the seas are alive,
and they are raging with monsters, old sport.
| based on the voyage of the dawn treader |
| BOOK TWO OF THE KING IN DISTRESS DUOLOGY |
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1942, Shanghai
THE WHISKEY WAS BITTERSWEET as it melded down Jamie Van Halen's throat, the fiery sting warming up her insides. The empty glass made a dull sound as it collided with the mahogany surface of the wooden table, followed by a holler from one of those seated around it. It was a friday night, Jamie's last before going home to London, as her father had requested from her, considering the onslaught of a new war. So her friends had decided to have a night out before sending her away, like a going away party.
She thought it sweet at first, but then realized she'd rather stay at home reading.
"What about a fourth shot, eh?" Malcolm Greer had a boyish grin on his face, charming if she hadn't wanted to punch him for stealing a slice of pizza from her yesterday. Chestnut curls fell into wisps around his eyes, a perfect contrast to his blue eyes. He was the conventional kind of handsome.
She still wanted to punch him in his perfect teeth though.
"Shut up, Mal, Jamie needs to take it easy." Colette Fraiser told him off, the light overhead reflecting her strawberry blonde curls. "She has an early flight tomorrow."
"Yes, that I do." Jamie said, pouring herself a glass of beer. "We can always drink again next time, right Col?"
"You know you talk funny when you drink." Malcolm let out a laugh.
"So is that why you wish for me to get drunk? So you could make fun of me?" Jamie took a sip from her glass of beer, the sweetness percolating her tongue.
"No. Definitely not. I don't even know what you're talking about." Malcolm took a fry to munch on, which Jamie stole from him in a single swift motion. "Hey! That was my fry!"
"You stole my pizza. This is nothing." Said Jamie, taking a bite out of the fry. "Anyways, I might need to go home early. Grandmother is expecting." This elicited groans from the other two, clearly not wanting the night to be over. Jamie chuckled, shouldering her bag to bid them farewell.
"We'll see you in September, yeah?" Malcolm held his arms out for a hug, which Jamie kindly accepted.
"Of course." She turned to Colette, who embraced her tightly. "I'll see you when the semester starts."
"Safe travels, Jamie."
The ride home was quiet, the Shanghai sky a densest shade of blue, speckled with stars and moonlight. After their return from Narnia, Jamie's father had decided she study the rest of her highschool with her maternal grandparents in China, which had her be away from her friends from London for quite some time. Her only communication with them had been through letters, and it had been a while since she last exchanged one with them.
