Indelible (EN)

Chapter 1

"Meditation, like beneficial rain, irrigates the soul, causing deep thoughts to grow and blossom into petals of clarity, lighting up the garden of consciousness."

Rudy Merouchi

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Orange light emanated from the whole nightclub like a sunset. The reflections of neon lights formed circles on the walls, like stars. The crowd's dance steps shook the floor. These living children made even the Underworld tremble with fear. The screams of these wild beings, wiggling against each other in search of a passionate night, rekindled a flame in me that had been extinguished long ago.

That's why I come to this shabby dingy place, damp and sweaty with decay. I don't sing, I don't dance, I don't meet anyone. No, I'm here just to feel a thrill, while downing my drinks. As I drink quietly, I notice a man, his hood still on, leaning against the counter, face down, a glass of whisky in his hand. I've never seen you before. You and your slightly wet ebony-black hair, which hasn't seen scissors in months. You must have just walked into Yae's establishment, because yes, a man like you, I would have noticed earlier.

Outside, the rain was colder than an iced coffee, the wind didn't seem to be letting up, the gray clouds had covered the sky with their dirty sheet. The world was rumbling and my head was beginning to drum in cadence with this surrounding decadence, when a good thing happened... The damn place shut down when the lightning struck, and people stopped dancing to make way for panic... This landscape, was more beautiful than any waterfall deep in a forest. The laughter stopped, the smiles collapsed, leaving only incomprehension. People scrambled to find their way into the arms of their friends.

Look at them... Lost when they find themselves alone, in an unfamiliar and hostile environment. The human being is fascinating, so strong and so fragile at the same time. It was so fucking exciting to see them like that. I contemplated the spectacle for a while, leaning against the wall while the staff worked to fix the electrical issue. No lights stood out in the vast room, yet one thing stood out at the bar. My gaze instantly turned to that source,  my vision gradually adjusting to the surrounding darkness, and I met the gaze of the man who had been at the bar earlier.

That look... Your gaze. It wasn't the light from the phones, nor the reflective glint in his eyes that made me notice. No, on the contrary, his irises were blacker than the black of this darkened room. His whole being exuded a dark, ominous aura. My gaze snapped away from him as a trembling little soul jostled me and excused herself, finding her way to the bathroom. I scanned the room with my eyes, memorizing every outburst and every battlefield. A brawl could be heard to my left, a couple were making out in the middle of the crowd, others were taking advantage of the moment to steal bottles from other tables and shouts filled the space, imploring the return of the party.

That's what I love, I like to see them tear each other apart, I find them more alive that way. I made my way back to the bar, a smile on my face, satisfied with the surrounding chaos. Sitting on my usual stool, where the music isn't so loud, where the air-conditioning isn't blowing too much, where I have an unobstructed view of the toilets, people come in to throw up or even to fuck.

The bartender approaches me. I don't give him time to open his pretty little pink mouth before I stare into his hazel eyes and ask him to serve me a board of tequila shots. A whisky upon arrival, then an espresso martini and finally, always before leaving, a board of five shooters all for myself, YES SIR! Sometimes, on my good days, I let him take one of my shots. As he set the tequilas  in front of me, I grabbed one and hand it to him.

- Well, it's chaotic today.

He thanks me and drinks it along with me. I clink the glass on the bar, letting out a sound of happiness. I follow up with the next three with a shot before standing up and heading for the exit to catch a breath of fresh air. My throat was burning, I loved it. But I loved the clash of warmth against cold even more. I stepped outside, rejoicing in my beautiful evening. The rain pounded against the pavement, turning it grayer than it was. Everything was dark outside. A single street lamp stood in the left-hand corner of the bar. The village of Puento wants to become starry. Isn't it beautiful, the stars, and as a bonus, total darkness... I loved being here, in a fascinating place, full of dim-witted mini kingpins.