Chapter Three

“So...” Erica starts, running a finger around the brim of her wine glass. “What is there about him that you like?” The brunette points her eyes upward, her mouth parting into a smile as her initial thoughts collate.

“Come on, Jenny!” Aimee goads, her eyes wide and penetrating. “If you don’t decide what it is, I’ll have him.” She grins broadly, devouring an olive pierced by a cocktail stick. “Sod Matt!”

“He’s really cute...” she blurts innocently, sniggering at her answer. Aimee peers over at Erica and winks at her.

“Nice arse, if you ask me.” she smiles, turning back to Jenny.

“The arms do it for me.” Erica chips in. “But I’d grab that package and take it for a swing!” The three suddenly burst into laughter.

“You know I’m not the best at this.” Jenny says timidly, daubing her lips with raspberry balm.

“A bit more drink and you’ll have the confidence.” Aimee nods, pushing Jenny’s wine glass closer. She is sat facing her, legs perched either side of the wooden bench, spare hand pushing the end of her dress down. Erica is on the opposite side.

“Try not to compare him to Jimmy.” Erica tells her.

Jenny takes a large gulp of her Chardonnay, feeling the glass momentarily stick to her lips. “I’ll do my best.” she grimaces, reacting to such a large mouthful. “Where to next?” she asks, finishing off the remainder.

“My favourite place!” Aimee grins, bopping her head from side to side in tune to imaginary music.

***

Stu and Mike join the short queue outside their next destination, usually the busiest nightclub in the city. “Welcome to the Plasma Dome.” Mike smirks, rolling his arms to show he’s ready to boogie. “A club that doesn’t actually have a dome.”

Stu chuckles to himself. “Nice.” he smirks. They move forward, sneaking inside just as the attending bouncer stops the flow. Stu tackles the stairs two steps at a time as Mike bounces up each one.

“Oh man, I love this shit!” Mike grins, hearing the tune reverberate from inside and shuffling his feet on the narrow step. “I did the dirty with Sera for the first time whilst this was banging - man that was a good night.” Mike reminisces, chuffed with his own private dancing show. “Remind me - what were you doing then?”

Stu coughs suddenly. “I have no idea.” he answers, quickly ascending a few more steps. Mike follows suit, jiving a little and busting some more moves to a pair of women just ahead of them. They look at one another, bewildered, before turning their backs to him. Stu digs around for some change in his pocket, fingering through enough pound coins to get them both in. Looking up, he spots a dark shape dart away from view - after a brief pause he looks back down at the change, thinking nothing more of it.

“Mate...” Mike mutters to Stu. “From now on, you can call me Manny Fagnet...” he drunkenly grins, putting a finger to his lips. “Keep it under your hat though!”

Stu shakes his head in amused disbelief. Stepping up to the booth, he hands over the correct change to the sullen cashier, not willing to engage him in conversation. Upon turning round, he just catches sight of Mike disappearing into the main hall ahead. As he reaches the same point, someone grabs him firmly by the arm and tugs him into a darkened alcove.

There, in the darkness, soft lips connect with his, kissing him over and over and tangling her tongue with his. Her light touch presses against his back, holding him tight. Almost as quickly as their lips locked, and just as he starts to enjoy the moment, she speeds away. Gathering his bearings, he opens his eyes and assumes she’s slipped through the connecting doors, stumbling to get past a group of guys inappropriately making their slow entrance. Excusing his actions and barging by the last one, he enters the room to witness a sea of pumping and gyrating bodies crammed for space inside the circular dance floor. The first thing that catches his eye is a tall shadow on the opposite wall, stood directly in front of a seated couple. The moment Stu spots it, the shape flits out of sight - it just disappears completely. Unsure if he really saw a figure, Stu stares across at the spot, quickly knocked out of his trance by one of the guys he pushed past, gaining a moment of futile revenge. Before Stu can blink, the guy becomes yet another wave in the swelling sea.

“Alright, mate!” Mike yells, appearing from within the throng of bodies with two chilled bottles clasped in his hands. He motions one towards Stu, who takes a long swig, returning his gaze to the spot where the shadowy figure previously was, foolishly expecting a repeat performance. “Hey...” Mike thuds Stu on the chest with the back of his hand, nodding once in the direction of the second room. Stu follows and spots Aimee inside the corridor between rooms, chatting into the ear of a guy neither of them recognise. Erica is stood behind her, playing with her phone. The brunette is nowhere to be seen.

