Athena's Story

Part 4: Back to black

It was another night out. After cocktails at Dante's house, the whole party headed to the Blu Banana.

Halfway through the night, Dante left their usual front table under the half light of the stage. Athena watched him slink into a dark corner and she figured he had gone in for the kill. She only got concerned when she noticed three young ladies rush away from that same area. She stood up and moved quickly to the dark corner.

"Dante?"

Dante lifted his head. "Bella, are those whores gone?"

He sounded drunk. No, she thought, he sounded high. The way Taz used to sound after popping a pill. "Yes, they're gone, honey. What did they give you?"

"Some drink!" he said, sounding amazed at its potency.

She sat down next to him swiftly. Dante's head lolled onto her shoulder and she realized he was sweating profusely. "Let's go outside," she said, trying to fight down her inexplicable panic.

He was surprisingly steady on his feet but he looked ill enough for the manager to call the paramedics as they headed out the door.

Once outside, they stood together in the cooler night air.

"Talk to me," she demanded.

"I should have done so earlier. I left the table because I felt unwell." He rubbed his chest. "I didn't want you to see me laughing at nothing and think I lied to you."

She knew he was talking about him telling her that he never took drugs because of his health.

"I'd never have thought that, Dante," she said gently.

"Good." And then within a few seconds of his exoneration, he started vomiting quite violently.

"Oh my gosh!" Athena cried as he dropped to his knees, all the while retching.

At one point he stopped. Rocking back on his heels, he threw his head back.

"You'll choke, D," she insisted, pushing his head forward. "Oh!" she exclaimed as he immediately began to throw up again, this time his body heaved and choked as he expelled less substance.

"Ambulance is around the corner, Miss Kourikopolis," the manager called to her, as he made his way closer to his favorite patrons. There was very little he could do so he just stood there, in the event something needed to be done.

"Thanks Vee." She was relieved when she heard the sirens approaching.

Suddenly the artist who had become the love of London society stopped retching, but couldn't even wipe his own mouth. He moaned miserably. Without thinking, Athena used the hem of her shirt to wipe his face. Her hands were shaking and she was terrified for her dear friend, but she managed to remain calm because she knew he needed her.

The ambulance came blaring down the road and sped to a halt. The medics jumped out and Vee, the manager of the Blu Banana, took Athena by the arm and pulled her out their way.

As they made attempts to get the painter to stand up, her heart was in her throat. Athena breathed a bit easier when Dante stood up, but nearly fainted herself when he collapsed in the light grasp of the paramedics. Pulling the stretcher nearer, they set him on it as one of the paramedics shouted to someone else.

All Athena heard clearly was 'cardiac arrest'.

"Dante!" she shouted frantically, restrained only by Vee. "Oh this can't be happening. Dante, hang in there. Please help, him!" she implored as the paramedics attended to the sick man.

By now, there was a crowd outside BB. Everyone was looking on anxiously to see whether the Italian was in critical condition or if he would make it out of this.