In another life, Emily groggily opened her eyes, her cheek glued to the surface of a grain-soaked, worn out bar top. Her skimpy black dress slumped off of one shoulder, an empty shot glass still in her outstretched hand. Her favorite bar was slow on Tuesdays, and especially this time of day. But she could get cheaper drinks here than anywhere else in town, and that was all that mattered. The bartender, a slick-haired young man wearing a sky-blue loose button down shirt gleamed a grin at her.
"Nice to see you're finally awake."
Without asking, he cleaned her empty shot glass and refilled it, an amber colored liquid soaking into the sides of the container. Emily, somewhat painfully, unstuck her face from the bar top and eyed the drink. She gave the bartender a pretty smile, as best she could manage in her current condition.
"Thanks, Johnny. I always could count on you."
She greedily gulped the whiskey, eyes closed, letting the sweet burn slide down her throat and sit in her belly with so many others, trying hard to savor every drop. Her tongue searched the inside of the glass, sponging up anything that might be left over. Finally, she set the glass down, not caring that Johnny was watching her intently.
"I'll be right back, Johnny. Save me a seat."
She attempted to wink at him as she stood, using the bar top as a crutch for her liquored up legs. Her wedge shoes didn't help, but then they were never about practicality, were they? Like the captain of a great barge, Emily carefully careened in the direction of the women's restroom.
Finding her way inside, she closed the door behind her and stumbled towards the lone ladies' toilet in this very small bar. Emily hiked up her dress over her compact hips, and pushed down a matching black thong before landing on the seat a little too hard. She could already feel that last shot hit her, and the world got three ounces fuzzier as she let her head hang and the splash of the seal being broken began.