The Blood's Elegance

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

THE TIPSY LADY IN A BEER FESTIVAL IV

TW: rape

Andy, somehow, felt better while we eat. The only problem we had was the price of the foods. The three of us shared our pocket money to buy the cheapest food for Andy. We watched her eat because the food is not enough for us. Even the water had an amount, and it was more expensive than other drinks. It was like saying, “You came here to drink beer; you cannot drink water.“

After eating, we went inside the elevator to finally see how our rooms looked like. However, we forgot the key or whoever holds our key.

“Call your brother.”

“I'm doing it already.” The ring of the call was one of the longest seconds of our lives until Reji picked it up. “Dude, where's the key?”

“Oh, shoot! I forgot to give it to you!”

“Where are you?”

“We're downstairs.”

“Where exactly?”

“I'm going there.”

He dropped the call. We stood there for a few minutes, counting the people passing by who throw us with a questioning look because they might be thinking we're beggars who got lost inside a hotel. There were some who appeared to be not a citizen of Diendrel like us who came just to visit or attend the Beer Festival. If it's just me waiting, I would surely get better. Fortunately, my friends were here.

“Do we have an itinerary to follow?” I asked Rose because she must have known it best among the three of us.

“I think there is an itinerary, but Reji said that we can do whatever we want.”

I leaned on the wall. “Do you know what we will do for today?”

“Probably mingle with strangers?” She giggled. “I can't wait.”

Her fun stopped when Andy talked. “Call your brother again.”

Rose saluted and uttered, “Aye, aye!” She dialed Reji's number. He picked up the call faster than earlier, but he hadn't arrive as fast as we thought. “Where are you?”

“I'm actually at the lobby.”

“Lobby?” we shouted in surprised.

“I thought you're giving us the keys, oh my gosh!” Rose exclaimed. “We stood here for nothing!”

“Where are you?” I interfered. “We'll get the key from you.”

“At the restaurant. All of us are here to eat before we go to the festival.”

Rose frowned. “Why didn't you tell us?”

We were stressed out because of what he said.

“We were there earlier,” I added. “You should have just informed us that you were coming, too.”

“Sorry,” he murmured on the line.

Rose sighed, I closed my eyes, but Andy kept her cool.

“Nevermind. Just stay where you are.”

He told us that he would wait. We had no choice but to take the elevator again. I knew that Andy feels sick whenever she rides in an elevator. Usually, she would hold to someone and would end up giving him or her wounds from her long nails, and that is what happened to my skin. She had her eyes closed ever since the door closed and was not speaking either. Only when the door's 'ting' sounded and I said that we're on the first floor did she open her eyes.

“Why do elevators smell like vomit?” the first words she says every time she got out of what she named as “hell.”

She said the elevators always smell like hospital or vomit. Her sense of smell was the most sensitive when inside the moving small room.

Suddenly, something covered my eyes. It was o fast that I wasn't able to move plus someone held my hands to prevent me from resisting.

“What are you doing?” I shouted.

Where is Rose and Andy? What is happening?

Two persons guided me, good thing, towards somewhere I don't know. The panic started to stir inside, but I remembered that there were a lot of people, and no one would dare to kidnap me in this place.

“Rose? Andy?” I called, but no one answered.

The hold on my shoulders were light as if I wasn't actually forced, but both of them have my hands. They were very quiet that the noise of the people around us entered my ears. No one panicked even though I was blindfolded.

“Where are my friends?”

They hushed me. Still unrecognizable. I was silent as they lightly pushed me to walk forward. The temperature changed. It was colder than earlier and quieter. The hands holding me disappeared. It was my chance to find out where I am.

“Happy 18th birthday, Elyseah!”

I was stunned at the sight of a banner with a greeting, foods arranged on the table at the center, and people in front of me wearing party hats.

“But it's not my birthday.”

“We know.” Rose walked towards me. “It was on July, but we weren't able to celebrate it together because you transferred to Marcadel.”

“So what is this?” I asked. I roamed my eyes around. It was composed of Reji's friends and my two sisters.

“A very late birthday celebration,” Andy stated.

“You had a party for me before!”

I couldn't imagine they had another party just for me.

