short fiction
Liquid Courage
One drunken night of gratitude and confession moves toward a darker final decision.
ring ring ring
“Hello?” a voice on the other end replied.
“Hey, man, it’s me, Max,” I enthusiastically said.
“Holy fu… Where the hell have you been? It’s been a hot minute, hasn’t it? When did we last talk?” he asked.
“I can’t remember, really. Probably a year ago, I guess?” I replied.
“It should be. So why did you suddenly manifest? What’s going on with your life, man?” he was curious.
“Ah, nothing much. Remember back when I used to call you in the middle of the night because I remembered some random thing? And you were like, ‘What the heck, man? It’s like 3 in the morning. Just let me sleep.’” I laughed as I told him that.
“Of course, how can I forget? You were the baby I never had. Waking me up suddenly just to say some random bullshit. Hahaha, good times, man, good times. But you never gave me an answer for my earlier question,” he reminded me.
“Ah, yes. I just suddenly remembered how you were there for me for most of my life. When I was going through so many hardships. I just wanted to thank you. I know it’s untimely, but sooner is better than never, isn’t it?” I replied.
“Yes, that’s true. I guess,” he was a bit dumbfounded from my sudden compliment bomb.
“Okay, dude, I gotta go. I just randomly remembered and decided to let you know. I’ll ring you back when I’m free.” I hung up the phone after sharing pleasantries with him.
“That’s one down,” I thought to myself.
“Now on to the next one.”
ring ring
“Max?” a gentle voice was at the other end of the phone.
“Hey, Zara. I know it’s weird to call you out of nowhere,” I said.
“I mean, you’ve never called me before. This is the first time. So, what’s up?”
“Zara, I wanted to tell you something. Something I desperately wanted to get out of my chest.”
“Umm, okay, go on.” She was reluctant to express her doubts about my intentions.
“I had… No. I have a huge crush on you. It’s me, well maybe with added liquid courage talking to you at the moment. I drank for the first time, and now I’m speedrunning my life. I love you! That’s pretty much it,” I blurted out.
“Max, I know you’re more than tipsy at the moment, and this is not something you drop on someone out of nowhere. Just sober up, and we’ll talk about this later. Okay?” she told me.
“Well, you didn’t decline me, that’s a start. Woo-hoo, go me! Hey, Zar…”
beep beep beep
“Well, look at that, I left her speechless.”
“That’s about it. Now, it’s me and Liquid Courage,” I told myself while looking at the vodka bottle in my hand.
I stood up and stretched my body for a while.
“I always wanted to find an answer to the question: When tested against gravity, what’s heavier? A sack of meat filled with emotional baggage and guilt or a bottle of vodka? I guess I’ll find out in a while.”