Acid Fish

The sun sat low behind the ocean and Rowland sat by a corner booth tallying the month's worth carefully. He'll admit that he was no mathematician but knew that he was good with money, (everyone is).

Before he leaves he remembered to restock all supplies used and bought on the counter such as straws, spoons and the like before Nick arrived to pick him up.

And when he did, Rowland knew his weekend was saved from the fiend called boredom as he left the clipboard in his boss's office and ditched his apron.

When he got into the car and as soon as he closed the door Nick sped off with enthusiasm in the direction of a road that linked to the highway.

"What's the rush?", Rowland asked while his body sunk in the leathery car seat. Clutching it's sides like a cat on a flimsy branch as the once patient roars of the car grew gruff.

"I'm the host, missing in action.", Nick replied. "Promised my guests...a kind of sushi that they've been waiting for since this morning. "

"Mkay.", Rowland said plainly. His arms stiff by his sides.

"Then, why didn't you just make them in the morning?", Rowland enquired.

"Because I didn't have what I needed to make this specific type of sushi. Plus, your girlfriend wouldn't let me without knowing if you were in." Nick replied coolly, in contrast to his speedy pace, Rowland kept hold of his seat. Nick glanced at him and noticed how uncomfortable his speed made him;

"Why, can't handle a bit of speed?", Nick asked with a smile on his face, slowly accelerating furthermore to Rowland's dismay. Rowland sunk further into his seat until his chest was at knee height.

"Dude, no.", Rowland said tensely, clenching his jaw with widening his eyes.

'If I go out like this, then it's been pretty boring.', he thought to himself as he mentally wrote his imaginary will.

"No what, you mean this..?", Nick said as he started to swerve through cars that seemed to stand still at this point, hoots and honks warped as they sped passed any car that crossed Nick's path, speeding closer to their destination as Nick then gradually slowed down, full on laughing at Rowland at this point.

He caught his breath and said: "Shit dude, I just... I just had to.", finishing off with a sigh of content.

Rowland looked at him with surprise and frustration, frustration at the fact that he didn't listen when he said slow down and for the possible heart attack he almost gave him in going even faster.

"Jesus Christ, mate! Are you trying to kill us both?", Rowland said as he held his chest and figured he needed to curb his usage of caffeine as a stimulant for everyday use.

The car had slowed down to a cruise by this point of the drive, as when they approached a quiet residential area further north, filled with large houses inspired by wealth and prestige; highlighted by fancy lights on front porches and separated by tall concrete walls and grand cast iron gates to match such mansions, and as they slowed to a stop at one of these particular homes further down to the street on his left. Nick silently pressed a button on a remote that Rowland never noticed dangled on his keys, activating the automatic gate upon doing so. He rolled the car passed the threshold tangled by vines and thick perennials that started to change colour, until he stopped in front of one of two garage doors, although it was open.

"Welcome to my humble abode." Nick said as he opened his door, getting out.

Rowland's eyes never stayed in one place for too long as they rolled over everything they saw. The house had a modern cubism and open feel to it, while the entrance garden was an organised mess of jungle like plantations, trees and flowers, finally closing his door and holding his gaze upon a large black and yellow garden spider resting on it's web motionlessly.

"This way." Nick directed Rowland through the open garage door only to pass through another which led them to the kitchen scullery.

Rowland sat on one of three chairs placed behind one of his dark marble counters once he made his way through the kitchen and past the island counter top where Nick momentarily obstructed his pathway.

Overlooking the dinning area and the pool; which lay behind a large glass wall, he heard loud rhythmic thumps of far away music somewhere past the wall that separated the dinning room area and entertainment room. He turned his attention to the host;

"Pushing and poetry paid for all this?" Rowland teased.

"Nah." Nick chuckled; "I'm what they call a lucky baby ducky." he said it with a cheesy smile on his face before grabbing his apron and then leaving to wash his hands.

"Trust fund baby?", Rowland asked, getting confirmation from Nick by a subtle nod and hum in agreement.