“Yes, but you weren't there,” they said. “We have to celebrate it together, you know. During our birthdays, you were always there to surprise us. I think it's now our turn to make your debut memorable... somehow.”

My heart melted. My tears streamed down my cheeks. I hugged my best friends.

“Why do you have to make me cry?” I stuttered. “You are too much. I didn't expect this.”

They wiped my wet face and cried with me. “You deserve everything, babe.”

“I love you.”

The two kissed me on the cheeks at the same time and gave me a wam embrace. My very post-birthday celebration with them occurred at the whole restaurant rented by Catri. I guessed this is what his money can do.

I approached him, still not feeling good about how he treated me earlier. “Thank you.”

He scratched his neck shyly, ears turning red. “That's part of the plan.”

“Plan, hmm. Even the way you ignore others, too?”

Reji appeared and patted his shoulder. “No, that's really him. He doesn't like talking with other people who he is not close with.”

I nodded. Reji left again.

“You're cute when you're blushing. Keep that up, and try to be more open.” I smiled. “Thank you for being part of this. I appreciate it.”

When the celebration ended, we changed into another pair of clothes. I chose a crochet halter top and a denim skirt. My shoes were white boots. I also brought a Boho cardigan in case I want to cover my skin. When the clock's hand hit one, we are ready to rock the festival like we are living here. Rose, Andy and I were in the same hotel room. Outside, we saw our company wearing their festival outfits.

“Imyor Boenza!” they shouted in the hallway.

Everyone, including the strangers who just got from the elevator and the ones who are ready to bathe under the sun, yelled the same greeting.

“Imyor Boenza, kazdan!”

We hopped all the way to the entrance of the aligned big blue tents, its little spaces trying to be penetrated by the light.

“Alve, cameo, kazdan! Imyor Boenza!”

“Imyor Boenza, sanse!”

We were staring at Catri. He was so sexy fluently speaking the Diendrel's language. And here I thought he was a shy type person. He could use his talking skills as a charm.

“What did he say?” I whispered to my friends, but they only shrugged.

“That man welcomed us,” said Catri after closing the gap between us. “Alve means hey, hello, or hi. It is usually used in this event. Kazdan means everyone, and sanse is an honorific for someone older people.”

“So you are a sanse?”

“No. It should be azken,” Reji corrected.

We visited every stalls. Catri led us to the stage on the center. There were barrels on the stage. Reji's friends were now out of our sight. I guessed we will meet at the hotel. They probably knew their way back. They were not young to get lost anymore.

“What is this?”

“Commercial tasting!”

We were shouting with a loud voice to hear each other.

“After all, this is not a beer festival without beers!” He accepted beer glasses from the servers and gave it to us one by one. “Geonbeist!”

“Geonbeist?”

“It meant 'cheers,'” Reji explained. “Geonbeist!”

They chugged the beer straight. I got pressured. These people with me were heavy drinkers. I drank it, too, and belch. We laughed not because of embarrassment but because of fun.

The people on the stage tapped the huge barrels, creating a music.

“It's a shame you didn't get to watch the Beer Barrel Tapping. If you attended earlier, you could have seen it and the welcome reception.”

“It's okay. My friend came here last Monday. I would ask him about his experience.” My friends' eyes were wide upon realizing that I was referring to a guy. I winked at them.

We entered the place for commercial tasting and became part of it. We got to enjoy more glasses of beers, and its sweet-bitter taste left a good remark on my tongue. Diendrel was known for its beers. No wonder why their drink tasted the best out of all the ones I tried before.

“Chug! Chug! Chug!“ the crowd cheered to one another.

It was refreshing.

It was still broad daylight, and I was not yet drunk despite the number of glasses we intake. We watched the Homebrew Competition, played the games on the stalls, and interacted with other visitors of the festivals. Mostly came from the nearby cities.

“Have you found one yet?” I whispered to Rose because she said that she will find someone here.

She shook her head, disappointed. “I don't like any of them. I still like my baby.“

“Your baby?” My eyes widened. I glanced at Andy to ask if she knew who our friend was referring, but she had no clue either. “You—”

I wasn't able to finish my sentence.

