I awoke to another day of sunshine. My window unfortunately didn't have curtains so I woke up early every day. This day I was especially tired due to staying up at midnight for a New Year's party. Well, a small one. I expected Angus to join us some time but he never showed. It killed me to see him like this, but I couldn't get a word out of him.
Brian was sitting at the kitchen table doing some sort of crossword. I was surprised to see him up this early let alone with a crossword. "Mornin' lass," he smiled.
"Crosswords at this ungodly hour?" I smiled in return.
"Ah, I've been up a while. Angus woke me up, poor fella's sick. Been heavin' all mornin'."
"Oh geez is he okay?" I asked looking towards the stairs.
"No idea, haven't checked. Surprised you never heard him."
"Lucky stars I guess."
"No kidding. You probably gave him your flu bug I'll bet. Nice goin'."
"Probably."
"Well you've already been sick, go ahead and check on the poor bugger. See if he isn't already dead." I went on upstairs to Angus' room and knocked on the door. I didn't hear any heaving as Brian said. I slowly opened the door and a putrid smell emitted and I closed it again. Bracing myself I opened it all the way and stepped inside.
Empty bottles and cans littered and stained the carpet with leftover contents. A can or two lay on Angus' side of the bed with a little dried vomit on the pillow. Angus himself was gone. The bathroom door was closed and a light shone under the door so I assumed he was in there. I didn't know what he did to himself, but I knew it wasn't the flu.
Closing the door after me, I raced down the stairs and stood at the entrance to the kitchen. "How is he?" Brian asked without looking up.
"Brian?" He turned to me. "Has Angus, recently, taken up-drinking?"
He stared at me.
"Oh my God," he said. He ran by me up the stairs and I followed him to Angus' room. Brian pounded a few times but still no answer. He opened the door and the smell came out.
"Woah!" we both said in disgust closing the door.
"Holy shit, he's outdone himself," Brian said.
"Okay. One, two, three!" We opened the door and looked on in horror.
"Where is he?" Brian asked stepping inside.
"In the bathroom I think," I answered stepping over the mess.
"Angus mate, you in there?" Brian called. No answer. He opened the unlocked door and walked in. "Ang? Shit mate, you've really gone and done it now." He came back out with him passed out in his arms. "We've got to clean him up. And this room."
"I'll get him some water," I said. Brian sighed.
"Guess I'd better call Mal."
I set the glass of water by Angus' bedside. He looked sick, but at peace now that he was knocked out. Thank our Father in Heaven he was still breathing because he could have gone out like Bon. Hopefully he wasn't trying to- I couldn't finish the thought and brushed the hair from his face.
Angus you idiot.
Brian held the phone to his ear and waited for the line to pick up while his other hand crumpled the hotel number slip. A groggy voice picked up the fourth ring. "Hello?"
"Mal?"
"It's getting late here Brian, what do you need?" Malcolm asked.
"Mal, something's happened with Angus," Brian said.
