on the stairs retreated from the onslaught of sound.
She spun, grabbing Alex’s arm as she pushed past, dragging him down the stairs. In the aftermath of her shriek, an ocean-rush echoed in his ears. The exit sign writhed like red snakes. The door opened and the flood of light washed his vision white.
Antja released him in her haste, and his head and stomach churned too badly for him to follow. He groped his way down the wall to the bench and sank onto the cool plastic, cradling his head in his hands. If the monster wanted to eat him, it could damn well come and find him.
No, not a monster. A trick of the shadows. Too much to drink—
His vision darkened from white to grey and back to color, and no shadow-creatures appeared. Eventually his ears stopped ringing, and he heard the approach of high-heeled footsteps. He looked up to a crimson blur that resolved itself into Liz when he blinked.
“What happened?” she asked, crouching in front of him.
His eyes burned, a bruised and bloodshot ache. “I’m not sure.” He winced at the slur in his words.
Liz frowned. “We should leave.”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” He let her pull him up and throw an arm around his waist. As much as he despised leaning on anyone, he doubted he could make it down the hall without help. The room spun, and Liz was the warm stationary center of the universe. A crowd had gathered, and their whispers rippled behind them.
Rainer intercepted them by the main stairs. “Are you leaving already? Antja had a bit of a fright, but everything is fine.” The wild look in his eyes belied the reassurance.
“Alex isn’t feeling well,” Liz said, cutting off his own less tactful reply. “We need to go.” With that, she dragged him down the stairs and into the frozen night.
“wHat Happened?” liz asked again when the gallery doors swung shut behind them. All the smokers had fled, and they were alone on the sidewalk.
Alex shook his head, wincing as movement sent pain dancing across his frontal lobe. A car roared by, rattling with bass. Headlights flashed against the inside of his glasses and he winced again. “I don’t know.”
“How much did you have to drink?” The glow from the windows warmed her pale face and etched the creases of her frown sharp and black.
He tried to glare, but couldn’t muster much force behind it. “Not that much.” He considered calling a cab, but maybe the biting air would clear his head. He’d be damned if that much cheap champagne would deprive him of his faculties. He started walking, hunched against the cold, eyes on the icy pavement. His ears still rang from Antja’s scream, and he felt as though he were about to give birth to Athena.
Wind whistled beneath them as they crossed the bridge. Liz glanced down at the black water and swiftly looked away. Traffic rushed past, spraying slush from tires.
“Antja said something about monsters,” Liz said.
Alex shuddered and tried to blame the cold. Whether it’s the police or your monsters. He’d imagined something much more metaphorical.
“There was... something there. But I don’t know what.” He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and clenched his jaw. At least the pain and cold helped strip away the alcohol haze.
One foot slipped on ice and Liz twined her arm through his to steady him. He shortened his stride to match hers, trying not to think of the indignity of it all, or the tightness in his chest.
Wind gusted and something whooshed over their heads. Liz froze, fingers digging into his arm. Alex shuddered again and his chest spasmed. They stood frozen for a moment, searching the sky, but whatever it was didn’t return.
“A gull,” Liz murmured.
“Just a gull.” He tried not to think of black wings in the darkness. Friday night partiers crowded Granville Street, swirling in and out of bars and clubs. Music leaked through doorways, drums and pounding bass in sync with the throb in Alex’s head. Neon bled across the night, ignis fatuus to guide Hell’s revelers.
When they turned onto the hotel’s cross street, Alex paused and leaned against a lamp pole. His fingers tightened around his inhaler until plastic creaked. Liz stood close, shielding him from the worst of the wind. “Are you all right?” Her tone was softer this time.
Chemical sweetness filled his mouth as he took a hit, settled heavy in his lungs. Then came the rush of expansion and he sucked in