“Glad I didn’t do any,” Cyra replied.
The bass from the speakers seemed like it was getting louder with every artist that went on. The different levels of bass echoed throughout the festival grounds as everyone moved in unison; head-banging and getting down to the filthy drops that pursued. A few hours later the girls were up, moving around, and ready to rage.
“When do you want to pop?” Gypsy asked Cyra as she looked at her phone to see who was next on the lineup to perform.
“Like now?” Cyra giggled as she took Gypsy’s fanny pack and went to the bathroom.
Gypsy laughed and went in after Cyra came out. The girls were swaying with the beat and nodding their heads when the MDMA started to kick in.
“Oh God, I honestly kinda forgot what it felt like to roll,” Gypsy said with a smile as she leaned over to give Cyra a kiss.
One of Gypsy’s ‘tells’ for when she knew she was rolling would be feeling her hands. When they started to feel softer than normal, she knew it was starting to kick in. Every nerve ending she had felt like they were being filled with pleasure. All the love she had for Cyra and all her close friends and family encompassed her entire being. Gypsy felt as though her entire body had been filled with love…and horniness. It’s a cliché, but it’s true, Gypsy thought to herself as she tried to focus on other things going on around her but the bass vibrating through the ground wasn’t helping.
“Dude, dude, dude, I am ridiculously horny but I don’t want to fuck anyone,” Gypsy laughed in a panicky way.
Cyra bursted out laughing, “bitch calm the fuck down, you know you’re fine…but same.”
They both laughed as they let the music take them over. Cyra held Gypsy’s hand and they made their way farther into the crowd. The lights seemed brighter and the music was out of this world good. They felt it consume them, but really, it was just the MDMA taking full effect.
“I think I’m peaking,” Gypsy squeezed Cyra’s hand and moved to the beat.
“I’m gonna take another one,” Cyra said as she reached into Gypsy’s fanny pack very discreetly so she didn’t draw attention in case there were undercover cops around them.
“Well, I want one too then since it’s still early,” Gypsy said excitedly as Cyra pulled her out one too.
They both popped another point and waited for it to hit. The vibes were better than any other festival they had gone to. Everyone around them was so nice and they didn’t deal with any creeps, which was a first since they’re some bad bitches (if they do say so themselves).
In hindsight, they probably looked like a bunch of crazy wooks making crazy gestures, galavanting around covered in glitter, but really, they didn’t care. Everything in the world of raving is so accepting and nonjudgmental, that they could truly be themselves.
Cyra and Gypsy danced until their bodies felt like jello. The last song played and the floodlights came on; they felt how fucked up they still were. Gypsy pulled out two edible lollipops and handed one over to Cyra.
“All righty bitch let’s try not to get lost on the way back,” she laughed.
Cyra put the lollipop in her mouth and started to look for a golf cart to take them back like the night before. Slowly making their way through the crowd, they finally saw one and picked up the pace before others caught on and made it before them, taking coveted seats.
Before they knew it, they were back at their campsite and were ready to change and go to the afterparties. Quickly, they took off their outfits and put on sweatshirts and leggings and headed out with Lollie and Jeffrey since Shai and Cole had already passed out in their tent.
“Let’s go before I pass out too,” Cyra laughed.
A sea of stars covered the clear night sky as they all started their long journey back to the festival grounds. Following the distant sounds of wubs and dubs, while they still felt the sensations of their rolls and now the weed kicking in. The second day may have been over, but the party was not stopping.
The afterparties were fun, but Gypsy felt herself fading fast as the edible kicked in and her MDMA was starting to wear off. Gypsy and Cyra were so in sync, it was almost scary but that’s just how truly best of friends they were. Cyra knew before Gypsy even said anything that if they were going to survive the last day, they should probably head back to camp and try to get some sort of sleep before the sun rose and all hope for any kind of rest disappeared. Gypsy cuddled up next to Cyra and without missing a beat, was knocked out and snoring. Cyra couldn’t help but laugh to herself as she passed out too.
CHAPTER THREE
When the girls woke up the next morning, it was as if they had been hit by a semi on a freeway. Their bodies ached and they felt groggy but it was the last day so they knew they needed to rally.
“All right dude! It’s the last fucking day! We almost made it without completely dying,” Gypsy said to Cyra in between yawns.
“We almost fucking made it,” Cyra agreed as she gathered her shower bag and change of clothes.
Cyra and Gypsy went to the portable showers for the last time and did the same routine as the day before. Nothing new, except the lines were slightly shorter since everyone camping had pretty much stopped caring about everything except the music.
They quickly got ready once they were back at camp, took pictures, and were off for the final day of what had been one of the best weekends of their lives. Ironically though, security had gotten stricter as the festival progressed, and today, there were some taking every single thing out of people’s fanny and hydration packs. Cyra started to freak out because she had stuffed all the edibles for the day in her camelback.
“Here, just switch with me,” Gypsy prompted as Cyra took them to the line that seemed to check the least. There were cops standing right next to security too, so it was going to be bad if they found anything drug related, especially since marijuana wasn’t exactly legal there.
