Context: This is an excerpt from my autobiographical novel. Flitting between now, then, and later, this is my attempt to make sense of my mess of a life, align it with the world at large, and layout the good, bad, and ugly of it all.

The story’s present is written in past tense, littered with fever dreams and abstract flashbacks written in present tense. The following is a flashback, set in a now closed nightclub in a rough northern town.

(The quoted lyrics are from Faith No More’s From Out Of Nowhere)

Cheat Code #2

Along with peach and cherry, coconut is one of those flavours it’s impossible to fake well. This elementary fact is never more evident than when vomiting a litre of Malibu onto the floor of Gulliver’s Nightclub. Jonathan Swift spins in his grave.

Give em an excuse to finally get the mop out.

Why’ve they not kicked me out yet?

Been spewing ages.

“Tossed into my mind, stirring the calm.”

Tune! Go on then!

A pillar helps him to his feet.

Another helps him to the dancefloor.

Lurches into blue spotlight.

“You splash me with beauty and pull me down”

Head thrashes, hair windmills.

“Cause you come from out of nowhere”

Black velvet curtain draws back. Asymmetric. Long legs. Black boots.

“My glance turns to a stare”

They dance…

“Obsession rules me…”

Kiss…

“I know you see me…”

Leave…

“One minute here, and one minute there. Don’t know if I’ll ever cry…”

Black velvet curtain falls. Pink crescent moon.

“One minute here, and one minute there. And then you wave goodbye”

Opposite the library, leant against a wall, he smokes on the floor.

Keepers of Knowledge stare down, hooded, impassive.

Wraith-like decomposition.