Sadness In A Bottle
Posted on Tue Sep 10th, 2019 @ 4:20pm by Petty Officer 2nd Class Sofia Cipriani & Chloe de la Vega
Edited on on Tue Sep 10th, 2019 @ 10:07pm
1,457 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Episode 8 - The Silence
Location: Quarters of Sofia Cipriani - Deck 6/After 11 - Deck 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD002 2315 hrs
Managing to peel herself off the bed she had buried herself in Sofia still felt like nothing was real. It had been only 2 hours since the news of her father’s accident was relayed to her and it felt like waking up from a nightmare. She had cold sweats, her hands trembled like she was coming down off something; adrenaline maybe or what ever feeling one gets from getting the worst news of their lives so far.
Staring into space as she sat on the edge of her bed, she could feel the wetness of her face. Her eyes down to her chin covered in the grief that losing her father had caused. She had put her uniform jacket back on as she’d gotten cold during the last 2 hours. Coming from Italy she had always been accustomed to warmer temperatures, but her roommate liked the place a little cooler.
On her terminal there was a flashing message that read, ’4 unread messages’. More than likely these were from her 4 older siblings trying to get in touch to make sure she was ok.
Sofia had always been coddled; babies of the family tended to be. Having 3 older brothers wasn’t easy when she brought boys over. Sometimes her father would rally her brothers round just to playfully torment her, her older sister got it too, but they seemed to get a good giggle out of making a situation uncomfortable.
There was one time where her dad and brothers took a boyfriend out to the carpentry hut to see if he could carve something artistic. He couldn’t. However, they took great joy in teasing Sofia about his lack of skill and telling him he should know how to carve if he’s to provide for his daughter. The boy at the time just said. “Why can’t I just use a replicator?”, as if that was the most simplistic of answers and in truth for the times it kind of was. He didn’t last long.
Remembering this for a moment Sofia let a little smile creep to the side of her mouth. A small warm feeling filled her up for the briefest of seconds before she realised that he would never do that again. For one she couldn’t introduce him to Khalon with whom she had been quite enamoured with.
Standing up her legs shook still, almost unwilling to support her light weight. Pushing herself she went into the bathroom and splashed her face with some water before dabbing herself dry. She could see the redness of her eyes, some of her cheeks that she had been rubbing with the towel. Everything pointed to the picture of a truly upset person.
Getting it into her head that she didn’t want to stay in ‘that room’ anymore she left.
Walking through the corridors she had no real purpose. She had no plan on where she was going, her feet were just carrying her forward. She felt as if she was gliding, the muffled words of people she passed but there was no acknowledgement or understanding of them. It was all drowned out by her own mind as it tried to process, trying to come to terms with unbelievable news. Thankfully people seemed to give her a wide berth as they moved to the side, still whispering about her as they passed.
Before she knew it, she had stopped.
Looking up, above the doors read After 11.
Sofia wasn’t a big drinker, not by any stretch of the imagination but she was going to have one or two now she was here. Maybe it would dull her pain, even for a moment.
Moving up to the bar she propped herself up at the bar. Chloe, her friend, came over almost instantly noticing there was a problem on her grief-stricken friend’s face.
“Sof, what’s wrong?” Chloe asked genuinely concerned with what was going on. “Did Price break up with you?”
“Tequila please, the real stuff.” Sofia said plainly devoid of emotion.
Chloe grabbed a bottle from under the bar and a shot glass from the back and placed them on the bar in front of her.
Sofia grabbed the bottle before Chloe could get her hands on it, a rarity in most bars. Chloe was a little shocked by Sofia’s actions but didn’t stop her. Sofia poured a shot, her hands shaking over the small glass as she poured it. Picking up the glass her hands still shook, and she stared at it. The liquid wobbling from side to side.
“You know my dad loved this stuff?” She asked rhetorically, a tear rolling down her cheek before downing the glass in one and closing her eyes as it burned her throat. “Never understood why…” she added pouring another.
“Sofia? Sweetie, you need to tell me what’s wrong?” Chloe asked placing her hand on Sofia’s in an attempt to make a connection.
“He’s dead.” Sofia said matter of fact moving her hand away from Chloe and downing another shot of Tequila. She poured another, downed it, then another and downed it. She could feel a little buzz from it. Sofia was a lightweight at the best of times, but Tequila was higher proofed than other spirits and as she downed her fifth, she could almost feel her gag reflex kicking in.
Chloe made a move to take the bottle from Sofia, but she snatched it before Chloe could get her hands on it. “I think you need to come with me Sofia. Let’s talk somewhere a bit quieter. We can talk alone.” Chloe almost pleaded with her friend to move off with her as she rounded the bar.
“Alone?” Sofia asked rhetorically once again. “My dad was alone when he was crushed to death by a chunk of wood. Of Wood!” she said raising her voice then downing another quick shot. “So stupid! I’d told him to make that place safer. He laughed it off as me being too ‘knit picky’ and that everything was fine the way it was. Guess no-ones laughing now Papa.” She said looking up at the roof of the bar with a laugh of disbelief and displaced grief.
“Sof—” Chloe tried.
“Don’t. Why do you even care? You hate your father.” Sofia said almost venomously.
Chloe for a second was taken aback and looked away with genuine hurt in her eyes. That was like a dagger hitting her in her most sensitive weak spot. She could feel herself getting emotional as her eye began to water through anger and pain.
“You need to stop.” Chloe said placing her hand on the bottle above Sofia’s. Sofia had just downed her eighth by this point and looked at her friend. “I will let that pass because I know you are hurting and didn’t mean it but you don’t get to talk to people like that. That is not you. You are the sweetest, most innocent woman I know with the biggest heart.”
“Now it’s broken Chlo…” Sofia said as her eyes filled up once more and pushing the empty glass over then rose to her feet. “I’m sorry!” she said in raised tones as her grief got the better of her. Chloe went to speak but Sofia rushed out the room, destination unknown.
Chloe went to follow her, but another drunk patron got into her face and she had to deal with him for 5 minutes before attempting to leave.
“Computer, locate Sofia Cipriani.” She said so she would at least have some bearing on her.
“Sofia Cipriani is in After 11.”
Looking around she noticed the comm. badge on the bar and sighed deeply. The only person she could think to ask for help was the Captain, she and him had a good relationship and she was closer to him than others on board but she didn’t want to go to her boss at the same time and cause any more drama. She had noticed Marine Captain Tremble and Lt. Ovaa had been present and was unsure if they still were, but Sofia had made a scene since her arrival in the bar.
It would be unclear if this was going to filter through the ship. One this size had an overactive rumour mill.
Even still Chloe decided to go and look for her. She was her friend and she didn’t need to be alone.
A Joint Post By
Crewman Sofia Cipriani
Yeoman, USS Pioneer
Chloe De La Vega
Owner/Bartender "After 11", USS Pioneer
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