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The Drinker Girl Who Did Not Drink On The “All Drinkers’ Night”

Virtualia is a peaceful country whose citizens live a quiet life. Like any other peaceful country, Virtualia too has a stable government – for the people by the people. Virtualia is a democracy. The “Rulers Party” rules the state. It has been so, ever since time was born. Once in every five years, its citizens line up at polling stations to cast their votes. Anyone is free to stand in the elections. Members of the “Rulers Party” would inevitably be present at each station. If anyone of the citizens cast their votes for a candidate from outside of the “Rulers Party”, its agents would shoot the voter down then and there. Both with camera as well as gun. They were staunch believers of “justice delayed is justice denied” philosophy. “Rulers Party” ensured that the citizens of Virtualia never faced any shortage. Every single commodity – from essentials such as water, medicines, food to luxuries including smart phones and grooming products and hot beverages were sold through government counters.

***

Rainbow was the only whiskey available in Virtualia. The male population of Virtualia was heavy drinkers, and Rainbow was always in great demand. No woman drank alcohol in Virtualia. Well, no one but Miss Fallacy. Fallacy hated the pungent smell and bitter taste of the whiskey. Yet, she chose to drink it as she felt being the only lady in Virtualia who drinks alcohol would make her stand out in the crowd. Miss Fallacy liked being the stand out. And so she drank Rainbow, along with the men.

***

Stuart Nolastname was a citizen of Virtualia. Mr. Nolastname liked experimenting with food and drinks. He would spend every single day putting together weird ingredients - brewing, baking or boiling them. One fine day, he was busy brewing a new beverage. He had used rotten grapes, sweat of goats, mango peel and spider heads for his new experiment. After letting it ferment for nine hours, he tasted some of it. Voila! It tasted like heaven. Mr. Nolastname was ecstatic about this new recipe. Dancing in joy, he drained the rest of the drink down his throat. That night, a spider appeared in his dream and asked him to make his revelation public.  The very next day, Mr. Nolastname opened a small stall by his courtyard announcing the new beverage, which he named “Jango”. He did not know what that meant. The fame of Jango spread like wildfire. Eager citizens formed huge queues at his courtyard. Unsurprisingly, all of them were male. Well, all but Fallacy.

***
“Rulers Party” was agitated at one of their citizens opening his own stall, defying government orders. They immediately banned Jango, citing that Jango caused liver problems and should not be consumed. That is when the citizens decided to protest against the autocratic measures by the government. They reasoned that liver is something people get by birth, and the government could not object if the people chose to wreck it.

***

The protesters decided to conduct a protest party at the courtyard of Stuart Nolastname. Every citizen of Virtualia who drank was invited, and was offered a pint of Jango to protest against the government. They agreed to hold the “All Drinkers’ Party” in the evening of Saturday. The government caught news of the event, and thought of plans to sabotage this. They decided to send their spies to Mr. Nolastname’s home on Friday night, and poison the barrels of Jango. They summoned the chief chemist, and ordered him to produce an odorless, tasteless and colorless poison.

***

Most of the citizens of Virtualia who drank turned up at the courtyard in the evening of Saturday. As offered, each of them was given a pint of Jango. None of the protesters could notice the presence of the odorless, tasteless and colorless poison in their drinks. Hence they proposed toasts against the government and drank Jango. In a matter of minutes, all of them started feeling uneasy, fell on the ground, and later died. Well, all but Fallacy. Fallacy did not die because she did not drink the poisoned Jango. Miss Fallacy liked Jango. Yet, she chose not to drink as she felt being the only drinker who did not drink on the “All Drinkers’ Party” would make her stand out in the crowd. Miss Fallacy liked being the stand out.

***
Miss Fallacy liked being the stand out. Even today, she stands outside of her house and narrate the tale of the drinker girl who did not drink on the all drinkers’ night to anyone who passes by.
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