What Has Become Of Me?

Off to the far end of the place, we find a large booth that fits all of us.

“Maybe we should get Anika drunk for the first time” Chase suggests.

“No! We need to drug her first” Seb chirps.

I’m going to die, it’s official.

“Maybe, we could take her home” I suggest.

“Nah, it isn’t that classy to take a girl home on your first date without at least five drinks in her.” Brian informs the group.

While they are arguing a couple walk past us. The man is a werewolf and spares me a wink as he passes.

“Look! Tail!” Seb yells pointing at the couple.

“You’re sick to think of women as that” I tell him horrified.

“No, not the lady” Seb says waving his hand side to side as he speaks “Look at his butt.”

“Wait, so now you think of men as ‘tail’ and you’d ‘get a bit of action’?” I ask, that was a curve ball I wasn’t expecting.

“No!” Seb yells exasperated “His tail is hanging out.”

I spare the couple another glance, it’s then I catch sight of the tail wagging from the man’s butt. It has been known for werewolves to like keeping a certain wolfy appendage in their human form.

“Put it away buddy! Keep it in your pants!” Seb screams at him.

We all laugh.

“I need a drink if I’m going to sit here as Seb watches guy’s butts” Jett informs us and gets to his feet.

“Just Guinness all round?” he asks.

“I’ll have a Coke” I say.

Jett nods showing he heard me over the raging techno music.

“I’ll have a straight Vodka” Seb says leaning across and acting like he is the next James Bond star.

Brian bursts out laughing.

“You can’t handle that drink” Chase says.

“Fine, Apple Martini” Seb sighs, “But hold the martini”

Every one looks at him strange.

“You want a glass of… apple?” Jett asks.

Seb nods.

“The bartender will punch me and tell me to get lost because it’s the busiest night of the week” Jett says.

“Just tell him it’s for Captain Eye-Patch” Seb says nonchalantly.

This earns even stranger looks from us.

“Was a fine night on the seven table tops” Seb explains copying a cliché old sea captain’s voice.

“Oh damn, that night actually happened?” Chase asks as if realising some vague old dream actually occurred.

“Oh yeah, never knew how drafty those hospital gowns were” Seb says with an air of nostalgia.

“Dude! You have to tell us” Brian says.

We gather around the completely insane Seb as Jett goes off to get our drinks.

“Well it t’was a stormy night, the day had been rough. An accident involving a few fire hydrants and a stolen skateboard meant a joyful quest to the hospital after the super-hyper-hydrant-powered-nine-year-old’s skateboard.”

At this point I am long past believing Seb could possibly be the eighteen years old he claims to be. There is no way this boy could have lived eighteen years with such little sanity.

“After I was told I just had mild bruising to my skull and ribs, I was thirsty. Sure, I was ordered to not move an inch, but that vending machine just outside of my door looked mighty shiny. As I made my way to the machine, I was to only discover in horror that there was no chocolate in there.”

“Didn’t you want a drink?” Brian asks.

“Yeah but that was while I was lying down, I needed energy after my long trek to the machine. Anyway, don’t interrupt! In the room next door an old guy laid in bed, sleeping peacefully. On his face rested the one thing I needed to complete my ensemble of hospital booties and very airy gown that left little up to the imagination. I crept with my little booties and plucked the eye patch from the sleeping old guy. He looked like a sultana because of his wrinkles. I was tempted to take his teeth too but that would be weird. A nurse walked in as I adjusted my newly acquired, stylish patch."

“She claimed that I was stealing and told me to hand back the item. I yelled at her that she didn’t know my powers and then threw myself out the window. The gown made an awful draft as I ran for the car and Chase. I demanded he take me to Silver Bullet. He was still half asleep after I-” Seb cuts off finally unable to help laughing and loses his fake captain voice, “after I had slapped him with a fish in the markets and made him chase me on the stolen skate board. He wouldn’t have run after me if the nine years old’s mother hadn’t tried to grab his collar and demand what was wrong with him. He quickly lost his shirt to her as he tried to escape. Probably why the cop car had stopped and I needed my awesome fire hydrant power to escape.”

I stare gaping. What the hell have I gotten myself into being around Seb?

“Anyway, so I came in here to unwind and show off my outfit. The guys shoved me up onto the bar and I danced. Unfortunately, they didn’t appreciate my finale of pulling my gown up like one of those dances you see with the frilly skirts. Because of the patch I was known as Captain Eye-Patch. Somewhere on the walls in here you should find a picture of me in my gown next to the tower of twenty seven bottles I had consumed, good times.”

