Chapter 8 – Destination Old Town.

Chris woke to the morning sun streaming into his room, yawning noisily and stretching. One of the benefits to having a corner room, lots of sun. The sleep had been good, though even with the soft carpet he still felt a little sore. Humanity had beds for a reason He wasn’t complaining though. Rachael was already awake, sitting up in his bed, still wearing his top, and leafing through the notes that he had put on the desk yesterday. He assumed she’d pulled the curtains so that she could read properly, it’s warmth was welcome. She was looking much more collected and happy this morning than she had been the previous night. The house was quiet – all the others must still be asleep. He did wonder what Peter had done when he’d still been unable to locate Rachael.

“This is good,” Rachael said, motioning with the pages. “Millie would be jealous.”

“Thanks.” Chris blushed, happy with compliment, especially from Rachael.

“Think you’ll run it?” She then asked.

“Not sure. We’d have to wait for Paul to finish up, and I’m not that keen on his campaigns at the moment. I also don’t know if they’d all play in that setting.”

“True.” Rachael nodded, and then laid the pages carefully back on the desk. “Don’t give up on it. You’ll get an opportunity.”

“So, what are you going to do today? You’re going into Old Town, aren’t you?” Rachael then asked.

She was right on the mark. It was pretty obvious, given how much time he’d spent staring out across the landscape, and she’d seen him there twice as fate would have it. Chris nodded.

“Great. I’m coming with you,” Rachael stated matter of factly.

“I’ll be changing once I get there,” Chris warned, looking at her. He had no issues with her coming along, was happy even, but this had also been part of his plan, and he wasn’t backing out now.

“I expected as much,” she said, smiling. “It’s fine. I don’t think I want to be here this morning. You either probably.”

That he didn’t want to be. Rachael had been right last night. Something was off, and he just needed to get out, as he had planned. Escape whatever was wrong for the moment, and worry about it later. Surely there would be a logical explanation behind it all.

“Right, I need to get dressed.” Rachael swung herself out of the bed, her legs bare and underwear on full display. Chris went bright red, quickly turning away.

“Oh don’t worry,” she teased as she walked past him, ruffling his hair. “No one knows I was here, and nothing happened.” She stopped at the door, a playful look in her eyes. “Well, except possibly in dreams.” She gave Chris a cheeky grin, and disappeared around the door towards her room.

“Oh just great,” he then heard Rachael grumble.

Getting up himself, Chris followed behind. Rachael’s bed was a mess, sheets and blankets everywhere, the Goth girl from last night sleeping soundly on top, with one of the blankets roughly thrown over her lower half. She was still wearing her makeup, which had only suffered a few smudges. Had she fallen asleep there while drunk, or something else?

“I’m just going to freshen up and get dressed,” Rachael said, rummaging around some draws. “I’ll come see you when I’m ready.”

Chris nodded, and returned to his room. Grabbing his backpack, he checked to make sure the clothes and boots were still in there, now placed inside a plastic bag to help keep them out of sight, adding in a bottle of water as well. He’d grab some food from the kitchen on their way out. He then changed into some fresher clothes, shaved (which was a royal pain, and he hated that he had to do it now more than he had ever done before, but it was a necessary evil), grabbed his phone, wallet and key, put on his shoes, and waited. He realised that he was still wearing the necklace, he hadn’t even taken it off last night. He’d grab some food for breakfast on the way out as well, unless Rachael wanted to grab something en route. He could do without any questions from the others this morning.

Rachael joined him shortly after that. She had tied her hair back, and was wearing a loose black hoodie, black sneakers, and the deep green exercise tights that she had been wearing on Wednesday, the ones that fitted her a little too perfectly, the image of her burned into his mind. He could see that she was also wearing the emerald necklace, the hoodie unzipped enough to let it show, and studs that she had been wearing the other day as well. She looked like she was about to go out and exercise. Which they were in a way. His choice of clothes out there wasn’t going to be quite as practical, but it would be what he wanted to wear, and he didn’t think there was even a slim hope that he could pull off the look that Rachael currently had. Not with his body.

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They headed downstairs. The lounge was a mess. Paper, cans and pizza boxes littered the table and floor, the TV was still running, albeit muted, and Peter lay sleeping on the couch shirtless. Rachael shook her head as they trod quietly into the kitchen. Obviously they had also cleaned out a bit from here was well last night, as there was less than Chris had expected. He grabbed some apples, stuffing them into the backpack, and they made their way to the door. They’d have to get some food on their way then. Making their way outside, Chris locked the door behind them.

“Really, you were planning to walk all the way out there again?” Rachael teased as Chris started to walk down the footpath away from the house. “I do have a car. We’re driving. We have to make some additional stops anyway, don’t we?”

Chris nodded, smiling, and turning and making his way to her vehicle. “Sorry, it’s a habit,” he said quietly.

Using her car hadn’t occurred to him at all when she had said that she was coming, but it certainly would make things a lot easier. Rachael unlocked the car and sat in the drivers seat, Chris hopping in the passengers seat beside her. The small black car, also a Nissan like Peter’s, was designed for individual commutes, and while it could take four people, it was a tight squeeze. With just two in it though it was quite comfortable. The inside of the car smelled like her, and Chris couldn’t help notice that like her room, her car was a bit of a mess. While his seat had been clear, the back seats were littered with empty water bottles, chocolate bar wrappers, and an assortment of study books. The car hummed to life quietly.

