Chapter 1 - Mazzan Magazines
"Aaaand send."
I tapped the enter key on my keyboard with a flourish and sent the blurb to my boss before leaning back in my chair, giving it a little celebratory spin, throwing my arms up as I go.
My cubicle mate looked over from her desk, "Congrats. Now you get to help me finish my edit."
I finished my spin and looked at her, sticking my tongue out before answering. "Fine, but only if you ask nicely."
She rolled her eyes. "Please help me finish this edit that you got me sucked into, without even asking ahead of time, so neither of us lose our jobs."
I planted my elbows onto my knees and dropped my chin into my hands and looked at Cynthia, my cubicle mate. "Why do you always have to drag me down like that?"
Cynthia fully spun in her chair and leaned on one arm rest, her blonde hair falling over her shoulder and her friendly facial features stuck in an amused and teasing expression, "Because, Lukas, someone gets ahead of himself since he's a workaholic and can't say no except when it's to his only friend and she wants to go drinking."
I sighed before returning to face my computer. "Alright, alright. Send me what you want done..."
"Promise to come with me for a drink next time and I will."
I squinted at her and frowned, "Do you want help or not?"
"Very much so, but you can't fault a girl for trying."
A couple hours later and we were finished with the project. All that was left was sending the edits to our boss and beginning to pack up for the day.
I sat back and considered Cynthia's earlier comment, about being a workaholic. I thought about my job with Mazzan Magazines, a broad-content magazine company that produced everything from smear mags, to lifestyle, to business, to soft and heavy erotica. I worked as a writer and editor for the company and had had my fingers in enough pies to have a full grasp of the company's content and operation.
Cynthia had been there as long as I had, maybe a couple days apart but neither of us counted. After a building and organizational change, we had gotten shacked up as cubicle partners, sharing a double-size cubicle like every other two-person writing team. The cubicles were plenty spacious and let partners set up storyboards and planning panels as needed so nobody really complained about the arrangement.
I was just about to stand up and leave when I realized Cynthia was already standing at the entrance to our cubicle and chatting with someone. I stood and got a better look at who it was. I was almost surprised to see it was Alicia, one of the mail clerks.
Alicia was a pretty typical librarian-type. A little shorter, wore big, baggy turtleneck sweaters, and had cute glasses that rode on her nose a little loosely, forcing her to push them back up frequently. It was one of her little habits that I found endearing.
I realized now what the two were chatting about as my thoughts were finally banished.
"Yeah, mhmm, we're still on for tonight?" Alicia asked.
Cynthia nodded and cast a glance my way, "Yup. And I'm going to see about getting this fool to come along."
"Hey, I don't think I deserve to be called a fool."
Cynthia shook her head, sending her blonde hair into a gentle sway. "You absolutely do. I have asked you a total of eight hundred and thirteen times to come drinking with me and you have never said yes. Foolish."
Alicia stifled a laugh with one of her small hands over her mouth and I felt a light blush form. "I refuse to believe it's that many times."
Cynthia cocked her head to one side, "Three years, asking you every weekday, and now seven and a half weeks into the new year with no sign of alcohol in you yet."
I tilted my own head, trying to parse her math. I gave up. Numbers were never my strong suit. "That would absolutely make you an al-co-ho-lic."
Cynthia hunched over and gestured with her hands sarcastically, "I don't go every night. I just ask you to come with me every night."
All the while, Alicia is still standing there, a smile brimming on her face and her arms folded across her chest.
"If it helps, I'm coming with her tonight, Luke, if all it takes is two nice ladies to get you to come drinking." Alicia called out in her soft voice.
I took one long look at Alicia who pressed her glasses up nervously under my gaze. I turned back to Cynthia who nodded and spread her hands out. "I needed reinforcements. I have to take you drinking at least once in our careers!"
I let out a theatrical sigh and rolled my head around my shoulders. "Fine! Fine fine fine. But no clubs!"
It was definitely a club.
Cynthia had picked me up from my apartment in the evening, the lightly clouded sky was a brilliant red hue in the sunset, and said Alicia would meet us there. Cynthia then dragged me to and through the door of the club. The neon lights and blaring music were not my thing, so I mostly kept to the bar and savored an admittedly tasty pomegranate margarita.
I spotted Cynthia on the fringe of the dance floor with a particularly exotic looking guy hovering around her. I couldn't spot Alicia, which disappointed me, because and I had to admit she was my main reason for being here. I want to see what that bookworm is like at a club like this. Or, at least, that's what I told myself.
It was about twenty minutes after my drink ran dry that I needed to use the restroom so I snuck my way through the crowd and did my business.
After, I leaned over the sink, staring at my reflection in the mirror and wondered what I was doing here.
Me, in my early twenties with extra long curly brown hair, brown eyes, and features that others often described as "handsome" but I just didn't see it. I stood up to my full 6 foot height and took a look at my outfit.
Cynthia had said to dress nicer, so I'd pulled out some old slacks and a blue vest over a white button up with the sleeves rolled to the elbow. I dragged my hand over my hair and undid the elastic tie that held it in a loose bun behind my head. The mop of hair fell down to the bottom of my shoulder blades. I usually kept it tied up when in public and especially formal situations, but I was just feeling tapped, so down it went.
I took one last deep breath and steeled myself to return to the club. I made my way to Cynthia, now seated at the bar, notably without company.
I slid onto a stool beside her, "What was wrong with that one? He seemed like your type."
Cynthia turned and scowled, visible even in the dimness of the club. "Didn't speak a lick of English. German? Dutch? A smattering of Spanish? Sure. The one language I happen to speak? Nadda."
I grinned, "Never stopped you before. Remember Heinrich?"
Cynthia scowled again but it faded into a reminiscing smile, "Of course I remember Heinrich, but that was a special case..." She pointed a finger at me sharply, "and no you're not allowed to bring any of the others up."
I smiled and left it alone. I looked around again. "Have you seen Alicia? Wasn't she supposed to meet us here?"
Cynthia peered around too. "Yeah...haven't seen her at all...must have dipped. I'm sure she's fine...right?"
I nodded, somewhat skeptically. "She's sensible, if she were in trouble she'd just text and let us know."
Cynthia nodded in response then flagged down the bartender. "One drink, and then I get to scratch that off my bucket list."
I rolled my eyes. "As if my alcohol content is on your bucket list. Fine."
Cynthia ordered two shots of something I didn't recognize and slid one to me. We held them up, gave a cheers, then drank them in one go. It felt like liquid fire. Whatever she'd picked, it was a bit above my weight class.
"Ha! I did it! Suck it, Luke, you're a club person now!" She socked my arm playfully and I batted her back. Finally, I stood.
"Great. That's my obligation then. I'm tapping out, the lights ain't doing it for me here."
Cynthia just waved me away, "Yeah, go, I don't need a lightweight like you here anyway." She smirked, "but seriously, thanks. I'll tell Alicia you missed her when I see her." She winked and I playfully sneered at her but waved warmly as I left.
The bouncer nodded as I departed and I noticed that it had fallen to night already.
I took a few steps and only then recalled Cynthia had driven me here.
"Damn it. Whatever, I'm not going back..." I mumbled to myself as I began to walk off aimlessly.
That might not have been the wisest idea as my sense of direction in unfamiliar places is certainly not my best feature. Within twenty minutes, I was wandering dark back alleys and had somehow looped back towards the club. I figured I might as well throw in the towel and ask Cynthia for a ride home.
I had just caught sight of the club building when I heard a sound like something or someone had just dropped onto the pavement behind me.
Suddenly, the air felt very chilly...
