Ultraviolet

The music was thumping, pounding, resounding in my brain as I gyrated and jumped, my heart becoming one with the beat of the bass, my sanity lost somewhere in the mess of my alcohol-obliterated mind. I reached out into the crowd and grabbed his arm, pulling him to me, holding him as I felt his body writhe in time with mine, the music combining our bodies and souls in a single sense of motion, of movement and meaning. I looked down at him, swearing to myself that I would remember this stranger's face, and in the moment his eyes locked onto mine, I was lost.

Blackness and flashes of light, neon colors spilled in the forms of glow sticks and cocktails, bodies pressed together, undulating as the beat sped up, the bass shattering any hints of shyness. None of it made sense, and none of it had to. There was exposed skin and glistening necklines, shoulders becoming chests and glitter and sweat. There were lips pressed hard together as tongues tangled in the search for completion, knowing that we were all feeling lonely and needed someone, only for a moment. My eyes were only on him as my hands rested on his hips, his naked chest toned and glistening under the strobes, his hair swept away from his forehead and his hands on my shoulders. He was pressed to me, his eyes never leaving mine, and then his hand was behind my head, pulling me down to him as he put his lips to my ear.

"I am Ceron."

"Aeryn.."

His lips were pressed to mine and his fingers were pressed to the small of my back, and I was spinning, cartwheeling in worlds I had never imagined as the softest touch was left upon my lips and I was alone in the universe with him as my eternity. The bass broke into my reverie and we were surrounded again, the lights flashing and my head spinning as I held him as if letting go would be the end of everything. He was still looking into my eyes as he smiled and pulled me out of the crowd. I realized we were standing by the bar when a drink was pressed into my hand and I shot it as quickly as another could be poured, becoming ever more lost in the chaos. He laughed as he kissed my forehead.

My head was pounding as I opened my eyes to glaring sunlight, confused as I rolled onto my side and saw an unfamiliar alarm clock on an unfamiliar nightstand. I sat up slowly, cracking my knuckles and I felt my heartbeat in my head. The room was pale yellow and the artwork was generic, the sheets too stiff and the pillows not soft enough. I knew I was in a hotel, and that was all I knew. I stumbled out of bed and found the sink, splashing water on my face and drinking as much as my aching stomach could stand. I didn't look at myself in the mirror before I turned on the shower, and I sat in the tub as the tepid water turned warmer. It didn't soothe the ache in my head. I couldn't remember getting naked, but it didn't matter to my muddled mind.

Minutes or hours later, I dragged myself out of the steamy room and back to the main room, found my clothes hanging in the closet. I pulled on my jeans and T-shirt, recognizing the smell of freshly washed clothes. There was coffee in the tiny pot and a note next to a bottle of Ibuprofen. I didn't know the handwriting.

"You will need these. Drink as

much water as you can stand. Call

the front desk when you want

breakfast. I have taken care of

it all. Sleep peacefully.

Stay as long as you want. -C"

I closed my eyes, trying to summon a memory that was lost in the blackness of the alcohol, then I went over to the hotel phone. I hit the 0 and it rang once.

"Front desk, my name is Linda, how may I help you today?"

"Yeah, I.." my voice was hoarse and cracked, but I swallowed and tried again. "I want to know who brought me here last night."

"I'm sorry sir, I wasn't working that shift. Which room are you in?"

"The phone says 302."

"Ah! There is a note here. It says to send up breakfast when you call. That will be on its way as soon as it is ready."

"Who brought me here?"

"We have the room under C. Terian. Cash. Three nights."

"Who the hell is that?"

"I don't know, sir. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No. Thanks."

With the click of the receiver I was sitting on the bed, my head in my hands as I closed my eyes with a dull ache. It felt like only a moment passed before there was a knock at the door, and I slowly walked over, opening it. A cart was pushed in and the man smiled brightly, his eyes lingering on my face for a moment as he turned away after leaving the cart.

"Let me give you something," I said, pulling my wallet out of the pocket of my jeans.

"No, sir. Everything has been taken care of." His accent was light and I couldn't identify it. I nodded and he smiled again, backing out of the room and closing the door behind him. This was weird. I couldn't remember how I had gotten here or who this C. Terian was, and I couldn't imagine why he would pay for everything for a total stranger. Maybe I gave him something worth paying for... I shook my head at the thought, knowing that there was no use wondering. I sat down to eat after I poured myself a styrofoam cup of coffee, mixing in a little sugar and taking four Ibuprofen. Three pancakes, four strips of bacon, two sausages and an incredible array of fruit later, I felt my eyelids getting heavy. I took the bottle of Ibuprofen back to the nightstand and curled up on the bed, my body aching as the hangover took its toll.

I closed my eyes and was lost to the ether of dreamless sleep, the memory of burning blue eyes lingering hauntingly on the edge of oblivion.