Nick silently grabbed this and that and continued to rummage within his kitchen draws, Rowland looked around and spotted things that decorated the walls and floors of Nick's house which all seemed to have a forgotten quality to them; as if these were ancient antiquities splayed about his house; some looked polished or replenished while others looked dusty and time-consumed. A beautiful three piece mural of a Koifish with traditional Japanese quality rested slightly tattered and burned on a wall that connected the open spaces that were the dinning room and the living room, within the living room above the fireplace, the entire wall was decorated with kabuki masks in rows of three with the odd one out being an Aoi no Oni kabuki mask as well as African shields and weapons lay harmlessly against a wall behind the living room seating area.

Three small masks sat above a clock on the dark mute navy grey wall of the tastefully organised kitchen; they looked African but not enough and a bit older judging by their aged discoloration and unrecognizable patterns of either hieroglyphs or symbols of some sort as Nick scratched through his bright candy red refrigerator.

The entire house held a dark colour palette right down to the very tiles and wood, not to mention the pool itself.

" Very... American Psycho of you." Rowland said looking around, Nick ha-ha'd and retorted;

"'Actually bought it as is, the rest of the stuff is mine.", he said referring to the scattered items and possibly the furniture that matched the dark shades; and though the colour scheme was dark and cold, the rooms were well lit and warm, comfortably so.

"So where's the party, and where's Charlotte?" Rowland queried, tapping his hands on the cool marvel counter top as his head twisted and turned to scrutinise all that his eyes came across.

"You ask a lot of questions." Nick said, peacefully preparing sushi rolls with rolled up sleeves; revealing the strange beads he was found with around both wrists the very first time Rowland cared to notice.

"Y'know, I guess I'm just curious or whatever." Rowland shrugged his shoulders, not seeing why he would bring it up.

"Just follow the music." he swayed his head in the direction of the pool area. But just as he swiveled his chair about to leave he noticed the fish Nick sliced meticulously and swiveled back;

"That's not salmon..." he said indefinitely.

"No, it is not." Nick smiled mischievously; "We're gonna party like it's 285 CE.", his smile widening charmingly as he sat a quaint side dish neatly decorated with smaller sushi rolls than expected.

" How on earth did you come about thi- ow.", Rowland reached for one and Nick suddenly hit his hand with the handle of a knife he held.

"I'm not done with these, I suggest you say hi, stranger.", he said referring to the other guests; "And I'm pretty sure your girlfriend's outside."

"Apart from Charlotte, I don't see why I would do that.", Rowland said, rubbing his hand.

"Either way, you gotta show face to let her know you're here.", Nick stated as an unseen probability, further dressing and displaying the now three plates filled with sushi. Rowland sighed and got up; "Fine, Jeez. Mom..."

Swiveling out of his chair with much reluctance due to his social disability; coolly walking off to find his social butterfly, Charlotte; who when found, was chatting with a handsome and androgynous queen with long lashes and a fitting lip gloss along with Go-Go boots that ran along their long legs; the colour of which matched their thick black hair that went beyond shoulder length with a well groomed beard to match.

A lot more people were in the back yard than what Rowland expected, he figured there was no need for him to waste his time talking to people he didn't know, so he walked straight towards Charlotte's group of friends.

Once she noticed him, she stopped mid conversation and jumped up to hug him. She kissed him on the cheek and he grabbed her close, she stood clinging to one side while he stood embracing her by the waist as she announced Rowland's presence to her gaggle as they greeted. She continued her conversation, he just stood there silently listening; feeling just as included without the need to speak.

Rowland suddenly remembered something;

"What is 'bubbles'?" he looked down at Charlotte and asked.

"Nick's actually preparing it right now.", she looked up and quietly answered him.

"Wait, so 'bubbles' is actually a fish... I don't understand. Is the drug in the fish or..? ", he asked, interested.

"It's an actual fish.", she nodded her head and put a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Nick showed me this cute little fish that apparently, if you eat it, you experience a high for over six hours. Like a little...acid fish." she said with glee and excitement as she looked behind Rowland and herself for any sign of Nick.

