this. I just wish…” 

She couldn’t finish the sentence. 

“I wish she was here, too.” 

Clare could feel her chest begin to tighten.  She took a deep breath, and rolled down the window.  Hot, humid air rushed into the vehicle, accompanied by the sent of moss and sweet, fragrant flowers.  She took it all in.  She soaked up the sounds of the animal life that moved around them, unseen, the smells of the living jungle. 

She missed Brittany, and she would never forget her, of that she was sure, but right now, at that moment, she needed to focus on life.  She knew it sounded selfish, but for the first time Clare felt like she had the chance at something special, and she needed to go for it. 

Brittany had understood that.  Knowing that fact made taking this trip easier.  She just wished her friend was there to experience it with her.  Brittany was just starting to understand the human world.  She was just starting to explore the beauty that it could contain.  She had seen plenty of the ugly, but she had only gotten a small taste of how wonderful things could been in this world. 

Clare turned to Max, to his big, smiling face.  He looked handsome, with a little stubble on his cheeks and chin, and his hair free of its usual shellacked state. Seeing him like that, like a normal, happy guy made something bubble up inside of her. 

“I love you.”  The words spilled out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them.  They hung in the air for a moment, and Clare was shocked to find that she didn’t want to take them back. 

“I love you, too.”  Max’s smile grew, and her turned to look at her. 

It was such a simple moment.  There was no grand gesture.  It was just them, sitting there, and it felt right.  It felt perfect. 

Clare was in love.