-I wrote the following novel nearly two decades ago. In the years between then and now I've honed my craft, and my perception of this world; my thoughts and ideas; have changed dramatically. However, I still enjoy the premise and have decided to do an overhaul of revisions and rewrites, though likely not until sometime next year. (Though I'm sure I'll do a little as I post chapters)
For now I hope you will enjoy a glimpse into my book writing beginnings...
They are the closest of friends though they have never met in waking life.
Prologue-PT1 Prologue-PT2 Chapter 1
Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10
Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13
Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16
Chapter Seventeen
“Nah, maybe the alcohol will improve his game,” Ben grinned at him, a cigar hanging from the corner of his mouth. “Besides, this is just a warm up. I was thinking that once Jake clears us out we might want to amble down to the more seedy side of town and shoot some pool.”
“Yes, now there’s a game I can play,” Collin grinned back.
“You don’t mean a bar do you? We can’t go into any bars!” Gerald had already been frowning intensely from his losses, now it looked like the vein in his forehead might actually come through the skin.
“You really need to learn to relax. Come on, with the way you guys talk, no one’s going to bother you.”
“Oh yeah sure, they’re not going to be suspicious of a bunch of underage looking kids who talk above their heads when an institution for the exceptionally bright is in their neighborhood.”
“We can head out of town a little. Besides you don’t just sound older, you look it, and you two-he pointed with scissor fingers at Gerald and Jake-definitely have the right attire.”
“I don’t know Ben, I hate to jump on the bandwagon here, but don’t they usually card at bars?” Brent looked worried for the first time of the night.
“If they don’t let us in, they don’t let us in. What’s the big deal? They’re not going to arrest us for trying, right Ben?” Collin was already on the way out the door in his head.
“Right.”
“Well I’d go, but I don’t want to hang out in some dive. Something with a little class.” Jake kept surprising them tonight.
“Okay, something with a little class it is. Everyone ready to concede to Jakey, or what?” Ben tossed his cards on the table.
Gerald hadn’t spoken since his outburst, but he looked as if he might burst into tears.
“Hey Gerald, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. We want you to, but if it bothers you that much, just hang out here and we’ll tell you all about it when we return.”
“Daggit,” he put his head in his hands for a moment. “All right, all right, I’ll go, but if I get in trouble for this, I’m not speaking to you guys for a month.”
“All right, let’s finish this game!”
Two hands later Collin and Brent were out, having each gone all in on what they considered their best hands of the night. The other three upped the antes and the stakes.
Six hands later Jake was counting up his money with a grin that actually seemed to go ear to ear. It was so out of place on his normally somber face he looked like a cartoon character.
Ben, the second to last man standing sat and brooded for a full minute, than whirled out of the chair he had been sitting in backwards. “Well boys, no when to fold ‘em! Let’s bounce on outta here.”
The first place they tried was a bust. Probably if most of them had I.D.’s it wouldn’t have posed such a problem, but with only one out of five their chances were a little slim.
“Okay boys, we’re going in one where they’re not carding at the door, Jake will try and spot a nice place, and then Collin, Brent, and Jake head over to the pool table while Gerald and I go order some drinks.”
“Whoa, no way, I’m not ordering anything.”
“Gerald, you have to man. You look the oldest with that adorable mustache-”he tweaked it to Gerald’s utter dismay, “-and as soon as you start talking no one will doubt your old enough. You’re not going to get in trouble for being served drinks underage, if anyone gets in trouble it’s the bar for not carding you.”
“I am going to seriously regret this night.”
“That-a-boy!” Ben clapped him on the back, then turned around and started the car.
Fifteen minutes later they found a winner. Nicely dressed people were socializing around the doorway, and no bouncers were guarding the entrance.
They walked in, Ben and Gerald in the lead, and Collin made a beeline for the billiards with Jake and Brent in tow.
Less than ten minutes later they were waiting for a game with drinks in hand. They congratulated one in another with their eyes only and talked about other things.
“I think it might be awhile before the table’s ours, anyone up for a game of darts?” Collin indicated the flashy electronic dartboards in the next room.
“I could play some cricket.”
Ben and Collin headed over to the board.
“Man these machines are a rip-off, 3 quarters a man for one game now. Inflation is a bitch.” Ben dropped in the money and pulled the darts out. “Any good?”
Collin shrugged, “Not bad.”
Ben took his stance and shot. Two seventeen’s right off the bat.
Collin grabbed the darts and stood in complete focus for a moment. He pulled back his arm, triple 17 and a 15. Ben whistled.
“I guess I have my work cut out.”
They played head to head for the next 20 minutes, Collin grabbing the win by two bulls in the end.
“Hey,” Brent called, “We’re up.”
“You guys go ahead, me and Collin here have a rematch to play.”
Gerald and Jake paired up against the previous winners, and Brent walked over to Collin and Ben.
“I got winner.”
“All right. Hey why don’t you go up to the bar and get us each another round?” Ben leaned back and made his shot. Brent stood and stared at him, brow wrinkled.
“Uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Come on, just walk up with your last drink, they’ve seen you already, they’ll just assume. Besides, if you ever want to come back here without me, this would be your in road.”
Brent shrugged and went to the bar. He had to fit himself into a spot, there were a considerable amount of people rallying for their own drinks. He saw that the people who had money out got looked at and put his cash out in front of him. He still had to wait but when the bartender came over he barely glanced at him when he asked what he needed. He ordered three beers and two stiff drinks-he figured they’d pressure Gerald just once more.
Gerald and Jake were busy congratulating each other when he got back over to them, having won their game. Brent held out the drinks and Jake took his, while
Gerald gave him a look.
“Come on Gerald, celebrate our win with me.” Jake held up his glass.
“Fine, fine, one.”
They clinked glasses and swallowed.
“Not bad,” Gerald said.
Two hours later he wouldn’t recall how he’d gone from abstinent to utterly wasted.
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