"I'm sure he'll wake up soon. We'll get him that help in the morning." Coal shifted uncomfortably in his seat, glancing at me and then away again. "Do you want a real drink?" he asked as he retrieved a large glass bottle filled with a dark brown liquid from the floor.
"What is it?" I asked, not recognising it.
"Whiskey," he said, getting up and pulling two round tumblers out of a cupboard on the far wall.
"What's that?"
"Alcohol." He stated.
I looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language and he laughed.
"Don't you have this in the city?" He pressed the small, curved glass into my hand and took my water away. The amber liquid inside winked warmly in the light and I could smell a strong but not unpleasant aroma coming from it.
"Not that I know of," I said as I took a swig from the glass. It burned my throat as I swallowed it in one and I coughed, feeling my eyes prickle.
"What the hell is it?" I gasped.
"I would have told you to have a sip first rather than down a whole glass!" He laughed at me.
I could feel a warmth in my stomach that spread slowly to my limbs.
"Is it drugged?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
"No, it will make you a bit dizzy though and light headed. Here I'll catch you up." He smiled and knocked back the contents of his glass before pouring another and knocking that one back too.
"I think I like it," I said, feeling a grin spread across my face.
"Me too," he agreed and he sat down next to me, his side pressed against mine. He topped up our glasses again. I
lifted my glass to drink and he placed his hand over the top of it to stop me.
"It will make you dizzy and you'll enjoy it, but it'll make you sick if you drink too much and that's no fun." He smiled and released my glass.
"Okay, dizzy but not sick, that's easy enough to remember." I drained my drink and held the glass out again.
"Sure it is. I'm not gunna hold your hair back if you start throwing up," he said as he filled my glass.
"Well I won't hold your hair back either." I giggled and nudged him with my elbow as he took another sip of his drink, knocking some of it over the two of us which made me laugh even louder.
"Shhh you'll wake everyone up." Coal laughed too as he mopped some of the spilled mess off of us.
"Except for Taylor," I said, frowning.
"He'll be okay you know," Coal said, settling back into his seat.
"I know. He won't let a little thing like a bullet skimming his head keep him away from me for long." I smiled.
"He sounds... like he really cares about you and you about him," Coal said quietly, refilling his drink again.
"Of course." I nodded. "Like you and Alicia."
"He isn't your brother though is he?"
"Nope." I shook my head and it made me feel dizzy.
"Have you thought about what you want to do now?" Coal asked as he drank again.
"What do you mean?"