Prompt Ten: Safety and Security

Prompt Ten: Safety and Security : Word count 526

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"And then both of you fell in the mud?!" Mike was trying, and failing, to look like it was serious.

Sej nursed his drink, and sighed. "Laugh it up, before you pull a muscle or something."

"Haha, I'm sorry my friend. I genuinely feel bad it didn't work out for you and Daniella."

"Me too. How was the service?"

"The usual, love thy neighbour. Don't push they neighbour into the mud, that kinda thing."

"Very funny." Sej downed the rest of the whiskey, and pushed his glass toward Mike. "Fill 'er up."

Mike's smile faded for a moment. "This'll be your fifth, you might want to take it easy a little. Other girls will come along."

Sej didn't reply, just held his friend's gaze.

"Alright, another one coming up."

Sej took the refilled glass and swirled the contents around. The warmth of alcohol filled him, like an old blanket, muffling the bad feelings of the day and making them feel distant. Almost as if they'd happened to someone else. His eyes felt like lead; he should be in his bed already, not drowning his sorrows. But the fear of the nightmares returning staved off exhaustion for now, and the whiskey was helping. If he got drunk enough perhaps he wouldn't dream.

"I bet I'm a laughing stock with her parents."

"She didn't say anything. It was obvious something was up, but she'd cleaned up the worst of it and wouldn't say where you were, or what had happened."

"That's something I guess." Sej downed his drink again, relishing the burning in his throat as a distraction from his other pains. He pushed the glass towards Mike.

"Oh no, that's all you're getting from me tonight." Mike took the glass, rinsed it out and dried it out with a towel to emphasize his point.

"You're cutting me off?"

"Sej, I want to look out for you. You've been coming here three years now. A man your age shouldn't be drinking like this."

"So much for being a friend." Sej's eyes narrowed with irrational anger.

"That's just the drink talking. Go home, and sleep it off. It'll be better in the morning."

sej stood up, pushing the stool back dramatically. It toppled over with a crash, raising the heads of the other patrons. "Fine, I'll go home. Got a bottle there anyway."

"Sej, please." Mike's eyes pleaded for common sense to prevail, but the blanket blocked out his words, as well as the pain.

"I know when I'm not wanted." Sej stalked out of the bar, oblivious to the stares. The night air hit him, and he staggered down the entrance steps, almost losing his feet. The streets were deserted; the emptiness suited his mood. He was still wearing his new tunic, the material hard and cracked from dried mud. The warmth of the bar had finished drying out his boot, and his thawed out foot sent shooting pains up his leg as it worked itself loose.

Damn Mike, and his whole family. They were an easy target to blame for his woes, and Sej did so liberally. A small voice said he'd regret his words and actions in the morning, but it was easily ignored.

Today had been as bad as he'd expected.