Dark Tidings

Chapter 28 - The Morning After

Michael woke up the next day with the mother of all hangovers. His stomach felt as though acid had been bubbling in it all night, his head throbbed and a vile-tasting gloop cemented his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

"I've ordered breakfast for four," said Mr Sensible Madrick, sounding much perkier than anyone should after the antics of the night before.

When room service arrived, everyone was conscious; more or less. They all re-introduced themselves and shared snippets of incidents remembered from the night before.

"Tuck in," said Madrick.

Michael started to feel the relief which the fruit juice, assorted toast and fried food brought; the fried food in particular seemed to hit the mark and ease the pain.

Madrick, Michael and Faith all showered (individually) while Tung dozed some more. By the time midday rolled around, Michael was feeling relatively human again but he was still struggling to remember what he'd said the night before, and what the others had said. Random bits and pieces flashed into his mind but, as yet, he couldn't patch them together into a coherent story.

"Great party, though," said Tung.

"Not such a great morning after, mind you," said Faith.

"I feel like the proverbial newspaper in the birdcage of life," said Michael.

Tung and Madrick looked at him as if he was speaking a foreign language.

"Why would anyone put something as valuable as paper in the bottom of a birdcage?" said Tung.

"I was making a joke, but maybe our hangovers are dulling everyone's senses of humour."

"Or maybe it was a crap joke," said Faith, giggling a little.

Missing her pun completely, and not one to believe his jokes were crap, he tried a different tack to elicit a laugh from the group. "We definitely overdid it last night. What started off calmly ended up in a massive binge. We're all hurting a bit so I guess you could say we've all suffered minor binjuries."

No one even smiled. Maybe the others were suffering from major binjuries. Time to give up on the humour attempts.

"Guys, we need to go to work. How about we meet again this evening and see how a more sober encounter works?"

"Okay, we'll see you in the restaurant at six?"

"Sounds good to me, see you later."

On that note, Michael and Faith headed off to work. Madrick settled in front of the television to absorb more of the twenty-first century and Tung, naturally, went back to bed.

***

All the way to the office, they talked excitedly about the evening of champagne, partying and chat. Michael was in no doubt that they should go back to the restaurant and meet again with the two, rather strange, individuals. Not only had the party been terrific fun but he sensed there was more to this pair than met the eye. Intriguing flashbacks of Tung's incredible tale flew fleetingly through his mind but he couldn't pin them down. They had the evasiveness of a half-remembered dream and the more he tried to recall them, the more they faded away. He gave up. It was time to think about work because the bank was just round the corner.

"You're sure your friend will have covered for you okay? We're pretty late."

"Yeah, I phoned her earlier and, ahmmm, explained. I'll be fine. What about you?"

"I work so many late nights, no one worries what time I come in at."

Just before the front entrance came into view, he grabbed her elbow and gave her a peck on the lips.