Like every morning, town bells woke her up. Maya had learned they were signalling the overnight train from Elador arriving at the transport terminal, and not meant as a waking bell as she initially thought. However, it arrived like clockwork every morning, serving many Amellians as a morning bell.
Maya jumped out of bed and was soon getting herself ready. She had already gotten used to the routine, to this life, and to Elena drinking herself to sleep on the opposite side of the room.
Maya realized she liked more those nights when Elena was out. Then, she wouldn't have to watch her do this to herself. And now, when they are on a non-friends basis, she has to restrain herself from any comments. There was oppressive silence between them, and, while it was deeply bothering Maya, Elena seemed to enjoy not being bothered.
However, Maya still tried to be her friend in secret. She could never believe anyone was ever worth giving up on. No matter how bad of a person you may seem, no matter if you cheat on your boyfriend and drink yourself to sleep, Maya wouldn't give up on trying to make you a better person. Everyone should be able to change, otherwise, she will forever be a depressed lonely girl who has nothing the future holds for her. She didn't want to believe it was inescapable.
Maya drew all the curtains, letting the sunlight fill in the room. It was a beautiful day.
Elena protested. She was suddenly pulled from her dreams by the harsh rays of sunlight, then stumbled and fell off her bed trying to quickly pull back the curtains and return to the state of darkness. She was growling, muffled and peeved, with her face buried in fabric on the floor. Luckily, her fall wasn't hard. The pile of her laundry—she would discard everywhere—accommodated for a soft fall.
"Good. You're up," Maya said, her tone devoid of warmth.
Still facing down, Elena flipped her off.
However, she somehow mustered the will to sit upright in her pile of mess on the floor. As she attempted to pull herself up, her hand knocked over a nearby bottle. Noticing it still contained some liquid, she reached for it and poured the remaining contents into her mouth.
Elena scrunched up her face, making a sour expression. "Ugh. It's warm."
Apparently, clean vodka sterilising her insides wasn't the thing that bothered her. It was the fact that it was room temperature.
Elena stumbled to her feet, intending to walk towards the bathroom, but her movements were unsteady. Fearing another fall, Maya instinctively stepped in to support her. The amount of Elena's weight Maya had to bear made it clear that Elena was in no condition to walk on her own.
As Maya wasn't particularly sturdy herself, they almost both fell to the ground. However, Maya managed to, somehow, drag her toward the bathtub where she let the cool water pour down, soaking Elena in an attempt to sober her up.
Maya expected Elena to protest and complain, but instead, she simply curled her legs closer, hugging them with her arms, sitting in silent self-pity under the stream of cold water. A small part of Maya hoped this might serve as a kind of punishment, but Elena's unfazed reaction to the frigid water left Maya somewhat dazed.
"Why do you bother, Maya?" Elena mumbled, her tone distant. "You have nothing to gain from this."
Maya looked at her, troubled. "I'm not doing this for some kind of gain," Maya said, pitying Elena for having such a warped worldview. "I simply can't watch you do this to yourself."
"You can turn away," Elena gave an impassive suggestion.
"As if it were that simple…" Maya sighed.
"How are you so persistent? No one would still be around after the things I've said to you."
Maya wondered if Elena needed her to turn her back on her because she never had anybody who cared for her and felt more comfortable not learning it now. Maya sat solemnly on the edge of the tub and began to speak.
"My father once told me that if there's someone that refuses help—even though they are in clear need of it—they are the ones I should help first." Maya smiled wistfully. "Because that means they have already given up on themselves, so I can't give up on them, too."
"So you're just a god-damn obedient daughter, is that it?"
Maya looked down, trying not to let Elena's words prick her heart. "Through the course of months, I watched my father slowly slip away from me," Maya began. "There was nothing I could do to prevent that. No matter how good of a daughter I was, how well I behaved or did at school, how much time I invested sitting there beside him, watching and wishing for the moment his eyes open to look at me and tell me we were going home… he still left me," Maya inhaled, heavy. "And I don't want to watch another person slowly die in front of me. Not if there's something I can do about it!"
"For the love of horny angels, aren't you overreacting a bit?" Elena mumbled.
'Horny? Did she mean to say holy?'
"I swear on my father's grave. You can resist me, you can curse and fight me, but I will not give up on you that easily."
"You couldn't have found yourself an easier target? So you don't have to set yourself up for failure."
"I won't fail. Not this time. I refuse to. Elements have given you a chance, and if that means nothing to you, it means a lot to me. It has to. If there's a force that decides to save us, I will not let it be in vain. Even if I have to make sure of it myself."
"Dude, it's not up to you to decide," Elena rolled her eyes.
"Why have you given up on yourself?" Maya pressed. "Growing up without parents must've been tough, but I don't see it as enough of an excuse for doing this to yourself."
Elena didn't answer right away. After a short silence, she lowered her head, letting the water push her hair down to hide her face away and asked:
"Do you know what nuns in orphanages tell kids who ask about their parents?"
However, Elena didn't wait for Maya to answer and continued with an even voice. "They tell them: 'God is your true father', 'you should let Jesus in your heart,' yadda, yadda."
Maya almost sighed, being fooled for a moment Elena would say something serious.
"Doesn't that sound like a set-up for Stockholm syndrome?" Elena continued, suddenly lifting her head and looking straight, but still refusing to meet Maya's eyes. "God takes you away from your parents making him all you ever had, turning you into his loyal servant. Giving yourself to your captor, mind and soul."
Elena started lazily swinging her head from side to side, playing with the weight of water enveloping her hair.
"This sounds just the same to me," she continued. "Only this time god takes the name of Elements." Elena suddenly raised her arms upward, as if trying to grab the water falling on her, letting it scatter on her palms. "No matter how you call them, all gods are cruel. And I will not bow to them." She lowered her hands but stayed facing upward, letting the water hit her face. "I think it is enough of an excuse. I have plenty more, but being kidnapped by a god alone sounds like just enough of a reason for drinking."
Her words were difficult for Maya to comprehend. "So, you're doing all of this to spite God?"
"No. I'm just telling you that the Elements don't give a fuck about your personal growth."
Maya had a hard time understanding what Elena was rambling about. She felt idiotic for trying to, considering her drunken state. There wasn't any profound meaning in her slurring words.
"Alright," she gave up. "I'm going to let you take a shower. Meet me downstairs when you get ready…?"
It was somewhere between a statement and a question, but she hoped Elena would take it more as an order.
However, this morning on the ground floor, instead of the swarming energetic atmosphere, she was beginning to get used to, Maya was met by a sombre one. It carried an underlying shock to her prior experiences and expectations. Everyone seemed to be in a state of distress and disbelief. She could've sworn she even noticed some girls crying.
She cautiously made her way from the bottom of the stairs, where she was standing for far too long, soaking up this unexpected and unfamiliar situation, and went to the kitchen. Scared of even asking someone what was wrong, she quietly observed.
A group of older girls sitting there, of whom she recognized Jenny noticed her confusion and handed her a piece of newspaper without a word. Maya looked at the cover with big red letters saying:
"HUNTERS HAVE FALLEN"