Chapter 6: A Desert Blessing

Alexander breathed in.

He had been sitting, reclining really, in his chair for the last forty-five minutes. His phone next to him played 'Ninety Seconds under Water', the latest album by Alexander's favorite band, Drain Jump. It was a heart-wrenching album, sang in a minimalist style, and had won several awards.

Alexander breathed out.

He didn't care. He had heard all the songs before; there was no surprise in it anymore; there was nothing new. His mind could play back the next lyrics before the song could, and it touched him not at all.

Alexander breathed in.

He had tried to figure out something to do that night. Goodness knows it wasn't just his sister that got annoyed with inactivity. But he had finished all his studying too quickly, and the few friends that he had were apparently busy with their studies.

Alexander breathed out.

In a moment of desperation, he had even tried calling Miranda. She didn't pick up, of course. They had only met briefly in their discussion, talking about postmodernism's effect on literature and the backlash of the early twenty-first century. Why would she remember? Why would she care?

Alexander breathed in.

He had tried reading some of his favorite books, but they were of no solace. He knew the good parts by heart, and the familiar words on the page were cold and lifeless.

Alexander breathed out.

He had even tried reading some new stuff on his surface. He had never read them, but they were as boring and predictable as the works he had already read, just like detective program on earlier that day.

Alexander breathed in.

The worst part about all this, is that he didn't really even care. He had been in this place before. He always got out of it, sooner or later, somehow. It's not like it was a bad place, really.

Alexander breathed out.

He just wished he did feel bad about it, because he much preferred when he was reading a really good book or watching a really good program. He just didn't find much of them these days. And feeling bad about it might just get him off this chair and trying something else.

Alexander breathed in.

Damn Alexandria, anyway. Why did she have to be the one that always did fun things all the time? Why couldn't he figure out something to do?

Alexander breathed out.

It wouldn't be so bad if she didn't remind him of it every single day. As if she was just taunting him. As if she didn't really want him to get out that evening, but just wanted to remind him of how little he had going on all the time.

Alexander breathed in.

Drain Jump's haunting wailing ceased as Alexander's phone began to ring. He sat up quickly, and answered it.

“Hello?”

It was Miranda. And she remembered his name. Good start.

“Hi!” Alexander said. “Thanks for calling back.” He hesitated. “I wasn't sure you would.” His voice came out firm, but, darn it, why did he have to say that? Their conversation continued, and it went from bad to worse. How could he know all the romantic and witty banter in twenty different books by heart and still screw this up as badly as he was doing?

“Thanks again for calling back,” Alexander said, and tried to put as much sincerity and warmth into his voice as possible.

“You're very welcome,” said Miranda.

“Hey, when are you usually... free.” She had hung up. He could tell.

Alexander leaned back on his couch. Of course she didn't want to hang out with him. Who would? She just didn't have the heart to tell it to him straight. He should probably feel worse about that than he did. He probably should be feeling something at this point, actually.

Well, dammit, there was a solution to that.

With sudden decision, Alexander got up and threw on his jacket. He tried not to think too much about where he was headed. If he thought about it too much he might lose his nerve to go there at all.

He walked up Lindon St., heading further away from the University to the outskirts of the student housing. That side of town held the grocery stores, the clothing stores, and the Brewery. He was going to the Brewery.

On some level, he was just fed up with just sitting around and not really feeling anything. In the past, he had listened to music so clean and soaring that it had almost made him weep. He had read words so deep and true that they had made him laugh. He hadn't done that in too darn long.

The Brewery had bright neon signs surrounding the windows and the doors, advertising all the products therein. There was old fashioned alcohol, if that was your thing, but the majority of the signs were dedicated to the emotions promised therein. There was Joy; there was Laughter; there was Comfort to be found in there, and unlike the bars of old, it was really true.

Alexander went in. There room was well lit, and comfortable. There were students smiling and laughing, all sitting in comfortable chairs. They weren't moving around too much, but a few were talking to each other. There was another group over in the corner. Their chairs, if it was possible, were even more comfortable. The students in that section were sobbing into their arms. Even though they were all sitting together, some only a few feet from each other, they all seemed so utterly, desperately alone. They were watched by an impassive waiter, who looked on with neither disgust nor compassion.

Alexander walked up to the bar, and tried to look knowing about the choices.

“Is this your first time here?”

Alexander turned to look at the man who addressed him. He was thin, with short black hair jutting out slightly over his forehead. He wore a lose leather jacket and jeans. He was smiling, and holding a small glass of amber liquid.

“Why would you say that?” Alexander said.

“It's my job to notice things about people,” the youth said, easily. He held out his hand. “My name is Adrian. What's yours?”

“Al.” Alexander took the hand. Adrian's grip was just a little too loose for comfort. “And, yes, I suppose it is my first time here.”

Adrian gazed at him steadily. “What's your problem?”

“Problem?”

Adrian nodded, and spread his arms out to encompass the rest of the Brewery. “Everyone in here has a problem, Al. Everyone in here needs something. Everyone here is looking for something. What are you looking for?”

Alexander thought about it. “I'm just hoping to feel something, anything, I guess. I'm not looking for anything in particular.”

Adrian's smile grew. “Might I recommend Euphoria?”

Alexander frowned. “I'm not really in the mood for that kind of bliss, I think. Maybe something a little milder.”

“Of course you're not in that mood. That's why it would be the perfect thing. It's on me, I insist.” Adrian ordered one, and Alexander watched as the tender poured a few ounces of clear liquid into a small glass. Adrian raised his glass of amber liquid, and they clinked glasses. Alexander drained it in one gulp.

He thought he felt something happening, at any rate. “What are you drinking?” he said, pointing at Adrian's amber liquid.

“Scotch,” Adrian said. His smile was mostly teeth now. “I never touch the Brews.” But by that point Alexander was feeling too happy to really notice.

Chapter 6: 1,280 | 11,780/50,000

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