its a wild world

Ellie laughed as she yet again hit someone with her giant costume. “I’m sorry.” she said, although secretly loving how much fuss people had to put up with being near her. 

Stumbling forward slightly, Tim turned round and instantly broke into a large smile. It might have looked creepy with his blood stained face and zombie make-up but he was in a good mood. He’d had a couple to drink but he had no plans of getting drunk. After the state he was in after the last big party in Lincolnshire he didn’t fancy reliving the hangover. “You don’t need to apologise when you’re wearing a costume that great.”

“Hey. Do you mind if I take some photos of you? I love your costume.” Rose said, lifting up her large film camera as to signify that she was the real deal.

Tim turned in response to the girl’s voice. Glancing down at himself and the homemade zombie costume, he smiled. “Yeah, sure. A friend from work helped me put this together so I can’t really take all the credit. I’m Tim by the way. So what do you want me to do? Stand and smile? Scary face? Maybe eat some brains?”

“It is,” Ben chuckled as he started walking beside Tim. “I’m starting to slightly regret taking it but I suppose it’ll be worth it in the end.” He smiled and shook Tim’s hand when he offered it, though did it quickly as it looked like Tim would drop the books if he did it for too long. “Nice to meet you, Tim. I’m Ben. If you don’t mind me saying, your accent sounds quite Southern - are you from somewhere else too?”

Tim nodded with a smile, happy to have both hands back on the stack of books in his arms before he made a fool of himself and dropped them. “Likewise. Yeah, I’m actually from Newquay. It was a bloody long drive here believe me, I’m surprised my car made it here in one piece. What about you? I don’t think I’ve seen you kicking round these parts before.”

“Good,” she lied, pulling Tim into a hug. “Good…yeah I’m good,” she continued, in the same sentence.” God, that’s not a normal amount of times to say good, is it? Anyhow, are you alright?”

“Hey, what’s normal anyway?” Tim said as he let go of Cleo, looking down at her and smiling. “I’m doing alright, yeah. Plodding along, you know. So what’s new with you then? What’ve you been up to lately in this crazy town?”

May smiled thankfully at Tim as he took some of the books off her. She cringed at him asking her how she was, she was sick and tired of hearing that question off people. “I’m fine.” She said coolly, hoping he got the hint that she didn’t want to talk further. “It was boring, too many bugs and too many people.” She admitted. “I didn’t really enjoy myself.” She added, speaking honestly. “Being that close to everyone in this town; not a fun experience.” She spoke softly. 

Tightening his grip on the books, he frowned slightly. It seemed like May wasn’t really talking like she did normally. Like her sentences were a bit too blunt. Tim didn’t want to push the matter if something had happened that May didn’t want to talk about, but at the same time he was concerned that one of his friends wasn’t OK. “No? I think camping with friends can be pretty good fun sometimes though.” He paused, softening the tone of his voice. “Nothing…nothing bad happened on the trip did it?”

Imogen grinned and happily handed him some of the bags, starting to walk beside him. “Oh yeah…” she groaned, casting her memory back to that night. It was still hard to believe that’d happened, though the healing scar on her leg that she continued to try and hide was proof that it had. “I’m alright, ta. Better than I was tha’ night, anyway. S'pose it’s a good icebreaker for tha future,” she replied with a lighthearted chuckle. “Anyway, where’ve ya been since then, eh? Feels like ya’ve been livin’ under a rock or summat.”

Tim chuckled. “Well yeah, I suppose not many people can say they were shot, and on a boat at that. I’m glad you’re doing alright though, you definitely look well.” He smiled, meaning every word. Maybe he could do the whole friend thing with Imogen. She’d always been a great addition to his life, they’d always had fun together. Chuckling again, he cleared his throat before talking. “I seem to have a habit of doing that, eh? I’ve just been working really, nothing that exciting. It’s just sometimes easier to keep my head down and out of the drama for a while. It’s nothing like it is at home, this place is pretty crazy.”

