Atlantis Rising: Chapter 2
The second chapter of the series.
Previous Chapter: Phoenix Rising: Chapter 1
Homepage: Atlantis
I've done some switching around of chapters, and a bit of off-line work, which brings this chapter into play.
Also see: Reaper's First Drop
23:04 Hours, December 9, 2012 (Military Calendar), a crowded bar, Miami, Florida.
Matt carefully aimed down the length of his weapon, all his attention focused on his target. Matt drew his weapon back, tensed, and rammed it home-
The white ball jumped forward with a satisfying crack, hit the solid blue, and sent it spinning towards the corner pocket. The blue ball bounced off the bumper and missed the pocket by an inch.
Jamie laughed. "It's okay, we all suck sometimes." And he stepped forward, aimed at a striped orange ball, drew back. And completely whiffed. The stick ripped through the air and smacked the side of the white ball, sending it spiraling into the side pocket.
"Scratch one!" Scar laughed. "Nice shooting, Jamie."
Matt looked at him. They stared at each other for a second, then Matt said, "Really?"
"Shutup." Jamie said, almost simultaneously, a grin developing on his face.
"Really?" Matt repeated.
"It's okay, Jamie, we all suck sometimes." Holly said. "My shot, right?"
"Yep. Don't whiff." Matt grinned.
"Choke!" Jamie coughed right as Holly took the shot. Holly's shot jumped into the air and almost scratched.
Matt stared at Holly in mock accusation.
Holly punched Jamie in the arm. "Hey, thanks."
"Ow." Jamie winced, rubbing his shoulder. Holly turned away, but Matt saw Jamie roll his eyes and grin behind her back. "Alright, Scar, show 'em how it's done."
The four of them were on winter vacation in Miami. Friends since forever. Scarlett Miller, known to the group as Scar, Holly Dayne, Jamie Campbell, and Matt Kenderson.
Scar lined up her shot, took it, wincing as it went before finally making it into the pocket.
"Yeah! Alright, Scar!" Jamie whooped.
Matt raised his eyebrows. "It's just a game of pool."
"That I happen to be beating you in," Jamie continued, immediately making Matt both annoyed and laughing.
"Don't get used to it." Matt muttered as Scar missed her next shot. Matt proceeded to demonstrate one of his semi-random bouts of extraordinary pool-shooting ability, knocking in five consecutive balls. He then completely whiffed on the last one.
"How do you manage to do that when you suck as badly as the rest of us?" Holly asked.
"What can I say? Must be a beast or something." Matt nodded sarcastically.
Matt leaned back on the wall, drained his coke, and stole Holly's.
Jamie made his shot, noticed Matt's growing stack of empty glasses, and said, "There he goes again. I swear, you go through coke like normal people go through water."
"Which I've only heard about half-a-million times, by the way."
"Truth's the truth, man." Jamie replied.
In the next two shots, Holly knocked in the last of the solids and then the black, winning the game.
"Hmm, sucks." Matt sighed. He looked up, and the look on Jamie's face was hilarious enough that Matt took a picture of it with his cellphone and texted it back to Jamie.
Jamie opened his phone and looked at the picture. "Very funny. You're a riot."
"I'm glad you appreciate it." Matt grinned, sliding his phone shut.
"Lemme see." Scar slid up and examined Jamie's phone. "Very cute." She informed him.
"No you didn't say it right," Holly smiled. "It goes, 's'cute.'"
"S'cute, then." Jamie said. "Anyways."
All four of them put their sticks up. Matt slipped on his sweatshirt and waited for the others at the door. They left the bar and walked the three blocks back to their condo building.
