Hoodie pt. 1

Katie notices apart from being cold she can see better in the darkness where the town’s residents are now. The silhouette behind her friends Jessica and Raul has a blue haze to it, one they did not have a few minutes ago. The air resembles that of the light as glow sticks as if every person carried them in large quantities.

“Do you guys see the hazy light?” asks Katie leaning on the tree next to her friends.

“Yeah, what’s up with that?” says Raul.

“It’s cold don’t you think,” chimes in Jessica rubbing her arms together with her palms.

Katie went and stood by Jessica putting her arms around her. They shivered together as both wore the summer dresses they had chosen for the ceremony.

“Let’s go inside,” suggested Raul crossing his arms.

The surrounding trees in the distance the three friends walked to the building that received them. People were already talking in loud voices about the changes to their environment. It was warmer inside the building, but people still huddled together for warmth. The outside blue haze came in through the doors permeating inside the white tile floor of the campsite building to reflect an aqua glow by the doorway.

Raul, Jessica, and Katie walked inside of the doorway standing still for a few minutes. People were coming inside of the door behind them. Other people were already in the building. Locking eyes with his sister among the masses Jake and Katie say to each other. Jake called out to them from a corner of the building. They all walked together toward Jake as a group. Jake sat on a bench. Jake stands to allow Jessica and Katie a spot to sit down on the bench, while Jake and Raul sit on the cold floor. The girls are glad to sit down on a bench to rest. They lean in on one another.

“I have some sweaters in my car,” says Jake.

“What are we waiting for?” says Katie.

Raul and Jessica walk behind Jake and Katie who all get up from their spot. Other people who stood at the wall took their spots at the bench right away. Jake clutches his car keys. At the end is a V shape of his college keychain hangs on the end dangling like a pendulum. The metal part attached to the red V swings to the left and right. Movement from the keychain transfixed Katie's attention as they weave their way through the rows of people. Her brother takes hold of the adornment in his whole palm stopping the movement. They reach the end of people at the glass door by the front of the building past the circulation desk.

Because of the blue light in the air, they do not need their phones' light to make out the steps in front of them. Down into the slight gravel hill they do until they reach the parking lot. The rocks make a churn underneath them. Nobody else loiters the front of the building; the cars stand empty on the gravel ground. All the cars are alone in rows, they look for the red car. The red paint of Jake’s car gives a slight purple glow on the top. Jake opens his back trunk throwing half his body in to reach far in producing in his arms bundles of clothes. He passes around a hoodie to Raul, Jessica, and Katie.

Katie throws the hoodie on instantly her arms feel the soft cotton lining against her skin. It is a nice feeling, comforting. The harsh wind has a barrier before reaching her skin. Although the sweater does not cover every inch of her body, it keeps her upper body warm. The scent that arises from within the sweater is that of her brother’s cologne, that of the ocean scent. Its smell reminds her of times getting ready in the bathroom before school. Both of them sprayed perfume before heading to high school, Jake a senior in high school and Katie a freshman four years ago. The shared bathroom in the house is full of hair gels, hair creams, and perfumes. Mrs. heard calling them to get in the car from the kitchen. Kate snaps back to the reality of standing in the parking lot.

“Thanks, man,” says Raul throwing on the hoodie.

“Thanks, Jake, says Jessica hiding herself in the hoodie.

“Yeah no problem,” says Jake.

Jake closes the trunk of his car, the thud is loud in the quiet of the parking lot. They head up the gravel hill hands in pockets. Outside the glass of the door, there is a beautiful floral design of ice running up the length of the door. Its icy branches reach for the top of the ceiling. Raul opens the door for them to go inside of the building. The people inside have fetched their blankets to wrap around their bodies making most use of the space by staying hiding huddled together. The breaths of the people enter the air into clouds of mists.

There is more warmth in the small kitchen where the lunches are being prepared in the dual stoves. Its warmth spills into the immediate area onto the waiting area behind the black double door. People take turns standing inside the kitchen to be near the warmth. The teenagers find a spot to sit keeping their bodies close together. Jessica throws her arm around Katie. Raul tries telling them a funny story from earlier in the school year. Katie laughs her mouth chattering closed sounding like a salt shaker. Jake comes over from the kitchen with their lunch. A steaming bowl of soup, the smell of chicken wafts into Katie’s nostrils making her aware of her hunger. The spoon stirs inside of the bowl, but there is no need to cool down the soup as the air around is cold enough. Soon the soup is cool. Katie eats her food in quick mouthfuls appreciating the warmth of the food. To think just a few days ago she would have taken warm food for granted. Warm food and a warm house thinks Katie with a dazed smile imagining her home.

“All done?” asks Jake, reaching for her trash.

“Yeah,” says Katie looking up at her brother’s outstretched hand.

Katie rubs her hands together for warmth then places them inside her hoodie pockets. Mrs. Heard, her mom, comes over to check on Katie. She has her blanket wrapped around her like a poncho. She looks happy to see Jake found them some hoodies. Katie stands stretching her creaking legs to go talk to her mother. The coldness seems to have seeped into her bones as walking is more of a conscious thought. When they are always apart Mrs. Heard takes Katie into a hug that surprises Katie. On the blanket of her mother, Katie lays her head to allow herself the comfort of family.

From the desk area, there is a loud noise that causes all of them to look. The mayor is on the desk stomping his feet.