//------------------------------// // Chapter 31: Cheap Wine // Story: Rosa // by awf //------------------------------// Rosa was trying very hard to bottle her anger up before it could burst out. She really wanted to be mad, but she didn't want to sour things between her and Terry. He and Sky Light were friends and Rosa would have to live with them for a while, at least. It wouldn't do to get into a fight on her second night. She was still miffed, though. He had spent all her money! Yes, the man had brought her toothbrush and paste. He had even bought a couple of bags of various sweets for Rosa, not to mention a vegetarian sandwich. The problem was that he then went and got himself several packs of cigarettes and a couple of bottles of wine. Just like that all the cash was gone. That hadn't just been Rosa's money, half of it had belonged to Sky Light! Rosa had realized that too late and didn't want to ask Terry to some of it back. She hadn't been expecting him to spend that much anyway! Well, if she was being completely honest, Rosa was hoping the purchases would end up less than half the amount. Even if they had gone a little over, she would share her gummy bears with Sky Light and that would probably make it okay. Except now it was all gone and Rosa would have to explain to the other mare that she had let Terry spend all their hard earnings. Hopefully she wouldn't be too pissed. Even that wasn't the biggest problem. What Rosa hated the most about the situation was that she would probably have to go out with Sky Light again the next day and beg for some more. Another morning of silent, red-faced embarrassment while strangers took pity on her and give her money. Would Sky Light be angry enough to send Rosa out on her own? The sudden thought made her step falter. Oh no! Rosa was not sure she could go through with it alone! Her hooves felt like they were made of lead as she trudged after the man. She should have said something before he had gone into the store. Should have made it clear it was Sky Light's money. Now it was too late. If Rosa mentioned it now, Terry would just ask: 'Why didn't you tell me sooner?' She wouldn't have a response to that, other than embarrassed silence, so Rosa didn't even try. It looked like she would just have to explain it to Sky Light and hope for the best. She would even let her have all the bags of candy, as well as the sandwich. Rosa had lost her appetite when she had realized her mistake. The two of them came back down into the canal and walked over to the van. The sun was setting, but there was no sign of Sky Light just yet. "Go grab some of that wood and let's make a fire. It ain't summer just yet," Terry told her. "Oh. Okay." Rosa listlessly dragged herself to the pile of planks and gave the problem some thought. She didn't want to grab one of those with her mouth, so she put her hooves on a protruding piece of wood and pulled. Once she had freed the plank Rosa struggled to drag it back. It was a slow process which involved her taking a step back, sitting on her haunches and using her forelegs to pull the thing to herself. Then she repeated the actions. In mere minutes she was at the impromptu fireplace, where she saw that Terry had already opened one bottle and was taking swigs while watching her work. Rosa clamped her muzzle shut before she could say something which would start an argument. "There," she said sourly, dropping the thing in front of Terry. "Break it into pieces," came the command. Rosa rolled her eyes and lifted a hoof to grab the plank again, but then she paused and looked at the man. It had been her money. At the very least she would get some of the benefit. "Give me a drink first." Terry wordlessly passed over the bottle and Rosa deftly gripped it with her forelegs. This one didn't smell nearly as bad as the flask. It was just fermented grapes, she reminded herself. Rosa used to love grape juice when the kitchen had had it for meals. There was also the alcohol smell, but it was not bad at all. She took an experimental swig. It was a tiny bit bitter, but at the same time sweeter than she had expected. It didn't taste very much like grapes, but it was not too bad. As an additional bonus, that one didn't make Rosa want to throw up. She lifted the bottle again and took several longer gulps. That much at once really brought out the alcohol and she was forcibly reminded of vodka. "Whoa, easy there, girl!" Terry said and plucked the bottle from her hooves. Rosa didn't mind him taking it since she'd had enough anyway. She licked the remnant of the taste from her lips and lifted up the plank on a hoof. Then she pointedly looked at Terry and brought her other hoof down on the wood. It snapped in two, almost effortlessly. The action didn't have the effect she had been hoping for, but maybe the man looked a little bit impressed. Rosa's mouth quirked up in a smile and she changed her grip on the plank. The second bit snapped off just as easily. After a couple more whacks she ended up with a small pile of firewood. "There," Rosa said with finality. She was not doing anything else, she decided. It was getting late and she had had a busy day. The mare sat on the ground opposite Terry and watched him stack the wood in the barrel. He fished in his pocket for a lighter and held the tiny, flickering flame against the wood until it started to burn. Pretty soon they had a fire and Rosa started feeling a bit better. She didn't want to stay mad at Terry. It had been her fault for not making it clear that he wasn't supposed to spend all of the money. Rosa would apologize to Sky Light who would