Episode 12: The Final Countdown

*Click*

Voncid: Excuse my tardiness. There was another matter I was seeing too.

Luca: No problem. Busy night?

Voncid: It is turning into one, yes. But I see you’ve gotten everything prepared for this interview. I appreciate that.

Luca: *flustered* Um, of course! 

Voncid: She’s in there, then?

Luca: Uh, yes. But there’s something you should know.

Luca: She’s a bit of a mess.

Voncid: I see. Was anyone else recovered from the scene? 

Luca: I’m afraid not. She’s our only witness.

Voncid: Very well, let’s begin.

*A door opens and the sound of crying and sniffling begins*

Voncid: Hello. Can you state your name for the recording?

Madyson: (the crying has reduced to sniffles) Madyson Elizabeth Williams.

Voncid:  Thank you for speaking with us. I want to talk to you about last night.

Madyson: Ugh! Last night fucking sucked!

Voncid:  Um, can you tell me what happened?

Madyson: Yeah, Jessica was bitch all night just because I wouldn’t let her borrow my Club Banana jacket. I kept telling her it would clash with her orange dress, but she didn’t care. And yes, I knew she would spill something on it and not want to pay to get it cleaned, because that’s what happened the last three times I let her borrow something! But I didn’t say that because I knew it would just become more of a deal! 

Voncid: ….um.

Madyson: And then Becky started texting Justin, which was the worst possible thing that she could have done! Kate finally took her phone away so she would embarrass herself more, but then Becky stole my phone, and I don’t have Justin’s number, because he’s a fucking tool, so she texted Andrew to find it, and then Andrew called Jessica wondering why I wanted to talk to Justin and Jessica started telling everyone I was trying to get with Justin behind Becky’s back, which was another bitchy move because she totally knows I hate him and should have known something was up!

Voncid: …I don’t understand what’s happening.

Madyson: Aren’t  you even listening?! Jessica was trying to ruin my life because she wanted my jacket! God!

Luca:  She’s still very, very drunk.

Madyson: *crying again* So Becky comes up and starts yelling at me for trying to hook up with Justin even though she’s holding my fucking phone in her hand! And Kate just started crying because the guy she’d been hoping to kiss at midnight started making out with someone else, so she didn’t even stand up for me, and….oh my god. *dramatic barf sounds and crying*

Voncid:  This isn’t going to work. 

Luca: Do we wait for her to sober up?

Voncid:  We don’t have that much time. Go find Elias in the Alchemy department. This isn’t exactly his purview, but he should be able to come up with something. 

Madyson: (more inconsolable crying) I love that jacket so much.

*Click*

Voncid: Are you feeling better, Ms. Williams?

Madyson: Yeah. Sorry about your floor.

Voncid: It’s quite alright. We’d like to know more about last night. Specifically, about the club.

Madyson: It was supposed to be the best night of our lives.

Me, Kate, Jessica and Becky had been besties since sophomore year at State. Becky had just broken up with that loser Justin, which meant for the first time ever all four of us were single. We decided we were going out, and we’d all find someone to kiss at midnight. We met up at Jessica’s place to get ready and I looked so cute. Like, probably the cutest I’ve ever looked. We had a few drinks before we left, you know, to save money later, and left the apartment just after ten. It felt so early to be going out, but we wanted to be sure we were set up somewhere at midnight. 

But we weren’t the only ones with this idea. By the time we got downtown, places were packed. Two clubs were already turning people away, and the third one we tried had a stupid bouncer who told us we had to wait in line. 

  All four of us were crabby, our buzz was coming down, and Jessica was berating everyone for making us arrive late, even though she was the one who had to reapply her lashes three times and couldn’t pick a pair of shoes. It was eleven pm, and we were just wandering the streets, arguing, and looking for anywhere where we could go to get a drink.

Kate is the one who saw it. Down a side alley off the main street was a small but bright neon sign hanging above a warehouse door? We figured, “what the hell” and decided to check it out.

It just said, “Resolutions.”

There was no bouncer and when we googled it, nothing came up. I know it was super sketchy, but we could hear music inside. We were desperate for a place to celebrate, so Becky cracked open the door.

And it was in-cred-i-ble! I’ve heard of pop-up clubs before, but this was the first time I’d seen one in person! The entire interior of the building had been decked out in neon lights and these super cool streamer things hanging from the ceiling. The four of us literally stood there with our mouths open for a full minute, just taking it in!

*Club music starts*

The room full of people, but it wasn’t shoulder to shoulder or anything. There was plenty of room on the dancefloor, and the DJ was wild! The music was sooo good! They were up on this pedestal thing over the dance floor, and there were a bunch more of those streamer things hanging down from their equipment. They were so high up, I couldn’t see them super well, but they had one of those weird bubble mask-things on, because their head looked like a disco-ball. They spent the whole night doing this weird dance thing where they held their arms out over the crowd and twitched their hands around. It was weird, but kinda I was too busy dancing to care.

Ugh, and I swear the bartender was magic! There was no wait for anything. And the best part? All. Of. The. Drinks. Were. Free! Can you believe it! I’m guessing it was, like, a promotion or something. They weren’t watered down either! It was basically a dream come true!

For a while, it was exactly what we’d all wanted. The best night of our lives. We were dancing, drinking, flirting, and it was perfect.

*kinda grumpy* Then everything went downhill.

First, Jessica spilled her vodka-cran all over herself, which I knew would happen, but she started yelling at me like it was my fault even though I was nowhere near her when it happened! She stormed off to the bathroom, and that’s when I noticed Becky was texting over by the bar rather than dancing. Kate and I went and asked her what she was doing, and I saw Justin’s picture on her phone! Then we had a fight and Kate took her phone. Then-

Voncid:  I am familiar with this part. What happened after these interactions.

