The Witness

kept her from bolting.
    Julie finally beelined for a table the size of a dinner plate.
    “Score! Oh my God, it’s like
everybody
’s here. We’ve gotta keep scoping a table closer to the dance floor. This is so completely awesome. TheDJ is slamming it.” She finally focused on Elizabeth’s face. “Hey, are you okay?”
    “It’s very crowded and warm.”
    “Well, yeah. Who wants to go to an empty, cold club? Listen, we need drinks and now, so I’m going to go to the bar. I’ll buy, since you paid for the cab. That’ll give me time to start scoping. You do the same from here. Two Cosmos, coming up!”
    Without Julie’s hand to anchor her, Elizabeth gripped hers together. She recognized the signs—anxiety, claustrophobia—and deliberately focused on steadying her breathing. Liz didn’t panic just because she’d been swallowed up in a crowd. She ordered herself to relax, starting with her toes and working her way up.
    By the time she reached her belly, she’d calmed enough to take on the role of observer. The owners—and their architect—had made good use of the warehouse space, utilizing an urban industrial motif with the exposed ductwork and pipes, the old brick walls. The stainless steel—bar, tables, chairs, stools—reflected back the flashing color of the lights—another pulse, she thought, timed to the music.
    Open iron stairs on either side led up to a second level, open as well. People crowded the rails there, or squeezed around more tables. There was likely a second bar on that level, she thought. Drinks were profit.
    Down here, on a wide raised platform, under those flashing lights, the DJ worked. Another observer, Elizabeth decided. Raised in a position of authority and honor where he could see the crowd. His long, dark hair flew as he worked. He wore a graphic T-shirt. She couldn’t make out the art with the distance, but it was virulent orange against the black cloth.
    Just beneath his perch, several women moved sinuously, rocking their hips in an invitation to mate.
    Calm again, she tuned in to the music. She liked it—the hard, repetitive beat; the pounding of drums; the rough, metallic scream ofguitar. And she liked the way different dancers chose to move to it. Arms in the air, arms cocked like a boxer’s with hands fisted, elbows jabbing, feet planted, feet lifting.
    “Wow. Just wow.” Julie set martini glasses filled with pink liquid on the table before she sat. “I nearly spilled these coming back, which would have bummed. They’re eight dollars each.”
    “Alcoholic beverages make up the biggest profit margin in clubs and bars.”
    “I guess. But they’re good. I drank a little of mine, and it’s like
pow
!” She laughed, leaned in. “We should make them last until we find some guys to buy us drinks.”
    “Why would they buy us drinks?”
    “Duh. We’re hot, we’re available. Drink some, Liz, and let’s get out there and show our stuff.”
    Obediently, Elizabeth sipped. “It’s good.” Testing, she took another sip. “And it’s very pretty.”
    “I want to get lit and loose! Hey, I love this song. Time to shake it.”
    Once again, Julie grabbed Elizabeth’s hand.
    When the crowd closed in around her, Elizabeth shut her eyes. Just the music, she thought. Just the music.
    “Hey, nice moves.”
    Cautiously, Elizabeth opened her eyes again, concentrated on Julie. “What?”
    “I was afraid you’d be dorky, you know. But you’ve got moves. You can dance,” Julie elaborated.
    “Oh. The music’s tribal and designed to stimulate. It’s simply a matter of coordinating legs and hips. And mimicry. I’ve watched others dance a lot.”
    “Whatever you say, Liz.”
    Elizabeth liked moving her hips. Like the heels, it made her feel powerful, and the way the dress rubbed her skin added a sexual element.The lights made everything surreal, and the music itself seemed to swallow all.
    Her discomfort with the crowd eased, so when Julie bumped hips with her, she laughed and meant it.
    They danced, and danced more. Back at their tiny table, they drank Cosmos, and when a waitress came by, Elizabeth carelessly ordered more.
    “The dancing makes me thirsty,” she said to Julie.
    “I’ve got a nice buzz going already. And that guy over there is totally checking us out. No, don’t look!”
    “How can I see him if I don’t look?”
    “Take my word, he’s totally cute. I’m going to give him the eye and the hair toss in a second, then you, like sort of really