Ultraviolet

Chapter Thirty-Two: Little Monsters

This was my first experience with a hangover.

I absolutely fucking hated it.

My brain seemed to be both non-existent and present, banging pots and pans together inside my head. It ached everywhere: not just in my head but all over my body, especially my neck. It felt as though my neck was a toothpick and my head was a jumbo sized bowling ball just wobbling around on top of it.

Pick up the cereal, I instructed my arm. Slowly, it did so.

"You shouldn't have cereal." Hadeon, who was beside me, whispered. "I'll make you some eggs and bacon. Oily foods are better."

"What are you mumbling about over there?" Jess questioned. She realised something was up when I could barely spit out "good morning" in my gruff tired voice without both stumbling over the words and staring at the floor in guilt.

"Nothing." Hadeon called out.

"Nothing." I added a second later, my brain on a slight delay.

I put back the cereal box and joined Jess and Jack at the table.

"How was last night?"

Wait, I warned myself. Some part of me was working. Jess had her eyebrow raised and stern look on her face. This wasn't small talk, it was an interrogation. Last night I got drunk with Andy and Hadeon and threw up in our shared bathroom. But Jess doesn't know that, at least not for sure.

Jess knew about work. Jess knew about the vomit I cleaned up in the bathrooms downstairs.

"I can definitely say I do not like bathroom duty." I half-chuckled and half sighed. "Work was alright other than that though."

Jess nodded, then scrunched her nose in disappointment. She thought that was gonna work. Jess turned to Jack, eyes darting from him to me quickly, signalling it was his turn.

"Weird thing happened this morning." He stated, his voice sounding more proper than usual. "Found an empty bottle of vodka sitting in the bins, but it wasn't the same brand we use in the bar."

Thinking quickly, I speculated. "Do you think someone snuck it in?"

Jess exhaled loudly, I was twisting my way out of conviction so easily.

"Unlikely," He sighed. "Our security guards are pretty good."

"I wouldn't be too sure." Hadeon started as he placed two plates of eggs and bacon on the table and sat beside me. Jess stared at my plate, her brain very clearly overthinking it. "Sometimes it's impossible to tell. I've caught people pulling bottles from the places you'd least expect. I once found a fake styrofoam pregnant belly with a tequila bottle shaped carving sitting on the dance floor."

It sounded like a lie, but Jack chuckled like he was remembering that night.

"Its strange, though. The bottle looked like something we have. Only, when I looked in the cupboard, it was gone."

Shit. We're busted. I turned to Hadeon, waiting to see if he gave in or kept hopelessly trying. He looked unbothered as he pierced his egg yolk with a fork.

"Are you sure?"

Jess stood up abruptly and stomped over to the cabinet. She swung it open revealing a dusty mixmaster.

"Maybe someone moved it. Check the other cabinet."

Jess sighed and opened the neighbouring cabinet, revealing a shiny new bottle of vodka. "What?!" She screeched, furious.

"Guess the mystery has been solved." He muttered. I pressed my lips together to stifle my laugh.

"Funny that." Jack added, clear amusement on his face.