“Mike,” Stu calls, moving towards his ear. “I’ve just been kissing a mystery woman.” He shouts. Mike grins and shakes Stu’s hand ceremoniously.

“What did she look like?” he calls back.

“I’ve no idea mate, but I can’t see that brunette anywhere. I’ll let you know if I kiss her again -” Stu stops momentarily. He can see the dark figure again by the corridor, close to Aimee and Erica. It vanishes from sight just as quickly as before, whipping into a blackened corner. For the first time since initially spotting this thing, hairs stand to attention like tombstones. Mike looks up at him, noticing that bothered look that always equals some degree of trouble. He then looks back toward the corridor, and spots the brunette tentatively stepping their way, a cheeky smile across her face. Stu also notices her, eliminating his anxious look as the chill across his body instantly turns to warmth.

“I’ll leave you to it!” Mike mutters, voice completely inaudible amidst the thumping music. “I’d rather miss the shit hitting the fan if that’s coming next...”

“Hey.” Stu smiles as she nears.

“Hey, you.” she responds, leaning into his ear. “How’s your night going?”

Stu nods a little as he forms an answer. “Not bad at all. How about you? Anyone caught your eye?”

His comment raises her smile. “There was one guy, but he had a horrible beard and bad breath - I don’t think he’s showered for a while!” she replies.

Stu draws closer. “He must be very jealous of me being this close then!”

She smiles at him, gently clenching a bicep. “I have to be honest - as I’m usually very poor at these things - but I’ve a bet on with my friends. Well, they bet that I couldn’t kiss you within the first few sentences! Actually coming up to you has made me very nervous, even with the amount I’ve had to drink!” Stu instantly moves his head over and leans in for a kiss. As they lock lips it’s more awkward than the earlier kiss he had, but as they close in on one another it intensifies - he can feel her press harder against him, pulling his body into hers and kissing him deeper. His fingers gently touch her back, holding her delicately.

A loud “WOOOOOOO!” erupts from behind her and Stu looks up, their lips parting. He jokingly sighs as he spots Mike grinning with his thumbs raised in the air. Erica is to his right, laughing loudly, Aimee still conversing in the corridor. “I’m Jenny, in case you didn’t know.” She tells him.

***

Stu runs his hands down her back as the bassline bubbles around them, concentrating solely on each other and dancing closely. Jenny turns and dances with her back to him, bringing his hands up her waist. Stu moves as best he can in time to her movements, finding it difficult to keep up. She backs into him, their bodies slotting together as the soothing breakdown thunders back into thumping bass. He holds her tight and they sway together, Stu being able to smell the fragrance of her hair. She then moves away, turning around and coming close again, hands on his lower back as she controls their dance. She brings her lips to his, leaving but a hairs breath between them.

Their moves are more intimate and controlled, in comparison to the frenetic and furious dancing exhibited by Aimee and Erica. They dance seductively with one another, teasing the watching men stood away from the floor. However if one tries to join in, both firmly ignore him until he leaves.

The rolling kick drum of the next track fades in, and Jenny hugs Stu tightly. She grips his hand and they vacate the dance floor, leaving the two blondes to finish their show. Stu locates the remnants of his bottle and downs it as Jenny checks her small watch. She then notices Aimee and Erica arrive beside her.

“I have to get going I’m afraid - I have work in the morning!” she tells him. Stu whips out his mobile, stroking the screen to illuminate 23:40. “It’s been lovely meeting you!” she adds, swiftly taking his phone and bashing a combination into it. Stu takes ownership of her phone and instinctively inputs his own number, saving it to the address book under his shortened name. “Nice phone, by the way.” she smiles, her eyes devouring his as they swap again. Stu leans in for a last kiss, subtlety tangling his tongue with hers as they finish. As they lock eyes one last time they share a longing smile. Stu then spots Aimee drawing near, smiling at him as she leans into his ear.

“Thanks for being with her tonight. If you’re interested in where your friend is, check the back room!” she says, motioning him towards the crowded alley.

