Roads Of Passage, Part 7

Roads Of Passage
by Blackbladder
Part 7

An hour had passed and the beers began flowing in all of them apart from
Rose.  She sat there watching her friends become more open and relaxed as
time flew in.  The once menacing smoky atmosphere played second fiddle to the
generous offer Iona had made for them.... If a stranger was willing to offer
them a place to stay, then the least she could do is sit in her world for a
small period.  

"Where do you see yourself in five years time?" Maxine asked, whilst
absent-mindedly lighting up a fresh cigarette.

"Still looking for a job probably..." Pandora responded, enjoying her first
experience in a bar.

"You could always come back and work with me!"  Maxine responded
sarcastically.

"That will be the day!  I hate retail work....I really have no idea what I
wanna do.  I am not like Daisy or Rose, with plenty of qualifications."
Pandora responded.

"Hey!  I worked hard for my qualifications.  It is gonna be even harder after
this break when I start studying Law.  You guys under-rate us college
students."  Daisy began laughing.

"Excuse me." Rose softly spoke, coughing from the smoke dominating the
interior.  Walking outside, Rose breathed deeply the fresh, cold night air.
The cold breeze running through her hair was a welcome departure from the
warm, stuffy, smoky atmosphere of the saloon.  

Maxine exhaled another cone of smoke upwards as Pandora sipped a beer in the
latest round of drinks.  

"Why the hell do you do that?" Pandora barked.

"Because I love the way it makes me feel...Smoking has so many benefits for
me and my lifestyle."  Maxine exclaimed proudly, sitting in a similar
communion of smokers.

"But that crap stinks!   It is really bad for your health and you are killing
yourself.  When I become a Lawyer, the first thing I am definitely gonna do
is try and outlaw smoking."  Pandora said

Daisy sat intensely watching her care-free friend smoke leisurely and defend
her habit.  The alcohol was beginning to loosen her resistance to smoking and
her true feelings began to filter through.

"You shouldn't crucify something you don't understand." Daisy said,
frustrated at her friend's hostility.

"Oh....so you understand?" Pandora responded sarcastically, hoping to silence
her friend.

Daisy looked towards the floor, realising that she had crossed the line.  And
now Maxine would take full advantage to push her right across.  The
inevitable followed.

"Why don't you show Pandora you understand?" Maxine suggested, pushing her
pack towards her reluctant colleague.

Daisy blushed and smiled at Maxine's suggestion in disbelief.  Here she was
in a saloon, being offered the chance to smoke.  This situation would never
have happened twenty-four hours ago.

Pandora's smile formed into a look of confusion as Daisy fumbled with the
pack of cigarettes, pondering whether to light up.  Maxine flicked her blue
bic lighter to life and showed the dancing flame to her friend.  The flame
danced in front of Daisy's eyes, enticing her...attracting
her.....controlling her to give in.  Finally, the alcohol and the flame
succeeded as Daisy opened the pack and placed a cork-tipped cigarette between
her lips.  Refusing to look at a shellshocked Pandora, Daisy accepted the
light, steadying her shaking hand with the cigarette, and sucked lightly.
Would the feelings from her previous experience come back, or would she
embarrass herself by failing to cope?  The question was history as she
removed the cigarette and parted her lips, allowing the smoke to ripple from
her mouth.  

Pandora just looked at Daisy in disbelief as her friend continued to bring
the cigarette back and forth to her lips, retaining eye contact at her feet.
Daisy could not deny that she was enjoying the feeling of smoke in her mouth
once more.  By her fourth puff, she began inhaling to truly feel the good
effects of smoking once more.  The alcohol had almost eradicated her
self-conscious and replaced with a feeling of well-being.  

"What do ya think, Daisy?"  Maxine asked, delighted that her friend took the
plunge and joined her for a smoke.

For the first time, Daisy looked up at an almost distraught Pandora and
laughed out loud.  The nicotine was now working its mysterious magic on its
latest recruit.  No going back now.

"Your expression is a classic!" Daisy laughed, releasing all senses of guilt
evaporate like the cigarette smoke.

"I am shocked Daisy, when did this happen?" Pandora said, gobsmacked.  Whilst
disappointing, this sight was disturbing as her own daydream images came to
life when Daisy smoked casually in her dream.

Daisy proceeded to tap the cigarette against the almost-full ashtray and tell
the whole story to her confounded colleague, whilst smoking up a storm with
smoker-in-crime, Maxine.

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