23. Lux

23

LUX

L ux lay on the rough ground, her body still brimming with warmth and the aftershocks of desire.

Zoey slept soundly beside her, resting on her body with a hand loosely cupping her breast. The cool air caressing her skin didn't sway her, not when it contrasted with the warmth on Zoey's body.

Lux couldn't sleep.

Her mind was too restless, too consumed with everything. She could still feel the weight of Zoey's hands on her, the softness of her lips, the way their bodies had moved together in perfect sync.

She turned her head slightly, looking at Zoey's face. It was hard to believe she had found something so raw and real under these circumstances, trapped in the forest with fire closing in on them.

Who'd have thought…?

It wasn't just the physical connection. It was more than that. It was how Zoey made her feel: safe, understood, cared for.

How did it come to this? How had she found love here, of all places? She had spent years avoiding anything that resembled a real relationship, keeping her heart locked away, safe from the possibility of getting hurt or hurting others.

But now, lying next to Zoey, she realized she had never really known what she was missing until now. The last time she was this drawn to someone, it didn't end well.

Lux let out a quiet sigh, scanning the darkened sky above through the tiny cracks in their makeshift roof. The stars were faint, barely visible through the haze of smoke still in the air.

It had been days, and the fire hadn't slowed down. It still crept up the mountain. The higher they went, the closer it seemed to get.

Even now, she knew that time was running out. As beautiful as what they shared here, they couldn't stay much longer. She didn't even know how much farther they could go. They had already climbed so far up, and she was drained.

Lux shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable, but the unease in her chest made it impossible. It grew stronger with each passing second.

She couldn't shake the feeling that no matter what they did, the fire would catch up to them eventually. She couldn't bear the thought of losing Zoey here.

Not after she'd finally found someone who?—

Does she want you?

The thought hit Lux so forcefully that she winced.

She knew that Zoey was drawn to her. But what if it was just physical for her?

Would she still feel the way once they got off the mountain? Would they get even off this mountain?

And then what? What would they do when there was nowhere left to run?

She didn't have an answer, and that terrified her even more.

A rustle of leaves in the distance caught her attention, pulling her from her thoughts. The forest around them was alive with the chirping of insects, distant calls of nocturnal animals higher up the mountain, and the fire crackling in the distance.

It felt like a countdown.

How fast could they go? What happened if the fire caught up with them?

Zoey stirred beside her, letting out a soft sigh in her sleep. Lux's heart clenched, a mix of love and fear swirling in her chest. She didn't know how they were going to get out of this.

She had just found her, just discovered what it felt like to care for someone, and now she was faced with the possibility of losing it all.

The idea of a life outside this mountain felt distant, almost unreal. Would they even make it out? Would they have a chance to see what could come of this thing between them?

She didn't know.

She turned her head slightly, looking at Zoey again. How was it possible to care this much this quickly?

She had spent so long avoiding this, avoiding the risk of getting close to someone. And now, here she was, head over heels for a woman she had met under the worst possible circumstances.

And yet, it felt right. It felt like the most natural thing in the world.

But the fire was still coming, and that was a reality they couldn't ignore. Lux reached out, her hand brushing against Zoey's arm. The contact was enough to wake her, and Zoey's eyes fluttered open, her gaze meeting Lux's in the dim light.

"Lux?" Zoey's voice was soft, groggy from sleep.

Lux didn't respond immediately. She scanned the trees and saw the faint fire glowing in the distance.

"We need to keep moving," she finally said.

"Lux?"

"Sorry." She sighed. "I must've gotten carried away."

Zoey pecked her cheek and adjusted so Lux could lay on her back. They both remained there, breathing quietly.

"Want to see the beautiful sky?" Zoey asked, sitting up slowly. The makeshift shelter immediately felt cramped. There wasn't much space to begin with.

"Sure, why not."

They both made their way outside. They soon found a spot to lie down and stare at the sky. Zoey scooted closer to Lux, patting her sides until she found Lux's hands.

Lux sighed, hating how her heart raced for a millisecond, even though she loved the gesture.

The sky was endless and so very beautiful streaked with color.

"Tense?" Zoey asked.

Lux sighed. "It's a new day, and we're still here."

"That's what's bothering you again?" Zoey asked.

Lux shrugged. Zoey rolled over. She was facing down on Lux now, with half her weight on Lux's body. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments. Then her lips found Lux's.

She soon backed away but remained arched over Lux.

"What's bothering you? The fire?"

Lux shrugged. "It's still coming," she said. "We can't stay here forever."

Zoey nodded, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Where do we go then?"

"Up," Lux said. "We keep going up."

Zoey looked at her, and for a moment, Lux saw the same fear she was feeling reflected in Zoey's eyes. But then Zoey nodded.

"We‘ll go up," she said. "We'll get off this mountain. We'll be fine."

