8/8/2019 Stark Raving Mad - Ch.1

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Brightly colored lights slash through the dark warehouse. Even more brightly colored peoplewrithe and spin to hypnotizing electronic beats. People you've never met are your best friends, and you

can buy a dose of cheer for only five dollars. We had just graduated from college, and we were

celebrating our disappearing youth by burning up our seratonin in great multicolored fireworks of joyand vaguely tribal dancing. The night was young, and so were we, for a little longer, at least.

I search through the strobing lights for the rest of the Dozen. We're an undeniably eccentric

cross-section of America's youth, brought together by luck and that special need that can only besatisfied by ingesting recreational drugs under the gentle luminescence of blacklights and glowsticks.

We are a family, brothers and sisters all, sired by Father Techno and birthed by Mother Ecstasy. We are

all one, and nothing can take us apart.

The first person I find is my brother, Thomas. We're twins, and far from identical. He's notnearly as attractive as I am, and, against all odds, has terrible fashion sense. The guy he's dancing with,

Seth, has been trying to instill a little of the queer eye in him, but so far, it's hopeless. Thomas actually

looks decent tonight, making it obvious that Seth dressed him.A flash of color catches my amped-up attention, and my eyes are involuntarily drawn to the

couch in the corner nearest me, where my neighbor and life-long friend Eric is putting on a light show

for Vincent and Jodie. His stocky form seems to bend in unnatural ways as he weaves patterns of lightwith the orange and blue glowsticks he holds between his fingers. He has glow-in-the-dark beads

woven into his dark hair, which he wears loose down just below his shoulderblades, and standing

 behind him, watching his hair sway back and forth with his contortions, I am almost as enthralled as thetwo Eric has captured with his bars of light.

Vincent, the first of Eric's willing prisoners, is the youngest member of the Dreamer's Dozen. I

took him under my wing at the start of my senior year in high school, during the annual Last Visit to Neverland rave. Last Visit is a seniors-only event hosted by the alumni, sort of our way of kicking off 

our final year of high school. Vincent snuck in, and almost got tossed out (and not gently) when it was

discovered that he was only a freshman. I figured that a kid that hardcore deserved to stay, and so I

vouched for him. He's been my devoted disciple ever since.His girlfriend Jodie is an entirely different story, however. Jodie is a clingy bitch, and a Dreamer 

only by gracious default. She just kept showing up at party after party, hitting on every guy there, until

she found one that welcomed her advances. Once Vincent asked me to accept her, there really wasn'tanything I could do. Everyone had pretty much gotten used to her by that point, and it's always been

tough for me to say no to Vincent. I put up with Jodie because I have to, and sometimes her attitude is

nearly enough to drive me up the wall.I tear my gaze away from Eric's luminous dance and continue to sweep the room. Jason brushes

 past me with a devilish grin, and I follow him to the raised platform on the back wall where Scott and

Rachel are kneeling on battered cushions, making out like they are the only two people in thewarehouse. As Rachel's back is toward us, she doesn't notice our approach, but Scott does, and his eyes

light up as he sees what Jason is carrying. I catch a glimpse just as Jason reaches up and touches the

 back of Rachel's neck. Her entire body shudders violently as Jason slides the ice cube over her skin, andan animalistic moan escapes her lips. She cranes her neck around to bite at Jason's mouth, and while she

is distracted, Jason slips Scott a second ice cube, which he brushes against her bare midriff, bringing

forth a yelp of pleasure. I can tell by her widening eyes and quickening breathing that this is just whatshe needed to blow her up. I turn away as Scott dips his ice cube into Rachel's navel, knowing that her 

two lovers will keep her occupied long after the ice has melted.

As I walk away from the tangled trio, a pair of slender arms encircle my waist from behind, and

a lithe form presses up against my back. I turn around and receive a very enthusiastic kiss from Eric'ssister, Sarah.

“You know,” I say to her, “one of these days, Tink is gonna kick your ass for shit like that,

Babygirl.”

8/8/2019 Stark Raving Mad - Ch.1

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Sarah smiles as she whirls away from me. “You know I love you King! And technically, I sawyou first!”

I watch her go with mixed feelings. It's no secret that she has a thing for me, but I grew up with

her. She's almost like my sister.My really hot sister. Who just put her tongue in my mouth.

Shut up brain.

“Hey, King! King!”I drag my eyes away from Sarah's retreating form and search for my summoner. I find him

standing behind a table laden with electronic equipment, turntables, amplifiers, mixers, and crates of 

vinyl.

“Hey, King! This young woman wants me to spin a track called Where the Hell Is My

 Boyfriend , but I'm not sure I have it.”

I give Anthony the finger and wrap my arm around Evelynn's shoulders. She's just short enough

that every curve of her body molds perfectly with mine when she leans in against my chest. I bury mynose in her auburn hair and breathe in deeply as she drags her fingernails up my bare back, making my

heart race.

“Hey, Tinkerbell. You finished letting Saint attempt, yet again, to steal you away from me?”Anthony mimes a hurt look. “Actually, I was telling her how much better she'd be treated if she

stayed with you.”

Evelynn giggles into my shirtless chest. “It's true. He was simply singing your praises.”I lean down and nip at Evelynn's earlobe, whispering breathily as I do so, “Go check on

Cleopatra and the boys and see if their ice has melted yet. I'll be right there.” I end by flicking the tip of 

my tongue into her ear, and after she recovers, she dances toward the rear of the room. I turn back toAnthony.

“The sun's gonna be up soon, Saint.”

“Is that an order, King?”

“Let's call it a respectful request.”“Your wish is my command.”

I weave back through the crowd, gathering the Dozen as I make my way to the back wall. As I

reach the platform, an expectant hush blankets the assembly as the unmistakable sounds of theDreamer's Dozen anthem pour from the speakers stacked around the warehouse. A jubilant cheer erupts

around me, and we all begin the last frenzied dance of the night, singing at the tops of our lungs....

We are the children of the night,

 Fight for the future of our nation,

 Lets come together and unite, Nothings gonna stop us now!