Another Rapture

CHAPTER 18

-PRICE WILLIAMS' POINT OF VIEW-

Amazing vibes flow like a virus, but a good one. There's love in the air, all hyped up and ready to give us a good time. Clubbing makes everyone's synapses jump like beans in a tin. It was like everyone couldn't be more alive if they were shouting. The music is a drug that brings people higher, higher until their mind buzzes with pure joy. Feeling as if their soul will shine so bright their skin will start to glow, like aura would become visible. But the night is so young, limbs have so much energy to the point that each one in this place could dance for millennia and then some more. They dance as if this was their last night on Earth, but I think that's just the way their mind avoids thinking about the hangover to come. The music moves everyone like a puppet on strings, head mashing so hard, brain is in shut down mode. There's so much sweat on skin. The strobe masks so many of movements, every clap of hands like it's on pause at different moments.

Tomorrow they'll be hell to pay but tonight the alcohol keeps on flowing on everyone's system. The club is electric tonight, everyone feeding off of the smiles and fast dancing. It was like everyone could go like this all night long, feet moving to the crazy beat like they belong to the music. Move their dress like their hips were made to sway, the sequins catching the disco ball light that twirls above launching every shade of the rainbow into the darkness.

"Hey! Are you just going to stare at them all night?" a familiar voice suddenly occupies my thoughts.

"Tsk! What do you want Gray?" I asked the man with an irritation on my voice.

"woah! Chill bro! why don't you have some fun" He stated as if he helpfully gives an advice

"Nah! I'm good" I coldly utter as I took a glance on a glass of rum he handed to me

"Come on, drink this" he stated. Without any choice I accept his offer and take the glass of rum.

"You're not even drinking jackass! That wasn't an accessory to keep idiot!" he stated that makes me laugh.

"hey! Why are you laughing, you're pissing me off! Cut it out!" he mumbled like an eleven-year-old boy.

"You're desperate aren't you?" I asked him while I can't help but to burst out laughing. He looks like a tomato, his face turned red. He really is pissed off.

"you really good at pissing me off does you? I just want you to have some fun! I'm not desperate of drinking stupid!" he loudly stated as I continue to mocked in front of him teasingly.

"your idiotic face looks like a hell a tomato" I teasingly added.

"Cut it out! Let's just enjoy the night moron!" he chuckles as he convincingly makes me accept his offer. After a minute of teasing, laughing and wondering around, we decided to go on the balcony to drink and have some talk peacefully.

"Darn it! what a relief! Gracias a Dios!" He said pointing to the silent music that this balcony brought us.

(Gracias a Dios – Thank God)

The balcony was a concrete ledge, a huge sort of a mixture of square rough edges and a vintage rail, but it was her oasis. Filled whatever space a comfortable table that did not occupy with potted plants. On this balcony she could enjoy the breeze, the sun and even sometimes sit out in misty rain. Below the town flowed in its tense way, bustling and honking.

Hermana's balcony

"By the way, what do you want to drink?" he asks while walking towards the mini bar.

"hmm just something extreme" I simply said walking towards on a chesterfield in front of the counter.

The smoke twisted in its artistic way, forming curls in the gloom, illuminated only by the age-speckled bar lights. Along the wall was every hue of amber liquid in their inverted bottles; I rest my hand on the couch. A sharp smell of drink wafts towards me, like black plumes bellowing from the windows of a burning house. There's even a hint of sick tainting the fragrance of the place.

Seems like Gray open up the fireplace.

Looking towards on Gray's direction, he seems enjoying mixing, it was his passion to serve a finest cocktail in the world yet destiny seems his only antagonist. Some folks wear a smile; but this guy was the smile. Everything about him was a soft and understated joy as he greeted each ingredients and alcohol as if it was a person. He seems tough and brave yet his passion seems mirrored in his eyes.

"Boulivardier for you, it is the Negroni's fraternal twin that utilizes whiskey instead of gin. It's simply equal parts rye, amaro, and sweet vermouth. Garnish with an orange twist, and you've got yourself an afternoon." He professionally explained while winking

"Tsk! Since when does my twin brother became a Gay?" I tease him but instead he continues to serve

"and bloody mary for me, it is as much an experience as a drink. The brunch-time staple is best enjoyed with a house mix of tomato juice, vodka, and spices. And, if it's your thing, an array of garnishes, from celery and olives, to bacon, to entire cheeseburgers, are known to make appearances." He added and sit beside me.

