Eyes Wide with Panic and Cocaine

Once again, Tic had snuck out of the house on a Friday right after school with his best mates Izzie and Stella. His Mom would be mad he is missing lunch, but he just had too much energy to stay home. It had been a beautiful day and he felt cooped up - it was warm and none of them had anywhere to be. The afternoon sun was setting as they walked out of the piercing shop where they had all three been on the receiving end of a piercing needle, this time was another lip ring for Tic - “Fuck, my Da’s going to mad about this one!” Tic said to Izzie. Izzie just smiled that big smile of crooked teeth he has and said “at leas’ yo’re Da will facking notice” he said as he reached up to touch the end of his sore nose that now sported a new piece of metal glinting in the sun. Stella, who had just had her tongue pierced said, “give me that juth” as she grabbed the flask from Tic. Her tongue had clearly swollen which made it hard for her to talk, but she took a good long swig anyway and swirled it around her mouth. “That’th taith-ty, innit, Tic?“ Tic said, “nothing but the best from Da’s reserve!” and they all laughed as they snuck in the the Lion’s Paw, each of them sore in some way but feeling great. 

Tic handed the BarKeep a tenner before heading off to the bathroom so he could get a round going for Stella and Izzie. As Tic rounded the corner he ran into someone he had seen at “The Paw” before, but didn’t know well. “‘ello friend, ‘ave room in ‘ere for one more?” he asked as he stepped up to the urinal and unbuttoned his camo pants. Before he got his cock out, the other guy snorted a line of powder up his nose off the porcelain sink and made one for Tic as well. “want one, mate?” 

Tic flashed a big smile to his new friend and stammered, “Ummmm, I’ve never, I mean, umm, sure” and the man gave him a rolled up pound note and said, “I’m Rolf, you’re Tic right?” - Young Rhotic looked at him and said, “yea, you know me?” “E’eryone ‘ere knows you mate, this place is a lot more fun when y’ore here, and y’ore friends are good eggs too”, he said as he flashed Tic a big smile back, gave him a twitchy wink, and handed him the pound note. Have fun, and keep the note, as he adds more to the line and steps out of the loo. Tic looked around, shrugged, and snorted it up his nose. His eyes burn instantly and he jumped up, and yelled “whoa!” and pinched his nose. His head swirled and the big smile returns as his pants drop to the floor before he can grab them. Tic took a minute to enjoy the rush before shuffling to the urinal and realizing he no longer needed to piss. He finally collects himself and checks the mirror before joining Izzie and Stella and swigging down a pint.

“See that guy right there? ‘is name is Rolf and ‘e knows us. ‘e has some ‘good time powder’ if you want some” as he handed Izzie the rolled up pound and adds one to it. “Take this to him and see if he has some more”. They all take turns doing shots, drinking pints, and making trips to the bathroom with Rolf one at a time. It grew dark as they continued singing every shanty they know (and a few they don’t) and the whole bar joined in. At the end of the night, Tic found himself in the bathroom with Izzie and Stella as they took turns sucking his cock and all three of them made out with each other, in spite of Stella’s newly swollen tongue. For how long, they didn’t know, until they started giggling and laughing and stumbling out of the bathroom, out of the bar, and spilling onto the sidewalk. All three of them were held hands and felt closer to each other than they ever have before. Looking for a cab they started walking towards Izzie’s Dad’s flat and singing. Stella only threw up once, and they all cheered her on when she did. 

As they continued walking, the light overhead snapped out and it seemed especially dark in the street. Tic looked around and saw a shadow. for a split second, but thought maybe it was just the overindulgence and the late hour, He looked at Izzie and Stella and laughed loudly, thinking about how much he loved them. 

Suddenly, out of nowhere in the dark, just a little ways from The Paw, a man in a torn trench coat appeared out of the shadow from behind a car. A glint of a blade flashed in Tic’s eyes as he felt the cold steel slide smoothly into his right side, right under his rib cage. He looked to Izzie and Stella, their eyes wide with panic and cocaine as Stella start screaming. Stella catches Tic as he stumbled down on one knee, completely surprised by the feel of ice and steel in his side. He looked down at the ground and saw the the blood on his hands and felt the warmth trickle down his leg as he thought, “so, this is how I go.” Time slowed down, and in seconds of slow motion, Tic watched Izzie as he pushed the man in the trench coat down and bludgeoned him with his fists, both of which were covered in red from the blood that was splattering from the man’s mangled face. Izzie grew up fighting a mean father and knew how to give even better than he could take. 

Lying on the ground, Tic looked up at Stella, as mascara ran down her cheeks and smiled sardonically at her and the ridiculousness of the drama happening before his eyes. Slowly, Tic passed out with the taste of blood and bile in the back of his throat, bleeding out onto the sidewalk as Stella and Izzie stared at each other in horror and disbelief.