This Night Never Ends

There was one thing that she missed more than anything else about being a child, and that was the ability to fall asleep once her head hit the pillow and sleep soundly until her mother woke her up in the morning. Sadly those days had long passed, slowly disappearing hour by hour after her fifteenth birthday. She’d had a pink ice cream cake that birthday, and all her friends had slept over, it was the last time she’d done that. Now she remembered that her thirtieth birthday was coming up in a month, she hadn’t planned a birthday party in years.  

This started another long train of thought that distracted her aching brain from sleep. Trixie tossed over to her right side, her good sleeping side, adjusted her pillow and closed her eyes again. Breathing in deep and then breathing out. She listened to the sound of the fan that was humming in the window, and the sound of the jungle coming from her white noise machine. She relaxed her shoulders and legs and tried to drift off. 

Trixie’s eyes jerked open when she felt the spasm of a cramp enveloping her leg. 

“Goddamnit!” She swore. She threw off her bed covers and massaged the leg. Sleep was never going to come at this rate. Trixie checked her phone, it was almost two am now and she had been trying to sleep for almost three hours. She shut off the fan and the white noise, it was all useless tonight. There would be no sleep. Another spasm of pain made her grit her teeth, but then gave her an idea. 

Gingerly Trixie swung her legs off her bed and stuck her feet into her fluffy black slippers. Now for a coat, something to hide the fact that she would not be putting on a bra and had been wearing the same shirt for two days. She checked her phone for the weather. Rain. Again. Trixie rolled her eyes, what else did she expect from Oregon? 

She found her coat on a chair next to her clothes closet, thankfully her wallet was inside the left pocket. She buttoned up and pulled on the hood; time to venture out into the world. Her phone was at twenty-five percent, not the best but it would do if she was careful. Hurriedly she texted her friend Marci, dodging the largest puddles on the sidewalk, between typing words. She needed weed, both for her sleep and now for the pain in her leg, and it was too late to go to one of the many dispensaries in town. But Marci, hippie, stubborn, pot growing Marci was sure to be awake and in the mood for company. 

Marci lived only a ten minute walk away from Trixie, but they weren’t close enough friends that they saw each other more than once a month or so. Marci ran in different circles than Trixie did, on top of that she had a strong personality that Trixie sometimes found overwhelming. She could only be around people for so long before it wore her out. But that was exactly what she needed right now, to be so worn out that all she could do was pass out. Either that or get enough weed to relax her enough that she would be able to float off into the world of dreams. One way or the other she was going to sleep. 

Trixie gritted her teeth as she opened up the gate to Marci’s house, her leg was spasming again and she felt like hitting someone. The sounds from Marci’s house were promising though, a peppy beat leaked from the house intermixed with laughter and raucous conversation. A party was in full swing. Trixie climbed the steps to the porch and was greeted by a blonde who threw open the door and then promptly vomited just centimeters from Trixie’s fuzzy slippers. Trixie took a lurching step back and harrumphed, the blonde apologized and they both went their separate ways. 

Trixie took a deep breath and opened up the door to Maci’s house. The noise was louder inside, the beat of the drum pulsing with the ache that pounded in her head. Why hadn’t she taken advil before leaving the house? Trixie took a deep breath, she was here on a mission and she wasn’t going to let a little noise deter her. Already she smelled some of Marci’s marijuana, which put a smile on her face. This was the good stuff. 

Trixie was not much of a smoker, which is why she no longer had any weed in her house. She had a small blue bong, that was used twice a month at most, and which her mother complimented as a vase every time she saw it. 

“Nice shoes.” A brown haired glazed eyed man said to her, his lazy smile that told her that he was as high as she wanted to be.

“Thanks. Seen Marci?”

“Who?”

“Never mind.”

Trixie shuffled onwards. The house was eccentric, but then anything that had to do with Marci would be.It was sprawling, with open rooms that looked like Marci had taken a hammer to the walls to tear them down. And yet these pieces of walls were painted with great care, and skill. Psychedelic scenes that Marci claimed were all from her childhood. Plants lined walls and hung from the ceiling, too many to count. And a couple cats could sometimes be seen slinking in and out of rooms. 