"You do really have a knowledge about cocktails do you?" I asked him sipping his boulevardier.

"Yeah! I was born with it!" he stated while staring at the beautiful town lights

"Lycko and I are planning to supposedly releasing our signatures. We talked before that incidents that we were going to surprise you and make you proud. She wants to release her very own apple wine called demon's kiss while I want to release my very own cocktail that could probably called as diablo, yet I released her creation not in a way we planned, not in a way I planned. I released it as a tribute because believe it or not that moment was my treasure with her" he stated as he continuously drank the glass of bloody mary.

"It's been almost a year since she left" I suddenly mocked before drinking my cocktail.

"yeah, yet the wound she left was still fresh" he murmured

"I wonder if Knight Drain feels the same way as you, me and Lock" I said making him confused

"what do you mean?" he asks

"hmm nothing it's just that, I was wondering about how he feels that it's been almost a year since Lycko passed away and I was wondering how their lives work now. The last time we saw them is on Lock's opening right? I just kind a concern" I stated pursuing him to talk about Knight Drain

"We all try to live with her memory that hunted us. Maybe Knight Drain feel the same way as we do, yet he can't be brave enough to accept and face his own feelings so he tries to cover it up with his infamous expressions, Lock maybe suffering because fate doesn't give him a chance to prove his self and to love our sister. And the two of us who is hunted by the reality of not saving her, we all depends our life to her but without her all of us change. Losing changes, us, the way we live, the way we treat other people, the way we socialize and our relationship towards each other change a lot." He simply said yet has a great impact to me.

"you know, even you changed a lot, Price" Gray utter as he looks at me straight in my eyes

"The mere fact that I couldn't save her from this makes me realize that I need to change. I need to be brave not just a wimpy intelligent guy who know nothing about fighting." I stated honestly

"what happened seems to be our wakeup call" Gray said

"A fucking terrible wakeup call" I added as the both of us agree on the idea we stated towards each other.

I wish I was just having a nightmare.

A deep sigh came out from me as I decided to rest my head on the chesterfield. The sky was black tranquility married to a poetry of stars. It was the softness that called body and brain to rest and let the heart go to its steady rhythm. Night came as a reward of sorts, a restfulness above to calm the soul. It was a special kind of blackness, the kind that wants only to hold the stars and help them to shine all the brighter. It was a warm black that hugged you no matter what, and within its safety I could feel my own soul more clearly. The pure black of the night is my comfort, the blanket of generous velvet that keeps me safe. It is the pure black that makes the moon so beautiful, that makes a stage for me to stand upon. It is the pure black of the night that gives the stars their beauty, and in it my heart is safe, my soul serene.

My thoughts suddenly stop as we hear a loud banging sound towards the sliding door of this balcony.

"Sirs, I'm sorry if I allowed him to enter. He's very stubborn" one of our man said while shivering

"what do you need?" Gray seriously ask

"I have a terrible news" Knight Drain said straight forwardly

"We told you, we're out on your plans" I stated yet Lock suddenly appears from his back.

"Hear him out, I personally don't want this, but we need to actually continue what we started" Lock stated anxiously

"what do you mean continue?" I ask

"The mad man Andrew was found dead" Lock stated with hesitation

"what?"- Gray

"yeah, and we want you guys to see his corpse" Knight Drain added

Immediately, we drove our cars to the room where he was being locked up, some police men and investigators are there together with the Town's sheriff. It was a dark space, the dark room was like a place out of time, a place to rest without consequence. The darkness in that way was a sanctuary, a place to recharge and forget the things the world said had to be done. It wasn't that Andrew couldn't or wouldn't, but rather that he needed that sense of stepping out of the craziness for a while.

Yet he alone is the crazy

Darkness came like the thick velvet curtains of the theatre. It was as if the daytime had been one part of a play and the rest was to come after this intermission of night. I let my eyes wander the furniture, to the highs and lows of emotions, and to the love that dwelt in that room, yet there is no sign of any affections. As usual I wandered to the window to gaze at the stars, to peek into the universe, the spectacle that was given when all else was taken as if commanding me to look and feel both my smallness and my oneness with something greater.

"This is his room" Knight Drain stated making me back to my consciousness. He leads us to another brass mahogany door that full of caution tapes on it.

