Slumming it

**Nil** · Jun 3rd, 2011 06:06 PM

'Mike. Fuck man, this is bullshit dude, I need your-'

The sentence was interrupted by sudden Roger's scream and a shrill howl that had almost made Michael drop the phone the first time he heard the message.

This wasn't the first time he had done this. Go slumming it, get in trouble, call for his 7'1 buddy to come and bail him out of trouble. He was a good guy, met him back in the team, but had an unhealthy addiction to getting into deep shit.

This was different, though. Sure, he had got himself in trouble that he couldn't handle himself, but that scream was nothing a normal human throat could make.

He had at least put his savior on red alert. Sent him a message that he'd go hit this dingy bar in the middle of nowhere, address included, to check out the bottom of the barrel of girls of the night. Michael had just been sensible enough to pass. If just because he knew stuff like this happened in places like that.

Jun 3rd, 2011 06:16 PM

"Fuck it, Rog, what've you gotten yourself into this time?" Mike muttered to himself as he slung into the car, running a hand back through his short black hair. He didn't really want to be driving to some dive bar in the middle of the night, but that was what a friend did. It was what a team-mate did. And fuck, he'd been in some jams himself, plenty of times. He was just damned lucky that with his build, only people too drunk to see tended to get in his way.

But that scream. Fuck that scream. Mike could smell stagnant wet fur at the very thought of it, as though the thing, which had to be fucking dead, it just had to be, was right there behind him, grinning. He shuddered and sped up a bit, towards the bar.

Maybe it was a crossed line. Maybe it was Roger's dumbfuck idea of a prank, and if it was, Mike was gonna give him Hell. But he knew that there were things out there, too. And knowing that shit meant that he wasn't gonna just think prank. He couldn't. The thought never left him alone.

"You better be alive, you fucking asshole, or I'm gonna kill you," Mike added to the interior of the car. Sure, no one could hear him, but it made him feel a damned sight better.

**Nil** · Jun 3rd, 2011 06:40 PM

The place was far enough that nobody gave a damn. This far outside of town, it'd be more of a stop for truckers or bikers with a certain type of appetite. The police would never come this far out on patrol, and even on call they'd take forever.

The circumstances just made the trip feel longer, eternal. The dull noise of the engine, the drag of the wind, the noise of the blinkers. Little things that were normally unnoticed, but right now were nigh unbearable.

At last you see the spot. Little more than a shack in the middle of nowhere. It didn't seem like it was a great business night for them, even for a Friday. The place had a couple of cars parked and that's it. Not even a bouncer was manning the front.

Jun 4th, 2011 04:41 AM

Mike pulled up his car in one of the free spots. He ran one huge hand back through his short hair and grimaced.

"Fucking Hell, Rog, you could've picked a closer place to get your ass into trouble," he muttered, because being angry made it easier not to be afraid. Not of people, but of sopping wet, stinking creatures that might crawl at any moment from the sewers. Fuck, he needed a drink, and he wasn't going to be able to get one. Fuck.

He looked around for Rog's car. There was always the chance that the guy had just collapsed and dropped his phone, and was sleeping it off in the back seat, right?

**Nil** · Jun 4th, 2011 10:58 AM

Neither of the two beat-up pieces of scrap that littered the entrance to the old building were Roger's cars. At least not the one you knew, perhaps he had fallen into hardship since you had your last outing but it seemed unlikely that it would be this dire.

As you pull into the gravel of the parking lot, you hear there's music coming from within the place. It wasn't early enough to be that it was just opening, nor late enough that people were heading back out, just that it was a bad business night. At least it seemed like the place was open.

Jun 4th, 2011 02:17 PM

Mike got out of the car and closed the door behind him, making sure it was locked. After a moment's thought, he made damn sure nothing was visible through the windows. That would be far too fucked up. Come to a place like this, head in, find Rog passed out under a table, come out and find his car had been jacked. Yeah, that would be just fucking perfect.

He walked into the bar, keeping an eye out for Roger.

C'mon man, let this be a dumbass prank. I don't need to pull ya outta a hole.

**Nil** · Jun 4th, 2011 02:29 PM

The bar was empty. That is, past the barman, what would have been the bouncer and two of the shadiest strippers anyone would have ever seen.

They all sat by the counter, each downing their own damp bottle of Bud. They turned to gaze at Michael when he came in before returning their gaze forward.

One of the strippers, instead, chooses to approach Michael.

"Hey baby, you're the first lucky guy tonight. Why don't you sit and I can put a show for you?"

Was that a C-section scar? Yeah... it was a C-section scar.

Jun 4th, 2011 03:05 PM

Mike glanced at the stripper, decided that no matter how desperate he might be, he wasn't that desperate and shook his head. There was no way he was going to fuck someone with a kid, or watch them take off their clothes. The whole idea just weirded the Hell out of him.

"Yeah... no thanks. I'm looking for a friend of mine. Roger? Guy was stopping by here?" Mike said, smiling a bit. "Sorry, lady, I'm not really in the mood. My buddy, y'see, he could be in a bit of trouble."

**Nil** · Jun 4th, 2011 04:50 PM

"Big trucker guy? NY Mets cap that he never takes off? Haven't seen him in a while."

Obviously she was thinking of a different Roger. Or someone else altogether. She didn't seem particularly committed to help now that she knew it wouldn't be any profit, thus she returned to the bar to sip from her beer and watch the game from the TV they had behind the counter.

The rest of those present didn't seem to regard Michael with much attention, but didn't seem particularly inclined to kick him out either.

Roger's description

Jun 5th, 2011 03:47 AM

Mike groaned internally in frustration, but there was nothing for it than to approach the bar. He looked around at the others.

"Seriously. Anyone seen a kinda short, scrawny guy? Pretty good looking, blond, grey eyes? Usually wears a suit, probably showed up in one earlier?" he said, looking like it was the most exasperating thing ever. In truth, he was seriously worried. "Name's Roger, like I said. He's a good guy, just kind of an idiot."