Trixie almost tripped over a large grey cat that was stretched out on the floor, one ear flopped at an awkward angle, the other ear appeared to be missing. Trixie sneezed. And then remembered that she had not taken her allergy medicine before her adventure. 

“This just keeps getting better and better.” She muttered to herself. 

The time was now almost two twenty. If she could find Marci and keep her on task she could be home before three am and maybe. Just maybe, get some sleep before she had to work in six hours.

Trixie spotted Marci. Or at least who she hoped was Marci. A mop of red curls appeared on her horizon, bobbing up and down to the music, a cloud of smoke puffing up above it in intervals.

“Marci!” Trixie shouted. The mop kept bopping away obliviously. 

“Goddamnit.” She would have to wade even deeper into the chaos, but now she had her eye on the prize and nothing would stop her.

Weaving her way through the party, Trixie made her way to the open kitchen doorway. Marci was inside the room, she had just kissed the cheek of a tall black man and then proceeded to grab a salad out of a blue vintage fridge. The two were chatting and laughing but Trixie couldn’t hear the actual words over the music. But finally she stepped through into the kitchen, Marci looked up and grinned.

“Hey you!” She said with a laugh, “What are you doing here?”

They hugged and Marci introduced her to the man.

“This is Warren, my boyfriend...I think. That’s what we’re calling it these days right?” Marci asked, turning back to the tall man. He grinned and Trixie noticed he had beautiful brown eyes.

“I believe so, yes.” He answered.

Marci grinned again and kissed him then turned back, “Oh yeah, and this is my friend Trixie.” 

“Nice to meet you.” He said, shaking her hand.

“Polite and good-looking? You are not Marci’s normal type.” Trixie said with a laugh.

“Oh hush.” Marci said, whacking Trixie’s arm playfully.

“No, I mean good job. It’s about time you stopped dating stoners.” 

“I can’t help it, they’re just so easy to please.” Marci complained.

“Speaking of, do you have any weed for sale? I can’t sleep and my leg is killing me.”

“Yeah no problem. Let me go get some.” Marci took a bite from the salad bowl then shook her head, “I think it needs more lemon. Warren, what do you think?” She handed him the fork and then waltzed away into the hallway.

“She is something else.” Trixie said with a shake of her head.

Warren laughed, 

“That she is. But I think she’s right, it does need more lemon.” He nodded sagely then went to the fridge and grabbed a lemon.

“You cook too? Jesus, where did you two meet?” Trixie asked in amazement.

Marci danced back in the room at that moment and handed Trixie a baggie.

“Your usual madam.” She said.

“Thank you so much, you’re a lifesaver.” Trixie sighed with relief and handed Marci some cash.

“No problem darlin’. Oh Warren, the lemon!”

“I didn’t forget.” He said, showing her the freshly squeezed juice he’d just made.

“He’s amazing.” Trixie whispered.

“I know right?” Marci whispered back. 

Suddenly there was a loud crash from the living room, Marci looked up and rolled her eyes. 

“It was about time for something to break I guess.” She said and hurried away to clean it up. 

“That’s the first time I’ve seen her walk normally since I’ve been here.” Trixie remarked.

“She’s been dancing all night.” Warren agreed.

“Well, it was nice meeting you. But it's time for me to hit the hay.” Trixie said, and shook hands with him again. 

“Nice to meet you too Trixie.”

Trixie followed a cat and the music back to the living room. She clutched the baggie with her prize in it close to her heart, she was not going to take any chances with dropping it at a party like this. 

Trixie noticed that the noise was somehow increasing in volume the closer she got to the door, she had passed on the outskirts of the living room, trying to avoid as many people as possible, when she heard Marci let out an angry roar.