Serafina smiled and let Tim take one of her bags. She started walking, looking over at him. “Thank you. It is nice to meet you Tim, I’m Serafina.” She giggled. “You are not weird, anyway. You seem perfectly lovely to me.” She pointed ahead of them. “My flat is just up this hill, so there is not very long to walk. The bag isn’t too heavy for you, is it?”

“Serafina, that’s an unusual name. Lovely though.” Tim smiled, walking along next to the girl. Glancing down at the bag, he shifted the weight of the bag from one hand to the other. “Not at all. I can even take another if you’re struggling?”

Georgia giggled after a short sigh. “You’re just trying to make me feel better. A positive trait doesn’t make up for a negative one! Thanks…you really know how to charm a girl. I’m Georgia.”

“Well, is it working?” Tim asked with a lopsided smile. “Lovely to meet you Georgia, I’m Tim.”

“It’ll be bit of a trek too, so I’ll spare you.” Bennie responded, shifting the weight of the spare parts, many caked in mud, she’d been collecting to contribute to her latest renovation of an old school bus. “Besides, we manage.” She added, looking to one of her dogs, Félix, who had accompanied her and now stood proudly with a single long stick in his mouth. 

Tim smiled down at the dog. “Well, if you’re sure.” Crouching down, he held out his hand for the dog to sniff before patting him on the head. “I’m sure he takes good care of you.”

“Tim? Yes. Yes please. I haven’t seen you in so long. Missed that cheeky face of yours!”

“It has been a while, hasn’t it? How you doing Cleo?” Stepping in to give a hand, he couldn’t help but have a smile on his face.

“I’m such a clutz, I don’t deserve someone so handsome helping me.”

Tim smiled, hoping that his cheeks weren’t as rosy as they felt. “Hey, you’re a pretty clutz, so you get all the help you want. I’m Tim. Here, let me take that.”

“Nah, wouldn’t want to risk you getting your hands dirty or something.”

“Oh don’t worry about me, I’m used to getting my hands dirty sometimes. Really, it’s no trouble. Are you sure you don’t need a hand?”

   “What? Oh, uh, no. No thank you.” His thumb furiously flicked at the lighter, so fast that it didn’t have the chance to spark up, even though it was in perfect working order. “Actually… any chance you have a lighter? Just, uh— Just to borrow.”

Tim peered at the guy in front of him, watching him struggle to light his cigarette. “Um, hold on.” Searching in his pockets, he found the lighter that he’d found discarded on a table in the pub when he was collecting glasses. “Here you go mate.” He handed over the lighter before frowning slightly, asking with genuine concern in his voice. “Are you alright? You seem a litte…frantic?”

“Please. Went a bit overboard wi’ tha shoppin’ today. ‘Ey, don’t go peepin’ into any o’ tha bags, though. An’ I don’t want ya nickin’ any o’ me new shoes.”

Looking at the bags that Imogen was laden down with, he couldn’t help but laugh. “I think overboard is the understatement of the year. Ok, ok, I promise I won’t.” Leaning down he took most of the bags from the girl, sharing them out evenly between his hands. “So how are you doing? I heard about the boat party.” Eventually, after recovering from his own drunken mishaps, he’d heard through the great Stamford grapevine. Part of him had wanted to visit her in hospital, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He figured Stephen would be there, worrying over her and their unborn baby, and he wasn’t sure that was something he wanted to see. He knew now that he had to move on and that’s what he was doing.

“Oh, that’d be great, thanks. I study law and the amount of books we need is ridiculous.”

“Law, wow.” Glancing at the thick text books he’d just taken into his own hands, his eyes widened slightly. “Sounds pretty intense.” Falling into step beside the guy, he let the conversation continue. He’d always been brought up to help out anyone that seemed like they needed it. “I’m Tim by the way.” Juggling the books slightly, he stuck out his free hand.