Chapter 8: Fleeing & failing

"Get over here, now!" I shouted at her.

-We have to get away from here, fast. I don't know what's going on or who that is but I have a bad feeling. Also, I think the anoria is starting to affect me. Not good, at least one of us has to stay sober.-

Jonathan was leaning against the wall, breathing harmoniously with a slight smile around his lips.

An all too familiar sight to him. He had prayed that at least today would be the day when he would be spared from the task of bringing him home. A day when the alcohol wouldn't make Jonathan faint. But at least he wasn't alone today. Although…

An arm wrapped around his shoulder as Aria hurt his eardrums with her greeting.

"Hey! Did you also see that guy? H-He was sooo creepy. And now I turned into a chicken, look!"

Turned into a chicken? no, let's not bother with it. This is much worse.

„Help me get him up. I take one arm and you the other…"

„Oke!" She said with an energetic weird gesture where she held her open hand straightened next to her head.

And so with the united force, we both got Jonathan on his feet…hey! Don't pull him like that, be careful!

Oh god, his jacket's gonna tear! This is much, much worse.

Nonetheless, I tried my best to keep up with Aria's pace. While she was tugging Jonathan (and kind of also me) she talked without a pause.

"Imagine how hard it must be to go through doors when being so BIG. You'll always be like bam! He was really scary only a little bit of red paint and he-h-he'd be ready for haloweeeen!"

What?

Well, don't mind the drunk, they say. We hadn't walked much yet but just to be sure I looked back. The other person that had appeared was gone already and now the tall silhouette stood all alone again.

He didn't see what they had done, and he also did not want to know. It was common knowledge that the streets in Abarocis had shady places but he hadn't expected to encounter anyone here!

They were about to turn around a corner. Just before the man by the fountain disappeared from his sight he saw him looking in his direction. And even though he didn't know if he had seen him he felt his neck hair tingle and the urge to get away made him surpass Aria for once.

Was it just his imagination or did he hear footsteps from afar?

"Don't go so fast! I can't keep up…Jonathan is gonna be torn into half!"

Woosh! Something dark rushed past him and made the group stop in their run. The passed-out Jonnahtan bumped into him as did Aria.

"What the fuck Jeremy?! That hurt…uh? Oh, it's the big guy again. Hi there!"

As I saw Aria carelessly greeting the stranger he wished to have drunk too much of the anoria too.

The man before them emitted a dark aura, and Aria hadn't lied when she said that he was tall. That guy could easily overpower all of them.

"W-what do you want? We won't tell anyone what we saw today, so let us go…" he felt pathetic rambling like that, if Jonathan were to see that he would surely mock him for it.

The mask reflected silvery light as the man tilted his head.

"I can't do that"

He raised his arm and Jeremy saw his hand getting nearer, what was he about to do? Move! Move! Move, you coward!

But his legs didn't respond, it was no use. What would happen to Jonathan and Aria? He couldn't let them die! But no matter how strong his will was he just couldn't do anything, it was as if he was trapped in ice.

The man opened his hand and threw something at him. Before he could react it got into his eyes. It was some sort of sand or powder and when it made contact with his eyes the surface hurt and stung. His eyes automatically teared up but it didn't help at all. It only got worse when he blinked and rubbed his eyes. He couldn't manage to open them even for a second, the pain was insufferable. And then he stopped thinking for a moment, his mind went totally blank. If not for Aria he would have fallen down. Her complaints, of him, using her as a support to balance himself, didn't reach him.

The effect was quick. One of the many perks of moonflower powder. He glanced at the girl the singer was leaning on. The singer was pulling her blouse, as his weight was too much for her to hold.

Ignoring the complaints she was throwing at the singer, he took a look inside the pouch the powder was once stored in.

There was barely anything left of it, except for the powder that the reddish cloth held onto.

It was certainly not enough for another person, hmm maybe… but the effect wouldn't be as good. He got the chills when suddenly the girl was standing beside him.

"Hey. Whatcha doing?" She pecked over to look, but he hid the pouch rapidly inside his cloak.

I reminded myself once again that the actions of the drunk were not predictable. She was drunk, sort of, and though she might fear my stature, the concern seemingly wasn't strong enough against the childish way to investigate something interesting.

Her naiveness reminded me of several comrades that died this way. "Curiosity killed the cat" as they say.

And I had to pay for being too careless.

"Nothing, never mention this to anyone. Though I'm sure you will forget it anyway"

I want to be alone and in my bed already.

"But what about us?"

-All my shifts are done at least, it should be around 3 three a.m in the morning- ugh, this keeps getting worse.-

"What do you mean?"

-Going all the way back, making everything ready for the next day and getting ready to sleep, and as I know myself that's also something that will take a long while…so I will be probably a quarter dead tomorrow.-

"How are we gonna get back? I don't want to go back alone. That's too scary. There might be more giant monsters lurking around the corners, like you."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," I said, shifting my tone a little higher and more upbeat. " I told the rest to go far away already, so you can go.." ah, no she has a point "back home with my assistance".

-Would it be worth being half-dead the next morning? Absolutely not. But if it's better than actually being dead. If someone would be suspicious of two very liked people (and a girl) being all alone, with not the best state of mind, that may bring me to my death.-

"I take the big guy. You should be fine with the other"

-And though that logic isn't that smart I prefer to not take any risks today. -

"Thank you!" She clapped her hands in excitement.

Whatever she drank, I was willing to buy it. Maybe she still had it on her. Yes, that would be easier.

"Wait, let me help you with the first push" I kneeled beside her and used the opportunity to see if the singer had anything with him.

While walking past her I bumped into her twice to check if she had anything, sadly she didn't. It wasn't really as if she had many pockets or anything to hide it.

I wouldn't have minded checking and looking through more of her pockets but in contrast to her, I did find something in the pockets of the bigger guy. It was anoria.

She's being overly energetic (though now calmer) Jonathan guy is probably in another world right now in his dreams and the singer also had something to him… hm…yes, anoria is definitely at fault.

That explains the situation. Well, if Jonathan was the one carrying it he couldn't steal it, obviously. What a shame.

"Are you listening? jeez you're worse than Jeremy"

"Oh no, I was. I suggest we go to the bar"

-By foot, four people, two not entirely there…about a 20-minute walk from here…-

"But we just were there"

"No, I'm sure that was some hours ago already"

Like some kind of cat, she sprang far away, pulling the singer with her. He was still in the clouds somewhere.

I could have sworn to hear a hiss.

"How do you know when we were there?!"

…

"Just a simple deduction. I knew the bar was open today and they were throwing a party haha"

Not the most convincing laugh, but eh, she's drunk what can happen?

"Why did you not go? You were awake late at night but you preferred to go to that fountain instead to a party" Her eyes stared at me.

The pupils were larger in the dark and her stare reminded me of myself when I questioned others, though her staring was more comparable to that of a cat.

"You seem well-informed for someone who may have wanted to come"

Aren't you supposed to be drunk and stupid? I mean, the thought process isn't well thought through and a little too much based on assumptions but...

"Hm,m maybe you were doing some special secret mission for your giant boss and the fountain was your meetup place and that's why you tried to get us out of the area quickly…Am I right"

…

For heaven's sake, what kind of drunk are you?