Snippets

Chapter 3

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(Logis POV)

Five hours earlier...

There's nothing like a good, strong sip of water to lift a shattered spirit. Of course, my dining friends would tell you differently, with grog slopping over hefty mugs and raucous laughter spilling from their rotten-toothed mouths. I suppose you could say I have learned how to fit in... But certainly not the hard way.

I'm a regular visitor to the Jarbangle Pub. Nestled atwixt the nicer buildings in town, on the nicest block in town, the pub looks like a sheep among wolves. Though, really, it's the nicest pub within a day's walking distance of Piubaport City. From the outside, it appears much more like the entrance to a fancy hotel, but the cacophony of noise spilling out the forever-open doors belies its trendy appearance. Once inside, the dim lighting classifies it as just another regular bar, with the usual lobby space and hallways leading away from the bar stand.

Gindly, the owner, knows me nearly as well as he knows my palette preferences, and it always feels somewhat like coming home when I sidle into a bar seat, hunching my shoulders to pull off the "drunkard-look."

On this particular day, the bar was sparsely populated, as expected. I always come early, before the crowds, reveling in the quieter sounds of the few, full-time drunkards who wallow in the shadowed corners of the booths.

Perhaps it's strange to an outsider, some random guy walking into a bar in the middle of the day, and not leaving until far, far after midnight. But for me, it's a norm. Every day, in and out again. It's my job, you could say, if what I do could be considered a job.

She calls me earlier than usual. The call normally comes during the first rush of people eagerly claiming their drinks before the later shift gets off. Instead, the bar is still empty.

A woman slides onto a stool next to me, nodding to Gindly but not ordering a drink. Her makeup is thick and layered to make her look older, but I see right through the exaggeration to her young, bright eyes that wink at me, "Waiting." Her voice is calm, but her breath warm and hurried on my cheek as she leans closer.

I snort, leaning back, "Waiting for what?!" I fume, roughening my voice to achieve the proper drunk tone, "Me to order you a drink? You mayaswell get your own, lazy runt!" I shift over a seat, sending a wad of spit toward her feet and turning my back on her.

I feel the heat of her glare sear through my leather jacket, and I almost feel sorry for a second. Almost. The sound of her tacky heels click down the hallway to my right, and soon after her departure I feel the familiar, invisible weight sink over my limbs, taking control of them and steering me away from my bar seat, past the counter. I nod to Gindly as I go by. He winks encouragingly at me, knowing as well as I that this is, indeed, early.

My body takes route down the hallway, through a door and into another hallway. Toward the end, the girl waits near a doorway. When she touches my forehead, I once more regain control over my limbs. She scowls at me, "Nice I'm-too-drunk-to-be-decent act, Logis."

I chuckle lightly, "Oh lighten up a hair, Padge! I was only getting their attention off of you and me."

"Unnecessary in the sparsely-populated conditions, methinks."

Her adamant attitude makes me smile as I walk through the doorway she's guarding, "Wish me luck, daffodil!" I say cheerily, blowing her a goofy kiss. I barely catch the sight of her rolling her eyes and the brightness of her bubbly laughter before darkness shrouds the doorway, cutting off the jubilant sound.