forgive her. Tomorrow would suck with no breakfast and the begging, but Rosa could tough it out. She decided to take it as punishment for not thinking more clearly. She heaved a sigh and blinked. Her head seemed a bit lighter. Was she getting drunk? Anxious not to lose the feeling, Rosa stood up and walked around the fire to Terry. She pointed at the bottle, which was almost empty. "Gimme." He looked at the dark red contents with a calculating glance, then shrugged to himself and handed it over. Rosa considered dragging it back to the place where she had been sitting, but that seemed a bit too tricky. She didn't want to break the bottle or spill it. Instead, she just put the neck in her muzzle and lifted up. The alcohol taste hit a bit harder that time, but Rosa forced it all down until the bottle was empty. Then she burped. She wondered how long it would take. If that wasn't enough to get her drunk, nothing would be. Was it just her or did Terry look decidedly impressed? "What?" she asked brusquely. "Nice going," he said, eyeing the empty bottle. "Drink often?" Rosa shook her head and opened her muzzle to answer, but instead she burped again. It made her blush and cover her mouth with a hoof. Rather than a reprimand, such as she might have gotten in the school or from Mrs. Boone, Terry just chuckled. "Well," he said, pulling out a cigarette, "you're a hobo now. Fire in a barrel and cheap wine, that's as good as it gets, kid." Normally it would have been depressing, but the wine had spread from her stomach and was making Rosa feel warm all over. On a whim she lifted up the bottle, which rewarded her with a few drops of wine on her tongue. Rosa thought she could really get used to the stuff. After a while it just tasted sweet. She could ignore the alcohol in it. The leg holding up the bottle wavered and she lowered it before it could slip from her grasp. It was empty, anyway, but it reflected and refracted the sparkling flames and Rosa spent long minutes just watching it. She was definitely feeling something by now. She turned to ask Terry, but just blinked in surprise. It was as if the picture from her eyes was lagging a little when she moved her head. It was making Rosa giggle. The empty bottle slipped from her grasp and clinked as it rolled away. That was kind of funny too! Rosa had been so sure she was holding it, but there it went, on the ground. Silly bottle! Was that what drunk felt like? Rosa needed to ask an expert. "How- haa, how will I know... uh, how'll I know when I- uh..." She blinked as she lost the train of thought. "Holy crap," Terry said, making Rosa giggle some more. "That was fast. When was the last time you ate?" It took some concentrated thought before Rosa found an answer. "Arda- thing. Um. Yeah, tassit! Kee-bab thing, only... only-" she tried, but then leaned her head to the side so she could think better. "Eggs- ecks... 'cept no meat for me." Terry put a hand on his forehead. "That was lunch, you little idiot. You just downed half a bottle of wine on an empty stomach. And you're not used to it." Rosa scrunched up her muzzle as she tried to understand. Something told her that she should be ashamed, so she folded down both ears on general principles. Then she felt silly for doing it and lifted one of them up again. That was a good compromise, right? "Whaaat?" she demanded as Terry kept staring. "Just don't throw up in the van, okay?" Well, that sounded pretty easy. "'kay." Rosa remembered the sandwich and stuck out both forelegs toward Terry. "Gimme sammich!" she demanded. He sighed, but pulled it out of his pocket. He had been kind enough to carry it for her since Rosa didn't have saddlebags yet. "Too late for that, but knock yourself out." She couldn't help chuckling at the image. You couldn't knock yourself out with a sandwich! Just for the heck of it Rosa tried anyway and bonked the plastic-wrapped thing on her head a couple of times. "See? S'not hard enough," she explained. Getting up with the sandwich in her hooves proved impossible. Rosa needed four legs to stand, but two of them were being used to hold the thing. It was a conundrum and she stared at the sandwich for a while, as she tried to figure it out. Oh, that was right! She could put the sandwich in her mouth and then she could lower her hooves to the ground. That was better. When she pushed herself upright, however, the world spun around and Rosa found herself sitting on her ass again, facing the other way. "Hoh?" It should have worked. It had worked thousands of times before! She tried again, this time really pushing up with her hind legs. It was not entirely clear to Rosa how she came to be lying on her belly with her muzzle pressing into the dirt. She blinked her eyes and tried to make sense of the situation. On some dim level she realized she was drunk. Was that what it felt like? Everything was strange and blurry and she couldn't quite control her limbs. It should have been scary, but it was actually funny. She started chuckling, but it turned into full laughter when she heard the sound of her own voice. "Yeah, you're completely out of it. I'll take this before you ruin it, okay?" Terry gently lifted up her head and removed a soft rock which had been pressing against her neck. Rosa thought about getting up to see what it was, but in her current state that didn't seem possible. Instead, she rolled on her back. "Oh! Ooooooh! Th' sammich!" she exclaimed, recognizing it. She had been wondering where that had gone. It was okay, she was not really hungry right then. She could have it later. Then her gaze wandered and Rosa pointed an unsteady