Highrise

'Somewhere, high above the city&;#8230;.'
'Don't do that, Steve&;#8230;no don't. Really. Please.'
'Superman!' shrieked Steve, almost pushing himself out of the
window.
'Fuck! Stop it!' Lou knew she sounded hysterical, and that it would
only encourage him, but she couldn't help herself.
Steve put his feet back on the dark swirly carpet, and turned towards
her, laughing.
'Chill out, Lou. Wouldn't get my arse through that window
anyway.'
She smiled, and went back to stirring the soup on the hob. Her hob.
Well, it had been someone else's now it was hers. No. 607, Champion
House was hers; the council's and hers. She was a bit uneasy when she
heard that the last resident, some sweet old granny, had died there,
and remained undiscovered for a few days. But there was no trace of her
now, or she was at least exorcising the last of her with a night in
with a few young, very alive mates.

The neighbours had not been in evidence much so far, although Lou had
managed a shy smile at a timid-looking Bengali wife who had darted
quickly back into her flat. Champion House was no beauty to look at,
but socially no nightmare, as far as Lou had heard. Not like the
Bradley Estate with its burnt out cars and burnt out kids.

Some of mates really pissed her off. They actually said things like
'Council estate? Man, that's so cool', as if she was making some sort
of style statement. She just wanted out, that was all.

'Looooouueeeee! Goooooeeeeey Looooueeee!' called Ben from the
lounge.
'What?'
'Gooey Louie I have some little presents for you and your home!'
There hadn't been time to adjust the d?cor yet, so the lounge was lit
low with candles and a lava lamp projector. Ben's face looked like a
goblin mask, all leering mouth and dark eye sockets.
'I don't see what my home can do with that, but yeah, cheers.' she
said, tearing a tab of acid from the strip in his hand, and placing it
on her tongue.
Kitty was carrying out her threat of what she called DJing in the
background. Lou was nervous about the volume- she was sandwiched
between the thin layers of the ninth and eleventh floors, and there was
the potential to disturb a lot of people.
'Kitty, less of the bass, sweetie.'
'Don't'cha like my amazing sonic journey?' grinned Kitty
lopsidedly.
'Look, I love you dearly, but you can't spin for shit.'
'Its about the choons! The choons!' she gurned.
'I know. Just less bass.'

It was her, her best mates, her very own place (and the council's), oh
yeah, it was going to be so cool. She just let herself drop into a
skunk haze&;#8230;.high above the city&;#8230;

Just before midnight, Ben pulled a yoga exercise video out of the draw
beneath the TV.
'Hey, yoga&;#8230;cool. I can get my foot behind my ear.
No&;#8230;.I can.' he said, utterly failing to do so. They put the
video on and took the piss out of the vacuous presenter. Ben still
couldn't get his foot up behind his ear, which had nothing to do with
what was on the video, anyway. He fell over with a resounding thump as
Lou rushed into the lounge clutching a bundle in her hands.

'Just found this at the back of the cupboard under the sink. Heavy as
fuck. What do you reckon it is?'
'A disembodied head! A jelly mould! Lionel Blair's pancreas!' shrieked
Steve.
The bundle was wrapped in yellowing old newspaper, stained brownish at
one end.
'Blood. The brown stuff, blood, you just know it.' leered Ben.
'Shut up, man. Wanna see what's in it?' Lou aked.

Slowly, reverentially, the bundle was unwrapped. Beneath two layers of
old paper, a large ceramic spaniel.
Steve screamed and rolled backwards, his feet almost knocking the
newly-revealed treasure out of Lou's hands.
'A Spaniel!' he shrieked 'The horror! The horror!'
He was always a bit much, Lou reasoned, but if he didn't calm down,
she was going to get pissed off. The joke did pall on occasion,
especially when she wanted to chill out.
'That is so cool,' grinned Kitty, 'that is what my room is missing. Can
I have it, Lou?'
'Sure, have yourself a party, enjoy your new friend.'
'But where did the blood come from?' whispered Ben, leaning in
close.
'Looks more like brown sauce or something to me.' Lou answered
'Mmmm' grinned Steve, 'at the end of a hard day, there's nothing I like
more that brown sauce spread all over a crunchy ceramic spaniel.'
'Are you going to say anything that isn't totally stupid tonight,
Steve?'
'Not if I can help it.'

