the liquid burns as i toss back another shot
the shadowy figure across from me motions for the bartender to bring another round over and i nod a thanks to him
he shakes his head as the new shot is barely set down in front of me and its already gone, another fallen soldier…hiccup
his voice is raspy, like something foul being scraped across hot asphalt
“a man drinks like that, hes gonna die”
i laugh “promise?”
the man nods the bartender back over, and tells him to leave the bottle
“yeah, i promise, now whats on your mind?”
i drink straight from the bottle, downing the amber liquid which doesnt seem to have an end
i slam it down on the bar…hiccup
“i lost everything” i say to him
“no”that raspy voice replies “you only lost one thing”
i say back to him “that was everything to me”
up comes the bottle, down goes the liquor, never quenching my thirst
we sit in silence for a couple of hours, me drinking and him watching
he gets up and says “well, i got a promise to keep”
“finally “i say…hiccup