The Others

Chapter 2: A Night to Forget

The warehouse stood at the edge of an abandoned street. A feeling, not unlike the one experienced seconds before a scare in a horror movie, began to creep its way into my bones. The brick walls were covered in grime and what looked like soot, most of the windows were shattered and the ones that weren't, were covered with wooden boards. The ground pulsed as hypnotic beats poured out from the building. My own heart, matched the beat of the song as it desperately tried to escape my chest.

Was I going to a party or to a funeral? My emotions couldn't decide.

The door had been completely torn off of its hinges but a burly, senior linebacker named- Camden- stood guard behind a velvet rope. He wore a tight black t-shirt stretched across his broad chest and held a glass tablet between his meaty paws- just like a bouncer. Peering behind his massive shoulder, I managed to catch a glimpse of the madness that awaited me on the other side. Somehow, a rainbow of strobe lights had been mounted on the wall above a series of large speakers and an intricate dashboard. A young man with caramelized skin and black dreaded hair, stood behind the dashboard, pumping his fist in the air while shouting into a microphone. The crowd responded to his chants with enthusiasm before once again, becoming lost in rhythm of their partners.

"Name," Camden barked once we reached the front of the line.

I jumped. "Um, O-Ophelia Macintyre."

He had a mean looking face, with perpetually angry eyebrows and a frown carved onto his mouth. The frown only deepened as he checked the list for my name. Something wasn't right.

"You're not on the list." Those who stood behind us, craned their necks forward, anxiously awaiting for the drama to unfold.

Like a deer caught in the headlights, I stared at my accuser with wide and unblinking eyes. Whispers erupted from my peers, as I stood frozen. Nicole threaded her fingers through mine and gave my hand a tight squeeze. Stepping forward she offered Camden a toothy grin and fluttered her lashes. He grunted, not at all impressed by her amateur advances.

"Try Nicole Addison."

I squeezed her hand, "Plus one."

Camden checked the tablet once more and then unclasped the velvet rope. We were in. Nicole shouted her gratitude to the bouncer but her words were lost in the sound of the music. She seemed unnecessarily happy, grinning from ear to ear, as if this one party had made all of her worldly dreams come true. And perhaps, it did. I had known Nicole long enough to know that she had some pretty strange dreams. As we elbowed our way through the gyrating crowd, she occasionally balanced on her tiptoes as if trying to catch a glimpse of something. I too, was trying to catch something- my breath.

Like a vacuum sealed pack of salty snacks everyone was clinging close together. A pungent aroma of sweat and perfume wafted through the air and clogged my lungs. My peers seemed unaffected by the crowded dance floor and the noxious smell, if anything, they seemed to thrive in such a toxic atmosphere. The music had transported them to a different dimension in which responsibilities and realities no longer existed. Envy burned within me. I wanted to be like them, unaware of my surroundings and completely ignorant to the troubles that awaited for me but no matter how hard, I tried, I couldn't forget. Gritting my teeth, I clung desperately to Nicole's hand and trudged through the crowd.

"What are you looking for?" I asked once we had broken free from the cesspool of teenagers.

"No one just...Barry!" Nicole dropped my hand and raced over to a group of kids standing beside barrels of beer.

Barry Schniber, who stood in the middle of his little posè, offered Nicole a quick glance before shoving a plastic cup into her hand and returning his attention to the pretty blond on his arm. Nicole seemed unaffected by his behavior. She smiled to herself, as if somehow she had won and took a sip of the drink. The smile disappeared when the warm liquid hit her tongue but she remained dutifully by his side, like a lovesick puppy.