It rained.
Ambassador Hsing used offensive language. She kept as close to the shops as possible, for any shelter they offered, and for illumination. She quickened her pace every time the thought of one of those evil...
things coming up behind her appeared afresh. People gave her odd looks as she made her way down the street hugging herself, her long, dark hair wet and lifeless, her dress crumpled and her feet bare; but she barely even noticed them.
Most of the shops were closed this late, but a flickering neon sign pointed out that a bar of appropriate dinginess was still open. Hsing went in.
The only light in the bar came from the bar itself. The two other occupants, sat at separate tables in the dark, were minding their own business so much that they were practically hiding in their coats. There was also a barman with an amber beard, cleaning a beer mug with a rag. He gave Hsing a friendly smile as she trudged over to the bar and plonked herself down on a stool.
'A cocktail of everything you have, please,' she said.
'Bad night?' asked the barman.
'Yes,' said Hsing, hiding her face in her hands.
'Oh, I'm sure it wasn't
that bad,' said the barman, placing the beer mug to one side.
Hsing appeared from behind her hands and looked critically at the smiling man. 'I'm sure it was,' she said, plainly.
'Well now,' said the barman. 'In that case, you need some of this.' He placed a bulbous glass on the bartop. It was filled with a clear, faintly blue liquid.
'Will it make me forget,' asked Hsing, 'without actually killing me?'
'Trust me,' said the barman, smiling even more brightly. 'This is Mal's Special Brew. You'll be feeling better in no time!'
* * *
'KILL THE FUCKING ZOMBIES!' cried Hsing, leaping barefooted from one table to the next. 'I am
Ambassador,' she declared grandly, teetering dangerously, 'of this
beautiful city, and I will be damned
thrice soif I'm going to let those corpsular
bastards ruin everything I have worked for!'
She jumped less than gracefully from the table and made her way unsteadily back to the bar. 'Mal, comrade,' she said, 'let us formulate a strategy!'
* * *