Short Horror Stories

The Club - PART I

"Remind me again why you wanted to come here?" I turned to my best friend Mandy, who despite it being November was dressed in a tiny pink skirt and a glittery aqua tube top. She sparkled like a mermaid out of water. Which was exactly how I felt.

I looked around the nightclub with its thrumming music and sophisticated black-glad party goers mingling and dancing. Flashing red lights punctuated the darkness of the room and showed curtained booths hugging the edges of the room. I didn't even want to think about what might be happening behind the curtains. The club was in a seedy part of the city that I had never been to before and the bouncer had been very reluctant to let us in until Mandy had flashed her cleavage.

"Because Lil," she said, shifting on her three inch heels, "I overheard that guy in our psych class, Jace, talk about it the other day. And he is HOT."

I rolled my eyes, thankful that Mandy was too busy scoping out the men in the room. I had known Mandy since we were five years old and we had both turned up at our first day of school wearing Powerpuff Girls t-shirts. (Mandy had Blossom on hers; and I wore Bubbles.) She had always been more interested in the boys in our class than the girls. Always the more confident one. Sometimes I think she was only friends with me so she would have someone to talk to about boys.

Further down the bar a tall guy with a shaved head stared at us. Menace oozed off him. "I don't think the natives are very friendly. Jace isn't here, so can we go now?" Something about the place made my skin crawl.

"Here you go ladies," said a dark haired barmaid with a low cut top and tattoos snaking across her chest. "Free cocktails for you both." She slid two martini glasses filled with a glossy emerald liquid across the bar.

"Free?" I could feel everyone stood at the bar turn to stare, as if I was mad to turn down a free drink.

"Sure. It's ladies night, so you get our special cocktail on the house." She smiled, flashing the whitest teeth I had ever seen outside of a dental commercial.

"See they're friendly," Mandy said before she knocked back her drink. "Mmm," she indicated to my glass. "Now you."

I took a sip, almost gagging on the surprisingly warm, herby liquid. It tasted both sour and sweet, like unripe plums that make the spot below your ears twinge when you eat them.

"Come on, finish your drink so we can dance." Mandy pushed my glass so I was forced to finish the rest, before grabbing my hand and pulling me onto the dancefloor.

Before you could say free cocktail Mandy was dancing seductively to a trancy beat. She swayed and twirled, her long curly hair waving around her like a halo. Soon she had a number of men watching her hungrily. I never knew what she did but somehow she attracted attention like a magnet.

As I slowed to take a breath between songs I caught the barmaid watching us. She quickly turned away to take someone's order.

When I turned back, Mandy was stood staring at the floor. Her beautiful olive skin had turned ashen, making her look gaunt under the lights. Before I could check if she was okay she stumbled off the dance floor and headed for the bathrooms. I raced after her. She crashed through the door so fast it almost bounced back and hit me.

Mandy staggered to the sinks and leant against the wall as if she was having trouble standing up. In the mirror her reflection looked even more ghastly. My heart leapt into my throat; Mandy's pupils were dilated so wide her eyes looked black. I had never seen her look so scared. Not even when she fell off her bike trying to cycle down the park's steep stairs when we were eight and she scraped half the skin off her leg.

"Mandy, are you alright?" I approached her carefully, scared she might startle or faint.

"I just need to sit down," she slurred. Mandy slid down the wall until she landed on the tiled floor.

"Mandy? Are you okay?" I grabbed her shoulders and shook. Her skin was burning hot and clammy.

She licked her cracked lips. "I think...I think I've been drugged." Mandy's eyes rolled back and she slumped against the wall. My heart leapt into my throat. I scrambled through my bag for my phone. Should I call an ambulance first, or the police, or her mum maybe? My fingers shook as I tried to unlock my phone.

I jumped as the bathroom door slammed open and the black haired waitress strolled in. She looked from me to Mandy, confusion flitting across her face.

I stood up, almost dropping my phone. "Can you help me? There's something wrong with my friend," I said, indicating to Mandy's limp form.

"Sorry honey. No can do." The waitress stalked her way across the bathroom towards me.

Realisation prickled at the back of mind. "No such thing as a free drink, huh?" She shook her head before smiling. "How can you do this? Look at her. She needs help!"

She shrugged. "I wouldn't worry about her if I was you. You're going to wish you were out of it too soon enough."

The last thing I remembered was her fist flying towards my face.

--------

To be continued!

Part Two coming soon!