Reyona had no idea what was there to run from.
She was the one who said she wanted to go to a place where she wouldn't hear her thoughts, wasn't she?
Well, here, she couldn't even feel her own breathing.
The pulsing music seemed to be beating everywhere.
Her ears. Her head. Her blood.
Yet all she could see in her mind's eyes were those hateful, malevolent eyes.
The loudest voice she could hear was "Dry stick. Dry stick. Dryyyyyyyy stick!"
As if that wasn't bad enough, the curious eyes of an eight-year-old were dancing in her mind's eyes from time to time.
Maybe it wasn't really so but all Reyona could see in those expressive eyes were accusations.
Her head was thrumming-not just from the sound-as she placed her elbows on the cool slab and held her head in her hands.
She jolted as she heard a voice shout next to her ears in a thick brogue.
"What do you want, love?"
********
Reyona raised her head and looked at the people still in line before staring at another man, who seemed to have joined the bartenders from nowhere.
"I see you come in with the love of my life there. I can't keep you waiting," the man said with a Southern Irish accent and a charming smile.
Toria?
"You and Toria..."
The man gave her a toothy smile as he said, "Na, just a dream of mine."
Who knew her sister was such a celebrity?
Reyona remembered the man's question and she answered. "Virgin Pia Colad..." she started to say and then she paused.
The man looked at her expectantly.
Reyona looked straight at him and said, "I will have a glass of Aunt Roberta's cocktail."
Those close by turned to look at Reyona, even as the man whistled and said,. "That is one strong brew you don't want to mess with, lady."
"I know what I ordered," Reyona said with determination.
Even those who were waiting for their drink forgot about it for a moment as they watched the man mix the most potent brew of all time.
"There is still time to change your mind, you know," the man said with a smirk.
Reyona only stared at him beneath the shades.
The man chuckled and he got to work.
As he deftly layered the bottom of the mixing glass with ice and poured a measured amount of absinthe, brandy, blackberry liqueur, sweet vermouth, and added a dash of Angostura bitters, he whistled as he expertly mixed the strong brew together.
The other bartenders looked at each other, then back at Reyona as they wondered what kind of person she was.
Her sharp-looking outfit, complete with the expensive shade, already gave her a don't mess with me look. Seeing her wait calmly for such a nototrious drink made those around the bar pay special attention to her.
Since that was far from what Reyona was trying to achieve, she wished the man would be done on time instead of the silly showmanship he seemed to be putting on all in the name of mixing a drink.
She almost snatched it out of his hand as he served it in a goblet and stretched it towards her.
"I guess we are really doing this. Careful there," he said with amusement as he gave it to her.
"How much?" Reyona said it testily.
"This one is on the house. Your interest in it is payment enough. Not everyone has the gut"
"Thanks," Reyona said hastily as he looked towards the seating area for an empty space she could easily go straight for without any detour.
She saw one.
"A word of advice about that?" she heard the man ask as she moved.
"Never mind," Reyona tossed back at her.
"Okay, I will keep the rest on for you."
Reyona ignored him as she went towards the seat she had seen earlier.
Reyona had not thought it possible but the tempo in the room had even increased more than before.
People were going berserk on the dance floor and that was fine with Reyona; as long as they kept their gazes and unwanted comments away from her, she was fine with anything.
Just as she was about to get to the seat she was fixated on,.
A giggling couple, panting and sweaty, slid right on to it.
Falling over one another and hooting like hyenas, they were unaware of Reyona's turmoil.
Reyona promptly looked around and spotted another one to the farther right of the room.
Some friends just left there as they pulled each other towards the dance floor.
It was a better space because it was a bit secluded with muted lighting.
Reyona quickened her pace before someone else would take it.
She sank into the couch and gingerly pulled away the glasses of tequila shots lying drunkenly around on the table.
"Maybe I should have gone for that," Reyona thought as she stared at the dark brown liquor in front of her.
She had never been a hard drinker and had only heard of Aunt Roberta through a review.
One of those reviews had said something about how it would be a good idea for whoever wanted to take the drink to have a paramedic on standby before taking it.
Reyona could feel the gaze of those at the bar still on her.
They must be waiting to see her regret her decision to take the lethal potion.
As unpleasant thoughts wanted to crowd her mind again, Reyona picked up the drink, braced herself, and took a sip.
Time stopped.
Her mouth singed.
Her brain was fried.
Reyona went momentarily deaf.
Those at the bar were not the only ones watching her.
There was another.
Knowing she would cause a scene if she reacted exactly the way she felt, Reyona turned slightly towards the wall as tears streamed down her face from beneath her shades.
All the surviving instincts in her body screamed at her to spit out the poison in her mouth but Reyona slowly turned the shrink around in her mouth even as she stylishly flicked the tears off her face.
Then she slowly swallowed.
Pure fire raced down her stomach and spread through her veins as she readjusted in her seat.
She carefully practised low breathing until she got her breath back.
She finally chanced a look towards the bar and true enough, the bartender was looking at her.
He smiled and saluted her jauntily, then he turned and left.
"Wasn't he a bartender? How can he just leave like that when people are still standing around?" Reyona wondered breezily just before her sight was obstructed.
She looked up to see a man towering over her.
"Hello, there"