Cyra went first and got through no problem since she had Gypsy’s hydration pack and there wasn’t anything considered illegal in it. Gypsy was next and she felt her heart beating up into her throat, but she flashed the guy a smile and he glanced into one of the pockets, said she was good to go without checking the others, and the panic that had taken over subsided.
“I need to go to the bathrooms because my asscrack is not happy I have these damn baggies there,” Gypsy said through gritted teeth after they scanned their wristbands and were away from security and any visible cops.
“Dude I was freaking the fuck out,” Cyra said as she sighed in slight relief.
“Yeah I know, even though I’m the one that would have been in trouble since I have everything on me,” Gypsy sarcastically snapped. “At least one of us can keep our cool.”
“Dude I fucking know,” Cyra laughed as her anxiety started to subside.
“Let’s just get to these bathrooms before I literally rip myself a new asshole,” Gypsy chuckled as they maneuvered their way to the VIP restrooms.
Gypsy pulled out the plastic bag from her asscrack that held the plastic bag with the ecstasy pills for their final day and put the clean bags in her fanny pack before washing her hands and going back out to meet Cyra so they could figure out how much stage-hopping they were going to do that day.
Cyra filled up their hydration packs while Gypsy was in the restroom so they could pop early since it was their last day and it didn’t really matter how hard they went. Gypsy handed her the fanny pack and Cyra went into the bathroom to take hers before coming out and switching off with Gypsy.
“We need to go to the other stage after this set so we can see Herobust and then just feel it out for a few sets before Slander comes on at this stage,” Cyra said matter-of-factly as to not waste any time because she knew they would both be feeling really good soon.
“All right let’s go then before it kicks in,” Gypsy agreed.
Making their way through the crowd tha
t didn’t smell as terrible as they had imagined, proved to be somewhat easier than the past couple days because everyone was saving the last little bits of energy that they had for the later sets.
Gypsy felt her roll start and she reached for Cyra’s hand to provide a little bit of comfort as the lights and sounds intensified. Cyra leaned over, knowing exactly how Gypsy was feeling and started to headbang with her to ease the come up.
“Remember to drink water,” Cyra said, offering some.
“Thanks mom,” Gypsy laughed as she did a half eye roll.
The sun soon set and the main sets they had been looking forward to all weekend were approaching fast. They stumbled their way through the now slightly musty and sweat filled crowd and they tried to get a good spot next to the main stage. It was everything Gypsy had imagined, the lights, cultivated favorite songs that had been remixed, and most importantly, how her and Cyra vibed so hard.
“You guys are such a cute couple,” a few people said in passing.
Cyra looked over at Gypsy, “I knew we looked like a couple but damn.”
Gypsy couldn’t help but laugh because this happened almost every time they went out together. Ahh yes, my lover who’s not my lover but still basically is. Gypsy smiled to herself as Cyra put her arms around her.
“This is going to sound like a cliché, but this really feels like the perfect end to a perfect weekend,” Cyra said in Gypsy’s ear as she pulled her closer.
Cyra felt a burst of energy take her over and couldn’t hold back dancing as hard as she could. Gypsy caught on and the two of them created their own dance circle type of space in the crowd. The people around them kept giving reassuring smiles and some even hopped in and danced with them.
The inevitable end to the festival weekend was quickly approaching as the final back to back went on. The emotional melodies mixed with hard beats had the crowd crying and headbanging at the same time. The off-key singing combined with the sounds of voices cracking was what made Cyra and Gypsy feel so connected to a crowd of strangers. The world that they loved so dearly made it hard to think of having to go back to reality. The djs announced their final song for the conclusion of the main festivities as the crowd cheered in unison and got down one last time before going their separate ways. The floodlights came on for the final time that weekend but something was different; they were flickering before shutting off completely and the festival grounds went dark with the only source of light coming from the stars above in the clear sky.
Sirens started wailing as drones appeared out of nowhere, flying in an arrow pattern above the festival grounds. All of a sudden, a robotic voice came over the speakers, “Do not be alarmed, this is only a test. An announcement will be following shortly. Stay aware and maintain a buddy system.”
At this point everyone started to freak out because this most definitely was not part of how the festival was supposed to end. The djs on the stage were just as surprised as the rest of the crowd but tried to maintain their composure so everyone would catch on and attempt to do the same.
“Well, that was unexpected,” one of the djs said on the mic as he nervously chuckled.
“Yeah, um, let’s all just stay as calm as possible until we figure out what’s going on. In the meantime, sit tight or head back to the campgrounds or wherever you’re staying. Please be safe and do not wander off alone,” the other dj chimed in.
It was still apparent everyone was a little scared, but tried to keep their cool as they figured out where they were going to go from there. Definitely not how Cyra and Gypsy anticipated the final hours of the weekend to be, but from there, they knew they needed to figure out what their game plan was going to be.
“Um dude, I’m still really fucked up so was that real or am I trippin’?” Gypsy asked Cyra.
