Part I
Part II
The Singaporean’s name was Nek and he seemed quite happy to see us. We were bewildered. “Boys, you should have waited for me before venturing into the Tower”, he quipped excitedly gesturing towards the building behind us. We had no idea what he was talking about. Wenerd and I glanced back and the Tower stood there looking ominously back at us. Nek had his arms around our shoulders and was trying to drag us back into the building. I tried telling him that it was a farcaster but he would not listen. Wenerd too seemed a little worried about going back in but I soon realized it was for different reasons. “Bugger, what are you going to do about the people inside”, he asked Nek. We were promptly given a packet each which he asked to put into our pockets. “Use it only when there is no other hope”, he warned. My mind was still reeling from dealing with the Shoes, missing matrimony, being farcasted and I did not quite comprehend this exchange.
Walking into the Tower somehow did not farcast us back to the Khemer Empire. The inside turned out to be a mall with bars and night clubs lining the sides. I followed the Singaporean and Wenerd into one of them. It was called The Ipanema Club and my first glance assuaged my rising fear. We plopped our tired asses at a table and soon we were plied with alcohol. As we softly waded into the booze I realized I was in fact happy to be here and it was good to see Nek after eons.
The conversation soon got lively the way it should among good friends. Nek regaled us with stories of Zen smelling his underwear to stay alive in a sauna. Wenerd had us in splits about his “dancing days” story. Soon a band started to play, lead by this very hot Malay singer. Nek was ogling her the moment she touched the staged.As the beer started doing a number in my head, I noticed that there were uncommonly huge numbers of hot looking Asian women wandering around us. I was about to ask Nek about them when one of the hotties practically seated herself in my lap. I swallowed very slowly. She said nothing and proceeded to kiss my neck. Then I felt a pin sink itself into my jugular and I did a fade away, throwing the girl off my lap. I ended up awkwardly on my ass clutching my neck. The girl was standing over me smiling. “Don’t want to part with some of your life blood, sweetheart?” she asked and started to walk away. I was completely confused when she turned and snarled at me revealing it was not pins that were playing with my jugular. She seemed to be a vampire.
Nek helped me to feet and asked with a dumb expression on his face, “Fucker, what made you ask her to come over?” “I did not ask her over and what is the place?” I explained. He started to grin and I could hear that bastard Wenerd guffaw behind me. “Hot Asian girls make your blood flow brother. But in here they happen to be nocturnal creatures too. So it makes it more exciting. Wenerd and I planned to bring you here all along”, he revealed. My friends were conspiring to get me killed. With that thought in my head I lurched, weaving my way through vampires to the bar.
I ordered a double Jack on the rocks and was soon joined by the two fuckers who seemed very amused. “Boss, we can leave if you want”, said Wenerd in between his mirth. I downed the double and waited for it to work its magic on me. “Fuck it boys, lets put a few drinks and chill the motherfucker down.” I said, suddenly filled with some misplaced bravado. Almost in answer we were accosted by the two most beautiful vampires. But they made a beeline for my fine friends. With much amusement I watched them feint and hold off the attack and magically they did. One of them detached herself and grabbed me all in one fast blur. She was breath taking. Her name was Nimnam and she wanted my blood and only mine. I did not know if I had the power to resist this one.
She had her arms around my neck and was looking longingly at my jugular. I closed my eyes and immersed myself in her aura. “Your friends have left you”, she whispered in my ear. My eyes almost popped out of my sockets as I watched the two of them slink off towards the stage to ogle at the Malay. “Let’s go and drink some of your blood”, Nimnam continued to whisper. I could not answer because the band came on with a really loud number for which I am sure I had my friends to thank for. I somehow detached myself from her and tried to make my way out of the bar. But I could not shake her. She had me back in her grasp again near the door. “Just a little blood”, she crooned. I gave in. Only a pint I hoped. Her sharp molars made punctures in my neck and I could feel my life blood seep away. Two minutes which to me seemed like an eternity passed and she let go off me. “Jack Daniels. Yummy”, she said smiling that deadly smile of hers, “Go back to your friends now. They are waiting for you. And don’t worry. No one will bother you tonight. I have left my mark on you. BTW, give me my packet.” I handed her the packet that Nek gave me and then she disappeared.
I shakily walked back into the Ipanema. Wenerd and Nek were leaning against the bar looking at me with a dazed expression on their faces. I joined them in their leaning. “Good show bugger”, says Wenerd handing me another Jack.
(Chris slowly pans the camera out. You know how these scenes are. There is a blur of motion around the three of us but we are the only things in focus.)
Reality slowly kicks in. Nek and Wenerd realize that they have to work tomorrow. I have to contemplate my trek back home. The three of us slowly make our way out of the Tower onto the road. Wenerd hails a taxi. I glance back one final time at the Tower. I don’t think I will ever forget the vampire from Ipanema.
(“That’s a take folks”, says Pen-ek and everything goes dark)
