Party Time
Party Time
The pub was crowded with noisy people, all trying to out do each other to get drunk in the few hours left of New Years Eve. Casey had come out with her workmates to ring in the New Year with as many shots as she could take and Casey knew she could out drink them all, no sweat.
As they fell by the way she seemed to get more fed up. No good competition tonight of all nights she thought to herself.Leaning with her back to the bar eyeing the crowd, she noticed a guy at the end watching her.
A cool dude, smart casual black shirt, lean but not tanned, in fact maybe a little on the pasty side but good looking, she thought.
She called for another round for the crowd she was with, who by now were dwindling fast against her onslaught.
The barkeeper laid the drinks out and an extra bourbon on the side for Casey.
From the guy at the end he said.
Casey tipped the guy a wink and downed the gift in one. Her party was ending and she saw another just begining.
She drifted down the bar to the dude in black.
Casey thanked him for the drink by getting in real close, he didn't back off. Another drink arrived, she never saw the order but sank it easy just the same. The party mood was in decline and it was only 11pm, still an hour to go before the fireworks, which seemed to be turning into a damp squib for Casey. She needed a buzz and quick.
Mr Black offered to show her another party that was just getting started across the way and that was all Casey needed.
He led her out of the bar, unnoticed by her friends who were by now seriously drunk.
The place across the way was really buzzing when they entered. Folk sat around tables laughing and there was an air of expectancy almost as if something was about to happen,. Well of course something is about to happen it is New Year in what, 30 minutes. A drink appeared in her hand as if by magic. She swayed to the music, music she had never heard before but it was almost hypnotic. She drank, she swayed, off in a world of her own. Mr Black had left as soon as she had her first drink. She never noticed. Just the music. The gentle soft beat to which she swayed back and forth. She had not missed that she was no longer drinking.Just that soft beat, the soft throbbing beat of the music, she swayed to it's commanding rhythm. It was intoxicating.
Then something inside her clicked. No one else was dancing. They were all simply staring at her, alone in the middle of the floor. Someone stood up and grabbed a cord and pulled. A curtain started to draw back along the length of the wall, exposing a full length mirror.
Casey still swayed but slower and slower while her alcohol befuddled brain tried to make sense of what she was seeing.
What she was seeing? Hell, there was nothing to see! She was alone in the room, swaying to music, holding an empty glass. No ! No! This isn't right she said to herself. It can't be right. All these people sitting , watching me dance.
Then when two of the men stood and walked toward her she began to realize the horror of what was happening but she was too late and to drunk to move. They grasped her arms and took her to the table that had appeared in the centre of the long room. There they tied her feet together and fixed a hook. when they pulled on the attached rope she was swung upside down. While she swung to and fro she saw all the people stand and begin to gather around her and she finally knew what she had been invited to. Folk who cast no image on a mirror can only be one thing. They only want one thing. Casey had what they wanted. She had not been invited to a party. She was the party.
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