Small World, part 2

A man stood in front of her. He wore a black fedora over his primarily bald head and had a crooked silver smile. A tan jacket covered a plain black shirt layered over blue denim jeans. Black dress shoes covered his feet. He was slightly pale. He didn't look like someone who would host a party; more like a DJ paid to play at parties. A really good one, at that.

He looked to be in his early 30s.

"Hey," he said, his voice friendly and relaxed.

"Hi," Sigrid replied, voice hushed.

"Welcome to the party. Name's Sid. Sid Wilson. I'm the host." His eyes scanned the younger brunette before flicking upward to her face.

"I’m Sigrid…you can just call me Sig.”

Sid smirked. "Hey, both similar names, hm? Better enjoy yourself. Party's just getting started."

Sigrid smiled weakly and laughed nervously.. “Thank you.”

The older man grinned before leaning against the wall next to Sigrid. "You don't seem like you're in the partying mood, though. What's your story?"

Sigrid had two choices: make up an awesome believable story or tell the stranger the truth. Either way, she knew she was putting herself in danger. Her third option was running, but even that was daring. She opened her mouth.

"I'm just, independent. Do what I want."

"A rebel. Seems like it. How old are you, kid?"

"Eighteen. Genetics." She shrugged, trying to make herself seem like a cool kid from those movies.

"Ah. I see." Sid stood up. "You do lines?"

Sigrid’s eyes widened. Did he hear him correctly? Lines, as in—

Sid seemed to read her mind, his eyes turning dangerous. Sigrid wasn’t fond of drugs. She’d smoked a few cigarettes with Nathan on her birthday, but that was it. Drugs were off-limits. Drinking wasn’t a problem since she hardly touched alcohol. She shook her head quickly. Suddenly, her walls felt much closer.

"It's your lucky day, kid. Come on." Sid turned and started to walk off.

Sigrid watched him. No, you're better than this. Run away. Go back to Nathan. What are you doing, Sigrid?

Despite her better judgment, Sigrid nodded and followed Sid, pushing past people like they were nothing. People glowered at Sigrid as she walked by, flashing smiles in her direction and saying things her scrambled mind couldn’t make out. To avoid them, she looked down at the pools of sticky residue covering the floor. As they walked, the crowd thickened, making the place feel like a chaotic, makeshift conga line. Sigrid’s unease grew with every step, until they finally reached the stairs where the crowd began to thin out. Sid's words about the party 'just getting started' echoed in her mind. What did it mean?

The steps creaked beneath their weight as they ascended. Soon, they were upstairs and entering a dimly lit room. Sigrid could only assume it was a bedroom. The air was heavy with the scent of stale smoke and cheap cologne. There was a wall that was decorated in an assortment of posters. A large bed was pressed to another wall.

Sid turned to Sigrid with a sly grin. "Welcome to the VIP area," he said, gesturing to a table in the corner laden with various substances.

Sigrid’s heart pounded in her chest. This was way out of her league.

Sid’s eyes narrowed, his friendly demeanor slipping away. "Relax, kid. Just a little fun. No pressure."

He leaned in and pushed a hand against her ear and past it, tucking some of the hair covering her forehead behind it. Her breath hitched.

She nodded. The man smirked and walked over to the table and picked something from beneath it up. It was a needle with a syringe that looked to have been used plenty of times and back. He stood over the table and messed with it.

The brunette watched him, her whole body trembling. Everything was happening so fast, too fast it felt unreal. This is no time to be freaking out.

Sid turned back and stared into her eyes carelessly.

“Bed is ours.”

Sigrid, like a dog, obeyed with no other choice and plopped down on the bed hurriedly. Sid joined her side shortly after and set the needle down beside him before grabbing her arm gently and pulling her onto his lap. Her whole body froze instantly.

He turned away from her and began rolling up his sleeves. The sound of Sigrid’s heart thumping filled her ears. Nausea gathered in the pit of her stomach. Her vision felt blurry. Any moment now, and she’d…

A hand grabbed her chin.

“Hey, you still with me?”

Sigrid exhaled quickly and louder than she anticipated before nodding. Sid looked at her and smiled.

“I won’t hurt you, darling. I’m only here to satisfy you. You’ll be okay. I promise I won’t hurt you.”

She gave him a tiny nod and held her breath again. He reached for the needle by his side and pressed it to his skin.
“Watch.”

Before she knew it, blood was trickling from the hole Sid made in his skin. She watched it all happen–the substance shoot into his skin and the syringe handle get smaller–-his groan of euphoria and his eye closure. He injected it carelessly now after being more precise at the beginning. Sigrid’s lip pursed.

The man opened his eyes and smiled. “Straightforward, yeah?”

“Yeah.”


He took her hand and slid the syringe into it, which she took and gripped it motionlessly. Each of her movements were unfocused, her hands and arms shaky. She put the syringe on her lap quickly before fiddling with her sleeves. She felt the man’s eyes on her.

She thought about Nathan–his amazing personality and innocent smile. She needed her big brother more than anything right now.

She shakily grabbed the needle and brought it to her skin. Slowly she pushed, and it pricked her easily. She gasped softly and shut one of her eyes before pulling the trigger. She then shut both of her eyes.

The sensation she felt in her arm was a warm one that trickled into every part of her body. She yanked it out and threw it down on the bed. Her eyes instantly fell to her lap and darted around wildly.

He slid his fingers into the crevasses’ of her fingers and stared into her eyes. “How are you feeling?”

She shook her head. “I-”

Blech!

Tan bile left her mouth and spilled onto her lap. Her nose immediately started burning and tears were threatening her eyes. She retched, slightly hunched over while her hair made a guest surprise.

Sid quickly pushed her hair back and pressed a hand gently just below her chest, careful to avoid her vomit and angling her back from when she had been. The bile oozed down her legs as if it were a river and covered almost everything she was wearing.

She stopped shortly and started hyperventilating.

“Relax. You’re alright. Breathe, hun.” Sid pulled her in to his chest. Sigrid shook her head and started crying.

“ ‘m gonna throw up again, I don’t want to-”

BLECH!

Sigrid’s hands were in the mix now, but she could care less because she was retching into them until her bodily fluids became blood. That was when she started to gag.

“Let it out. You’re doing so well.” Sid responded, before rubbing her back. “Here, I’ll get some water and a towel for you.”

He hopped off of the bed and left the room.

Soft cries left the younger’s body. At this point, her whole body was shaking. She felt her stomach gurgle helplessly, which provided her another gag. All she could do was sit and pray.

What did I just do?