Rose smiled. It was a proud smile that beamed from her face saying something I didn't think she would do sooner. “Yes, I thought that I was finally getting older, so I have to be more serious in my life now. I had enough time playing.”

I touched her forehead. “Are you sick?”

She patted it away and rolled her eyes. “That's offensive.”

“I was just kidding. Good for you!”

I was proud of her. Rose was the type to dump guys when she felt like it. She didn't go for long-term relationships.

“If he and I broke up, then I would probably not go on a date for the next few years.”

“Woah, woah, woah.” I stopped her. “That's seriously a big condition.”

And the mother of the group talked. “Who is he?”

Rose decided to shut her mouth. It’s a first time that we do not know who she is dating. “I’d tell it to you once I was sure of him.”

She was fond of flings and used to not to care about a guy. She introduced almost everyone that she is dating and sometimes forgets to tell some name because she was simply not interested.

This made us smile. She was growing, and I couldn’t process the change although I liked it. Maybe, it’s my time to get serious, too. I had enough fun on my youth. I would forever treasure the ones which remind me of my playfulness. It’s now time to not fill my mind with the nasty thing. It’s time to let my heart be fluttered for once or my stomach experience the butterflies which reminds me of Seth. Has he ever made me felt that? Were we rushing things? Were we really compatible or were we just pushing things to come it out the way we wanted it? Were we being forceful? I would lie-low this time. It was we need. Like how he forgot to inform me about going here, it’s probably not the best to settle ourselves. He might not be even that serious about me, and the truth that I purposely did not remind him about today showed me immaturity nor did he remember where I am supposed to right now might imply his less care than I thought.

The beer helped me to flashback on one scenario where I received a letter inside my locker that looked like a confession. I had not open it yet.

“Thank you for the unintentional lesson. It hit me right,” I said genuinely.

It was because we’re not serious in romantic relationships that Andy looked relieved.

For our first ride for today, we planned to take a mild one first before the rides that will knock our souls out of our body. The one that we would puke hard including our intestines.

Merry-Go-Round.

I faked a laugh. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

Reji and Catri did not accompany us. They told us that we will drink in other bars or try the games. It’s good because we can let ourselves be embarrassed with one another because it’s just Rose and Andy and me.

We bought tickets for the first rides. Since this event is not for children, most participants were nearly adult. I hoped they would give us some twist that we were searching for.

The one who will control the ride gathered us near the entrance beside the railing before starting.

“This Merry-Go-Round is not a children’s ride. This was designed for adults. It has three rounds: easy, average, and difficult. The speed changes and gets faster every round, so I am telling you to be careful. If you feel kind of tipsy or drunk, I suggest you not to take the round as we will not take responsibility of any accident caused by your absence of mind. Understood?”

We nodded.

Before letting anyone in, he checked us one by one and asked a few questions to see how sober we are. Rose, Andy, and I occupied the horses next to each other. The first round was literally easy. We rode on a children’s ride, but when the man told us that we’re going on an average speed, that’s when I started to question if I did the right decision picking this one. I was also wondering whether I would be able to handle myself if he increases the speed.

“Difficult!”

It was very difficult to cling into the pole where the horse is attached. The world moved so fast, and the background literally blurred. I couldn’t speak. Whenever I tried to open my mouth, it seemed like I was losing my energy, and if I lose it, I would fall from this horse and fly elsewhere. I couldn’t let myself face that kind of embarrassment, so I held into the cold vertical steel with my hands and my legs and rested my shoulder on it as everything kept on spinning. I thought I would let go of it, but the ride stopped. I was very dizzy, and brave of me to opened my eyes to face the consequence of taking this one. My hands were still wrapped around the pole so did my crossed legs. I believed I was grasping tightly. I didn’t know how I slid down and fell on the ground. The limbs of the horse, unmoving, gave me support to stand up. I got a somehow clear view of my friends fighting something inside themselves, holding what is not supposed to come out. We walked slowly, and I could swore that every step felt like balanced, but it was actually not. My legs felt weak and unsteady. I didn’t realize I was falling again before I could even help myself to last on my position. Someone helped us, I didn’t get to know who because my mind was too focused on my current condition. I just couldn’t imagine how messy we were right now. The Merry-Go-Round hit us stronger than wines, beers, and other alcoholic drinks. We vomited on the ground. I heard the same pathetic noises of me puking out on the surrounding. We fell on our butt away from the gross thing to relax a little. That children’s ride wasn’t for children, really. They would die before us.

