Chapter 407: Club Absolution
Thursday, February 9th, Evening
It finally came time for another trip to the club, for research purposes, of course. Ellie looked at herself in the full-length mirror and studied her body. The three lines tattooed on her left side ribs in her mom's hand reminded her of many things, the goof, the bad, and to keep going.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Ellie walked over to the dresser and picked up her notepad. On the inside cover was written, "Remember words of the high one versus 76-77." Ellie flipped past it and kept going to where she wrote some bullet points for tonight's adventure. After going over the notes, Ellie walked across the room to the closet.
Recently, Ellie had purchased another outfit to go to this club. This time her sister Candi was in town, and she dragged Candi out shopping, to her dismay. Ellie figured you couldn't show up at the club wearing the same thing twice.
Pulling on a t-shirt, Ellie grabbed her smartphone and sent a group text to Sawyer and Keni. After a few minutes, the young blonde and brunette entered the room. The three women looked each other over.
"So, what do you need help with?" Sawyer asked.
"I need your help with my makeup," Ellie said.
"You know neither of us is a goth," Keni said.
"But you're both better at it than me," Ellie said.
"Ugh! Fine!" Keni said.
"Keni, what's with the attitude?" Sawyer asked.
"It's nothing," Keni said.
"It seems more than nothing," Sawyer said.
"I'm just being moody," Keni said.
"You're moodier than normal," Sawyer said.
"I'm fine," Keni said.
"Umm, not that I don't think it's cute, but I need your help," Ellie said.
"What do you find cute?" Keni asked.
"You two acting like an old married couple," Ellie said.
"We're not married," Sawyer said.
"Old," Keni said.
"Or a couple," Sawyer said.
"Right," Ellie said.
"Sit down," Sawyer said, "and take off the t-shirt."
"What do I have to take my t-shirt off?" Ellie asked.
"It's in the way," Sawyer said, "Keni, please get my makeup kit."
"Which one?" Keni asked.
"My Cosplay one," Sawyer said.
"Okay," Keni said and left.
"Cosplay?" Ellie asked.
"Yeah," Sawyer said.
Ellie shook her head and pulled her t-shirt off. Slowly, taking a seat at the makeup table, Sawyer walked over and gathered Ellie's hair up, and used a stray hair tie to tie back Ellie's hair.
"How did you do it?" Sawyer asked.
"Do what?" Ellie asked.
"Deal with a Davis best friend?" Sawyer asked as she looked over her older sister's face.
"Trin is a very different person than Keni, so how I dealt with Trin's moodiness won't work with Keni," Ellie said.
"I guess," Sawyer said.
"Sawyer, why are you worried about Keni?" Ellie asked.
"She's harshing my mellow," Sawyer said.
"You can be just as moody," Ellie said.
"You want me to do your makeup?" Sawyer asked.
"Fine, but you asked," Ellie said.
"Why do we always have to be so blunt?" Sawyer asked.
"That's our mom's influence on us," Ellie said.
Sawyer looked at Ellie's left rib cage. Sawyer slowly nodded her head. "Yeah," Sawyer said.
"My tattoo?" Ellie asked.
"Yeah," Sawyer said.
Ellie nodded. The door opened, and Keni stepped in carrying what looked like a fishing tackle box. Keni put it on the makeup table. Sawyer opened the case and started to dig through the stuff inside. Keni stood there and looked at Ellie.
"Are you looking at?" Ellie asked.
"Your tattoo," Keni said.
"Which one?" Ellie asked.
"Which one?" Keni asked.
"I have three," Ellie said.
"I see the one on your ribs and on your shoulder," Keni said.
"The third one is on my hip," Ellie said.
"Okay," Keni said, "Did they hurt?"
"Of course, it's a needle that scars you," Ellie said.
Keni nodded and looked as Sawyer started working on Ellie's makeup. Keni traced her finger over Ellie's shoulder tattoo.
"Survivor?" Keni asked.
"Yes," Ellie said.
"Okay," Keni said and looked at Ellie's rib cage, "Where does that come from?"
"Dylan Thomas," Ellie said.
"Dylan Thomas?" Keni asked.
"Yes, a poet," Ellie said.
"What are those lines from?" Keni asked.
"The opening three lines of one of his poems," Ellie said.
"Why did you choose it?" Keni asked.
"It has a personal meaning to me," Ellie said
"Okay," Keni said.
Sawyer shushed the two of them and finished Ellie's makeup. Once finished, Ellie looked herself over in the mirror and nodded.
"Great job, Sawyer," Ellie said.
"Thanks," Sawyer said.
"You're welcome," Ellie said, "How did you learn to do this?"
"A lot of practice, and it helps with the cosplay," Sawyer said.
"Well, you did an excellent job," Ellie said and stood up, "Now, shoo, so I can finish getting ready."
"Okay," Keni said.
"Fine!" Sawyer said and packed up her case. Once they finished, they left.
Ellie finished getting dressed and headed down to her car. Off she went off on her way to Club Absolution. Her smartphone was paired with the vehicle. Ellie put on the playlist that was suggested to her.
As Ellie drove through the night, she looked into the darkness. In her mind, she kept telling herself that she was going to the club to research the article. That was the reason she went to the club tonight. There was no other reason to go to the club other than the story.
Ellie stopped at a stoplight. As the music played, Ellie drummed on the steering wheel. Her patience was wearing thin as she sat at the stoplight.
Finally, the light turned green, and Ellie drove off. Other than the music, there was silence around her, and the trees showed the ravages of winter. March was still nineteen days away, and spring was over a month away, in the month that has two-faced, a lion and lamb.
Ellie reached the nearby parking lot to the club. She parked her borrowed car and got out. After one last check of herself in the side mirror, Ellie locked the car. Slowly, she walked out to the street and headed to the converted church, now a goth dance club.
Patiently, Ellie waited in line to get to the door. Once she got to the door, the doorman looked her over, checked Ellie's ID, and signaled her in.
Entering the club, Ellie looked around the antechamber. Looking around the area, she could see the small woman that worked at coat check. Ellie moved through the antechamber to the main part of the club.
The music filled her ears as she took in the sights and energy of the crowd. Bodies were moving on the dance floor, which Ellie could easily see them moving through the dim light, highlighted by some random lights here and there.
Ellie walked over to the bar and waited. One of the bartenders looked at her.
"What do you want?" The bartender asked.
"Pint of your best," Ellie said.
The bartender rolled their eyes and poured Ellie her beer. After taking the beer and paying for it, Ellie turned around and watched the club. Slowly, she drank her beer and let the music sink into her through her ears.
After another sip, Ellie looked up at the choir loft. There stood someone up there watching the crowd. The dark angel wasn't there yet, and Ellie wondered if it was going to show.
