Running over the virtual checklist in her head Nina grew more and more excited as she confirmed the presence of each item in her designer handbag. Passport and Gardá ID just in case? Check. Money? Without which she was going nowhere fast, check. Camera? What else would the aspiring young photography student bring to the most exciting gig of the year? Check. Tickets? Shit, where did she put the tickets? They were there the last time she ran over the checklist and it wasn’t just her own ticket she would be responsible for. Front pocket; back pocket, “ah hah, gotcha” she exclaimed victorious, feeling the laminated paper and embossed ink beneath her fingers. Check. Sliding them back in to her book which she normally read on the bus, she took a mental note of their location and was satisfied she had all she needed for the night ahead.

She turned her back on the Dun Laoghaire home she shared with one too many college friends and made her way to the centre for her eight o’clock date with destiny. She had arranged to meet some of her friends in a dollhouse-size café beforehand. They had been at college in the city today and it was easier for them to stay in and eat after college then to return home and come back in later. The long commute home was a killer! (and really was killing them slowly) Hugging everyone hello, she sat down and scanned the menu. “Vanilla cafe latte, please” she placed her order with Grace, her next door roommate, whose turn it was to buy the drinks.

Discussing the upcoming gig between them they all agreed the night ahead would be no ordinary night. An intimate concert with the band that started it all, The Flyaway. They had been around when Nina’s parents were only dating; the band had since split up, but were truthfully still friends. Caving in to public pressure they agreed to play some classics and a handful of new songs for a select few in the bookcase, Dublin’s best small venue. That was the type of band you girls would sell their granny for! They had an air about them that sold out stadium-sized venues in record time.

There were approx two hundred people in possession of tickets tonight. Some ‘loyal’ fans were flogging theirs for over six hundred euro which was considerately more than the ninety booking agents were asking for them. The light rain didn’t seem to pose a damper or affect people’s spirits as they queued, sheltering beneath umbrellas poised overhead. As they showed tickets to the doorman they offered a wrist or hand for a stamp. Walking down the hallway and up the winding stairs, Nina could feel the excitement flowing through her veins. The air was electric. This was anything other than your average night out. The support DJ’s were spinning all the right rhythms. Groups of friends were jumping around to the flashing strobe lights; a sea of alcohol flowing around the bar; the speakers blowing out music.

The friends found a place not too far back from the stage when Grace confided in her “I could really use a hit right about now” she begins to comb through her bag, normally at first and frustrated at not finding anything in what her friends refer to as “the black hole” more frantically. Nina knew about Graces’ past but had never noticed nor ever questioned her about drugs in her life now. She can’t say she was surprised though. It was a common thing amongst people she knew. Not that that made it any more acceptable. “Do you want some?” she offered discretely, holding out two miniature tabs in her hand. Nina battled with her personal demons, only having smoked dope a handful of times but threw caution to the wind and accepted the acid.

The support band came on and the pulsating beet of the music could be felt all over the building. They played their hearts out as if it were their own headline gig, with such passion and dedication that crown and band bonded during that set. It was a short set considerating they were only the support act; thirty five minutes or so. While the guys setting up the stage for The Flyaway Nina navigated her way to the bathroom, beginning to feel the effects of the drugs already.

Coming out of the cubicle there seemed to be twice as many people here now. Feeling as if she were drunk, although she had not drank yet; she splashed water on her face and hung her head while leaning over the basin, letting the refreshing liquid drop back in to the sink. She looked up and saw the impossible. A girl her age, same hair colour, same height or thereabouts and the same features, but slightly different. This girl looked...........but how? This girl had stolen her face, her identity, everything Nina stood for. What was going on? Screaming at this stranger for answers she only received screams back. Frustrated she continued, pushing her for more then physically pushing her. Agitated she punched this girl and Nina’s knuckles ripped and tore open on the broken glass. She dropped to the floor and sobbed quietly to herself. Ninas night was over.

please let me know what you think..positive or not so much..