“It’s not the party, I’m just not feeling it tonight. If I gotta stay, can I at least beat the shit out of a few people?” I grinned at the idea of that, but there was a refusal brimming in Saint’s eyes.
“Remind me of the rules we set,” he demanded in a tone that didn’t broker any arguments.
“I can’t beat the shit out of someone unless they start it and there are witnesses,” I sighed.
“Good. So feel free to taunt someone into attacking you if you must, but just stick to the fucking rule. You don’t need some asshole pressing charges because their precious little bottom dweller has a broken face. Again.” Saint stood blocking my way back into the party and I reluctantly agreed with him. He did have a point. I’d had a few too many of those complaints against me now and there was a fair chance that the next one wouldn’t be solved by me paying some bullshit fine. Not to mention the fact that paying the damn fine would be an issue for me now, too.
“I swear it,” I said, placing a hand over my heart where a tattoo of the devil himself sat on a throne in all his demon horned, cloven hoofed glory.
Saint didn’t look convinced, but he turned and headed back into the party anyway. I followed him inside but as he headed off to find a drink, I turned into a side room.
The fifty inch TV was on in the corner and I moved to stand before it as a news report caught my attention. The music was too loud for me to hear what was being said, but some helpful little sausage noticed I was trying to watch it and flicked the subtitles on for me.
I tossed her a wink in thanks and she gave me a wide smile as her gaze trailed down my bare skin and she studied the tattoos on my flesh.
I left her to it and gave my focus back to the TV as I took another swig of my whiskey, reading the words a second after they spilled from the reporter’s mouth.
Emergency measures are being discussed in detail incase the Hades Virus becomes a pandemic but in the meantime, people at home are being reminded to watch out for the signs of infection and self isolate if you think you are exhibiting any of them.
The first thing that you will notice is a sudden spike in temperature with hot and cold flushes. Following that, the next stage involves a severe cough which will feel uncontrollable at times. In the final stage, patients experience a rash which appears in a swirling pattern of rose shaped red marks all over the body. If you experience any of these symptoms DO NOT GO TO HOSPITAL. You must call the helpline and isolate yourself. If the phone assessment concludes that you are likely to be infected, you will be given instructions on the closest Hades Virus treatment centre where you can go to retrieve help.
In the meantime, to protect yourself and others you must keep up good hand washing practices, use hand sanitisers and wear masks in public where possible. Refrain from touching your face or from touching others. You should avoid gatherings of more than five people. And stay home as much as-
I hit the button beside the screen to shut that shit off and turned back to the room of students. Some of them looked a bit concerned about the report on the TV and I offered them a taunting smile.
“Are any of you fuckers afraid of that shit you just watched?” I called.
There was a general cry of disagreement, but I could see the truth in their panty pissing expressions.
“Well, if you’re not then let’s go and party like the world isn’t going to shit!” I cried.
I led the charge out of the room back to the main part of the common house, plucking a wooden chair into my grasp as I went.
I carved a path through the dancing bodies for the table which held the drinks and slammed the wooden chair down before one of the kegs.
I caught Blake’s eye across the room as he danced with our new girl and beckoned him over with a jerk of my chin as a crowd formed around me. He caught on right away and brought another chair with him, setting it before the other keg as he dragged Tatum over by the hand.
I was half tempted to challenge the new girl to drink, but I thought better of it at the last moment. Blake wouldn’t be distracting himself from anything in her company tonight if she ended up paralytic and puking.
I looked through the crowd surrounding us and spotted Chad McCormack with a grin on his face. He was on the football team and was a beast of a dude, though not the sharpest tool in the shed. I pointed him out in a clear demand and he dropped into the chair before me as Blake chose a sucker to compete against him. Of course Blake chose Greg Smithson who everyone knew was a borderline alcoholic and would clearly win in a drink off. Even when he wasn’t actually competing himself, that asshole couldn’t bear to lose.
I rolled my eyes at Blake before turning my attention back to the crowd. “Who’s ready to drink like the world is ending?” I cried.
The crowd cheered in excitement despite the ring of truth to my words and I grinned.
“Then let’s get fucked up like tomorrow might not ever come and we’re all about to die!” I yanked Chad’s chair back, tipping it up so that he was lying beneath the keg as I set the beer flowing straight into his mouth.
The crowd cheered wildly as Chad and Greg fought to drink as much beer as they could before they started choking on it. Chad started coughing and my smile darkened as I continued to hold him beneath the flow. He gasped and spluttered in fright but just before he could throw himself out of the chair, I flipped it back upright and shut off the beer.
He fell forward onto the floor and started heaving as he crawled away, fighting to catch his breath again. I laughed loudly, calling out for the next challenger as Blake celebrated Greg’s win like it was his own.
Funnily enough, there weren’t any volunteers to get into my chair but I just pointed out another asshole and he fell into line fast enough. Besides, they all knew I wouldn’t actually drown someone with beer. Although, as I looked down at Gerald Holt before I tipped his chair back, I had to admit, he did look in danger of shitting himself.
I soon grew bored of the game and beckoned Danny Harper closer to take over holding my chair, heading off through the crowd looking for an exit.
Blake stayed where he was, needing to see out the game and keep up his winning streak.
Before I could slip out of a side door, I was accosted by Georgie Penfield, Pearl Devickers and Mila Cruz.
“It’s my birthday,” Georgie announced with a hiccup.
“That so?” I asked in a bored tone. I’d lost my bottle of Jack somewhere which was a damn travesty.
“Yeah. And she’s had the biggest crush on you since, forever,” Pearl gushed. Her eyes were bloodshot and she looked way past hammered. In fact, Mila was the only one of the group who didn’t seem wasted. She looked like she was half a second away from dragging the other two away from me by their hair. Clever girl.
“That’s cute,” I replied dismissively. Georgie was hot in an objective way, but the way her conservative dress covered her up and her hair was oh so carefully braided told me all I needed to know about her. She was a rich girl through and through. Not nearly rough enough around the edges for me.
“Can she do a body shot on you?” Pearl asked with a hint of desperation in her tone as she shifted in front of me again to stop me from walking away.
I sighed, about to refuse but just as my lips parted to tell her to fuck off, Tatum Rivers joined their little crew, throwing her arms around Mila in excitement. She didn’t seem to notice me at first, but her gaze swivelled my way as Pearl spoke again.