“I will not try that again,” we said in chorus.

“Same,” the people from the other group commented.

There was no other choices left for us to do but to rest for a while. With this state, we would stumble again and again. Worse, we might vomit, and what’s worst than that is that if we were walking, we could release our puke on someone else, and that’s a hassle.

Minutes had passed before we regained our steadiness. We tried many rides like “Lightning from Hell,” “Skyfall,” and “Pendulum of Chaos.” All rides were amazing. They took our mind literally flying away from our body. It was covered by screams in the air and another screams until some got silenced for feeling dizzy and ended up vomiting after.

We contacted Reji and told us our location. He said he will fetch us from here and gather his friends to eat in one of the tents. The darkness had reigned half of the sky. The remaining orange hue was starting to fade with the sunlight. Reji arrived with Catri. They accompanied us towards their benches inside a tent. It was different compared to others. This tent was way bigger and made of long fabrics from the middle attached to the huge circle were the poles were stuck. Whit, blue, white, and blue. The pattern continued. We could see a glimpse of the starry night. The scene right now was very beautiful. Nothing could ever go wrong. Other people were sitting on their benches. The white cloth covered the wooden table, and their foods scattered above it. I could tell whether someone is tipsy or fully drunk. The old people who wore the outfit of the citizens of Diendrel seemed to have a high alcohol tolerance. The visitors wouldn’t let themselves get defeated, too, like me. If I got drunk, Andy could take care of me. Rose had Reji.

The fun was just starting again when his friends arrived. There were some who are giving bottles of beers on every table, and we accepted the offer. We ate, but there was no time for silence in our table. Everyone had stories to share. Some secrets were spilled and entrusted. In front of me was Catri who initiated a talk with me.

“I think that what I said to you earlier was a bit harsh. I was really bothered although I said sorry to you.”

I stopped eating and looked at him. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. It was part of the plan. Even Andy’s dizziness to have you eat for the restaurant.”

I glanced at my friend then back to him. “No worries. I appreciate your effort so much.”

He smiled at me.

“By the way, where are we after this?”

“There is Brew and Tunes. It is a concert. If you remember the stage earlier, that’s where it will happen. Some of the stalls were removed, so it will have a larger space.”

“That’s nice! I’m excited for it.”

Fake. I wasn’t. I didn’t like metal songs or rock bands, so I will probably leave the venue.

We proceeded to the venue right after eating. We were a bit earlier to have the spaces near the stage. It had not started yet. I told my friends that I’m going out, and Andy, who doesn’t like crowds like this one, said to come with me. We informed Reji about our presence before we departed from them. It was easy to sneak past the people who smelled like sweats and beers on their shirts. Outside the Beer Festival’s venue awaited the large field of grass. I could breathe a fresh air, and I knew that it soothed me better than what the songs of a band could do. We sat on the grass without talking. Andy had this type of vibe around her—intimidating. I was her friend, but I felt small when we were left alone.

“Seah, you’re stiff. I’m not doing anything with you.”

I pouted and hugged her. “Sorry.”

But our closeness and sweetness always brought us together.

I rested my head on her. I felt intimidated because she acted as our mother or our sister. I never saw her being childish like me or foolish like Rose. I missed her.

“I missed you, Andy. Did you miss me?” I murmured.

“Are you drunk?”

I pursed my lips to shut my mouth.

The peace came from none of us opening a new topic. A group of men stopped in front of us and stood with their arms crossed. Nothing was wrong at them at the first look. I closed my eyes to pray for some sanity and met their lustful eyes wandering through my exposed skin. Before us were hungry beasts wanting our flesh. Andy grabbed me first and pulled me to run, but the strength of two men were enough to catch us in their arms. Andy, who studied martial arts for situations like this, kicked them and threw her fists to attack the offenders. However, we were outnumbered. She managed to knock down two of them, but there were another five who we couldn’t fight. They walked to us like mad men and forcefully held our hands. We resisted and shouted for help. I gave all my strength to call someone who could get us out of this devils’ hands.