Conversation was interrupted by Kitty's news that some soft porn was
on TV. They picked a girl each, and agreed to drink each time their
girl got her top off. New rules were added, and Ben asked if he could
have a bonus drink for his girl having a lesbian clinch with her tennis
instructor. The threesome positively finished him off - they were on
tequila by now.
'No fair!' said Kitty, 'His bird's much more of a nympho than anyone
else's.'

Afterwards, they flicked channels, and stopped at one showing
apparently random footage of astronauts floating in space, bits of
children's cartoons, and more soft porn, accompanied by ambient music.
Their silence was broken about ten minutes later by Kitty's
laughter.
'Fucking hell!' she giggled, 'Look at us, we're fucking hypnotised,
man!'
Ben chuckled inanely, and remained staring at the screen. Lou went to
the kitchen to get crisps. It was 3am.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
'Who the hell?' thought Lou, as she ran to pick up the intercom
phone.
'Lou&;#8230;' slurred a voice at the other end.
'Sat?'
'Yeah, s'me.'N Tyra, 'n Giddy.'
'Thought you were partying.'
'Just let us in, I'll tell ya about it.'

'Who is it Lou?' asked Steve.
'Sat. He sounds like shit. With Giddy and Tyra.'

A few moments later, she opened the door. Sat was in a right state, and
chewing frantically. His sweater was torn, and he was covered in mud up
to the knees. Giddy and Tyra just looked blank, but then, they always
did.
'Oh, you poor love.' sighed Lou, and gave Sat a hug that he returned
weakly.

'Shit, what happened, droogs?' gawped Ben, 'what happened to the
party?'
'No party,' mumbled Sat, 'Pigs were already there. Went to some trance
shit on in Brixton. Bouncers caught me taking a toot, didn't
they.'
'Shit,' said Kitty, 'no party, no drugs&;#8230;.'
Giddy and Tyra nodded blearily.
Lou's face brightened up 'Hey, well you're here. There's stuff to go
round, right?'
Sat smiled lopsidedly, and mumbled 'But fuck, man, I really wanted a
right large one tonight.'
'Who says we're not having it large!' shouted Steve, suddenly animated
and beginning to skank frenetically across the room.
'Gimme my glowsticks, where's my horn?' he continued, 'Paaaaaarp!
Paaaaarp! I'm an annoying wanker with an enormous fluorescent horn,
weheeeey!'
Lou sighed. Just as he'd finally started to calm down, or go to sleep
or something.

Giddy and Tyra collapsed together on a beanbag, and started to rather
absently fondle one another, Giddy somehow managing to do so whilst
putting together a roll-up.
Ben frowned at Sat 'What's that shit on your jeans?'
'So muntered, man&;#8230;.' he started, 'fucking cab winged me
outside the club. Didn't hurt or nothing, but the streets were just
covered in crap.'
'Bad call.'
'Wanna borrow a pair of mine?' asked Lou. Sat had been wasted to
girl-skinny, and a short bastard to boot.
'That'd be cool, Lou. These've got bad memories right now.'

Giddy, meanwhile, disentangled himself from Tyra, who had fallen
asleep, and made a bee-line for the neglected decks. As ever, his
record bag was slung across his back ready for any opportunity (and
he'd taken a few good ones in the past). Right now it was a bit of
therapy - if he couldn't dance in a massive crowd, he could play to a
few friends. He didn't know them that well, actually, but they'd
definitely do for now.

Things continue in much the same vein - occasional pillow fight, small
arguments, planning how their parties in summer were going to be the
best ever, and they'd play all music, any music.
'None of that we're a techno system, we're a fucking trance system
shit.' said Sat, enervated by one of his favourite topics of
discussion. They were onto the hi-fi by now, playing CDs of Beethoven,
Pink Floyd, Euro-cheese, The Beatles, Joy Division, AC/DC, whatever
came to light from Lou's boxed-up collection.
'Highway to Hell at a party, man.' smiled Lou.
'Remember you're a Womble,' Steve added, 'no, I mean it. Remember
you're a womble man. 'Cause you are! YOU ARE A WOMBLE.'
'Thanks for the reminder, babe.' came Kitty's voice from the
kitchen.

