Green Flashes

Another hot day on  the southside... Caleb, recently clocked out, heads towards the beach, a backpack he carries is occupied by beer and booze.

It is going to be a fun day.

Kam Beach was packed as he coolly strolled up, now joined by Eddie, one of the other servers he worked with at The Beach House. "Caleb, its fucking crazy hot today, we need to hit the water for sure." Smirking, Caleb retorts ,"Depends on how bad you wanna show off that beer belly, bruh."

A couple hours pass, beer reloaded, a fresh pack of smokes, however, no shot glasses, so the Captain remained untouched. Neighbors to the right had developed, two girls, Caleb and Eddie discussed among themselves if they were local, or just passing through.  A couple of eye-catches later, Eddie pushes Caleb two beers and calls to the girls, "Hey ladies, wanna beer? come on over!" He can feel Caleb's disdain for him, but, it's all for the greater good. As they approached, Eddie continued, "Hi, well, I'm Eddie and this shy young-blood is Caleb...and you are...?" "We're just here for the beer, one of the girls jokes, don't make it weird by asking names hon." The group shares a laugh as the beers are passed. and opened. "I guess we'll just call you, pointing to the blonde, #1 and you," turning towards the brunette he stops, cut by piercing green eyes, gathering himself, he continues, "#2".  Fantastic body, brilliant smile, she seemed wild, not in the bad wild/crazy way, but as is she belonged in nature, like a huntress stalking prey through the woods and forests. It was sexy, everything about her, just, fit.

Inhale. Exhale. Smile.

A few hours pass, both girls now eating ice cream out of emptied lemon halves, Caleb and Eddie casually chat up a couple from Los Angeles, Travis and Claire, Caleb thinks, something like that. He turns to the girls as they are finishing the empty peels and like a freak wave, an idea hits him. "Hey, #2, give me those peels..." "Why?" she responds playfully. "Smiling as he reached into his bag, finally revels a bottle of Captain Morgan, "Now we have shot glasses!" She returns the smile, #1 joins the tea, as Eddie realizes what's happening around him. "Oh shit." he sighs ,"Well I guess it's time to party!"

Caleb and #2 share the first round through their makeshift party-ware, powering down the warm party fuel. Eddie and #1 follow suit, by this time, the park had calmed down, families, mostly tourists, lining up to to catch the infamous green flash, which famously accompanied Maui's sunset. Caleb and #2 share a glance as she raises the bottle in a toast, pulls, and hands the bottle over. They both giggle as he follows suit, lemon peels long abandoned when the sun returned to it's slumber.  "You're coming to a party with me tomorrow night by the way." she says this in a ay that is more of an instruction than an invitation, "I wanna show you something." Caleb agrees as #1 and Eddie seem to be hitting it off and go for a walk. They sat in that comfortable silence for a while, then walked towards the water, ill lit ships bobbing with the waves. They sleep on the beach, gently embraced in the light, rhythmic crushing of a mighty, but gentle ocean.

The next day, Caleb gets out of work late, goes home to shower, then leaves to pick up his new acquaintance at Kam Beach, now he refers to her as the huntress. Her shining eyes shown in the setting sun as she climbs into his jeep. "How was work today? Nothing serious I hope, at least nothing you can't handle...' She playfully jabs at him. "Nah, it was pretty much cake, just hot, Eddie wasn't even on the struggle bus today, that was surprising." "Well that's good", she laughs, "do you know what today is?" her gaze catches his, intensely.

Was he supposed to know something?
What was today?
Is this about the party?

She leans in close to his face, eyes locked, playfully?

Inhale. Exhale.

"Um, a party is today..." he guesses, still confused, but his heart beating out of his chest.

"It's a full moon tonight silly," she winks, "we are going to Little Beach, duh"

Again, more of a statement than a request.

"They spoke at length during the car ride out of Kihei, both talking about interests, loves, failures, fear, hopes and dreams. All the way to Makena. Both probably thinking, "Why am I telling them all of this?!" Leaving the Jeep, they start a hike over an outcropping pointing to, or reaching out to some unseen place or goal.  Coming over the outcropping, Little Beach is truly a site, hundreds of bodies in varying levels of dress, most closer to nude than the opposite. Bonfires were being built throughout the beach area, for after the sun's retreat over the horizon. The pounding of drums fills the air, as well as a wisp of marijuana smoke.

She guides him down to a small cove where they set up camp. Volley balls and Frisbees zip between groups, everyone friendly, everyone loving life. Caleb made quick friends with a nudist couple from West Virginia who were visiting friends on the Big Island, he promises, to visit sometime. Finally, he takes the plunge, hitting the water as a green flash waved to the spectators on the beach, it would take a minute for him to return, she had joined him in the water as they traded glances of flirtation and challenge. Heading back to shore she sheds her top and bottoms, wringing them out in the process, this stops Caleb dead in his tracks. She turns around to face him and mockingly asks is he's ever seen a woman before, the fading light cast such beautiful shadows onto her, "how old are you anyway, Caleb?" "20, why?" he smiles "Oh geeze, you're a baby! she proclaims as she turns around, heading to the spot."

She towels off, waiting for Caleb, a wet slap of board shorts is heard nearby as the fires are lit. Caleb silhouetted by the flames behind him ,"Well, you sure do know how to make an entrance don't you?" her voice trails. As he sits, "I dunno what it is about you, but," he pauses ," I just feel comfortable even if we ended up out here on the run from something..." He hands her a beer, they open the bottles, toast, and drink.

 "You know," she starts while staring off into the bonfires, fire dancers, and hula hoopers. "I guess you're alright too"

"Oh yeah?" he playfully responds

"Ya." her voice sounds hopeful and kind.

She turns to him piercing him with those eyes again, lit by a full moon and fire.

"Willow", she says, allowing herself to smile slightly.

"What?" Caleb mindlessly says.

"My name is Willow."

"Are you weeping on the inside?"

Another smile.

Inhale. Exhale.

Willow rests her head on Caleb's shoulder, "You're some 20 year old..." Both giggle, blissfully unaware of how extremely important and needed they would end up being for each other.

For now, drums, smoke, fire, peace.

Hope.

Signed,
~The Trickster, Maui.