Dating : Advance To The Next Level Of The Game

G.C Edition: Excerpt from “The Grimswald Chronicles” by Kayla Orlando. (Coming 2021)

We headed back to our hotel to change out of our drenched clothes and get ready for a night out on the town. I took a quick shower and decided on putting on a black button up shirt, dark jeans, white shoes, and a watch with a leather band. I felt good, examining myself in the mirror.

“You ready?” Aryton asked knocking on the half open bathroom door.

“Yes. Let’s go!” I was pumped, I threw on my bomber jacket and we headed downtown.

We arrived at the nightclub, the line wrapped around the building, and the outside walls practically shaking from the speakers inside. I pulled Ava close to me.

“If you have pre-purchased tickets please make a second line off to the left side please!” The security guard announced over the chatter and music. Then he directed the people with tickets to where another guard stood. We headed towards him and handed him our tickets. The guard then stamped our hands and sent us on our way.

Upon entry a glass golden trimmed chandelier welcomed us. The floor had white glitter tile and the ceiling portrayed the inside of a castle, painted with a vintage angelic scene. The Romanesque building intricately designed, with an antique golden water fountain that stood in the middle of the floor. Behind the fountain was a big white marble staircase with roses carved into the rail. The white marbled vines wrapping the stairs, the roses a bright red. La Rosa. Was scripted in gold at the top of the rose staircase, in which was above gold trimmed glass doors. We headed up the elegant staircase and into La Rosa.

We were instantly greeted by a girl dressed in lace stockings and bralette.

“Welcome to the Liquid House. Name please?” She smiled, eyeing me.

Ava squeezed my arm.

“Aryton Balaskas, for 4.”

“Ahhh okay, we got you at booth 6! You go down this hallway, through the doors and it’ll be the last booth on the right side.”

“Okay, thank you so much!”

“You also paid for two bottles of white wine. What can I get you? Retsina? Assyrtiko?”

“2 bottles of your finest Assyrtiko, please.”

“Okay, your shot girl of the night will be right over to you with your bottles!” She smiled and sent us on our way.

“This place is so nice.” Ava looked around at all the flashing lights and bedazzled decorations.

“No kidding, babe thank you. This is amazing.” Rowan kissed Arytons cheek.

“Seriously, thank you man. For everything you do.”

“Oh jee, Thoth, you are the best friend I could ever ask for. You and your father are my family.”

We danced the night away, buzzed off of white wine having the time of our lives. I felt free of responsibility, I felt as if I was living a new life. In the best way, I didn’t feel like my normal self tonight. I danced along with Ava, spinning her in my arms as a smile spread across her face. The bass coursing through our bodies, and time seemed limitless.

“Hey you two, I ordered us a platter of shots!” Aryton came up to us on the dance floor.

“Yes! Let’s go!!!” Ava bounced back to our booth.

“I’ll be right there, I’m going to go to the bathroom.”

I squeezed through the crowd towards the back of the club where a neon blue and green sign flashed: “Restrooms”. There were two archways, one for men one for women. I headed down a long bending hallway, decorated with different posters and quotes. At the end of the hall led straight into the stall area, a big sign outside of the door read: Advance To The Next Level Of The Game in bright neon yellow letters.

My body buzzed all around, I shook but not in fear. The bathroom door cool as I pushed it open. I felt free from my meat suit as I stepped inside. Detachment from my being, as if I was becoming a new one. Basking into a euphoric trance and ascending to the next level. Turning on the sink, the cool water splashed against my face, trying to ground myself back into reality. I took a deep breath and stepped away from the sink, now examining myself.

“What the fuck?” I looked at my button up shirt, that was now a Dark Navy Blue. I swore it was black when I put it on. My mind played with the idea that I had been drugged, but how? When?

I quickly brushed it off, and noticed the golden chain of the amulet hanging out of my pocket. I pulled it out and noticed the Athene noctua figurine was gone. Confused, I headed back out to the party. The rest of the night ending in a blur.

I couldn’t breath. Pitch black. I felt around me, glass. Above me, glass. In an airtight glass box, I could only hear the squeal of my skin against glass and the intense thumping of my heart. To be in confined spaces distracted my thinking and up my spine swiveled madness.

“HELLO!?” I screamed out, only to find that the echoing of my voice eerily bounced off the walls and pierced my eardrums.

“Ahhh.” I covered my ears, and as I did the glass box lit up.

The room outside of the box was an empty all white room.

“… hello?” I heard a voice softly answer back from in front of me.

In an instant another light turned on and a women’s face was pressed against the glass of another box, just inches away from my face. All the dread and panic I had felt was immediately gone. She noticed me, we gazed deeply into each other eyes without saying a word. I lifted my hand up and pressed it against the glass, she pressed her hand against the glass across from mine. I felt the urgency we had for one another, and even in the circumstance of being so close, yet so far away, she soothed me. We longed for each other and without ever saying a word, we knew we were in love.