Sat's phone rang.
'Quarter to fucking 5, man.' Sat mumbled, rummaging in his bag, 'Yeah,
'lo.'
The more awake of them leaned in to listen, but he shooed them
away.
'Naw, naw. Ain't got none have I? &;#8230;.At Lou's,' his voice
lowered, 'You know, used to be Richie's bird.'
Ben, eyes open only to reflect the TV, headed back towards
consciousness at the conversation.
'What's it you want?' he muttered, 'Might have some shit.'
'S'not what it's about, man.' Sat replied, turning again to the phone.
'Look, I'll do it when I do it. But I will do it! Aw, fuck it!'
He threw the phone weakly at the floor. 'Wanker.' he hissed under his
breath.
'Another instalment of Sat's mystery life.' smiled Kitty, raising her
eyebrows.
'Don't you fucking know it.' he snapped miserably.
'Don't 'n don't want to.'

Soon everyone was on comedown, Ben DJing for his life or sanity or
both.
'Not so dark, Benji.' came Lou's voice.
'Whatever you say, Gooey Louie,' Ben replied, rummaging through the
unconscious Giddy's collection for something more uplifting.
Tyra was awake now, but had sequestered herself in the bathroom. She
emerged at about half-past six, looking extraordinarily perky.
'Can I grab something for breakfast?' she trilled to Lou.
'Sure, help yourself.'
After a bowl of Shreddies, she quickly retired back to the bathroom
again.

Kitty was curled up asleep around her ceramic spaniel, her thumb
dangerously close to her mouth.
'Cute in't she?' grinned Sat.
'Yeah, bless her.' answered Lou, ruffling her sleeping friend's
hair.
'Thanks for, you know, everything tonight.' Sat said, taking Lou's
hand.
'Pleasure, Sat,' she replied, 'it's really cool to see you. Wish it
could've been better circumstances and all.'
'You made it worth it, Lou.'

Ben seemed to be coming round again. 'The sky is green, the sun is
black, I'm lying here, on my back.' he sang tunelessly, eyes rolling to
the back of his head. Then he sat bolt upright.
'Toast!' he declared, and slumped down again.
Kitty put some hip-hop on the stereo 'Hey, anybody,' she shouted too
loudly, 'I'm rolling breakfast if anyone wants.'
'Don't talk food&;#8230;' muttered Sat.
'Who said anything about food?' she countered.
'Ant 'n Dec in a few hours, people.' announced Lou.

Steve turned the TV back on.
'Cool,' he smiled, 'Captain Caveman! He's the fucking best. You
remember Captain Caveman.'
'A-hem.' spluttered Lou, pointing to a list scrawled in biro on the
inside of a pizza box:
'Things we are not going to talk about like stoned wankers'

1) Who's the best DJ
2) Kids TV
3) The best gear we've had
4) Politics
5) DJing equipment
6) Your mum

'Sorry, Lou. My lips will be sealed forthwith.' said Steve contritely,
with the appropriate zipping movement. After that, nothing until about
10 AM from anybody.

It was at that time that Lou woke up, breathing obstructed by Sat's
arms wrapped across her chest as he lay beneath her on the floor like a
mattress. Her mouth felt stripped - too much smoking, she wasn't used
to that much. She stood up and surveyed the mess, and remembering Tyra,
she made for the bathroom, afraid of what she was going to see.

Miraculously, nothing dreadful. It was as clean, or rather, as grubby
as it was supposed to be. But little more than that, aside from the
mess in the bath (namely Steve, who fitted the tub perfectly). His
trousers were around his ankles, but fortunately, his underpants were
in place. Steve's left sock hung forlornly from the faucet, and for
some reason he'd apparently tried to dress the sink in his sweater. Lou
laughed, and left him there. He looked so happy, and it was his
happiness, excessive as it sometimes was, that made her love him and
his company.

Giddy and Tyra were back in one another's arms, him with a big smile on
his face, her muttering and squirming. The porcelain spaniel rose and
fell on Kitty's chest now, a cigarette held loosely in her mouth moved
the same way. Her outstretched hand cupped a lighter. Kitty was
notorious for falling asleep in the middle of things. Lou had found her
curled up in a bassbin at the end of a club once. And Ben? Lying
ruler-straight and face down parallel to the telly. She trod over him
and looked out of the window.

Bright white winter sunshine glittered off the gas cylinders as kids
screeched in the footy fields beside them, the occasional cry rising up
to the tenth floor. Buses crawled down the streets, people walked,
talked, had their lives, and she had hers. High above the
city&;#8230;&;#8230;