She paused, sighing, her leg was feeling better - or rather more numb than ‘’better’’ and she could feel herself losing energy by the second. Then she heard Marci let out a torrent of cuss words and insults. It sounded bad. Trixie’s finger’s paused around the door handle, she needed to sleep, she needed to get out. But then the noise escalated again and Trixie turned back to see if she could help. 

Marci was in the middle of the crowd pointing wildly at some dude who looked completely confused. At her feet there was a light blue vase in four or five pieces. 

“That was my grandmother’s you sonofabitch! She yelled.

“Chill man, I’m sorry. I said I’ll pay for it.” 

“Pay for it? Pay for this?! Where are you going to find another vase like this? My grandmother made it! And she’s been dead for fifteen years now!”

The man was starting to get angry so Trixie slipped between the two of them and put an arm on Marci’s shoulder.

“Marci, Marci, calm down now just take a deep breath.”

Marci turned to Trixie and looked like she was going to start yelling again, but she didn’t. Instead she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. Trixie stuffed the bag of weed into her coat pocket then bent down and picked up the pieces of the vase. 

“Alright everyone, mix it up, come on, let’s get the party back on.” 

Trixie heard Warren saying this, then she saw him escort the vase-killer man out of the party. At least Marci had some friends to help her smooth things over. Trixie brought the vase pieces to the kitchen, but couldn’t find Marci. So she left a note and again tried to make her way out of the house. 

This time a stabbing pain in her leg caused Trixie to stumble and fall with a curse. 

Just before she would have hit the floor she felt strong arms catch her shoulders, she stayed almost suspended in midair for a second and then she righted herself with the help of the stranger.

“Thank you, god I saw my life flash before my eyes.” Trixie said. 

“No problem.” 

The stranger turned out to be a woman, and a beautiful woman at that. She had spiky black hair and lively blue eyes, she wore a dark green suit with a white bowtie. 

“And you are?” Trixie asked, because it was all she could say as she took in the clothes and the aura of the other woman.

“Alana. You?” Alana smirked and Trixie realized she was still standing in the woman’s arms. She disentangled herself as quickly but also as gracefully as she could. Which didn’t work for her, she ended up doing more of a hop than anything else.

“Shit.” Trixie let out a hiss of pain and grabbed her left calf. 

“Something wrong?” Alana asked.

“It’s my stupid leg, I’ve got some sort of a cramp that keeps coming on. Hurts like a bitch.” 

“Anything I can do for you?” Alana asked, grabbing Trixie’s arm to steady her.

Trixie spied a bong in the living room standing next to a lamp.

“Can you commandeer that bong for me?” 

“Coming right up.” 

Trixie hobbled behind and then made herself some room on the least occupied couch, sighing as she sat down. She checked her phone, it was going to be three in the morning all too soon.

“Here put that leg up.” Alana said, pilling some pillows on the coffee table. “Think Marci will mind if these get a little wet?” Alana asked.

“Nah.” Trixie said, not giving a shit at that particular moment. She winced as she moved her leg to the pillows and then took the bong from Alana’s outstretched hands. 

“You should probably see someone for this.” Alana said, pointing to the offending leg. “I’ll call my doctor in the morning.”

“It is morning.” Alana said with a smile.

Trixie gave another groan.

“Do you want me to massage that? It might help.” 

Trixie shrugged and answered, “Sure.” 

Alana rolled up her sleeves and Trixie’s pant leg and started to massage the aching leg. It felt better than Trixie thought it would. She relaxed a little and ground up some of the weed for her first bowl.

“Do you want some?” Trixie asked after she had finished packing it.

“Nah, I’ve got my own.” Alana said with a smile. 

“Cool.” 

Trixie took a hit, then a second, then a third and felt her body begin to relax. Alana stopped massaging her leg, someone had turned on a video game and was in the middle of convincing her to play. It didn’t take long for Alana to agree. Trixie wasn’t really paying attention anymore, she didn’t really care what was going on. She finally felt tired, she finally felt like she would be able to sleep.