“It was definitely real. I’m starting to come down so I know that for a fact but like what the fuck is going on. We need to get back to camp and get our shit together in case we need to leave in a hurry,” Cyra replied with a serious look on her face.
The girls started walking as fast as they could to find a golf cart to take them back to camp. Gypsy still felt the ecstasy running its course through her body and as much as Cyra didn’t want to admit it, she still felt the effects too.
“We need to pack up as much as we can right now, so start putting the chairs in the back and tables while I start on the canopies,” Cyra instructed.
They were almost finished with the ‘hangout’ areas when another siren, louder than the first, came on. “This announcement is to inform everyone that you have twenty-four hours to say goodbye to your loved ones. No one is safe. There are foreign beings taking over government officials. Trust no one. We still do not know what is happening but please try to get as far from the D.C. area as possible. There are safe-havens set up in Canada if you can make it there…”
A screeching noise that sounded like nails on a chalkboard cut the robotic voice off. All the lights that had been illuminating the campgrounds went black as the bulbs shattered. Something was very wrong but no one knew what. This was even harder to comprehend given the fact that the MDMA still had not worn off completely yet.
Gypsy turned to Cyra in a panic, “what do we do? Neither of us can drive right now and I’m not from here so I don’t even know where to go!”
Cyra was trying to keep her cool but couldn’t, “we’re going to be fine, it’s probably just some sort of prank or something. I don’t know yet but let’s just finish getting everything packed away and in a few hours we’ll be good to go.”
Shai and Cole had come out of their tent at this point and were packing up camp as well.
“What the hell is going on?” Shai asked.
“We need to get everything packed up and get out of here as soon as humanly possible. Before I went on leave they warned us about weird shit that seemed impossible but now apparently it’s real and actually happening,” Cole said in the most earnest tone. A stone cold look on his face made sure to let everyone know he was being completely serious.
Jeffrey and Lollie emerged from their tent too in a panic. The group of them started to pack up as much as they could before trying to figure out their own game plan.
“Are you guys gonna try to go to Canada too?” Cyra asked Cole as she finished putting their tent in the car.
“It’s gonna be an absolute shit show on the roads but we can’t become sitting ducks so we need to think of something else.”
“Well, I think we should try to stick together as much as possible until we know more information,” Gypsy said in a panic.
“I completely agree,” Lollie said as she started to chain smoke her juul.
A few hours passed and everyone had gotten their campsites packed and ready to go. By now, Gypsy had completely come down from her roll and Cyra was trying to look up directions on her phone map. Service was super spotty but she got a general idea of the direction they needed to go.
The sun started to come up and the six of them decided the best thing to do was to go fill up their cars with gas and stock up on water and snacks.
“We need to get a head start before the madness and panic really sets in for everyone. We need to leave right now,” Cole instructed as they all started to get in their cars. “Drive carefully and try to keep your composure. We know we can trust each other at this point and that’s it. Do not trust anyone. Especially government officials as the warning stated. Do not stop if you see lights behind you, do not stop even if one of us is in trouble. Keep moving forward and try to get to the safe haven they talked about.”
The internal panic was really setting in but if they were going to figure out what the hell was going on, they had to listen to Cole and try to get to safety.
CHAPTER FOUR
Getting out of the campgrounds proved to be a difficult task. Chaos had started to breakout and panic-stricken people were blocking all of t
he exits. Screaming and crying echoed throughout and the reality of the situation had finally started to kick in for most. The cell service was basically nonexistent and any calm that might have been lingering after the announcement was now gone.
“What the fuck are they doing?” Cyra shouted as she slammed her hands against the steering wheel.
“They’re just scared too. Try to see if you can get through that opening over there,” Gypsy said as she pointed to their right with her shaky index finger.
Cyra started to turn the wheel and gently pushed on the gas pedal. The dirt road was a mess and they started driving on the grass field around where there were still campsites set up. Shai, Cole, Jeffrey, and Lollie were tailing them in each of their cars so they could all try to stay together.
The sun was shining down and the air was warming up as it rose higher in the sky. God, like what the actual fuck is happening? Gypsy thought to herself as Cyra maneuvered the car through the field and onto the main road. The traffic wasn’t too crazy bad yet, but they knew there wasn’t any time to waste. Once they got out of the festival campgrounds, it was going to be a mess.
“Let’s stop and get gas and stuff here before we get farther because I have a feeling everything more north is going to be looted,” Cyra said as she pulled into the first gas station they came across.
As the others followed, the hue of the sky started to change from its normal light blue to more of a green tint. Noticing this first, Jeffrey pointed it out to the others.
“Um, not to completely alarm y’all more than we already have been, but does the sky look green now or am I crazy?”
“I mean you’re definitely a little crazy; but yeah I see it too,” Lollie agreed.
“Babe, did they say anything about this?” Shai asked Cole as she put the nozzle back on the gas pump.
“No, what the fuck?” Cole seemed just as surprised as the rest of them when he looked up. “We need to get as much water and food as we can here so let’s hurry up so we can keep moving.”
Extremity Page 2
