Lights flash and I feel the music pound through my entire body. Exhilaration courses through my veins and I look over to see my friends with their eyes closed living and soaking up every moment. I hadn’t planned on it being this much fun. I was a little nervous about going out clubbing for the first time but they assured me it’d be worth it, never expected them to be so right! The crowd swings and sways to every beat and the alcohol in my blood is starting to hit me like a semi. I decide to let lose too. I hold on to my buddies and jump to every boom with them. I see them laugh and couldn’t quite make out what they say but I know they’re having fun. I am too. Kenneth grabs my arm and lugs me over to the bar, maybe this is the one too many. Oh well. We wait and grab the bartenders attention and get a couple more shots of whatever “Alien Nipple” is. Who cares? Good name, good drink when you’re already 5 in the hole.
Gulp
The first few sips of 6 go down a little easier than they probably should. I finish it in record time because I see George on the floor ready for round two of what we certainly think is decent dancing.
A new song kicks up, the bass slams every inch of my mind as continue to lose touch of the here and now and float into obscurity. Magical. Astounding. Thrilling. The crowd a blurred mass of drunks and dopes. All of us here looking for the same release of blissful nothingness. The next song feels even better than the last and I spin while dropping whatever part of me feels hot. Okay. Maybe cutting back, I open my eyes and… crap. Where’d they go? “GEORGE? LOST YOU?” I try to yell over what was never going to be drowned out with my flawed voice. “Ran outside for some air” I think. “I’d actually like the same” so I head in the direction of the exit. Look back to see if they were just caught in the crowd.
Bump.
“Sorry man” I saw him say.
“You’re good” I mumble
Continue my journey out.
Cold waves sweep over my drunken skin as I hit the cities electric night air.
Not seeing my buddies though. My addled mind thinks “hey we were going to another scene, maybe they just forgot to grab me before heading out… I think it’s this way?”
Trudging through the muddled sidewalk I notice a half stride that for some reason felt eerily similar to mine. I look back and he turns away looking to probably anything else of interest, I’m the creep for looking back at him after all. “Keep going” my sullied brain says. Nothings off. But paranoia ended up slapping me hard. “Was he following me?” That little thought I decided to just keep at bay. Just walking a little faster to where my friends may be. I notice that other pace pick up too. “Should’ve stayed in the club. Why’d I just decide to head out?” Woulda shoulda coulda of a tipsy head. Felt paranoia decide to play a solo on nerve endings. I bolt in the direction back towards the club and… shit. He’s definitely running after me. Why doesn’t anyone else think this is weird? I panic as I’m sprinting back towards the lit club entrance. Felt a couple more steps smash the pavement behind me. Looking for a way to lose my newly found admirer I run into an alley that looked like I could find something to hide in or behind to lose this madman. Dead end. Nothing to leap over. Nothing to hide in. No one to call over for help. Just a few stories of brick, mortar and my inner voices screaming at me to get away. I feel another smashing step behind me and turn to confront this creep. I see a mask moving but can’t make out the words without seeing his lips. Obviously they don’t know I can’t hear whatever these ghost threats are. I feel the cold edge sink into my side and I think about how I wish my voice could reach the passerby’s in the faint light outside the alley. I wish I hadn’t taken another step into that club.