"Holy shit, really? I have to see this.", he said amazed, he contemplated weather he would partake in this supposed psychedelic trip; it was either that or booze. (he left his stash at home and hated himself for it).

"You gonna join? ", he asked Charlotte as a form of a second opinion on whether he would be up for the challenge.

"I usually don't try out what I sell but Nick convinced me it would be fun. Y'know, like a one time thing.", she shrugged nonchalantly.

'Hell, I can't even convince you to stop stealing my jackets.', Rowland thought, but with that being said Rowland took her word for it and decided to join her on this journey.

"It'll be one hell of a quality check.", Rowland smiled.

"Did you smoke or anything like that before you came?", Charlotte looked up at him.

"No why? ", Rowland rubbed her shoulder as he pressed her against his side.

"Nah no I'm just, I just always start on a clean slate before I, y'know.", she then squeezed herself closer as she shrugged her shoulders and pecked him once again.

Nick came out with only one of the three trays with his left hand placed on his lower stomach humbly and silently announcing his presence.

"Argh, finally.", Charlotte joked turning herself around in Rowland's arm to face Nick as he came closer.

"Ha Ha. bite me. I actually rushed these okay, I'm not proud of that.", he said teasing back.

"Tempting...", said the long haired queen referring to Nick being on some type of menu in their head while winking at him. Nick smiled and turned his attention to her;

"Thank you. I really do appreciate that.", he held his gaze on her as the sounding people within the group started to whoo and whistle as Nick bashfully continued to quiet and settle everyone down;

"For those who wish to partake...", he bowed his torso as people who weren't drunk or tipsy flocked to take a small sushi roll for the expedition; " Think happy thoughts, people.", he said, flashing a commercial smile as if advertising.

Nick left their circle and made his rounds throughout the back yard; socialising effortlessly as he waltzed around his house like a king among the commonwealth making polite conversation with those he crossed paths with; either leaving them smiling or with a sushi roll or both. Rowland watched before going back to his own business, holding a sushi roll of his own. Charlotte called for his attention;

"You ready?", she asked with a naughty smile on her face.

"Let's get weird.", Rowland said, holding the roll like a glass of wine above his head as they both proceeded to make a 'clink' noise with their mouths and continued to consume the tiny rolls in one swift bite. At first, nothing happened until, suddenly in the midst of conversation, their group's attention was grabbed by a guy falling into the pool with a loud splash. And then everyone suddenly became...colourful, bubbles coming out of anyone who was speaking's mouth as if he was breathing underwater; Rowland shook his head as if he could shake the vivid colours out of his eyes. He looked at Charlotte, who was already rolling on the floor; pawing at thin air like cat with a yarn ball. He was tempted to join her, and so he did as the beat of the music was all he could hear. While people around them blurred out and into light and fluffy splotches of colours and patterns while cartoon characters ran around the pool. He turned to face Charlotte and played with her smooth red hair, which was blue now and to only him.

"Char, your hair is blue." he said it with a delayed response of excitement followed by a weird and slow snigger. She turned to him and tried to spot her new imaginary hair colour change on her short cut hair like a dog chasing it's tail, they both laughed and gagged at how she looked.

"Shit, man...dizzy.", is all she could say as Rowland was dying of laughter.

Sylvester the cat tried to catch Tweety without touching the water and Rowland's mind was completely stretched out of proportion at this point. He looked at the grass and the grass danced with small green faces filled with Disney land glee which he rubbed his face into. The grass blades were blunt and soft unlike any other grass he had ever felt (although, a sober person would say otherwise) and laid there. He watched as something that looked like Nick playfully tossed unicorns, doughnuts and flamingo floats and rubber ducks on the water that which exclaimed in glee and they fell into the pool. Each and everyone of them were alive in Rowland's hallucinogenic filled mind as Daffy Duck tried to get his attention as he watched Porky Pig watch helplessly as Silvester tried to help catch Tweedy, finally falling in with a little sploosh.

Tweedy sat on a strangers hat and laughed.

He was so far into his head as people and shapes and cats and dogs danced in vivid colours.

Only one hour down and five more to go...