The man on the floor was lifeless. Lifeless. His auburn hair was scattered in multiple places. His emerald green eyes were wide open, but his jade irises held a sudden fear. His clothes, a lime green tunic and some black capris, were clean as if no one tries to murder him. His body was slumped over, half-sitting, half-laying on the cold linoleum floor. And the smell. The smell was the most disturbing thing I had ever sniffed. It was a blatant his bowels had been released, and all too soon. My heart started to pound as my questions continued to race through my mind.

"Seems the strike starts again" I chuckles as I continue walking towards the victim's body.

Who did this?

Is it same case with Copper's?

"no bruises, no scars, even gunshots or any sign that he was being attacked." I whisper that makes everyone stop due to shock

"Sounds very familiar right? This is the reason why I need your help. I need someone who knows a lot about forensics and all of us know that the Williams Twins knows a lot" Knight Drain stated

"It was same as Copper Richardson's case" Gray stated

Grabbing a disposable glove, I automatically examined Andrew's body. Observing every inch of his skin, even on his genitals.

"I need to confirm if my conclusion was right" I said as I continue to observe his body and looking for any signs and marks yet I couldn't found any

"what do you mean?" Gray utters as he helps me to move the body to expose its back.

"You mean; you have a lead?" Lock asks for assurance

"Yeah, but I actually learn all of this from Lycko, she teaches me everything about forensics and poisons" I stated as confusion started

"Wait! So you mean… He was poisoned?" Knight Drain asks while looking for some piece of evidence on the floor. Instead of answering their questions, I just focus on finding a little sign to prove that my conclusion was right.

"Fuck! It can't be!" I hissed out of anxiousness, I can't find any piece on his body. I stare at the victim as Gray move it back to its usual position "Damn it! what if? Ow shit I got it!" I exclaimed because of excitement.

"have you found any?" Gray asks me while confusion run through his face

"yeah, H-Hey Lock… Knight Drain" I utter as I called them

"Mr. Andrew was being poisoned" I simply stated

"so you mean, the culprit knows how to conduct poison?" Lock ask and suddenly his confused emotion turns into anger

"Hey what's going on" Gray stated

"Bullshit! Meaning to say that Poison still alive!" Lock utters aggressively as he punches the wall. A droplet of blood came on his fist.

"Y-You mean, Lycko didn't kill one of the leaders" I whispered, I feel my knees suddenly trembles and weakened.

How?

Why?

"H-How can this be?" Gray stared blankly on each one of us "You said Angelycko killed that bastard? A-and they killed our sister because they want her life as exchanged to his?" He mumbles terribly as he finally releases his anger

"I-I saw it! I saw how she killed the leader, how she stabs him with her dagger multiple times! I saw it! I-I saw the fucking blood came out from his mouth and his stab wounds! I saw how the cyanide accompany his body and I saw Lycko's anger! I'm pretty sure he's dead!" Lock explained with confusion

"or maybe we are being tricked!" Knight Drain utters as all of us take a glance on his serious face.

"This is not the right place to discuss it" I said as I noticed that sheriff was walking towards our direction. "Let's discuss this on the Laboratory" I suggested as they automatically get my point and nod.

"Sheriff, bring his body on the forensics' laboratory and I let the Williams lead the examination" Knight Drain utters and we finally planned to leave the room and headed straight to the parking space and drive as fast as we can to reach Sol y Luna. I called my men to check for bugs down there and destroy it, I just trying to be safe here.

"I can't risk another life for this mission." I utter while driving through Town's dark road.

I clenched my fist towards the steering wheel as I remembered how my sister died on my arms just because of the so-called eye for an eye concept. We all click the bait. If these things go same as what I've been thinking, then I'll make that bastard pay for what he did to my sister.

"Sheriff, bring his body on the forensics' laboratory and I let the Williams lead the examination"

"I let the Williams lead the examination"

"he only wants us to lead because we are the only forensic in this town-" I suddenly grasp and stop talking as I reflect further on what I was talking about.

"Jesus Christ" I murmured as I wiped my face because of excitement that slowly flowing on my system.

"We are the only forensic in town and we handled all the death cases and dead bodies here in Realm, yet we didn't handle Copper Richardson's body!" I exclaimed as the idea came out swiftly.

"who handled yours?"

"is this somehow connected?"