One More Time (Bremmy 1)

Chapterish 56

10:19 PM

"Oh, come on!" Alex says, his arms around Travis and Brooks. "Let's just explore a bit."

"OK. OK. Then will you stop?" Travis shrugs him off his shoulder.

"You lead the way, Magellan," Nate nods.

Alex leads us from the main lounge, past the foyer, and into a maze of hallways. Trix and I walk together, each of us focusing on our heels and the soft clicking sound they make against the marble. We also focus on the twin French 75's clutched in our hands. Meg and Katie walk behind us. I crane my head to the very back to see Brooks at the end of the hallway.

We stop at the top of a narrow staircase. I'm talking so narrow I almost would have missed it if the lights weren't on and there weren't shadows from the candles burning in the brick alcoves. We have to duck under the low entryway-archway leading into the room. No, not room.

It's more a cellar really –dimly lit with a flagstone floor and dark wood beams supporting the ceiling. There's a damp underground smell to it but it also smells like cigar, old books, and weirdly, leather. It smells like a fancy person. The back wall is stacked with wine casks that look a hundred years old. Shelves line the walls, filled with old bottles, some covered in dust and tattered, peeling labels. The date on the closest one says 1917.

Holy shit.

A wooden plaque on the center table says Private Holdings Only.

"Don't think we can drink any of this," Meg says, looking at the sign.

"No, but this," Alex says, grinning, "We can."

The cask closest to the table is tapped and engraved with golden words: To the 20s.

Old-fashioned wine glasses are stacked upside down on the bar. A spotted mirror hangs horizontal along the wall behind the bar. I can see our shapes, the colors of our hair, but we seem distorted like I'm seeing us through some insane vortex (of time).

"Allow me." Alex moves around the bar and plays the bartender. He pulls glasses off the rack and passes one to each of us.

The wine is stupid good.

Better than $300 Corbel Finn wine good.

"Shit, this is amazing!" Travis almost downs his first glass. Trix laughs.

"This place is amazing," she says. "I just can't believe we are here. Us."

"I know. To think we were gonna go to the Poconos," Meg laughs. Alex shoots her a look and I guess Katie doesn't know about Brittany.

"Let's play a game!" Alex says quickly. Smooth subject change.

"What game?" Nate asks.

"Kings?" Travis suggests. "No cards though."

I think back to the last drinking game I played with these people –to flip cup –to Meg spilling beer all over my shirt –to Brooks helping me clean it off.

"It's New Years. Let's share some secrets." Alex says, riddled with mischievousness. "Never Have I Ever?"

"Oh god, I alllways lose this game." Trix curses under her breath.

"Sure." Meg chimes at the same time.

Brooks doesn't react. He's just watching Alex move behind the bar, refilling our glasses from the cask.

"I could share some secrets." I shrug, bringing the blood-colored wine to my lips.

"Me too." Brooks says, staring directly at me. There's something odd about his eyes.