Sequela by Cleland Smith Read Free Book Online Page A

say them all with an exclamation mark on the end. Oh, I love this song,' she interrupted herself and started singing along to the music.
    Dee narrowed her eyes in mock suspicion at Kester. If she played along, he would stop it.
    'Don't be mad,' he said.
    She added a pout to her expression. She should be mad. He was glorifying everything she hated with his bogus boasts and the others were hailing him for it.
    'You're not mad at me are you?'
    'You're the one who's mad,' she replied. At least he knew he was in the wrong. 'You're a pig and you know it.'
    'I have a new drinking game!' John announced.
    'Oh yeah?' Kester puffed his chest out.
    Dee knew that look. He had passed the drunk-awareness barrier and believed that he was perfectly fine. The idea that he'd have a hangover the next day would seem impossible to him.
    'Yesss.' John listed to the side for a moment and then seemed to perk back up suddenly, as if he'd briefly switched off. 'It's Drink or Dare!' he announced proudly. 'We dare you to do something and if you don't do it, you have to drink.'
    There was a pause while everyone looked at each other, and then Dee burst out laughing.
    'A new game John?' she said. 'That's the oldest game in the book.'
    A deflated looked flitted across John's face, but he brightened again instantly.
    'Aha! But it's new to this table.'
    'OK, John, since you suggested it, you have to show us how it's done.'
    'Nono,' John slurred, pointing at Kester, 'the birthday boy has to do it.' His finger jerked in the air as he pointed to Kester, as if he was riding a train. Kester hawked with laughter.
    'My god he's drunk,' Dee said. John failed even to register that she was talking about him.
    'Okayokay,' John said, 'here's my dare, birthday boy.'
    'Leaving boy,' Kester corrected him.
    'You're leaving! Oh oh I know, I knew that.' John smiled slyly to himself as if he had a drunken secret. 'Here's your dare. Kiss! Or drink!'
    'What, are you five years old?' Dee asked.
    'I am…I am thirty-five years old.'
    'You are not,' Kester said, shaking his head, 'you just don't remember your thirty-sixth birthday.'
    'Kiss! Or Drink!' John repeated, then began chanting, 'Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!'
    'Oh god, shut him up will you,' Betta said.
    'OK.' Kester leaned across the table and, pulling John towards him by his tie, kissed him on the lips.
    'Tuh!' John slumped back down in his seat. 'Not me, chickenboy – one of them.' He swung an arm out towards the bar.
    'Well, you're not getting lucky tonight John, not in that state, so take what you can get, eh?' Sienna laughed. She wiped her hands across her face, smearing her spots.
    'Your turn John, your turn,' said Calvin.
    'OK. What's the dare?'
    'I've got one already,' Calvin said. 'You have to get one of these guys' ties off them.'
    'Oh no,' Dee said.
    'Oh yes,' shouted John. 'I'll have to do it! If I drink any more I shall surely die.'
    'Don't do it, John,' Dee said, but he was already half on his feet, holding onto the table while he got his balance.
    As John walked out into the bar, it was as if he had a repellent forcefield around him. The crowd seemed to collectively sense how drunk he was and parted around him, forming a two-metre wide circle of disgusted glances which moved as he moved, shifting like a bait ball.
    'Hi, oh hi.' John waved to the circle around him. 'Hey, nice tie.'
    'Thanks,' replied the object of his concentrated gaze, unsure how else to respond.
    'Can I have it?'
    'What?' Temper sprung, the man walked towards him, chest puffed out. 'You little prick. You think I'd give you a 300 Euro tie? Coming in here with your stupid costumes – don't think we haven't noticed. What's wrong with you?'
    'Nothing,' John said innocently. 'Nothing, but maybe…'
    'But maybe what?'
    'But maybe I feel a little sick.'
    'Sick? Oh god, he's going to puke!' The man put his arms out to the side and stepped back, shepherding his colleagues out of the danger zone and distorting the circle.
    '300 euk tie makes me