Two Parties

The music playing at the Minthouse was rock-and-roll and it was good. “This round’s on me,” said Jeremy. “Because I got that gig.” Jeremy was a male model. He was still considered small-time, but was thought by some to have great potential. He had recently been chosen to model in a magazine advertisement. Yeah, he’s beautiful I guess, thought Jeremy’s friend David.

Mark and Helen returned to the table from dancing, laughing. Feeling this good makes me feel like burning fewer things, thought Mark. “You looked beautiful out there, you babe,” said Jason to Helen.

“I am beautiful,” she said.

I guess the reason we keep Mark around when he’s dangerously insane is because we’re a kind group of people, thought David.



Jason was born in the city of Ilasi, in the country of Shanin, but his allegiance belonged to the overseas country of Ayreadin. Jason studied history at the graduate level at Ilasi’s primary university, but in reality Jason’s interest was in living conditions and common attitudes within Shanin and Ilasi for the benefit of Ayreadin, along with realities at one of Shanin’s most important universities.

“Hey lover,” said Jason’s girlfriend Lara, and she sat down on his lap. Lara knew nothing of Jason’s true occupation – spy.

“It’s nothing compared to my last girlfriend,” said Mark in front of a small crowd. They were at a party. “Sandra is difficult, but Alyssa was actually evil,” he said, and he glanced at Jeremy. Jeremy held his tongue and stared ahead. “Oh, come on Jeremy!”

I wonder how his madness manifests, thought Jason. So much aggressive emotion. How does Mark lash out? Not through theft. I think of killing and then I think of Mark with an animal. Harmless with an animal. I still think of killers as having been cruel to animals. Not killing then. Arson?

“She was darkly evil,” said Mark. “And you’re a bad friend for leaving me out to dry here!”

“I never knew someone I thought was evil,” said Jeremy.

“You’ve just left me out to dry completely. It’s like you’re taking her side!” Jeremy looked at his friend and tried to hold eye contact, but Mark broke it immediately. “You let me down,” he muttered.

“How are things Jeremy?” a young woman asked him.

“Things are fine,” he said. He had a crush on the young woman. “I got another modeling job. I’m excited about my future.”

An hour later a fire broke out upstairs. It was put out after a few minutes, but Jeremy’s covers were permanently damaged.

I think it was Mark, thought David. Wow, that was a really obvious way of doing that. It’s like Mark wants to be caught.