Residential Area - Crossroads Bar - 10:13 PMThus Spoke MarcelâSo Saadiq darlinâ, howâve yaâll been holdinâ up?â
The voice that spoke was concerned and sincere. A foreign tone in a place like Crossroads. It was the finest bar on the islandâthat is if you enjoyed the smell of cigarette butts, and the chefâs burnt pizza. But the waitress was friendly, it only had a dozen or two tables so it didnât get crowded, and the drinks had a certain flair about them that only the bartender, âShadesâ could pull off. It was kind of like Cheers; everybody knew your name, and there was always a seat waiting for you.
At Crossroads, there was a booth damn near reserved for a group of four men. Down on the main floor [a set of two stairs separated the âground floorâ from the top floor where the bar, kitchen, and a few stools resided], smack in the center along the back wall was where this group always met. They picked this spot specifically because the
good TV was mounted in the perfect spot from there. Rei Ryugamine, Shu Nara, Toby Blake, andâŠwho was the last one? Oh yeah. The last guy was Saadiq Leonard Marcel. And tonight, like every night for the past three weeks, he was sulking.
Hunched over on the table with one hand firmly gripped around his glass of rum and cola he was completely detached from the conversation his friends were holding with Ai. Ai was Crossroadâs curvy waitress. Her green eyes and red hair weâre
not natural. She spoke in a southern drool that wasnât at all natural to her in preparation for a movie role sheâs been training to get for months. Ai was popular with all the patrons at Crossroads for her down to earth attitude [go figure] and genuine interest in otherâs lives. That said, her interest borders on just being plain nosey. She went to school with the boys, but moved away during their junior year of high school. So she knew them pretty well.
It was Ai that asked if Saadiq was alright. When she bent over the table to get closer to him [she had to lean over Toby, who was sitting on the outside of the left side of the booth with Saadiq] the tattooed arm of the man shooed her away. The waitress pouted and sighed.
âYaâll know sulking is unhealthy right? I once knew a guy, he used to be a regular here, who sulked so much over losing a bet, he died! Granted the bet cost the poor boy all of his money, and he really died because he overdosed on cokeâŠâ She scratched her head, âBut still! Sadie, yaâll just canât sit around mopinâ itâs been a month sweetheart!â The guys, and Ai eyed him longingly. But there was zero reaction from the grieving Saadiq.
âAh, give him a break Ai. The guyâs going through a break up.â Speaking next was Rei. Rei was Okinawan, so he had a brown tint to his skin. His brown hair was cut into a buzz and he rocked a goatee for style. After college, Rei opened up his own Garage and became his own boss. The years were good to him and his business is booming. Not much for fashion, the cat wears his mechanicâs garb wherever he goes. A big blue garb stained with oil all over. He smelled like a walking car. âThings like this take time you know?â With a nod to himself, Rei reached over to the center of the square, wooden table, and snatched one of the buffalo wings from their bowl.
âSheesh boss. Youâre such a romantic!â It was Shu that spoke next. Shu was a freshmen in highschool when the boys met him their junior year. He had messy light brown hair, brown eyes and a baby face. Shu liked to shop, and loved to dress. Currently he was donned in a brown waistcoat, white shirt and tie, black slacks, and white loafers. Shu was still in college, but worked with Rei as a mechanic part time. The kid couldnât legally drink yet, but his ties with the boys got him in to Crossroads without trouble.
âNot really. I just know what its like to lose someone special. You canât just
get over something like that. Not in a few weeks at least.â Rei shrugged and munched on his wing. Shu smirked.
âSureeee.â He giggled, âBut man. I still canât get over the fact that you of all people cheated Sadie. I mean, you and Minako weâre together for like, ever right? Didnât you love her?â There was a bit of movement from Saadiqâs petrified body, âI know if I loved someone, Iâd never even think of cheating on her. Itâs low man.â The entire group shot Shu a death glare, âI-I-I meanâŠâ Young Nara broke into a cool sweat, embarrassed by his ramblings.
âOf course I loved herâŠâ Saadiqâs body stirred, and slowly he rose up from the slump. His back now straight, his bloodshot eyes were in full view. He didnât look at anyone in particular, instead, he cut his eyes down and to the side, away from the curious of everyone. âI still
do love her.â With a sigh, the battered man ran a hand down his cheek.
âThen why did you cheat?â Ai asked. Her tone was serious, almost like a mother ready to scold her child. The southern drawl she was trying to perfect was gone completely, replaced with her own voice.
âI donât know!â He leaned back against the red leather of the booth and groaned, âIt was likeâŠmy body wasnât in control. I met Ramona and I just couldnât help myself.â Elbows on the table, he cradled his head on his hands, rocking his dome side to side in confusion. âWhyâd she have to be soâŠâ Saadiqâs voice trailed off.
Perfect.âYou sound like a kid. All these years and youâre still blaming everyone but yourself for your mistakes.â Ai raged. Saadiqâs eyes widened and his body froze. âYou need to grow up Saadiq. Maybe if you did youâd still have Minako!â The entire bar fell silentâand the boys all cringed.
Save for Toby, who only sighed. Toby was from America, much like Saadiq. He moved to the island during fourth grade thanks to his fatherâs corporate takeover of a failing Japanese computer company. Toby had peach skin, blonde hair, a chin strap beard, and melancholy blue eyes. He was still dressed in his blue dress shirt and khakiâs from workâsleeves rolled up. Toby worked under his dad at
Four Stars PC like Saadiq. But unlike his buddy, Toby worked in the office with his number crunching desk job that he sincerely loathed.
âDonât you think youâre making a
bit of a scene Ai?â He reached into his pocket for his phone, âYouâre no saint either. So donât go jumping down Saadiqâs throat, yeah?â The clock on his phone read
10:27. Ai scoffed.
âLook whoâs talking Mr. I Hate Womenââ
âLook. Itâs getting late, thereâs supposed to be a black out tonight. Iâm headed home.â Toby quickly stood from his seat, and shoved by Ai, making sure he gave her an icy stare as he did. But just as he headed for the door the lights flickered. Moments passed, and everything went black. The entire room gasped, and then everything was still.
SheThe lights flickered back on just a minute later. But Saadiqâs friends were nowhere to be found. The entire bar was empty now. The music of the jukebox had stopped, and the images on the TVâs were replaced with static [even the âgoodâ TV!]. He wasnât alone though. Not at all. The minute the lights came back on, he felt her presence. Although he couldnât see her at first, he knew she was beside him.
Her warm, familiar touch as her hand cradled his. The feeling of her body as a drew closer to his own. Saadiq trembled in fear, and in pleasure.
âRamonaâŠwhat are you doing here?â
It was another nightmare...
[To Be Continued In the Nightmare Realm]