All Downhill From Here

Caroline grasped her purse, and leaning into the mirror, applied a little more eye-liner. Misty stood at the nearby wash-basin. The busy bathroom shook with techno bass notes as girls shuttled in and out, chatting about each other's appearance and the night's experiences.

By now Caroline's E was starting to kick in and she felt the beginning of that floaty state of outgoing confidence as she confided openly with Misty, talking about how she felt nervous but excited about starting her new job as an air-hostess.

Misty listened attentively as she struggled with an awkward hair band. “How is this?” she said. “You look great,” said Caroline. “Aww, let me give you a hug,” responded Misty, looking wide-eyed.

Caroline adjusted her dress, the strap coming down annoyingly. Another girl they knew named Angela entered the busy bathroom and said “Hi.”

The venue was a sprawling warehouse in North London. Lights and animated projected visuals tracked the pounding of electronic music.

“Can I kiss you?” said Misty after the hug. Despite the E, Caroline was hesitant. “Maybe later,” she said, “Let's go and dance for a bit as I want to see Dom Dolla play and he's on in five minutes.”

They exited the bathroom and pushed through a heavy throng of partiers: Guys looking cool with dark glasses and sleek black sports clothing, and girls with pink hair, sparkles, short skirts, bracelets, mini back-packs and perfect nails—all of them bobbing to the music.

Misty was certainly rolling at this point, her eyes wide and wandering. She and Caroline held hands through the crowd to find a strategic location nearer center stage.

Meanwhile Angela was getting a little irritable because of people bumping into her. The fat line of meth she had snorted hours earlier in a nearby hotel room was wearing off. She tracked through the crowd looking for Caroline.

Eventually, locating the others, Angela shouted in Caroline's ear, trying to make herself heard above the syncopated acid house. She asked if there was any more ecstasy left over. Thankfully Caroline said there was another half to spare. Angela felt a wave of relief. That might just be enough to keep her party going for the moment—otherwise, with five more hours to go, it would be all downhill from here.