Drown the Night

FIVE

We waste away
in our ignorant lives.
We eat, we breath
innumerable lies.

There is no getting out
of this elegant death trap.
Our minds are set,
Every win
is just another step back.

You call yourself
a liberal creature,
There's no way you'd be fooled
into purposeless labour.

Don't hide away,
Just figure it out.
The beginning of change
Bares out of your doubt.

Now take a look
Around the mirror,
Your story is scripted,
You just need to see clearer.

But don't mind me,
I just call for attention,
Don't want you to be lured
Out of your sweet misconception.

#118

The foul taste in Mike's mouth was unbearable. He rested against a dumpster in the back of an alley. James was sitting next to him and leaned against at a brick wall. His limbs were heavy and he suddenly felt cold. Mike nudged James in the rip case. James tried to move up, but failed miserably. The trash pile around him made him tumble.

"Are you alright?"

"Been better!"

"What the fuck happened?"

"Just remember the bathroom. The rest went blank."

James checked his jeans.

"Fuck me."

"What?"

"My wallet's gone! My jacket too!"

Mike attempted to get up. He pressed his back against the wall and tried to slide up. His sense for balance was still fighting him.

"Where's the fucking box?"

James suddenly realised what was going on.

"That fucking asshole ripped us off!"

James shouting echoed through the alley. He grabbed the dumpster and helped himself up. Nothing worked the way it should. His knees were shaking so much, that he could barely make a step forward. He staggered through the alley and tried to shake it off. A few meters down, he found his jacket and started to laugh. He searched through his pockets and found the cigarettes.

"It's okay. It's here. The smokes are here."

Mike managed to get up and barely stood straight. He made his way towards James, but it took him a lot more effort than he had expected. He raised his arm for a cigarette. James threw the smoke into his direction, but he wasn't even close to hitting the intended target. In an attempt to catch the cigarette in the air, Mike lost his balance and crashed face first onto the dirty pavement. He rolled over the ground, until he was laying on his back. James crouched over and rested beside him, he lit Mike's smoke. It took them another twenty minutes, until Mike finally found the strength to get up again. He clutched at James and the duo lurched out of the alley and into the next bigger avenue. A lot of people lingered through the streets on their ways to savour the sacred after-work hours. The drugged up bandmates fought for every step and tried not to fall down on the way. Music was coming out of every corner and if it wasn't for the bad condition they were in, they might have entered another bar.

A long way down the avenue, when the bars and clubs were slowly giving way to little stores and boutiques, James paused for a smoke. He scanned his environment and felt like he recognised it.

"Isn't that the fucking street from earlier?"

Mike peaked on the street sign and recognised it's name.