Jett arrives with impeccable timing as Seb finishes his story leaving us just dumbstruck. Our drinks are passed round and we all take a long drink after what we’ve heard. Except Seb. Seb’s drink is just an apple in a martini glass. He takes a bite out of it still resting in the glass.

“Juicy” he comments then gives the bartender a thumbs up.

“He asked if you’d have an encore” Jett says, “I said if you agreed you’d flash him a thumbs up.”

“But I am without gown” Seb says, “Oh I must improvise, where are those curtains they left around here after the renovations?”

“They only renovated because you took to the place with a sledge hammer” Brian says chuckling.

“It had to be done” Seb defends.

“Come dance” Chase says grabbing my hand and climbing over the table.

I have no choice but to follow as everyone attempts to rescue their beverages. Chase drags me out into the throngs of people and we sway our bodies in time with the music. Chase grabs my hips and crashes them into his. I gasp at the suddeness but the beat takes over my mind. Flashing lights cause dizzying effects and my mind is lost in a blur of music and energy.

We dance against each other. Behind us a fight breaks out. Chase just turns so he is a block between the fighter and me. Nothing stops. Music continues, people dance. Werewolves are territorial and fights are common. The smaller of the fighters are tossed out the door and the victorious one just returns to his dance. Strong hands grasp my upper arms and someone grinds into my back.

“Back off, buddy” Chase warns and I fight to return to him.

“But she’s so fresh” the mystery man says and kisses my neck, “ooh, she hasn’t got a pack yet.”

“She’s ours” Brian defends suddenly at Chase’s side, “Release her.”

“No fair, you can’t keep such a fine specimen to yourselves.”

“Leave” Brian orders.

The hands leave my forearms.

“Fine” the man sighs then only I catch his last words, “for now.”

“You alright?” Brian asks.

“Fine” I tell him.

“I’m not, I need another drink” Chase says and leads both of us back to our table.

We got back to the table.

“All’s well?” Jett asks in his same laid-back tone.

“Yeah but for tonight someone needs to be watchout” Chase says.

“But I want to drink myself under the table because I dropped a coin down there last time” Jett whines.

“I’ll do it!” Seb jumps around, “Pick me!”

“Alright, just promise to do a proper job and drive us home without crashing.” Brian says.

Jett throws the car keys to Seb and Chase heads off to the bar to get the guys their respective poisons of choice.

Two hours, fifty eight absinths, eighty nine Guinness and eighteen Coke’s later, the boys were well under the table and must have found Jett’s coin by now.

“More” Brian demands in a slur.

“Last round ‘till we head home” I tell them.

Correct that, not only would they have Jett's coin, but they must have found a bloody fortune. Seb accompanies me to the bar to get the guy’s drinks. Surprisingly he has stayed as a great watchout. I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being watched.

“Captain Eye-Patch!” The bartender yells over the music “It’s your song, get up there and shake it.”

A customer slings an eye patch to us.

“Sorry, duty calls” Seb grins then climbs up onto the bar.

I laugh and take a seat on a stool knowing that I was in for a surprising show.

Before I can watch even half way through Seb’s dance, strong hands clasp me. I really, dearly hope that the hands belong to Brian.

“Looks like the others are finished with you” a deep man’s voice says.

My eyes widen and Seb doesn’t notice as he flashes his chest by lifting up his shirt to the gathering crowd. Before I can scream, a hand covers my mouth. I turn and try to punch my aslant. He catches my hand and twists it sharply. I force my whole body to turn to escape a broken wrist. My ribs are nearly broken as I’m forced tightly against the man that reeks of cigarettes.

“Scream and I kill your friends.” he growls at me.

“For the love of God save me!” I scream at the top of my lungs.

His hand crashes onto my mouth halting my plea. I’m forcefully shoved towards the doors and eight men that stand waiting. My body ripples and my teeth switch from a normal human set to the massive powerful jaws of a wolf. I can’t do any damage because it switches back again quickly. The pain leaves me gasping for air and tears leak down my cheeks. Another tremor hits me and I stumble as my spine ripples. The man resorts to carrying me as I scream in pain. A few people walking past look at me then notice me nearing a change. They shrug it off knowing that pups have these accidents all the time. The back door is thrown open and the massive pack makes it to a car that can comfortably seat eight people. Pain keeps me from fighting, as internally I battle losing control to my wolf. If I change involuntarily I’ll have no control and there is no telling if I’ll ever make it back to human form. Roughly I’m thrown into the back of the car and strapped down. A burly man with rotting teeth sits beside me with a grin that makes me want to vomit. I scream as fire rips through my veins.

Another six guys jump into the car and the last one goes off to another vehicle. Finally merciful God of unconsciousness grants me escape from my pain and current situation. My one thought being; please let the guys save me before I’m forced into this pack.