“Convenience store, supermarket, or other?” Rachael asked as she pulled away from the house and started driving down the street.

“Supermarket,” Chris replied, almost out of habit. They were the cheapest after all. “I’d like to get out there as early as possible, unless you have a craving for something or somewhere in particular?”

“Supermarket works for me,” Rachael replied. “I’d rather avoid any rumours on the off-chance that someone sees us.”

Chris stared out the front windscreen, watching the houses flow past, some new pop music playing quietly out of the car stereo. He felt both apprehensive and excited about the trip to Old Town, and also nervous that he was going with Rachael. Yes they were friends, but all they’d really done is role play together and flat together. He’d never actually gone out somewhere alone with her. He smiled to himself, it was kind of nice.

“Here we are,” Rachael stated as they pulled into a car park. It was one of the opposition supermarkets, but it was on their route, and it’d have what he wanted.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Chris said, hopping out of the car. Heading in he grabbed some more fruit, a couple of packets of liquid breakfast, some muesli bars and some filled rolls for lunch. Paying for it all, he headed back to the car and joined Rachael, handing her one of the packets after he had put the straw in it, doing the same for himself.

“Thanks,” Rachael said as she headed out of the car park and down the road in the direction of Agerslows. She was a good driver, her actions fluid and practised while her concentration was kept on the road ahead. It didn’t take them too long to reach their destination, some of the fruit also polished off as Rachael largely followed the route that Chris had used to walk out there. There was a general lack of traffic on their route, but as it was a Sunday that wasn’t surprising, and Rachael didn’t seem to have any qualms about driving while eating.

Rachael pulled up into the driveway of one of the abandoned houses as the edge of Agerslows, stating that the car wouldn’t look too out of place there and should be left alone. Parking the car, she hopped out and started rummaging around the boot as Chris got himself out, looking around. Was it just him, or did Old Town look a little more... alive today than it had previously.

“Here, wear these,” Rachael said, coming up to him and handing him a pair of black woman's flat walking shoes, as well as a small bundle of clothes. “I know you wanted to wear your heels, and they are really nice and all, but you’re going to get sore feet walking in them for hours.”

Chris took the pile from her. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, having been looking forward to wearing the heels, she was right. The shoes she had given him did look quite nice though, and would work well with the clothes he had brought along. Rachael certainly did seem to have a lot of shoes (not to mention clothes in general). Hopefully they fit. He wasn’t sure what the other items were, and why she even had any of them in her boot in the first place.

“Thanks.”

Rachael looked around, and then pointed towards the house they were parked in front of. “You should be able to get changed up there without anyone noticing. I’ll keep watch, and I promise I won’t peek,” she then said with a cheeky smile.

Chris agreed with her. Grabbing his backpack, he made his way up the driveway into the shadow of the house. While it looked obviously abandoned, it was surprisingly still quite intact, and in decent condition. No smashed windows, the paintwork was in good condition, and no graffiti. The lawns on the other hand were a different story and had long since gone to seed. Perhaps the reputation of Old Town also kept looters and squatters away from these houses as well? Making sure that Rachael was keeping watch and not looking as she’d promised (her gaze was definitely facing away from him when he checked), he put down the bag, and pulled out the clothes. Ribbed top, mini skirt, tights. Mournfully gazing at the heels, he left them in the bag. In the pile from Rachael were of course the shoes, as well as a black singlet, and a black cardi – the type that didn’t have buttons or anything, and the front section of it just hung down lose on either side. That was useful. The day hadn’t quite heated up yet, and if he was wearing just the top he would’ve gotten rather cold.

They fit him perfectly too he discovered. Stripping off his top layer first, he put on the singlet first, a nice tight fit, though he found himself wishing that he had a little more shape under it, followed by the rib top and cardi. Then, double checking to make sure that Rachael still wasn’t looking, he stripped off most of his bottom layer, carefully putting on the tights, followed by the skirt and shoes. It felt so comfortable, and right, on him. He gave himself a few stretches, disappointed in the lack of full length mirror, did a small twirl, giggled to himself happily, and then proceeded to stuff all of his stuff into his backpack.

For today at least, he could be himself, and not just while hiding in his bedroom, fearing that someone would see. He’d being it out in the open, under the gaze of the sun (though in all fairness, they’d still be out of sight of everyone, but at least the space here was bigger).

“You look good. You really do,” Rachael commented, as he put his backpack into her car. Chris blushed. He couldn’t help it.

“Thanks. And thanks for the clothes.”

“Though... why did you have them there in the first place?” he queried, having gathered the courage to do so.

“Just some things I had lying around,” Rachael answered with a coy smile, then bouncing a little on her toes as if she was eager to start a run. “Ready to head in?”

Chris walked down beside Rachael, and looked out over the expanse that was the remains of Old Town.

“Let’s do this!” he exclaimed with a smile. Today was going to be a day to remember.