Josie

It was 6:04 PM on a brisk Friday night in the middle of October. Josie had just finished the last bit of her makeup before she spritzed herself with the setting spray to make sure it all stayed in place. Mascara and red eyeshadow with light pink blush highlighted her features quite perfectly. It complemented her black shade of lipstick that helped draw attention to her angular jawline.

She stepped out of her bathroom and stopped at the mirror to give herself a look over. The grin across her face was a joyful one. She wore a long-sleeve Batman logo shirt paired nicely with the black leggings underneath her navy blue jean skirt held up by a chain belt. She turned and put a black and white flannel over her shirt and grabbed her boots and purse before she headed out.

Tonight was special for Josie. It was her first time at The Island, her local watering hole, in a year. When she stepped inside, the place looked like it had the last time she was there. It being Friday meant it was a packed house too.

But Josie wasn't going to be there for long. The Island was merely a pit stop before her main business. She didn't need to be there but felt like she had to be.

Once she had surveyed the surroundings, Josie had made her way towards the bar and quickly summoned one of the bartenders.

"What can I get ya, beautiful?" asked the hunky, large raven-haired barkeep.

She chuckled before she responded, I'll have a club soda, please. With a lemon, if you can spare it."

He went to make her order, and she turned her attention back towards the crowded scene behind her. She took it all in as if this was her last time inside of it. But then she was brought back into reality when she heard her glass tap the wood top of the bar and turned back around to lock eyes on her drink and then to the bartender.

"Here you go," said the bartender in a sly voice as his eyes lingered up and down her body. "Lemme know when you want something much stronger."

She politely smiled and took a sip from her chilled glass before she replied, "No need. I got what I need for now. As for what I might need later, trust me, you cannot provide that."

His smile quickly turned into a sneer as he flung his towel over his shoulder. "Whatever. You want that on a tab?"

Josie pulled out a $5 bill and handed it right to him. "This is all. I won't be here long."

She looked back at the space behind her and spotted an empty booth. She took a sip and walked towards it. When she arrived at the vacant area and sat down, someone across from her appeared on the other side. Josie took notice of the man that sat across from her. He looked exactly like her, minus the makeup. Their faces were similar as they both had the same angular jawline and knife-like chin. They had the same nose that slightly bent to the left at the end of it and a scar on the back of their respective left hands. But what also stood out was how different they appeared. They both had the sides and back of their head shaved, but whereas Josie's mane leaned down the right side of her head, the man's hair was combed, slicked back. His bushy, short beard was a stark contrast to how clean and smooth Josie's face was. Both wore rectangular glasses, but Josie had a purple shade of frames while he wore clear ones.

"Surprised to see me?" he asked in his deep voice.

"Why should I be? I only had to put up with you all of my life," she replied in her softer tone.

"You don't miss me just a little bit? There is some part of you that wishes I was still here. With me at the wheel, there wouldn't be so much goddamn confusion and self-doubt."

"I very much doubt that. But believe it or not, things are much better with you gone."

"Tell that to all the people that cut us out of their lives."