Faust

Sisyphus and Odysseus

        Few minutes after the incident. Lev comes back to our table with 4 b-55 shots on a plate. Viviane looks at lev with anticipation in her eyes and embarrassment on her face.
       "You can have it back when you're sober or leaving my bar." Lev is completely unmoved by her begging eyes.
       "Finnnne."
"Hey Viv, for the record. I think you were going to hit that sign." I said. Trying to cheer her up.
"I know... I was so fixated on that bloody plastic plate that I didn't see him rushing towards me......" I doubt that would make a difference. Even if I'm on crack I still don't think I can see him coming. (Of course, I keep those thoughts to myself.)
"Uhhhh, I'm getting too sober." Viviane blew off the flames on one of the shot glasses, throwing her head back dramatically and down that shot to forget the unpleasantness.
Vera finally raises her head off the table. Stares at the shots for a second then down one too......and rests her head back. What's up with her? She was fine just a while back. I thought while motioning toward the brown, white, and green shot.
"Hey Viv, what's up with her?" I ask, pointing at Vera.
"Oh, she's drunk as fuck." Viviane says while playing with one of the empty shot glasses all over the table.
"But...... didn't she drink the least amount?" How many was it? Two? Maybe three?
         "Yeaaaah, shocking. I know. She beats me at almost everything except vision and drinking."
         "And causing mayhem." I add.
         "Screw you, mate." Viviane smiles and takes the last shot glass but before drinking it. Her movement stops.
         "Lee ?"
         "Yes ?"
         "Did I say b52 or b55 ?"
         ".........55 ?"
         Her eyes widened at the realization. with a terrifying expression, she immediately puts the shot down.
         "Something wrong ?"
         "Fuck! I can't drink absinthe!" She says with a very desperate voice.
         "What will happen if you do?" Now I'm panicking too.
         "I'll get really really fucked up."

         Oh shit ......maybe she'll be alright? It's been a minute or so by now.
         Right after the thought came over my mind as if punishing me for jinxing it. Viviane hunched over, her whole body leans forward. She's now covering her mouth with both of her hands. Her face looks paler than usual.
        "Viv? Can I get you water or something?"
With all of her will. Viviane fought back nausea and spoke. "No....... I need you to get me outside."
I helped her make the way out as carefully as I can without too much motion or walking too fast like I'm carrying a ticking bomb. I can feel a few drinkers looking at us, I pay them no mind. I got better things to do than care what others think.
Warden watches us slowly move towards the exit. Without a word he opens the steel gate, I gave him a thankful nod. He returns me the same.
The lack of lights in the basement makes the road back to the surface even harder than it was. I glance at the brunette I'm supporting my arm. Her face is even paler than before, though her lipstick is still there I can see her lips are unnaturally white too.
The stairway up feels like a malicious challenge created by the devil himself.
Is this what Sisyphus felt while pushing the boulder to the top of the mountain? Does he know the rock will inevitably fall?
Halfway through the stairway towards b1. 
         The boulder falls.
         She pukes with both of her hands on the wall, holding herself in place. I avert my eyes for the next two or three minutes and do my best not to pay attention to the sounds of digests hitting the floor.
"Do you need a minute or......" I ask her after she's done.
"No, I think I'm fine now...... but I still want to catch some air...... company me would you?" She looks almost identical to her sister with that tiresome expression.
"Sure viv. Take your time." Slowly but steadily, she gets back on her feet.
***

The Russians are still playing poker at b1. The same guy glanced at us again and shift his focus back just like when we first arrived.
The last set of stairs that leads outside seems...... magical in these circumstances. The sound of late-night partygoers making their way back, the Neon lights, signboards, lamp posts, and cars passing by. All of them got concentrated into a vague imagination of a world just out of reach by us still trying to slowly climb up the stairs.