“Thanks.” Stu responds.

Jenny quickly moves in and kisses him on the lips again, squeezing his hand as they leave. Erica smiles and waves as the trio disappear towards the exit.

Stu promptly makes his way across the next room where his ears are assaulted by blaring 80s tunes, finding Mike propped up against a wall and nursing the last remnants of his mixer. He nods at Stu upon catching sight of him, gleeful that they’re leaving for the night.

“I hope you weren’t too bored, mate.” Stu yells as they traverse through a sea of clubbers.

“Nah it was fine. Those other two blondes seemed decent enough. Hey, I even bumped into Macca, remember him from school? We had a good chat.” Mike puts a hand up to apologize to one woman as he accidentally knocks her on the way through. “He’s still a twat!”

Outside, Stu keenly looks for the three girls, scanning left to right. A multitude of taxis are already queuing at the lights at one end of the road, and they’re not to be seen heading up the slight incline towards the city centre. Stu pats Mike on the back and heads that way with him.

“Are you alright with me crashing at yours? Don’t want to wake Sera up at this hour.” Mike asks, not even checking his watch.

“No problem - you can have the usual spot on the sofa, mate.”

“Cheers!” Mike pauses, formulating the next message. “She’s starting to have her nightmares again, and I don’t want to be her punch bag like last time.” comes the reply, but Stu fails to register it. He spots a dishevelled woman, grey and dank, mournfully sprawled on the steps of a run-down stone building. She hasn’t spotted him, so he looks away and quickens his pace.

“It’s been an interesting night.” he mutters, noticing Mike unsteady on his feet.

***

An elderly gentleman grips the thick, solid arms of his high-back chair that reaches taller than the last of his white hair. His skin is withered, dotted with dark liver spots and jowls saggy. He struggles to keep his lungs functioning, breaths long and pained. His bony fingers stick to the antique wood as if already lifeless and unable to let go. In the kitchen is his live-in carer, loudly washing up and nearly ready for bed. She hums to herself, ensuring she can be heard by Gerald in the other room.

In his elder days, he has shrunk almost too much, perhaps a foot or so from when he towered over his fellow soldiers and proudly fought for his country at Gold Beach. He was significantly taller than his beloved Elsie too, the cute mousey girl he met before the war. Somehow she stuck with him, despite the persistent nightmares about what he and those that didn’t come back endured.

Alongside his chair is what was once hers, an identical green and red floral pattern embossed on a soft gold back. The cushion is sunk from years of use, arms dusty from not being sat in for a decade. As his breaths become more drawn out, as if the latest one will be his last, his failing eyes fix on the crackling glow from the stone fireplace. The flames dance for him in some macabre ritual to let him pass from one life to the next.

A small flicker tumbles from the fire and squeezes through the mesh grill. For a moment, it appears to pause, glowing on the rug carpet without igniting it. It is no bigger than a child’s thumb, base bulged and peak long and slithery. It quickly moves forward, wobbling like it were weighted at the bottom. It circles a few times on the spot, rotating and rolling, almost as if whatever it is can’t travel in a straight line. The old man continues to watch the surreal scene unfold with strained eyes, too weak to move but fascinated by what his dying mind is showing. As the flame reaches his left slipper, it pops and vanishes in a gentle puff of smoke. Unaware of this and unable to see it anymore, the old man feels one last, long breath coming.

As his lungs draw in, he prepares to accept that this is now the end. But he feels something warm inside him that tweaks and tugs at his organs. Unable to exhale, his lungs collapse immediately, squeezing that last breath right out of him. He grimaces and twitches, eyes nailed shut in agony as immense pain sweeps through his internal engine. It feels like every organ is stopping at the same time, but instead of coming to a natural halt, they are disintegrating into ash.

His last breath still won’t come. His nervous system is collapsing and his body cannot cope: everything inside him turns to powder. He is quickly still after a last ditch spasm. Moments pass, and the lower part of his face deflates, the skin curling back as his mandible crumbles. The house immediately shudders, trinkets and possessions loudly rattling against one another. Then every room falls into total darkness.

“Gerald? Are you alright in there...?” a voice calls from the kitchen. “I’ll find the fuses and be with you shortly! Gerald? Gerald...?”