Vivian's adrenaline hit an all-time high when she heard a voice behind her. She quickly turned, finally remembering to breathe, when she saw it was just Crystal.
"Don't scare me like that!" Vivian put her hand on her chest and took a deep breath.
Crystal eyed her suspiciously. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm just going for a walk."
Crystal briefly looked up at the full moon, then back towards her friend. "In the dead of night?"
"I overheat during the day…"
"Vivi," replied Crystal sternly.
Vivian didn't immediately answer. The gentle breeze masked the silence that stretched on. Rustling leaves and chirping crickets filled the air.
Crystal approached Vivian with heavy steps. She stopped by the brown bag on the grass and lifted it. "Why are you running away? Where are you going?"
Vivian held her silence and grabbed her bag back from Crystal. How could she explain to her friend where she was going and why? She couldn't. Even if she wanted to, she would need to figure out where to start.
"Unless…" Crystal's eyes slowly widened. "Did you finally snap and off Anna?? Vivi, I couldn't stand her either, but you didn't have to go that far!"
Vivian chose to ignore her friend's teasing. "Crystal, What are you even doing out here?"
"Oh, you know... just going for a walk."
Vivian gave Crystal a deadpan expression. "See? You see how ridiculous that sounds now?"
Vivian took her bag and the lantern and began walking toward the front of the manor towards the road. The rustling of grass could be heard behind her.
"Stop!" Crystal said a little bit too loudly. She clamped her hand over her mouth after realizing she'd yelled.
Vivian paused and anxiously looked up at the windows before turning back to Crystal. "No, you stop! You're going to get me caught!" Vivian whispered.
Aggressive whispers were exchanged back between the two women. "Tell me what's going on! Are you in some trouble?"
"I will be if you don't return to your room!" Vivian continued to walk, and Crystal continued to follow. As they rounded the side of the home, she could have sworn she heard something, but after examining the house's windows, she saw no light and continued to walk on.
"Fine then."
"Great, get back-"
"I'm coming with you."
Vivian paused and stared at her friend, bewildered. "You what?"
"You heard me." She walked ahead of Vivian as if she knew where she was going. "The nightgown and slippers are definitely not proper attire to plot an escape in, don't ya think?"
"Well, you're not giving me much choice!" Crystal raised her voice again, and a light appeared in the second-story window.
Vivian clamped a hand around her friend's mouth and dragged her behind a nearby bush. Her heart went into overdrive as she waited to see if the curtain would draw back. Thankfully it didn't, but still, she couldn't relax. Sweat formed on every inch of her skin.
After waiting for some time behind the bush, Crystal mumbled something that couldn't be heard with Vivian's hand still over her mouth. Lost in her thoughts, Vivian didn't let go. Crystal wanted to be released from her hold and licked Vivian's palm.
"Ew!" Vivian wiped her palm on the grass. "Ew, is right! Why are you so salty?"
"Crys-"
"You said there's nowhere you'd go that I couldn't follow, right?"
"That doesn't mean-"
"Besides, clearly, someone is awake now. So I can't go back inside."
"N-"
"I won't take no for an answer. You're the closest thing to family that I have. You are my family, so whatever is happening... let me help you."
Vivian looked at Crystal; she struck a cord in her heart. "You are my only family as well." She hugged her friend. "Okay... you can come with me, but I can't tell you everything. Not yet."
"We all have our secrets."
The light from the window faded out, and the women jogged from the bushes to the road. Crystal seemed to have been winded by that light jog. Vivian turned to her friend once more. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Crystal took her hands from her knees and placed them on her hips, her chest heaved, but she found the energy to speak. "I.... told..... you....we...are....like....sisters... I'll stick to your side. Has running always been this hard?" She spoke with short gasps for air between her words.
A slight chuckle escaped Vivian's lips. "Okay, so let's head to our first destination."