Wild Stories 2- Unexplained Happenings

Chapter Eleven: Liquor and Letting You Know

Jack looked at him shyly and nodded. Wild tried not to smile at him but he wasn't very good at it.

They arrived at an Irish pub, a rousing chorus of "Drunken Sailor" called them inside. The music crashed over them when they stepped in, along with the warmth of the indoors and the sound of patrons banging the table in rhythm.

The violinist's bow flew over the strings, his fingers dancing along the notes.

The singers were belting the song out with everything they had, and it looked like a merry little band all around.

Jack found himself seated at the bar next to Wild, the bartender asking for his order. He shyly replied with "Wine" and after a few attempts they could actually hear him over the music. Wild ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail, and Till went for straight rum.

Wild chuckled at her as she reached for it eagerly. "You drink like a pirate."

"Argh." She said, completely monotone, before downing a good deal of it.

"Whoo..." she sniffed. "That was not a good idea. Well what about you two? Like a pair of little old men." She said, country accent already stronger.

Wild chuckled and raised his drink to his lips, after he sniffed it suspiciously. "Someone's got to drive us back home."

Jack admired the scenery, the warm lights, the smiling and laughing people. The dark wood was a nice touch. It felt like the three of them were weary travellers, resting in the middle of some fanciful adventure. They were, Jack realised.

If only the adventure had stuck to supernatural themes, instead of veering into the very real problems of their world.

He sighed and caught Wild's eye. Wild fixed him with such a tender look that Jack blushed into his cup.

Till smiled at the interaction and looked thoughtfully into the rum as she swirled it.

She took another swig and set it down on the table.

"I'm going to arm wrestle the biggest person in here." She declared and stalked off.

Wild and Jack looked at each other in concern, and curiosity, before turning back to Till. "Till I don't think that's a, oh she's gone. Oh, watch out." Wild said as they watched Till walk over to a man at least a head taller and said something.

His friends glanced at each other in amused confusion as he nodded and went over to an empty table in the middle of the room.

Wild nodded at Jack and hopped over too. "We've got some cheerleading to do."

They cheered as Till and the man locked hands and began to arm wrestle. Jack noticed how she quickly bent his wrist toward her and leaned to the side of the table, her bodyweight pulling his arm down.

His arm trembled valiantly, before tapping the table with a smack, that went unheard as their friends lost their collective minds.

Wild shook Tills shoulders excitedly as she gave them a tired smile. "It's all in the technique you see, it doesn't matter how strong you are. Leg against the leg of the table, arm against the side, and you've got to bend their wrist towards you from the get-go and lean.

Their forearm against your body weight? Not a chance."

The man nodded good-naturedly, his eyes twinkling over a grey beard. "Noted. Want a re-match?"

Till laughed nervously. "No. You know my secrets, you'll beat me now."

Her estimation did prove to be correct, but she did manage to beat his friends and also Jack and Wild. Said Wild went flying off the table, and they decided to call it a night then.