ICE by Baldiocious
“Pass me the drink will you, Jo.” Tom indicating to the flask in his hand. “Thanks” he held it to his lips and smiled contently as he swallowed. “It’s good stuff that.” he nodded as he passed it back “Its got a good flavour to it.”
“Yeah, aint it.” Jo rested back on his deck chair and pushed his feet closer to the block of ice that sat before him. “I’ve tried others, but for some reason this one just has a bit more…”
“Kick?” Tom suggested.
“Yeah. Kick to it. You can get some nowadays that just runny. You need that little extra oomph to make it special.”
Tom moved his chair a little closer to the block of ice. Staring at it as small droplets of water ran down its side as it melted. He liked Jo, he was easy to get along with, which nowadays, with the pressures of work and society, it wasn’t getting any easier to find new friends. “I know what you mean” he nodded. “There seems to be something wrong with some of them. Almost like they’ve been watered down.”
“My boss blames them upstairs for that. He says they’ve got too lazy now. Its all about easy living and maximum profit for little input.”
“I can believe that. I remember my old man telling me about how it used to be so much better. He appreciated the hard work and sweat that people put into their lives back then, not like now. Now its all fast cars and soft living. Give them a little pressure and they crack.”
“I hear ya.” Jo took another drink before passing the flask over. “Did you watch the match the other night by the way?”
“Watched some of it” he nodded “But switched it off at half time, was a massacre.”
“Normally is though, they tried hard.”
“Yeah. I just don’t see the point anymore, its not like they’re ever going to win.”
“Nothing else on though” Jo offered the flask across.
“No more for me thanks.” Tom declined. “I’ve got work early in the morning. The boss needs results so I’ve got to crack the whip on them tomorrow so I want a clear head.”
“Its my day off tomorrow.” Jo smiled before he took another drink. “Mind you, its been a tough day today for me too. I had to fire a few. That’s why I got the ice going, you just need to get away from it all now and again.”
Tom lent forward and ran his hand over the smooth surface, cupping some of the melt water in his hands before wiping it on his face.
“I might have to get one of these myself. I could spend hours just watching it melt. The sound of it dripping is just hypnotic, really takes the edge off a busy day.”
“Well you’re welcome to come round anytime.” Jo offered. “There’s another match on tomorrow night if you want to come back. I’ve got more ice inside.”
Tom stood up. “I think I will mate, thanks.” He rubbed his hands over the ice once more before running his fingers through his horns. In the distance the horizon burned. “It’s a good spot you have here, you can only just hear the screams.”
Jo just nodded as he finished off the blood flask. “Yeah, aint it. You enjoy your day tomorrow, don’t go over reaching with that whip.”
“Life’s hell sometimes buddy, but someone’s gotta do it.” He picked up his pitchfork “Thanks for a nice evening.”
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