“Help! Help us!” I coughed. My throat was getting dry out of yelling, yet no one came. The music inside was louder than our pleas. “Help!”

They dragged us far from the entrances and opened stalls. They pushed us on the ground. I was about to stand up, but one stepped on my arms. The other one stepped on my stomach. I heard Andy’s complaints, and it twisted my heart because I was the one who invited her. They undressed their tops, but I continued begging for them to stop. No one listened.

Is this a nightmare? I didn’t want this. Andy didn’t want this.

“Help! Help us!” I cried.

Why is there no single human in this planet who could heed our request and stop this monsters?

I had a high alcohol tolerance, and the beers that I drunk didn’t affect my system, but what is happening now? It was as if I was tipsy and getting dizzy. Maybe I overestimated my body, but despite being groggy, I saw silhouettes behind the men. A small light of hope bloomed inside my heart. “Help!”

Their attention diverted to the new people. I tried to get my phone from the pocket to have an emergency dial, but someone grabbed it out my hand. My tears flowed out of my eyes. As they got closer, I recognized their faces, but not their names. Who are they again? They were bigger and had an advantage in number of people. I silently muttered my gratefulness.

“Call Reji!” I demanded, but they did the opposite.

They called the leader of the gang who abducted us earlier. Reji’s friends were arrogant in face.

“They were our dinner, my brother,” they said,

I thought it was part of their strategy to help us.

“We found them first,” the other party insisted. “We gave them the beer.”

“But now, they are ours,” Reji’s friend retorted. “You don’t have an advantage over us.” His eyes surveyed the surrounding, counting the men who drugged us. He was Toni, that’s what Reji called him. He cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck. His eyes, with the same fire, scared the other gang easily. I was glad they realized that Reji’s friends were double than their quantity.

It was never good to let your guard down. As I thought about how we’re going to escape Reji’s friends whose clearly motive was to have us for themselves, I couldn’t shove away the worry inside me. This was not what we wanted. We wanted for someone’s help, someone’s kindness, not another monster to have us in their hands.

Toni felt better scaring the bastards, but it was not the case for us. He pushed his tongue on his cheek, and loosened the necktie I didn’t see earlier. His friends removed their vests. From their hands undressing the vest off their body, my eyes followed its movement that travelled down to the buttons of their shirts. They stood topless against us, and we laid crying on the ground.

They started unbuckling their belts. I was losing hope when I heard someone shout aloud.

“What the hell, guys?” Reji grabbed his friends—who weren’t his friends in the first place—and pushed them to the grass to give each one a blow. Catri helped him in beating. Rose rushed to us. She was stopped by the man who pinned us down, but Rose successfully made his nose bleed and writhed in pain. I rose to hug her. A comfort finally.

I watched Reji, Catri, and some of their friends give the others the lessons. We were very afraid. We were almost r***d. First, by the persons we didn’t know, and second, by the persons we thought we could trust. I was right being cautious, but I didn’t realize until then that they could do such thing to fill their desires.

“I thought I heard it wrong that you were planning for something!” Reji threw his fist at Toni who didn’t try to fight against him. “I was right, and what’s even worse was that you were planning to do it against my sister’s friends! Asshole!”

Half of the jerks lost consciousness. I saw Catri as a very calm guy and sometimes shy, but now, we were seeing another side of him. His dark side was scary. It was as if he could go monstrous any moment by now the way he hit the offenders on their jaw. Madness was evident from it. If he wasn’t stop by others, he could have killed the old friends of Reji.

I was still trembling. Andy cried, and I was very sorry for having to see her this weak because of me. She was always brave. Reji approached us and covered our shaking shoulders with their jacket. He brushed my hair softly to calm me down.

“Are you okay?”

I nodded.

“I’m sorry about what happened, but I’m willing to turn my friends in to the police.”

It will be more complicated, filing a complaint a place not ours. I glanced at Andy. I wasn’t sure what she wants to do.

“I want to go home,” she uttered.

“Yes, we will go home.”

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