Madyson: *huffy sigh* Well, I was mad at everyone and wanted some space. I tried to go to the bathroom, but the line was super long, and then I remembered Jessica was already in there and I didn’t want her to think I was coming to find her or anything. So, I figured I’d go outside and cool off. I wandered around for a bit, but I couldn’t find the door. Like, is there supposed to be an emergency exit sign or something? Luckily, a group of guys walked in, and I was able to get out after them. It was weird, because I’m pretty sure I’d walked by that spot, but I was probably just too drunk to notice it. I went out and stood alone in the alley. 

Once I was out there, I realized something: All of them had been treating me like crap all night. Jessica for the jacket and the spill, Becky for not realizing that I was trying to help her, and Kate for…something. I don’t remember anymore, but I know she said something mean. So, I just waited out there for them to come find me and apologize. 

I could hear people on the main street, but didn’t really pay attention, until I heard someone yell that it was one minute to midnight. I’d been counting, and I was out there for three whole minutes at this point, and was getting really mad no one had come to find me. I couldn’t even text them that I was upset, because of stupid Becky. But once I heard that it was almost midnight, I assumed they’d definitely come out and get me. They wouldn’t let me miss it!

*Starts sniffling again*

At least that’s what I thought. Some friends they were. Finally, it was ten seconds to midnight and still they didn’t care about me. I could hear people inside start counting down. I was so tempted to go back in, to be there with everyone when the clock struck the new year, but I wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction of crawling back to them. If they didn’t care that I was missing the new year, then I didn’t either.

When midnight struck, I expected to hear everyone cheering. The people out on the street were all clapping and shouting, but I couldn’t hear anything from inside the club. *the music stops, the whirring of the recorder continues* I thought they were probably all too busy sucking face, but then I noticed that the music had stopped too. 

After a full minute, I started to get weirded out. I decided I’d go back in, claiming I needed my purse or something, and just leave again if my friends were still being jerks. I didn’t need them to have a good time, after all. But I did need my ID.

But when I walked back inside, everything was gone. Not just the people. The bar, the lights, the streamers, the DJ platform, everything. The walls were this gross brick and there was garbage scattered around, like the place had been empty for ages. At that point, I was suuuuper drunk. I thought it was some sort of prank. Like, the opposite of a flashmob. I didn’t want to look dumb, so I started clapping. *fakes laughter*

“Great job, everyone,” I called, “very impressive. Now where’s my purse?”

No one jumped out or laughed, so I started walking around. But it was a fucking empty warehouse! It’s not like there were places for a hundred people to hide!

So I went back outside, and even the neon sign was gone! It was like the whole place had never existed.

When I tried to go back in, the door was locked. I started banging on it, shouting at them to let me back in. But nobody came. Finally, I gave up, and figured I’d find a place where people did want to hang out with me. Preferably, one that didn’t card or need money for drinks. After that, things get a…a little fuzzy.

Voncid: You were picked up at 1:30am for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. 

Madyson: Ooohhhhh, yeah. That’s right. But where are my shoes?

Voncid: Ms. Williams, it seems that you and your friends stumbled into one of our orders longest running open cases.  This “wandering celebration” has been popping up for, well, for a very long time.  It stretches back to a particularly intense Greek bacchanal, maybe further, and has been accumulating victims like a steadily filling pitcher plant or ravenous venus flytrap ever since. 

Madyson: *totally lost by all of thi*) Uhh. K.

Voncid: You have no idea how lucky you are.   The spilled drink, the stolen phone, the… dramatic interactions with your friends, these happenstances served to pull you loose from the sugary beguilement and your exit into the ally was just in time to miss the stroke of midnight, when the festivities move on, not to be seen again for another year.

Of all the nights to have a terrible time, of all the nights to have bad luck and have things go awry, you certainly picked the right one.

Madyson: *hiccups*  (Madyson has become drunk again, the alchemy has worn off)

Luca: I think this is just how her nights usually go… and Cid, it looks like the anti-intoxicant is wearing off, we should wrap this up.

Voncid:  Hmm, I see. 

Madison: Your assistant is, like, so cute. What’s your name?

Luca: *very uncomfortable*- uh, I’m Luca?

Madyson: That’s such a cute name! Do you live around here?

Voncid: Madyson, why didn’t you go to the police right away? Or anyone, for that matter?

Madyson: *slurring her words again* How was I supposed to know something was wrong?!

Luca:  I think your friends and a hundred other people vanishing in the course of a few minutes would be cause for alarm.

Madyson: *sniffling again* Ok, but to be fair though, you weren’t there, and it was a really stressful night.

Luca:- uh, ok.

Madyson: So, where are my friends?

Voncid:  I… didn’t I explain this?

Luca: You sort of did, yeah.

Voncid: They have vanished.  The celebration is stuck in time.  We’ve been trying for generations to find it, to hone in on its location in time.  It exists for between three and four hours a year.  It can be anywhere in the world.  At the stroke of midnight it’s gone again.  Your friends are part of it now.  A snowball slowly rolling down a mountain gathering snow. The snow is people, if that’s unclear! You are very lucky to still be yourself.  

You still have the celebration on you, in your blood.  You drank of it, basked in it.  We may just be able to use you to find it.  This is a generational opportunity. 

Madyson: Ok… but where are my friends again?  

Luca: Cid, you’re hurting her.

Voncid: Very well.  You will need to submit to our investigators and researchers.  You should not expect to see your friends again, *crying starts* I’m sorry.

MadysonThat’s awful! If I’d have known it was our last night together, I totally wouldn’t have…(suddenly startled) Oh. My. God!

Voncid:*concerned. Maybe she thought of something else* What is it?

Madyson (resumes hysterical crying) Becky had my phoooone!!!!