Drowning

[Calum Lloyd]

Calum had never felt so lonely. He usually enjoyed being alone and having the freedom to do as he pleased, but he didn't like the feeling of a broken heart, and he wondered if this was how most people felt after they were broken up with. He didn't ever know if the feeling would pass, or if the amount of alcohol he drank would ever take it away completely, but as he woke up that morning with his head pounding, he knew he needed to forget again and to find somewhere else to spend his time without being told what to do. With a hoodie over his head and his wand in his back pocket, Calum made his way down the muggle streets of Arrowtown in New Zealand, not making eye contact with any of the passerby. No one knew him in the muggle world and he would definitely not pass anyone he knew. When he found an Inn that would sell some alcohol, Calum made his way inside, pushing past a crowd of muggles so he could walk up to the bar. "Give me the strongest thing you have." he commanded to the lady working, sitting himself down.

 

[Tyra Wolf-Gates]

Tyra had always considered the bar to be a little superfluous- there were a few people that would drink here and there but she didn't get many heavy drinkers in. Still, she enjoyed bartending. It gave her ample time to chat and enjoy the company of her customers. She was particularly slow today, so she was taking stock when a rough voice commanded she hit him with her strongest drink.

Surprised, Tyra turned to see a rather upset looking man brooding at her bar. She had seen that look before.

"Oh, darling, you can have a bottle on the house." She had an empty room available down the hall, and she pulled the key from her pocket, setting it and a bottle of Jack on the counter in front of the man. "Just crash down the hall when you're done with it, dear. No need to be wondering the streets."

She gave him a friendly smile and went back to doing the inventory, adding a bottle of Jack to her list of things to order.

 

[Calum Lloyd]

Calum scoffed at the muggle's kindness before picking up the bottle of Jack and taking a big swig of it. It was easy to tell the difference between muggle alcohol and wizard alcohol, but alcohol was alcohol and he could not complain. He stared at the key on the counter, debating whether or not he should really spend a night in a muggle Inn. No one would know where he was, which was most definitely a good thing, and so Calum pocketed the key, never planning to stay with muggles ever again after this time.

After he was done, Calum placed the empty bottle back on the counter, staring at it, wondering if he could have done something different, wondering if he should have done more than just left. "Another one please?" he asked the lady again, a bit more politely than he would usually. He could feel the alcohol in his system, but knew he needed more.

 

[Tyra Wolf-Gates]

Tyra smiled a bit when she heard the polite request from the man. She had finished her task, and returned to the man with another bottle of Jack. Instead of handing it to him, however, she pulled a pair of shot glasses from beneath the counter.

She poured the shots without saying a word, then picked hers up and met his gaze. "I'll make you a deal. You outdrink me, you can stay as long as you like with all the alcohol you can drink, free." Tyra flashed him a mischevious grin. "However, if I outdrink you, you stay a week, get one bottle a night, and help me around the Inn during the afternoon."

She set the bottle between them. "Deal?"

 

[Calum Lloyd]

Calum watched as the woman collected another drink and went to take it before she began pouring some shots. He really did not want to drink with a muggle - his father would be disgusted if he knew where he was and what he was doing. But the whole idea of free alcohol tempted him, especially if it could be a distraction from his thoughts. He hesitated before replying to the woman, really not expecting her to do such a thing. After all, didn't she have a job? "Alright." he mumbled, picking up one of the shots and pouring it down his throat. He then poured another one, drinking that one too, and sighed as he felt the alcohol burn his throat. It was going to be a long night.