fictobers
by rani
ONE It’s with a start that Moxie is jolted back into consciousness. She hadn’t even realised she’d drifted off, but that was just another occupational hazard of trying to survive in a world that no longer valued those who were deemed to be imperfect, even if the standards of perfection were harmonious with idyllic impossibility. “Rise and shine, Moxie,” Enzo murmurs from above her, his eyes the same colour as the sunlit leaves behind him as she meets his gaze. “Why?” She asks, dragging out the last phoneme with a tired frown on her face. Enzo takes her hand and places it on his wrist, letting her listen to his sprinting pulse before pointedly raising an eyebrow. “Can you feel this?” he asks, “It means we’re going to have company if we don’t start moving soon.” With a groan, Moxie pulls herself up – using Enzo as a ballast, of course – and shakes away the aching stubbornness in her limbs, then taking the apple-flavoured breakfast bar from Enzo and breaking into it. It doesn’t take them long to fall into their routine of erasing their tracks as best as possible and becoming mobile, their backpacks softly rustling as they walk. Although, they only travel about half a mile before there’s an alarming thud a couple metres in front of them. “Was that a bear?” Enzo asks, bewildered. Moxie shakes her head in amusement. “Nah, more like a deer or something.” Before he can reply, an exasperated scoffing echoes from up ahead, followed by a reasonably condescending: “People like you have no imagination…” Enzo frowns at that, taking a step forward as realisation dawns on his face. “Xnij?” he inquires, his voice gentle but firm enough to elicit a clear reply. Rather than a verbal one, though, the two of them are met with a familiar sheepish smile, accompanied by Xnij engulfing them both in an embrace. Moxie stumbles, throwing her hands out to steady herself as the three of them find their balance again. She shares an amused look with Enzo, who pulls back from their hug with a fond grin aimed at the third and final member of their group.