"You're sure of that?"

Zoey chuckled and pecked her lips. "No, but I'm done being moody about it."

This time, Lux leaned in first for the kiss. She rolled above Zoey, pinning her down playfully as she ravaged her lips with sensual kisses. Her hands held Zoey's cheek, and her fingers tousled in her hair.

When she backed away, Zoey was still smiling.

"Well, that's the best good morning kiss ever."

She stared into Zoey's eyes for a little longer, then sighed and said, "You're just so naughty."

"If by naughty you mean sweet, then I'm guilty as charged."

They both remained on the ground, holding each other close. It wasn't long before the sun crept up the sky, and Lux stirred.

"Zoey?" she called.

"I know," Zoey said. "We've gotta move."

They gathered their things quickly, leaving their structure behind, and were soon on their way again. Lux could feel the heat in the air, the fire inching its way closer to them. There wasn't much time.

The climb was challenging. Lux's legs ached, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts. Zoey was just ahead, her movements steady, but Lux could see the strain on her face, the way her shoulders hunched slightly with each step.

"You sure we shouldn't wait for a bit?" Lux said. "You haven't gotten your strength yet."

"Trust me, I can go on for hours," Zoey said breathlessly.

"Yeah, as long as we don't get turned into barbecue," Lux said with a laugh.

"No doubt about that."

They both laughed. After almost half the day, they reached a small plateau, a tree break that offered a brief reprieve from the climb. Lux sank to the ground, her legs trembling from the effort. Zoey sat beside her, her hand reaching out to rest on Lux's knee.

"Look who's tired now," Zoey said with a laugh.

Lux nodded. The fire was still distant, so they had some time, but not much. Lux looked at Zoey, her heart aching with the weight of everything she wanted to say.

As the fire crept closer, Lux held on to that hope, that small, fragile thing that kept her going, kept her fighting. They would make it out of this. They had to.

Lux sat on the cool ground, her back pressed against the rough bark of a tree, lost in her thoughts as dusk faded into night. The night air was thick with smoke, the distant glow of the fire casting an eerie light over the landscape. Zoey was resting a few feet away, her breathing steady and calm, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside Lux.

She had tried to sleep, but her mind wouldn't quiet. Whenever she closed her eyes, images of the fire, them running, and Zoey's face as they struggled to survive flashed behind her eyelids. The reality of their situation pressed down on her, a weight she didn't know how to lift. She couldn't stop thinking about how close they were to the edge, how easily the flames could consume them in its path.

Her thoughts drifted back to the night before, to the words she had spoken to Zoey in a moment of passion and fear. She had told Zoey she loved her, and while it had felt right, she was now left wondering what it meant. Could she love someone in a situation like this? Did it even matter?

Lux's eyes scanned the darkened landscape, the outline of trees barely visible against the smoky sky. The fire was still advancing, but it felt like they were in a strange bubble of calm. She wanted to hold on to that feeling but knew it couldn't last.

The sound of movement pulled her from her thoughts, and she turned her head to see Zoey sitting up, searching for Lux in the smoke. Zoey's gaze found hers, and for a moment, they just looked at each other, the silence between them heavy.

Zoey stood up and walked over to Lux, her steps careful on the uneven ground. She sat beside her, close enough that their shoulders brushed, and Lux felt a warmth spread through her despite the coolness of the night.

"Still worried about the station?" Zoey asked.

"Nah, not that." she shrugged. "Right now, I'm more worried about the rumbling in my stomach."

"Are you sure you're just hungry?" Zoey asked.

"Well, not entirely," Lux said.

Zoey's eyes asked the rest of the questions. Lux hesitated, her eyes fixed on the ground in front of her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to have this conversation.

"About last night," she said quietly.

Zoey didn't respond right away, and Lux could feel the tension in the air between them. "What about it?" Zoey finally asked.

Lux sighed, turning to look at Zoey. "I said something last night, something I'm not sure I should have said."

Zoey's expression softened, and she reached out, placing a hand on Lux's arm. "You mean when you said you love me?"

Lux nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. "I didn't mean to make things complicated. I don't know what I was thinking."

Zoey looked at her for a long moment. "Do you regret it?"

Lux hesitated, then shook her head. "No, I don't. I just…I don't know what happens now. There's no way for us to be rescued anymore. The station probably thinks we've been lost to the fire by now."

Zoey's hand tightened on Lux's arm, a small gesture of comfort. "I've been thinking about that too," she said. "But we can't give up hope. We've made it this far."

Lux wanted to believe her and hold on to that hope, but it was slipping through her fingers like sand. "What if they've given up on us, Zoey? What if we're all alone out here?"

Zoey was silent momentarily, her gaze distant as she stared ahead. "Then we accept it," she said as she stood up. "Come on, we should keep going."

Lux stood up. "Okay."