Alternative Alpha

Chapter Twenty-Two

Outside the hut, people are arriving. There is perimeter lighting which allows for minimal illumination, but I figure the black lights strung up above us will be of the most importance when the music starts. There cannot be a proper rave without fluorescence, at least according to the videos that were earlier flashing on Marree's phone.

The nonconforming bartender slips into the hut after he glares at the gathering crowd of people. The Spanish boss is nowhere in sight and neither is the DJ as of yet. The stage is set up with the equipment, attached to speakers and a battery powered generator that I can hear over the sound of voices eager for a party, but its absence of a celebrity is apparent as they keep glancing over at it.

Some people are helping themselves to objects from a box, and I point this out to Marree. Chances are, in the box are free glow gear which enhances the dancing experience when paired with mind altering drugs. And as I watch Marree walk toward the box of goodies, I can feel something in my perception of reality begin to shift.

My vision begins to slightly swim, but not in a way that is disorienting. As for my emotional state, suddenly I am happier than I ever thought possible. And I want to express this feeling with the physical activity of dancing. Yet, there is still no music to accompany the movements I can sense are itching to be released from under my skin.

The same scent I now associate with the boss man tickles my nose. With a sweeping perusal of the area that makes me feel as though I am lighter than the air I breathe, my gaze falls upon a young woman who makes her way toward the stage.

She is easily recognizable as DJ Sweet Decay. Fresh to the club scene, her music is already at legendary status due to a popularity that is difficult to achieve in a world of highly discriminating people. Even without major corporations influencing the personal interest of the public, people are people. Some brilliant artists still go largely unnoticed, because we cannot always exert control over every aspect of reality.

Good to know this drug running through my system is not affecting my thought processes. Or maybe it is just tricking me into thinking I am being smart, like how alcohol makes people think certain things. But it is time to enjoy the music that is about to surround me instead of second guessing anything.

A tap, a tactile contact that is both hot and cold while providing a kind of delight, brings my attention to Marree who slips a couple of glow bangles into my hands. They strangely feel alive in my grip as I stare down at their colorful lavender beauty.

"I'll keep this short," says a female voice that brings my attention to the stage. "Welcome to Midnight Mayhem. Loosen those limbs and dance."

The perimeter lights dim as the DJ places headphones over her ears and places hands on the spin table before her. A moment later, the black lights adoringly focus on us while the speakers serenade us with euphoric tones that seem to boogie around me like playful fairies with fever.

Even the invisible realm enjoys a good romp, I figure as my body awakens in a manner it enjoys. Vibrating with the music, it feels as though my insides are alive with the history of the universe bursting like fireworks that incite my limbs into mobility. Feet stepping and arms asway, the beat coursing through my blood will make its mark in the annals of the future.

As quickly as this ecstasy consumes me, it disappears just as fast. Sobriety, instantaneous somehow, has me looking around at the throng of dancers. No where do I see Marree, which alarms me even though there is probably a good reason for her absence. She might be taking a pee break or getting a drink from the hut.

But instinct stirs inside me, and the music no longer inspires joy in me. Catching a whiff of her scent, there is a hint of fear accompanying it. There is another smell mingling with it, and I still have no idea what it is. The DJ is still on stage, so she is not the source of my friend's fear. Maybe it is the boss man, even though he presumably showed no interest in her earlier, maybe it is someone else.

Her scent leads me away from the dance ground that is receiving an unhealthy dose of stomping, which is weird to be able to hear through the thrum of the deafening music. This surely means early onset hearing loss later in life, but right now we are too young to care.

Away from the clearing, I follow the interlacing scents through the forest. It is not a long walk, because they probably figure to use the nearby party noise as a cover. Which quickly becomes obvious as I stumble upon a scene that is almost at its climax.

The young boss man is with her. Their embrace seems innocent enough. Fear still stems from a relaxed body and calm facial expression. Wondering what the cause of the fear is, contemplating leaving to give them privacy, when something dangerous reveals itself.

Fangs. With his mouth close to her neck, sharp fangs reveal themselves from a mouth open for feeding. His eyes are closed, as though he knows by impulse alone how to find the source of blood in her neck. A vampire. This is what he is. And he is about to satiate his hunger by feasting on my best friend.

Sensing that his teeth are about to strike, I yell, "Stop."

His eyes snap open, and he calmly raises his head to look at me. A smile touches upon his lips, the kind of smile indicating he will not stop just because of my interruption, and he winks at me. His tongue traces over his upper lip as a clear challenge issues itself via his gaze.