Velvet stops telling the story.
His brain snaps to attention.
The line of Vivid is kicking in.
It's incredible.
Genius really.
Invented by a fourteen year old boy in his bedroom and downloaded the world over.
A mash up of topsy-turvy nursery rhymes, read by a parrot, mainlined through headphones and terribly addictive.
i-Tunes deals the thirty second sound bytes of neuropoetry for just $1.79 a hit.
Sophia's wired too.
She is also crying.
Velvet leans over and gently wipes away the tears that descend like fallen angels from a heavenly blue sky.
He always feels a little guilty whenever she gets upset.
The trouble is, sadness suits her.
'Cry me a river', by Julie London, purrs through hidden speakers.
"Are you okay?"
Sophia nods and takes Velvet's hand and presses it to her lips.
She kisses each finger softly.
"I'm not sure what's wrong with Bela", he whispers. "I don't think she is herself to be honest. Don't take it personally."
"I'm not upset about that crazy bitch", Sophia hisses. Pushing his hand away. "It's the story. Those poor children."
Velvet watches as the party girls flirt and flash their garters to attract the attention of the blind cocktail waiters.
Who put their total trust in the paws of a dog.
Little French Bulldogs to be precise.
Clever canines, with colour corrected eyesight, making it possible for them to spot a pink garter at twenty paces.
Guiding the cocktail waiters to their customers.
Another wave of déjà vu hits Velvet hard.
Forcing his body to double up.
"Looks like somebody over did it with the Vivid."
Gamma stares at Velvet and starts giggling.
Her pupils spiralling like mosquito coils.
Burning brightly.
She is tripping on Pretty Polly.
The Moon Girls form a ring around her.
Their silver hands clapping in unison.
Velvet sits up and removes the headphones from his ears.
Cartoon canaries flutter in front of his eyes for a split second and then vanish just as quickly.
The Vivid is doing its thing.
A smiling Sophia breaks through the circle of Moon Girls.
Wrapping her pale arms around Gamma.
Pulling her closer into a passionate embrace.
The two girls lock lips and start kissing.
The Moon Girls reach down between their legs and perform a mock masturbation act with busy hands.
A spotlight captures the moment in a beam of brilliant white.
The crowd react.
Whooping and wolf whistling.
Gamma breaks away from Sophia and does a comical bow to the drug frenzied and drunk audience.
Sophia sits back down next to Velvet on the purple couch.
She taps him on the shoulder.
"Does this story have a happy ending, Velv?"
He relights the dreadful cigar and speaks softly.
"It all depends on whether you see the glass half full or half empty."
Sophia shudders.
The Vivid is working.
She grins and quickly replies.
"And that all depends on whether you are pouring or drinking."
