Good morning and Happy Hump Day ! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
When we last left Char and Ty, they were going to get a drink at a local bar. See what they're up to in this week's chapter of An Unholy Alliance. Don't forget, this will be their last appearance in these pages, since I want to write faster than this allows. But never fear, a new story shall begin next week, and you may just recognize some familiar characters you've seen before! Don't forget to check out what the other Briefers are up to. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!'
I scowled at Tyrone as I slipped past him into the
dimly lit interior of Hannibal’s Hideaway but I fear the effect I was striving
for was lost on the man. I didn’t like being made fun of, never had. As a
child, this had led to more than a few fisticuffs with my brothers, who were
quick to take advantage of my sensitivity to slights and never hesitated to
ally themselves against me. Because of such intimidation, as I grew older, I learned
to defend myself in any way I could. Being turned only served to enhance what
skills I possessed, as my brothers quickly learned to their great chagrin when
they no longer held the advantage of their vampirism over me. With time, their
attacks became less physical and more verbal. I suffered their slings and
arrows and learned to mask my true feelings behind a shell of outward indifference,
giving no indication which barbs might have struck home.
Dominique seemed to encourage my siblings, for
reasons I couldn’t begin to fathom. When I was very young and unable to
adequately defend myself against the four of them, I would run to the kitchen
afterward to seek shelter with Mama Lil. She would hold me on her lap while she
tended to whatever injuries I’d sustained, dry my tears, and tell me she loved
me. She encouraged me to stand up for myself and not accept their bullying. While she took care of all of us, I was the
one who was closest to her. Many times I’d wished she were my mother, instead
of Dominique. At first, that thought brought a sense of disloyalty, but with
time, I accepted the way things were, even if I didn’t comprehend why.
“C’mon, let’s grab a table in back.” Tyrone touched
my arm lightly as he moved past me to take the lead. I shrugged and followed
him. We threaded our way between mostly empty close-set square tables before
choosing one tucked into the farthest corner.
That was fine with me, as it gave me full command of the room. With my
back to the wall, no one was going to come up on me unawares. I wasn’t being
paranoid, just cautious. After our little run-in with Tyrone’s cousins, I wanted
to be prepared for anything and everything.
There was nothing particularly remarkable about this
place that Tyrone had brought us to. Just a typical neighborhood bar with
little to commend it. No fancy décor. No selection of slick electronics to
catch the eye and drain the pocketbook. But maybe that was the point. This was
a place where the locals could feel at home and not necessarily worry about the
intrusion of outsiders. Such as me. But then again I found myself an outsider
no matter where I went, so what did that really matter?
Quit
wallowing in self-pity.
Apparently Tyrone was no stranger in this place.
Probably why he’d suggested coming here. I heard the bartender call out to him
in greeting when we entered, and some of the other patrons said hello as we
passed by, which was impressive as there weren’t that many people there. And
yet they knew Tyrone. I didn’t exactly peg him as a barfly, so there had to be
another reason.
I pulled out a chair and slid into my seat, surveying
my surroundings. One advantage to being a vampire is that my eyesight is better
than most people’s, especially in dim light. I sensed no danger, though, and relaxed
slightly.
“What would you like?” Tyrone asked. “If you like
beer, I recommend the Guinness. I think we have the best draft system in this
area, if not the state, if I do say so myself.”
We?
“That’s fine.” I wasn’t about to ask, didn’t mean I
wasn’t curious.
He gave me a thumbs up and a grin before heading off
to the bar. Mere minutes later he was back, with two frosted glasses of stout
in hand. He set one on the table before me then took a seat across from me.
When I reached for my wallet, he waved me off.
“Not necessary. There’s no charge.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Since when is a bar a philanthropic
institution?”
He laughed. “Since I became part owner, I guess.” He
took a good long drink before adding, “Having Guinness on draft was my idea,
and it’s actually gone over rather well.”
I regarded him with some surprise, before taking a
taste of the beer. I had to admit it was better than I’d expected.
“It’s called a microdraught,” he explained. “The
beauty of the system is that it doesn’t require a keg. Makes it handy for
smaller bars, like this one. We’re working on updating everything, but it takes
time, you know? Time and money.”
Okay, now I had to ask. “I wouldn’t have pegged you
as a bartender. Sorry, bar owner.”
“I don’t actually work here,” he admitted. “More of
a silent partner. But it’s a good place to get a drink. And the money comes in
handy too.”
That certainly accounted for the name then.
I remembered how his obnoxious cousin had taunted
him regarding his lack of employment. “So, you used to work for your family,
right?”
Tyrone nodded. If my question upset him, his
demeanor didn’t reflect it. “Up until a couple of years ago. Oh don’t worry,
it’s not like we don’t get along or anything. I still love my family. I’m just
not interested in carrying on the family tradition.
His words took me aback momentarily. I’d already
seen that he was a cannibal, and so were they, so that couldn’t be what he was
referring to. Obviously he had no problem with that, as evidenced by our
breakfast. So, what…
“I just don’t want to marry one of my cousins.” He
shrugged lightly, as if this discussion was entirely natural and normal.
And I thought my family was bad?
Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!
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