Dun dun dun dun.
Dun dun dun dun.
Dun dun dun dun.
Dan’s head was already ringing from the reverb. He looked up at a gold & white neon sign: Paradiso Heights, it read. Best club this side of town. True, there was not much competition – especially at 5am when most were closed – but still, a beers a beer. Dan shuffled towards the pearly revolving gates eyes downwards, trying to avoid the gaze of a cluster of watchful bouncers.
“Whoaaah, where d’you think your going mate?” a deep wolfish voice boomed out. Just my luck, Dan thought.
He glanced up at the bouncer that had stopped him.”sweet transvestite from Transylvania!” A seven foot, vein popping, roided beast of a woman stood at the door barring his entry.
“The fuck you say to me?” her jawline curled up into a snarl, bearing teeth that had been through a fair few fights and were looking worse for wear.
“Uh. Can I come in? Just want a beer.” Dan said, trying to look as non-threatening as possible, and hoping his previous poetic outburst had avoided her boxed in ears.
“Then go to the chink-mart prick. We don’t cater to filth like you…” The wolf-bitch pointed down the road at the corner store with a blazing 24/7 sign above it and then proceeded to cross her arms in that universal sign of not coming in here mate.
“Awh come on, just o–” Dan felt a hand on his shoulder and spun as quick as his sleep deprived mind allowed. He found himself face to face with a raggedy tramp wearing a disarming, toothless smile. For some reason Dan withheld the urge to throw a punch straight away. The ugly bastard was probably just begging for his beer money, and it was a universal rule in The Block not to acknowledge those lower on the food chain than you – of which there were few – else you end up permanently in their company.
“Well hello friend. I don’t remember seeing you in these parts before.” The tramp said, gripping harder on Dan’s shoulder. Dan shrugged, hoping to shake him off. It didn’t work. He stumbled, and gave the tramp a shove backed up with expletives. Yet somehow, he found the tramps hand back on his shoulder. This guy is harder to shake than cyphilis! Dan was getting pissed now. That toothless grin, and stupid penetrating eyes. He almost felt the guy was looking down on him. On him! An outer blocker! What right had this shuffling little creep to look at him at all. Dan prepared to throw a punch. Then he heard the snarl of the bouncer. He never did make out what she said. Her fist moved faster…
Thank you for reading this canto of Sin City.
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