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3.13 - Drinking

[Sissel and Talia are sat on a picnic bench outside college, both with bottles in their hands. Sissel’s head is against the table while Talia is laughing to herself. They’re near a quiet road, little traffic, along with the area being very far away from the actual support group. Goldberg is stood at the end of the table, looking between Sissel and Talia in disbelief.]

Talia: [chuckling] You are a weird kid, y’know that?

Sissel: [groggy] It’s true though! Goldberg said so!

Talia: [chuckling] Goldie’s dead, ya goofer!

[Talia pats him on the head. Sissel leans up, groaning.]

Goldberg: [disbelief] In honesty, I would not have expected this from you two.

Talia: [groggy] Shame he’s gone. He was nice. He bought me my first beer.

[Sissel slowly turns around to Goldberg, smiling.]

Sissel: [chuckling] Did he now, Mister Goldfish?

Goldberg: [defensive] Stop it! Stop it, I’m an adult and she took it without my knowledge! You can't talk, you’re in a bad state, you’re drunk!

[Sissel giggles, resting his head onto the table with a loud thump.]

Talia: [groggy, whispering] So you see dead people?

Sissel: [groggy, whispering] Sometimes. I can’t tell, I don’t go out much anymore.

[Sissel enters a furious giggle.]

Sissel: [giggling] I don’t know why that’s funny, it’s sad. The fuck is this drink?

Talia: [groggy, exaggerated] Oh, well, I believe this is known as mead milord!

[Goldberg facepalms.]

Goldberg: [disappointed] Oh my God...

Sissel: [groggy, exaggerated] Milady, may I partake in the mead, sire?

Goldberg: [annoyed] Okay, you are just messing with her now.

[Sissel sits up straight, taking a deep breath.]

Sissel: [groggy] Wanna hear a sad thing?

Talia: [giggling] Yeah…

[Sissel looks around, then leans over to Talia.]

Sissel: [whispering] I never met my dad. He ran off before I was born.

[Talia frowns.]

Talia: [upset] Aw, buby.

[Talia goes over the bench, knocking over a bottle, and hugs Sissel. Goldberg looks at him surprised.]

Talia: [groggy] It’s okay, you can google him later.

Sissel: [whispering] I don’t even know his name, my mum won’t tell me. What if he’s really impressive? What if my dad is George Clooney?

[Talia giggles, sitting up.]

Talia: [giggling] Buby, your dad is not George Clooney.

Sissel: [whispering] He could be though.

[Sissel giggles at Talia.]

Talia: [groggy] Okay… I’m sleepy, I’m gonna sleep here. Wake me up when Eggy comes or you want more mead.

[Talia lays down across the bench and immediately starts snoring. Goldberg moves in front of Sissel and crouches down.]

Goldberg: [surprised] Do you really not know your dad?

Sissel: [groggy] No… we get into fights about it sometimes, it’s not important.

Goldberg: [surprised] Well it’s important to me, I'm asking.

[Sissel chuckles, poking Goldberg’s nose.]

Sissel: [groggy] Don’t worry man, you’re just a spoopy ghost.

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[Sissel chuckles more, looking down. Goldberg sighs.]

Goldberg: Do you want to meet him?

[Sissel puts on a fake smile to Goldberg, almost appearing sober.]

Sissel: [hesitant] I… I don’t know.

[Sissel starts to cry a bit, quickly stopping himself.]

Sissel: [hesitant] I mean, what if he doesn’t like me?

Goldberg: You’re his son. It’s supposed to come naturally.

Sissel: [worried] I don’t know. I mean what are dads even like? I’ve never known a dad. I’ve never met Vince’s dad, he’s at work.

Goldberg: You know, I’m a dad.

[Sissel chuckles.]

Sissel: [groggy] No you’re not, you’re not…

Goldberg: I am. Adopted. Her name is Rachel, she fell out the sky into a bin. I just… raised her.

[Sissel smiles, quickly fading.]

Sissel: [upset] Do you miss her?

[Goldberg scoffs, putting on a smile.]

Goldberg: [upset] I think too much.

[Sissel nods slowly. He reaches over to the knocked over bottle, picking it up and looking in. The bottle still has a dribble in it. He chuckles, raising it.]

Sissel: To Rachel… and to Dad… and Tracey…

Goldberg: [chuckling] Cheers.

[Sissel downs the dribble left in the bottle. Eggy wheels herself out of the building, coughing quite loudly to get the attention.]

Eggy: [confused] Excuse me?

[Sissel and Goldberg look over.]

Eggy: [confused] What is happening? You have been gone most of the session.

Sissel: [groggy] Oh, well, we got into talk about our powers and became friends and then I talked to Goldberg and I’m very drunk.

[Eggy sighs, wheeling directly in front of Sissel and holding her hand out.]

Eggy: [disappointed] I see. Lean forward.

[Sissel leans towards Eggy. She pokes his forehead and, for a second, a blast of light shoots out his eyes for a second before vanishing. Sissel immediately falls to the ground, holding his eyes.]

Sissel: [yelling] Holy fucking ow!

[Eggy wheels over to Talia, doing the same thing. She immediately wakes up and jolts up in her seat.]

Talia: [yelling] What the fuck?

Eggy: [calm] Just sobering you up. We still have an hour or two, not going to have you both drunk while at my club.

[Eggy turns and heads back.]

Eggy: Come in when you’re ready, we’re getting the foam bats out soon.

Talia: [strained] Oh okay, that sounds fun. Thanks Eggy.

[Eggy gives a thumbs up as she enters the building. Sissel turns to Talia.]

Sissel: [confused] What was that?

Talia: [strained] She sobered us, it happens sometimes.

[Talia gets up, helping Sissel to his feet.]

Talia: [happy, strained] That was fun, we should do it more! I’ll see you back in there.

[Talia turns and walks back into the college building, coughing a bit of dirt up in the process. Goldberg appears next to Sissel, putting a hand on his shoulder.]

Goldberg: The offer still stands. If you want.

Sissel: [hesitant] Um… just let me think about it.

[Goldberg nods, fading away and leaving Sissel alone.]