Two Fish

forty nine || alaska

If the two had decided upon their adventure a day before, they would have enjoyed a little sunshine but they hadn’t, and the rain poured again. They walked along a short stretch of sand before reaching the town, though it was late. Elver glanced at Alaska.

“We kind of didn’t factor something into our planning,” he said.

“What?”

“Well, it’s after six and everywhere shut at five.”

“Oh.” Alaska stopped walking and turned around. She was holding an umbrella that she had found under the stairs and for a moment, it wasn’t over Elver’s head. He ducked back but he was already wet. “Isn’t there a supermarket?” Alaska asked. He shook his head.

“Not for a few miles.”

Somewhere ahead of them, a crack of lightning shot through the sky and, though they couldn’t see it, blasted a tree a mile away.

“I don’t really want to drive in this weather.”

“I don’t want you to either.” She huddled closer to him, her arms pulled close against her chest. “We should go back.”

Though it was the height of summer, the sky was beginning to darken a few hours too early from the storm that threatened to rage the little coastal town. A clap of thunder sounded out closer than Alaska was comfortable with and she shrieked, wrapping her arms around Elver. She buried her face under her hood, against his wet raincoat and he laughed.

“I think we should,” he said. They turned back. “I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

“I can,” Alaska said, though it wasn’t convincing. Elver linked his arm through her looped elbow.

“I don’t mind at all. I will,” he said. She didn’t protest.

“So, what’s the plan? It’s late and it’s dark and there’s no hot water,” she said eventually, as they were walking up the drive again.

“I don’t know. I didn’t really plan this far ahead. What do you want to do?” Elver shrugged and Alaska glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She wasn’t an impulsive girl, nor one who dealt well under pressure, so she didn’t know how to answer.

“Can we eat at some point? We never got round to that sandwich when we got in,” she said. “And I never had my bath.”

“You don’t smell.”

“Gee, thanks.” She rolled her eyes at him and shook off her coat once they stepped inside. “You wouldn’t say if I did.”

Elver paused a moment. “No, I wouldn’t. But you just smell like rain and salt.”

“Could do worse.” She collapsed onto the sofa and sighed. When Elver plumped down next to her, as though he had flicked a switch, the power went out. Not an ounce of light was left, save for the grey glow from outside.

“What was that?” Alaska asked. She inched her way to the edge of the bed and pulled one knee up. cautiously looking round the room. It was illuminated for a split second by another flash of light and she shrank back into the corner. “I don’t like storms.”

“Hey, it’s fine. Just a little lightning, a bit of thunder.”

Another boom rolled out right above them and she launched herself at him, hiding her face in his t-shirt. “I really, really don’t like storms,” she mumbled. Everything was dark until Elver turned on his phone, emitting a faint glow.

“I could try and find the box with the switch,” he said. Alaska nodded and clung to his arm as he wandered around with the pathetic light, bumping into everything that stood in his way. “Sorry, I don’t know the house well.”

“It’s ok,” Alaska said, though her voice was tiny.

“Aha! Found the box.”

“Really?”

“Yup.” He held the phone up to the board of switches and flicked the one that had come down. Nothing happened.

“Where’s the light?”

“I don’t know.” He flicked the switch up and down a few more times but nothing happened. “It must be the whole town, it’s all down.”

“Please say you’re kidding.” She gripped his arm, pressed against him. “You look like you’re in a horror film with that light. It’s creepy.”

“Sorry.” Elver turned his phone off and put his arm around Alaska’s shoulders. “Guess we’ll have to find something to do in the dark.”

Alaska sniggered. “Yeah, how about we find some candles?”

Elver froze. “Uh, what for?”

“Don’t be weird,” she said, thumping him. “Just to be able to see. I don’t like the dark.”

Another flash of lightning lit them up and she screamed. Elver pulled away from her, his hands clamped over his ears. “Ow! That was so loud,” he said.

“Sorry. Really, I’m sorry. Can we, uh, go back to the sitting room?”

“You know where there is light?” Elver said, a brainwave bursting into his head. Alaska perked up.

“Where?”

“In the car.”

“Oh.”

“No, I mean it. The back seats go down completely, into the floor. We could take a couple of duvets out there, some food, perhaps? It’d be fun.”

“Really?” She arched an eyebrow and he grinned, pressing his nose to hers.

“Really. Come on, let’s see.”

Alaska chased after him with the umbrella, bashing into a table before she made it to the door. While Elver’s eyes had adjusted to the dark, hers hadn’t. He made her stand outside the car with the umbrella up while he leant in and sorted out the seats. Once that was done, they both made a mad dash for the house to bring out everything they had laid out by the front door. Alaska dived into the car, armed with cushions off the sofa and two duvets, though she didn’t understand why there weren’t two beds as well. Elver soon followed, clutching a plastic bag filled with food. He shut the door and turned on the lights inside the car.

“Won’t this drain your battery?”

“They turn themselves out before that can happen. I don’t know how long we’ve got, but it’s something.”

Alaska sat cross-legged in the back, leaning against the boot, while Elver sat opposite against the back of the driver’s  seat. With his legs out straight, his toes just about reached Alaska’s knees.

“So, what do you think of Devon?”

Alaska laughed but Elver kept a straight face, for as long as he could. “You know what?” She popped a crisp into her mouth and crunched it before she spoke. “I love it.”