Cursed: The William Brothers Saga (UNEDITED)

Chapter 4

Song of the Moment: Pretty Visitors by Arctic Monkeys

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Punk rock assaulted my ears the moment I entered the back door. The place was crowded and beyond what I expected. Lights flashed and the shadows of the partygoers' wild arms projected on the back walls in such a way that they looked like writhing snakes. No wonder the place was called Snake Pit. I gave the crowd a once-over before heading over to the deserted bar where the bartender stood bored while texting on her neon green case that glowed under the black lighting.

"Excuse me, miss?"

    "What can I get you?" She placed her phone in her apron pocket as she addressed me.

    "Have you see a blonde guy about this tall," I measured about an inch taller me, "with a serious ego problem? He answers to the name, Johnny." She smirked at something behind me.

    "Thou knewest thy would cometh, miniscule brother!" Johnny slurred in his drunken Shakespearean vocabulary, which I had grown used to with him, and he gave me a man slap on the shoulder. Twin girls clung to him and their hands were beginning to inch to me.

    "Yeah, I thought I might as well come out for some fun." I smacked away one of his girl's hand that was stroking my arm.

    "Ho! Thou is most pleased thy came." He said before dragging me with his new toys to the dance floor. I halted before we could enter the sea of people. "Comest, has thy never had someone dance on thy before? Thou promises it will be fun." So I went with him.

The swarm of humans writhed and pulsed as I wove through the sweaty bodies clinging to the person beside them as close as possible. The only barrier was their clothing. Fluorescent paint splattered all over their bodies and I tried to keep my footing in the puddles of paint and sweat on the glowing dance floor. Johnny moved amongst his people like a school of fish in the ocean, welcoming the waves of dancers moving to the hypnotic music. The crowd vibrated in response to the enhanced bass blasting from the speakers. Girls with feline eyes stroked me as I struggled to get through the masses.

I felt a hand on my chest and saw a girl press a neon green handprint on my black jacket. It glowed under the black lighting. I was slowly blending into their neon background. Johnny stopped in front of me and turned around.

"The twins and I are staying here for a couple of songs. You can stay with us or head off on your own if you like." The twins swayed to the music and Johnny fell captive to their greedy hands. His drunkenness was gone due to the fact that we recovered so quickly from alcohol.

"I'm just going over to the bathroom quickly. This isn't really my crowd." I responded.

"Whatever you say, little bro." He then proceeded to dance with the girls and was engulfed by other dancers. I shoved past others, freedom visible on the other side of the crowd. I felt my heart trying to pound out of my chest, my eyes darted frantically around for a way out. The music turned from hypnotic to chaotic, the speakers blasting louder and the vibrations sent waves of panic through my body. Crowds weren't my thing and my brother should've known that.

I took in a lungful of air as I reached the empty space beside the dance floor and relief washed over me. Couples sat in loveseats and they clung to each other like it was life or death to have them. Few people sat at the bar so I claimed refuge in a corner seat far from others. The bartender sauntered over to me with her bright neon colored uniform.

"Are you alright?" She asked sincerely. She grabbed a glass from the shelf behind her. "I can get you something."

"Thank you." I managed to get out and she poured beer into the glass. "I am not a big crowd person." She gave me a once over.