COMPATIBLE [Unedited]

IV

@NealLightwood   prompt: add in the line 'It was a dark and stormy night', and obnoxiously break the fourth wall

A foot drives into the side of the table, slamming it down on its side so that we're exposed. I can't stop the scream escaping from my lips.

What now? We aren't safe. Move. Adrenaline fuels my legs across the room before I can even think. Via follows closely. I could die. I duck low to avoid the spraying bullets. Via copies again. Quickly. We drop under another table, dodging a body sprawled hauntingly across the floor like a knocked mannequin. A perfect image of pain. I bite hard on my tongue to stop myself from shrieking.

What happened to the rubber bullets that were only meant to deter? What happened to the officers will only hurt, never kill? What happened to feeling safe around the people that are meant to protect you? I can hardly breathe.

Then, with no warning, the bullets stop. No audible command, no issue with the guns. Just stop. Then there's footsteps, receding, uniform. When I peer under the tablecloth, I notice the officers are retreating from the room. The remaining rioters cheer - but something tells me this definitely isn't right.

Then there's a huge echoing click, and all I can see from under the cloth is the sliding shut of big metal gates behind the glass door. Confusion is clear in the voices that arise around us. Then suddenly there's another sound, a low buzz, and a noise that sounds like the releasing of air from a tyre with a puncture. Sssssss.

A couple breaths later, and I don't know what it is, but suddenly my head's all light. Like a balloon. Via senses it too, she turns to me with a scared face and grips my hand. But I'm not scared. I can't help but giggle a bit, seeing her terrified little face, until she cracks a smile too. I laugh more, more, harder, until my throat fills and there's vomit in my lap. How did that get there?

Via stares emptily at it, all laughing cut short. Her eyes are red. The room fills with laughter, and I roll out under the tablecloth to see what's going on, looking around at the others.

The couple from under the table are out. They sit on top of table. They look happy. The girl's eyes are streaming and red. The boy laughs so hysterically that it hurts to hear. They are so very happy.

I'm not sure what's happening. Some people stumble around like toddlers. Others lay on the floor and puke. I wobble over to the happy couple, I congratulate them on their matching. The boy thanks me. The girl collapses. Via calls my name, once, twice, thrice, fource, that's not even a word, echoes. The room is hazy. There's something in the air.

"Love is in the air!" I yell, and I make my way back to Via. The world rocks violently. Via smiles. A rioter has made their way to her. They too look happy. Everybody is happy here. Everybody seems to dance, they sway, they sing, crying, howling. Via's eyes are really red. Redder than before. Reddest. I ask her if she's on drugs.

Maybe, she says. She laughs until she throws up.

My stomach burns like acid has been splashed in. Is there acid in our stomachs?? There's nothing in Via's, she's too busy yucking it all up. Maybe she didn't like the taste. I try to push her hair back, so she doesn't get it yucky, but my hand doesn't go where I want it to. It floats off, like a balloon. My head is like a balloon. I wish I could fly away with Via. I think I said that out loud, because she topples onto me in a big warm snuggly hug. Her arms don't move. She's still.

I always thought she'd be a bad hugger.

She pulls away, perhaps to kiss me, but instead goes to sleep on the floor. Hahahaha. I want to sleep. My head hurts so so so bad. We're all happy here.