2017 2018 complete

Nameless Souls: A Night at a Bar

Isabella Gillioz

She sits at the corner of the bar covered by a veil of loneliness. She drinks the first glass, all the while her face unreadable. Staring down at her empty cup, she holds a finger up to call the bartender. A shadow appears across her and she murmurs, “I’ll have another please.” With a sigh, he walks away to get her the drink. When he comes back she solemnly slides the glass across the table. It makes little to no noise as the bartender fills it to the brim with more whiskey. The lights are dim in the grim setting. She drags the glass back to her. As she drinks, the liquid slides down her throat, covering her with stone cold grief. She chokes on the last gulp of whiskey, and slams it down. The grief burns her. When the coughing stops she closes her eyes. I see them. I see the woman in the tight red dress and dark lips. Her vivid green eyes shine with her laughter. And she’s with him. My love. I stop in my tracks when I see them. Perhaps she’s just a friend . I thought. But then I saw the ring. The beautiful diamond ring on her finger. I feel a lump in my throat. I shake it off quickly and let anger swerve around my mind as I realize I’ve been played. Played by him. Fists in balls and face red I storm away from them. Tears of anger fall down my cheeks. Now only tears of somber pour down my front. She opens her wet eyes, wanting to erase the images they project every time she closes them. Hot tears stream down her cold face. They cloud her vision. She does not want to close them. She does not want to see them . But she must make the tears go away. She squeezes her eyes shut and wipes the streaks on her face. Although trying not to,

she sees the woman in red with her magnificent ring. “Excuse me!” she calls out.

The bar is radiant with life so her uprising is not noticed by those around her. However, the bartender comes up to her for the call was to him. He arches a brow to her. “I need something stronger. Please” she says in almost a rush. The bartender nods and walks away to get her a new drink. He comes back with a shot glass. He places the drink in front of the woman and leaves to serve others in need. She stares down at the clear liquid. With her fingers, she slowly turns the glass

thinking if she should take it. And there, in the glass swims the memory of the beautiful

She opens her wet eyes, wanting to erase the images they project every time she closes them.

laughing woman. She grips the shot glass and in one swig drains it. The strong taste fills her mouth, her mind, her senses. The sour taste is causing her head to swirl. Again, she looks down upon the empty glass in front of her. A piece of hair falls to her face. She leaves it hanging there, blocking half her vision. After all she’s done, the memory of her love and another woman still finds a way back into her sights. She pulls the loose hair back and tucks it behind her ear. She looks up and calls the bartender anew. “Can I have mo-” she begins, but is interrupted by a lump in her throat. She blinks fast as more tears fog her sight. Two escape and descend down her face. “I’m,

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