Hiccups
by Arwin
Fri, 26 May 2000, at 3:50 p.m. CST

Arwin slowly opened an eye. It was dark still in the room he slept. He wondered what the room was, when he carefully stood up. His vision was a bit blurry, and he felt dizzy. The room was small, with a few beds in it. He recognized it as the Britain Healers'. Two women in brown robes stood at the other end of the room, discussing something, it seemed. One of them was showing the other something in a book when she noticed Arwin was standing.

"Well, well" she said, "That's about time. How do you feel"

Arwin nodded and muttered "What happened?"

"Oh, you men. The Bartender called us over a few nights ago, saying he couldn't wake you up"

"You prolly drank too much" the other Healer chuckled.

Slowly Arwin started to remember things. After the Market he tried to sleep under a tree but noticed he wasn't tired so went to the Blue Boar, a place he remembered from his youth. He had stayed there until late in the night, and the bartender gave him some kind of cocktail.

"Tha' best damn stuff in tha' land, boy!" had the bartender said.

From the man's tales he knew the man used to be a sailor. It suited him well, and Arwin wondered why he was a bartender instead but had shrugged the thought off.

"Many a pirat' would kill fer thes stuff! Tha' was brewed in Jhelom, an' we all know how them folks like et rough there"

Ofcourse, Arwin filled his mug with the drink. Only a bit, to taste it. It sure was strong, but it tasted pretty good. Another man yelled for a drink, and the bartender smiled at Arwin saying he'd be right back. It took quite some time until the bartender returned, so Arwin took the liberty to pour another mug. Then another mug, or two. By the time the bartender returned to Arwin, the bottle only had a bit left in it, barely enough to fill a glass with.

"Blawdy 'ell lad, ye drank all o' et?!"

Arwin answered his question by looking at him with a pale face, and staring to a point far behind the man.

"Holy shite! Ay've ne'er seen a man du tha'! Yer in trouble man! Stay 'ere!"

Arwin could just see the bartender run outside, when he saw the ground coming closer until he smashed to the floor. Some of the other people in the tavern looked back, but most didn't even bother. They were used to seeing people pass out inside a tavern.

"So..how long have I been asleep?" he asked the two Healers.

"Well, let's see. It's friday now, and the bartender called us over Sunday night. Or should I say Monday morning?"

"Holy cow! That's nearly a whole week!" he yelled out, "I bet the others are curious where I've been.."

He gathered his neatly folded clothing, and dressed himself. The Healers offered him a few fish steaks, but looking sicker than before he waved his hands. "No more fish. Please. We still have some twentythousand" he moaned.