Earlier that day at the bar...
"Ah. Looks like we got company. Hello stranger," Jade cooed. She slammed the door shut behind her as the bony hands of corpses try to claw their way in. I sat there frozen. The glass glued to my hand as I stared at her. My mouth hanging slightly ajar. Just her presence sent shivers down my spine.
"Um...no. Not at all. I..I just was surprised to see someone. Someone breathing. It's rare nowadays," I blurted out lying through my teeth.
"You got that right!" she exclaimed. She then sauntered over to me. "You sure we don't know each other? Something about you..."
"Nope. Never seen you before."
"Ok, but it's interesting."
"Huh?"
She squinted. "You seem nervous."
"Why wouldn't I be nervous? You can't trust too many people nowadays."
She smirked. "Well, you can trust me, stranger. In fact, I would like a drink with you."
She sat down beside me on the barstool and spent it around to me. She stretched her lanky arms and placed her hands on the bar. She tapped her fingers on its surface and leaned in. "So... what's your name stranger?"
"What's my name have to do with anything?"
"I want to know who I'm drinking with."
"Fine. It's Vince."
"Vince? Hmm...nice name."
"Thanks."
"You didn't ask me mine. I'm offended," she pouted. "It's Jade."
"..."
"So what you're drinking?" she asked eyeing the drink in my hand. She grabbed the bottle of whiskey, sniffed it, and took a big gulp. Her face squinched up. "Ugh. That would put hairs on your chest. How about a beer instead?"
"Um...no thanks," I mumbled staring down at what was left of my drink. I stood up and grabbed my bag. "I think I'll get going."
She stood up and slid in front of me. Her eyes locked on me. She shook her head. "You can't just leave. It's still early and you owe me a beer."
I chuckled. "I'll take a raincheck."
"No. You'll sit down," she said coldly. She pulled out a small handgun with a silencer. "Sit down and finish your drink."
I slowly backed away and sat back down on the barstool. She then eyed my hand on my hip and held out her hand. "I know you're packing. Give it here."
I placed only the gun on the bar, but she seemed unsatisfied. She pointed at my pocket and patted the bar. "You got more than a gun. I'm not stupid."
I placed the large knife on the bar and she seemed pleased now. She slid them towards her and smirked. I took another sip of my drink. Part of me wished I had just skipped it and ran all the way home, but there was no escaping for me now. She sat there with her gun still trained on me. She watched me as I drunk slowly from my glass. She then looked down at my feet at the bag and back up at me. I didn't think it could get anymore dicey from there or surprising, but I was wrong.
I paused hearing music suddenly from outside. "What the fuck?" I thought as I listened. "Is that Bohemian Rhapsody?"
I then heard the window on the left of me suddenly slide open and I looked over to see someone climbing in from the window. They climbed in and fell on the floor with a thump. A small audible "ow" escaped their lips. I nearly spit out my drink as I caught a glimpse at the face. It was Billy.
"Dammit, Runt! What took you so long?" Jade groaned cutting her eye at him.
"I was setting up our distraction. Geez. Give me a break," he whined as he brushed himself off. "What are you even...?"
He paused as he looked up at us, then at me, and he gasped. He looked stunned. The color immediately drained from his face. I looked back at him probably mirroring his shock. Jade’s eyes darted back from me to him. She looked suspicious. She cocked her head and smile. "You two know each other?"
"No! I don't know him at all! Who is he?!" Billy blurted out nervously. "Never seen him in my life!"
It took everything in me not to groan and roll my eyes. He was definitely not playing this cool. I cleared my throat and shrugged. "I don't know the guy."
"You sure? From the way you both looked at each other, I would assume you do."
I snorted. "I’ve never seen that skinny punk before. I thought he was someone else but I was mistaken. That's all."
"Billy?"
"I told you I never saw him. I was just surprised is all. I thought we would be alone."
"Fine then," she shrugged. "Well, now that you're here Runt, get me a beer pronto."
"We don't have time for that."
"You set the boom box up, right? Then we have time," she murmured. She turned to me and whispered. "We use noise to control them. They go for the loud noises and we go the opposite way."
"Nice strategy," I replied. She then turned back to Billy looking impatient as he fumbled around with glasses. She seemed to be paying less attention to me now. I stood up again and attempted to head for the door as Billy handed her a beer from behind the bar. She took a sip of it and slammed it down.
"Where are you going?!"
"I finished my drink. I think it's time I go now," I said mustering up a fake smile. "Thanks for the distraction outside though. Really helpful."
"You're not going anywhere! I haven't finished my beer yet."
"Look, I just want to go. That's-"
"I told you I haven't finished my beer. Then my friend here deserves one. Right, Billy?"
"Uh...yeah. I guess."
"So sit down if you know what's good for you and stay seated till I say so!"
I hesitantly sat down again. She took another drink from her beer while keeping her eyes and gun on me. I wasn't going anywhere if I wanted to. Not without another bullet in me.
"Do you know the name of this bar? Its name after the owner. It's called Eddy's. I use to live around here. He was a decent guy. A weaselly little penny pincher, but decent. I heard the night he died he barricade himself in here away from the rotters, got drunk, and hung himself. Most assume he got bit. I think he just gave up. Either way, he still came back. When you don't destroy the brain you come back as a rotter, so it's pretty fruitless to commit suicide if you're not blowing your brains out. You can go look in his office right now and see him still hanging there. Want to see him?"
"No thanks. You seem familiar with this place."
"I am. Me and my friends come here all the time to meet up," she said. She wiped her mouth and stood up again. She gestured for me to get up and I did reluctantly. She then smiled and put her arm around me with the gun still aimed at my abdomen.
"Let's go meet Eddy. I want you to meet him."
P.S. I deserve a cookie for making all these poses except two.
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