Ice House Rave

The loading docks are a bustle of activity day and night, with eighteen-wheelers and other trucks pulling up and pulling out almost constantly. Three bays are set up in front of the huge roll-up doors that lead into the processing plant, at least one of them occupied at any time. Set further away from the plant itself is a tiny island of dying grass that surrounds a wooden picnic table, probably where the employees go for their smoke breaks and to take a lunch, when the weather is nice enough, or for drivers to stretch their legs while their trucks are being emptied or filled.

A security gate leads out to the street, nestled between twelve-foot high walls of cement, topped with razor-wire. A pair of rent-a-cops can be seen at the gate itself, with another wandering the inside perimeter at random intervals.

The theme for the rave is ice. It being the Christmas season, the break from the heat waves that plague the Prospect area is an experience that many have been looking forward to all week. The refrigerated room is permeated with blasts of cold air to keep the columns of ice from melting too quickly. Lights embedded within ice bar and towers pulse in sync with the music as people mingle here and there in semi-winter wear.

Guests of the rave are given gifts as they leave. Usually small and easily fit into a pocket, the gift is a small glass orb with snowflakes etched all over its surface. Twisting the ball in half opens it to reveal a random prize. Sometimes a coupon for a free drink at a local bar, one night free at the local, exclusive hotel, a fine blue powder of unknown origin, or even a cash-card with various amounts.

Someone screams out "AVALANCHE" from the side of the ice bar. Patrons nearby turn and position themselves so that they might drink a shot of some kind of alcohol as it is poured through a large block of ice that has been hollowed out with maze-like chambers. The block is nearly six feet long and the bartender must climb onto a ladder to pour the blue liquor down from the top.

Bar maids in scantily clad 'Eskimo' costumes wander here and there in the ice-rave offering shots of various forms of alcohol and Myst in shot glasses made of ice. Common mixed drinks include vodka and raspberry, vodka and lemon, and Vodka and cherry. Straight drinks are Whiskey and Rum.