Chapter 9

"...ugghh. Fuck."

As Jeffrey rolled over and opened his eyes to the piercing noon rays streaming in from the open curtains next to where he lay, he became acutely aware of the soft acoustic guitar floating down the hall from a seemingly distant room.

Where the hell am I? What happened last night? Is that fucking Oasis?

"Ugghh," as he tried to smother both sun and sound with a baby blue, carnation embroidered lace pillow case. After a few minutes of failing to drown out the muted strumming, he swung his legs out over the edge of the bed, surprised to find a comfortable pair of silk slippers awaiting his feet.

"Huh."

After a lengthy stretch, Jeffrey slipped out the half open door to find himself in a baby blue nightmare. From the walls (painted such a faded blue as to almost appear white on first glance), to the matching side table, to the almost inconspicuously crooked gouache painting hanging above it.

"Jesus," as his eyes adjusted slowly to the flood of light and dull periwinkle throughout the house. He stepped from the hallway, where he was greeted by a strikingly beautiful younger lady he quickly recognized, yet couldn't quite put his finger on how.

"Good afternoon, Jeff. It is Jeff, right?"

"Yes, ma'am." Ma'am?

"Feeling better I hope? Bit of a rough one last night, eh." As she said this, she let out a soft laugh that struck a beautiful chord inside Jeffrey. Feeling a little taken aback by his sudden desire, he made an about turn and began an awkward half-jog to the bathroom he had passed moments before.

A man's voice echoed down the hallway, "You alright in there bud?" As Jeffrey heard this, the elusive memories of the previous night came rushing back to him. The waitress? And the fucking cop. Where am I?

"Couldn't leave you to find your way home in the state you were in last night, my friend."

That bar is less than two blocks from my house. What the hell happened last night?

Jeffrey slumped into the sink, unable to control the buckling of his legs. He heard the door behind him creak open, then a soft whisper, as the world faded black again.