Page 4 of Dusk & Desire

“What did you hear?” I ask, rocking on the balls of my feet. The eccentric girl, still sitting cross-legged next to the radio, gives me an indulgent smile. How is she so calm and collected when the world’s quite literally going to hell?

“Broken transmissions,” she says, shaking her head. “There’s no contact with major cities – London, New York, Beijing. The attacks seemed to be coordinated, disabling satellites, then targeting population centers.” Noa stands up in one fluid motion, the movement so graceful it brings a blush to my cheeks and I don’t know why. “There were some repeating recordings. Martial law. Stay indoors and do not engage with the hostiles.” She snorts. “As if we can fight against giant spaceships.”

She saunters to my side to check what I’ve brought back. As she presses against my side, the contact sending tingling sensations over my skin, I wonder why she’s not checking Axel’s loot. Despite having sink baths for the last couple of days, her smell remains pleasant, and I subconsciously turn my face in her direction, like a sunflower positioning itself to catch the rays of sunshine. As I inhale the contrasting yet appealing mix of bubblegum and spice, her head turns until our noses are inches apart. I lick my lips and shudder when I feel her exhale against the damp flesh.

Just as she sinks her teeth into her lower lip, something crashes from the other side of the room. I jump in fright, worried the aliens have returned, but then see a can of soup rolling across the floor. Noa stops it with her foot as if it were a soccer ball.

“Oops,” Axel says, shrugging with an ‘aww, shucks’ expression.

Noa rolls her gleaming silver eyes, then bends over to pick the can up. She holds it up for me to see. “Are you hungry, pretty girl?”

I gulp, my suddenly dry throat clicking. Yeah, I am.

Chapter 3

Linda

That night, I woke up several times feeling all hot and bothered. I couldn’t remember the dreams, but my body knew they were good. I’m sleep-deprived now, though, and it probably wouldn’t have happened if I had had any nookie this past year. I’ve just been so busy with my studies, it wasn’t really a priority. Fantasizing about hot professors was the most I afforded myself.

Ugh, I wish I had my trusty bullet vibrator.

Though a part of me can’t believe I’m thinking about orgasms when it’s been days since I spoke with my parents amid a gosh darn alien apocalypse.

“Want some coffee?” Noa’s voice pulls me out of my daydreams.

I sigh when the smell of caffeine invades my nostrils. “Yes, please,” I say eagerly.

Our fingers brush as she passes me the mug, filled to the brim with the dark brown liquid of life, and I feel my cheeks igniting. As the older girl’s lips spread into a mischievous smirk, I look down and let my hair cover my burning face. That only prompts her to sweep my tresses back and behind my shoulders.

“Don’t hide that beautiful face,” Noa murmurs. I raise my eyes to meet hers. “I have something for you,” she purrs with a smirk.

My eyebrows lift. “What is it?” I ask after a moment of hesitation.

She brings her other hand forward from behind her back in an exaggerated ‘ta-da’ movement. On the palm of her hand lies a purple rose sex toy. I gasp when I realize what it is and cover it with my own palm, frantically looking around to see if Axel sawthe object. Thankfully, he’s nowhere in sight.

“What are you doing?” I hiss, scrabbling to wrap my fingers around the toy, then quickly pocket it.

Noa chuckles, the sound tugging on some neglected part inside me. “I grabbed a few toys from our last supply run.” She licks her plump lower lip. “Surprisingly, people aren’t thinking about sex toys while the world is ending.”

I snort despite being embarrassed as hell. While the shelves barely have any non-perishable food items left, most having been taken by the looting mobs during the first day, non-essential objects were left behind.

“Anyway, I thought you might like to have it,” Noa finishes with a wink. I gape at her. Wait, did she… hear anything last night? What am I supposed to say?

“T–thank you,” I stutter, feeling my blush crawl down my neck to my chest. Noa’s eyes follow, causing a different kind of heat on my skin.

“You’re welcome,” she quips. When she meets my eyes again, her lips stretch into a wide smile. “Don’t worry about being quiet with it.”

My jaw unhinges. Did she just… what?

Before I can embarrass myself further, the radio squawks, the white noise interrupted by high-pitched whistles. Axel enters the room, the lower half of his face covered in shaving cream, a razor in his hand. A voice breaks through the static.

“All civilians are ordered to make their way to the nearest major military outpost. Secure locations have been established for food, medical aid, and protection. Travel is dangerous. Move carefully, avoid large groups, and stay off main roads when possible. If you encounter hostiles, do not engage unless you have no other choice.”

The three of us exchange looks. Is this for real?

“Repeat. This is a standing order for all civilians. You are not alone. Help is still out there.”

The message repeats two more times and then gets interrupted halfway through the third iteration, the signal cutting out.

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