It was a gray-day. Dull from the clouds covering the sun. They converted the light into lifeless energy, or so it seemed. They were in a circle and amongst skinny white trees. It looked like they were surrounded by incomplete skeletons. All the leaves covered the ground instead of their appendages.
Everyone was in black. Everyone did not know each other by name. It did not matter. This was a ceremony. Scented by loud weed smoke, sounded by mutters of memories, and baked in alcohol. Any kind, all kinds. It all works.
The circular formation is rather important. They are passing it all. Hand-rolled joints. Finger sized blunts. Battery-powered wax burners. The weed had to burn first. Passed counter-clockwise. Blazed to expunge the oxygen from their lungs. Get the tongue loose. The brain buzzed. Eyes low.
Shots come next. Nothing but straight liquor and vodka. Grey Goose or Hennesy. Thick oil or opaque venom? Choose one. The case of beer was for later fucker. Not now. Red solo cups. Little much for a shot, but okay. It burns all the way like a flaming snake digging through the guts. The trail of fire it leaves still scratches the throat. One more? Grey Goose this time. The drops of Hennesy inside the stained cup smoked into the glassy vodka.
Put this one to the sky. The sun was slicing through the clouds. It went unnoticed. The ceremony was well under-way. Their lips uttered a name, any name. Preferably names that belonged to the unknown.
Faces gone without a trace. Lines of lingering kisses. Unfounded hugs. Misplaced words. Scents that sneak away. Dust settled.
They lived in the past days of haze and purple micro.
(Thank you for reading. Short one for today. Big props to whoever can identify what the last line is from. I will announce titles for the passing week sometime tomorrow. 300 words.)
Incredible journey into the dark of the woods, and time, and lack of connection to gravity!
This one is special and fun!
brill as usual, from the master of haze macabre!
Very cool. I love how collective and uniform the voice is. As though it’s being told by literally everyone there. Affecting.