Nerve wrecking

"What did she tell you?" She straightly asks.

Van took a sip before sitting down.

"She said something about you being a good person."

"Is that all? It seems that the two of you are enjoying it. Sorry if I make you feel uncomfortable."

"No need to apologize. She was about to leave anyway. So, is it true, that you're a drama queen?"

Kate coughs midway when she drank the beer.

"Excuse me? I'm a drama queen? Obviously, No. If anyone who's drama queen that's gotta be her."

"Okay if you say so." Van sounds not convince.

"Why does it sound like that you don't believe me?"

"Well, it's okay to be in denial. No judgment, I understand."

"Wow. You believe every word that comes out from her mouth, eh? Did she charm you?"

"Believe me if any woman would charm me, the chances would be slim except for you."

"Do you know what term for a medical condition to those men who tend to praise women when their objective is to get in their pants but can't be easily detected?"

"What?"

"ASS-SIMP-TOMATIC." She playfully accused.

"Oohhh, ouch. Now that’s a different level of burn.”

"That's what you get for being a liar."

"Hey, in my defense, I was trying to be nice. Secondly, your friendliness aura is being appreciated."

"Oh? It still sounds simpful for me." Kate insisted.

"Will you stop roasting me?"

"Will you drop the pretentious flattering?"

The two exchange glances, Kate is showing smile while Van is seemingly impressed by her wits.

"Is that your friend?"

Van tilted his head and saw Raymond and Lester exchanging beer bongs.

"Have you ever tried to use those?"

"Beer bong? No. ‘cause God only knows how many people put their mouths, remnants of saliva, and the amount of mucus stuck on that thing." Van said to Kate.

"Yeah, I couldn't agree more."

Raymond looks at them and uses his finger to point at the funnel they use.

"You wanna try?"

"Gross, no! Dude, do you have any idea how many mouths were put in that thing?"

Raymond stops in motion as if he realized something, then he began to sprint to the bathroom, and he vomits.

"He's not gonna forget this moment."

The mood of the music changes, it was something soothing, romantic yet it is only filled with pure instruments.

"Princess, will you give me the honor to take you on a dance?" he bent a little, his head slowly lifted with his right hand presented to her.

"Oohhh, charming. I'll bite."

He places her hand to his neck, wrapping it and his hands crawl to her waist. He slid his foot backward, smoothly in motion across the floor. She moved her right foot forward chasing his but her flat shoes slip, and she nearly trips but he holds her tight enough to regain their balance. It seems that they're not sensuous enough, so they started again, but this time she caught up.

As she moved forward, he guided their movements to turn around. She grips harder, their face came closer. He could smell the perfume along with the stench of alcohol, it may be unpleasant, but somehow, it stimulates him.

"Weird," Van muttered.

"Huh?"

"I mean look at everyone. They seem to be hook on to the music. As if they’re under a spell.”

"Yeah, totally weird. Maybe, they're drunk enough to slip this music."

The two pursue, their movements flail like dancing leaves, they rock for a few moments. Their eyes tell the same, both are caught on the atmosphere she's about to press forward but the music abruptly changes and turns back to the previous music.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt, but uhm, can I borrow your girlfriend for a minute?" An odd-looking guy wearing a broken hat interrupts them.

Van exchanged glances to Kate than to the man then back to her.

"Uhm, he's a friend of mine. Can you leave us for a moment?"

"Alright." Van once again looks at him, his voice seems familiar but no matter how he jogs his memory there still no clue to identify him. Finally, with Van left, he begins to speak to Kate.

His lips slightly tremble as he drinks another beer, gulping it down. He puts his hat down the table. She noticed that Laswell smells weird, awfully strange, as if he came from a sanitary place, like a hospital or an office.

“Can we cut off to the chase?” Kate prompted.

“Sure, sure.” Said Laswell, “Sorry, I kinda phase out, I need a breather, okay. It’s not quite invigorating when you have to sneak in the morgue and checked out a live dead body.”

“You said what?”

“I snuck on a, uhm, morgue.”

“As in were dead bodies—”

“Yes, yes that’s the place.”

“Wait, what?”

“I know it’s a little weird, okay, but I had to.”

“What did you find out?”

“Do you want me to explain the gory parts?”

“Ew, please no.” Kate groaned and went for another drink; her face is long and thoughtful one.

“Okay. I sneak on the morgue lately and investigate, there was no any kind of altercation, except, this.”

Laswell showed Kate a picture of one of the victims, its back has a baleful tattoo of three rings of snakes.

“Do you know what this means?” Laswell asked.

“Witchcraft.”

Even in this distance, she couldn’t shrug these ominous feeling. A sensation that keeps crawling back, her instincts telling her to be careful.

“I’m gonna research this. For now, don’t do anything stupid.”

“I know.” Laswell scoffed. “No need to tell me.”

Kate noticed that Jane is coming on their way. Her face is stern and disappointed.

“Why did you blow your chance off?”

“First of all, I didn’t screw up. Second, I’m just greeting my cousin here. He just came back from a long trip.”

“Cousin?” Jane looked suspiciously at him. Laswell smiles from ear to ear.

“I don’t see the resemblance,” Jane said.

Laswell a mood quickly turned into sour.

“Uhm. You don’t need to worry about it. Everything went well.” Kate winks at Jane.

“Oh. I see. Well, I won’t bother you anymore.” Jane went upstairs and talk to her friends.

With a cautious glance, Laswell asked Kate.

“What is that?”

“What is what?”

“That look.”

“Oh. It’s nothing.” Kate chuckles.

“Woman like you drives men crazy.”

“What do you mean?”

A man came running inside the house. The way he walks implied that his drunk.

“We’ve been made! ‘Cops are coming!” he shouted.

Everyone in the room snaps out. The majority went running behind the house, others carried their drunk buddies. Cups, beers, and a bottle of scotch were left. Only Kate and several drunk people sleeping in bizarre positions were the only ones left.