foreleg. "Sky Light!" Terry followed her pointing hoof and let out a small sigh. "Thank God," he muttered under his breath. The dot Rosa had seen grew larger and resolved into the pegasus. She landed right beside the pair, and stared with a faint smile on her muzzle. "Rosa?" she asked. "Why are you rolling around on the ground?" Rosa had so much to tell her! She opened her muzzle to explain about the money, but Terry beat her to it: "She's drunk out of her idiot skull." The other mare glared at her human friend. "What?! You let her get wasted?" Again Rosa opened her mouth to tell Sky Light that she was okay. She was enjoying this feeling! "I'm not her dad. She wanted a taste, I gave her a bit. Can't help if you fucking ponies go over after a single drop..." Sky Light heaved a sigh and put her hooves around Rosa. She smelled strange, but Rosa couldn't quite place it right then. Sweat and... something else. "Hi Sky Light!" she greeted her friend. "Yeah, hi," the pegasus replied, rolling Rosa to her belly and then pulling her to her hooves. "Come on, let's get you to bed and then I'll bring you some water. It's gonna suck in the morning, but at least maybe you'll learn to take it easy on the booze." "Don't let her throw up in the van!" Terry commanded, but Sky Light didn't give any indication she had heard. Rosa's legs didn't quite work, but with the pegasus supporting her, walking was just barely possible. She followed the mare - well, Sky Light dragged her, but Rosa chose to imagine it as 'following' - to the van. "Can you climb up?" Rosa gave the van, the open door and the seat a critical examination. Then she nodded happily. It was just a matter of putting a hoof up there, and then... "That's it, good girl!" her friend cheered her on. Sky Light pushed her rump up with her head and the world tilted crazily. For a moment Rosa was not sure which way was up or down. Her stomach really didn't like that and lurched up into her throat. "Urk!" Rosa tried to warn the pegasus, but it was too late. "ARGH! EW!" Sky Light yelped as she jumped away. The splash got her right in the muzzle. Rosa landed heavily on top of her with a small 'oomph'. "I told you!" Terry yelled from his seat next to the fire. Sky Light gave a small growl. "You could help you know?!" she shouted back. The man barked a laugh before replying: "Nah, I'm good." It made the pegasus growl a little more as she shook her head wildly to dislodge the partially digested wine. Rosa blinked at the firelight a few times, then spat what she had in her mouth. It was absolutely foul. Her stomach felt a bit better now that it was gone, though. Maybe sleep wasn't the worst possible idea. Rosa looked at the van once again. "Come on, let's get you up. Stupid filly. Hasn't anybody taught you how to get drunk?" Rosa shook her head. "S'not allowed in, um... in School." "Figures. They didn't teach you any life skills," Sky Light grumbled. This time, by pushing her friend's rump again, she managed to slide Rosa up on the seat. It was soft and warm and Rosa gratefully collapsed into the makeshift bed. Her pegasus friend climbed up after and covers her with a blanket. "If you have to puke again, try and get it outside, okay?" Rosa just stared at her blankly, but managed a nod on general principles. Sky Light sighed and rummaged on the floor until she found a plastic bottle. "I'll be right back with your water," she promised. "'kay." There was something more and Rosa tried to think of it before she left. "Um, S-S-Sky?" "Yes?" "Thanks..." Rosa felt a bit stupid that she hadn't remembered to thank the mare for taking her in, really. All she had done was be difficult and complain. Sky Light deserved more gratitude than that. Rosa had been a very unpleasant guest. It was a miracle Sky Light even still liked her! The mare was the best friend Rosa could ever want. It filled her eyes with tears and she couldn't stop a sniffle. "Sorry I've... uh. Sorry. Been- been..." She tried to get the word lined up. "Diff-ult." That was most of it anyway. "Sorry..." "Hush, it's fine. We all need a friend sometimes. This time that's me. Someday you'll return the favor." Rosa nodded enthusiastically. Anything she could do for Sky Light she would! "Anyfink." Sky leaned back in to give Rosa a pleasant nuzzle, even if it stank of her regurgitated wine. They both realized it at the same time. "Ugh. We're definitely visiting the trucker stop first thing tomorrow. The place has showers and the guy at the desk lets me rent one..." That reminded Rosa of another problem and she froze. Her ears instantly flopped down. "The m-money," she said, realization pushing away some of the fog in her mind. "Yeah? What about the money?" Rosa couldn't look at her friend right at the moment, so she buried her muzzle in the seat. "It's gone." There was silence and Rosa was expecting the mare to shout, or at least smack her with a hoof. She heaved a sigh, but it sounded more sad than angry. "We'll talk about it tomorrow. Just go to sleep, Rosa." She was right. Rosa was in no condition to explain herself. She kept forgetting words and she needed those to tell her how Terry had tricked her! There was just one thing Rosa needed to get out before all that. "S-Sorry... fer- forgive me? Din- din't mean to." "It's fine," the mare sad testily. "We'll discuss it tomorrow. I'll get you some water." She was gone before Rosa could say she was sorry again. Rosa took a deep breath and laid her head down on the seat even as she tried to ignore how much the world was still spinning around her. She hoped it would stop soon, or else she might have to puke again.