The small atmosphere of a pub glowed with warmth. Drinks oozed out of glass and splashed along tables. Feet shuffled around, and trays surfed through the air. Cash exchanged hands, and cold air danced in and out of the doorway. But the noise control did not reach its max due to being a weeknight, but still the voices did their best to drown out those left to their thoughts.

A young woman sat back against her booth. Her fingers slid down a glass of Midori Sour. Her eyes were sad as thoughts tumbled through her mind, and she paid no attention to those gathering around her. But as if sensing something, nobody dared take the vacant seat before her.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” Her eyes fell on the man now standing before her. “If it’s okay.” She merely nodded, and he sat down. “Why are you sitting alone?”

“I like being alone.” She finally took a sip of her drink. “It’s less complicated that way.”

“Oh.” He tried to smile, and then he turned away. “Would you like me to leave you alone?”

“That’s your choice.” His eyes studied her. “I’ll be leaving soon anyway, so if you decide to stay, you can have this booth.”

“I rather share it with you.” A waitress brought over his beer. “Another for my friend here.”

“That’s not…” The waitress hurried away. “Necessary. Thank you.”

“So, why is someone as beautiful as you sitting by yourself?”

“Like I said before. I like being alone.”

“I’m sure there’s a story behind that.” He sipped his beer. “Care to share?”

“Which one do you want to hear? The Glass Window or Shadows in the Stairwell?” He looked confused. “Look, you seem like a nice guy, and my radar has not gone up yet. So, I don’t think you’re one of the crazies, but you may think of me as one of them.”

“Try me.” He leaned closer to her. “I can already tell that you’re not crazy.”

“You want to bet on that?” She took another sip of her drink, realizing that he was waiting for a longer response than that. “Okay. Why am I sitting alone here tonight?” He nodded. “Well, you know what this weekend is.”

“Halloween.” She nodded. “You don’t like Halloween?”

“Let’s just say I had my share of ghosts and goblins.”

“So, you see dead people?” Her mouth fell open, but she found herself speechless. “They now make tv shows about people like you.” She snorted at his comment. “You could be famous.”

“Or I could be locked up in a little, white, padded room.” Her voice sounded a little too bitter. “I don’t know why, but when I was a kid, I was tormented by things that I still cannot understand.” She pushed the rest of her drink away from her just as the waitress arrived with another one. “At least, it’s over.”

“Another beer. Please.” He watched the waitress disappear around the corner. “What makes you think it’s over?” Her eyes met his. “If you indeed experienced the supernatural, what makes you think that it left you alone?”

“Because it’s been quiet for a long time.”

“You sound like you miss it.”

“Miss it? Are you kidding? My childhood was torn to pieces because of it.” The beer slammed down on the table, making her jump back. “Seriously?” She watched the waitress walk away. “I can’t have a normal life because of what I lived through. I tried.”

“So, how are you making a living?” He sat back in his seat, gazing at her. “You look like a professional.”

“Try retail. I lost a decade of my life there already.”

She couldn’t tell if this mystery man was playing with her or not. His eyes seemed dark, mysterious, and he was very charming. But she knew to be careful of men like this because the real crazies always appeared as saints, and she barely survived the last one that came into her life. And this one could be a shark testing the waters.

“I’m not playing with you.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I just thought you could use some company.”

“You read minds?”

“I’m a good guesser.” She started to laugh. “When was the last time you had a good laugh?”

“I don’t know.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s been some time.”

“You want some advice?”

“What? You’re not going to ask me out?” He laughed in response. “What’s the advice?”

“Accept the past. There’s no such thing as coincidence.”

“That’s two things.” She glanced at her watch. “I’ve learned that there is no such thing as coincidence, but I can’t accept the past. I can’t accept being some kind of pawn in… Something’s twisted game.”

“You’re more than a pawn, but you don’t realize it.” He leaned closer to her again. “You’re stronger than that, but you so easily forget.”

“It’s easy to forget.”

“The older we get, the easier it becomes, but you have to fight it. You have to remember.”

“Why is it so important to remember?

“Because things happen for a reason, Abby.”

“How did you know my name?”

“Because I have been watching over you for a long time, and it looks like you are thinking of giving up.”

“Giving up?”

“You don’t drink, but here you are at this pub. You don’t want to go home because you really hate being alone. You don’t let anyone in because you always wind up being the one getting hurt, or you drive them away instead. You hate your job, and those that work with you don’t hide it too well that they don’t like you. You’re miserable, and you keep thinking of the past, trying to grab hold of it. Admit it. Back then, you felt more alive than you do now, and you’re surrendering yourself to the ordinary life. And you are far from ordinary.”

“What do you propose for me to do?” He leaned back in his seat. “It’s hard enough surviving the real world, but being who I am, it’s even harder. There is no place for people like me, and I have to be careful not to be locked up. Sure, they could use me in Hollywood, but how do I get there? I don’t know where I’m going, and I am just trying to survive.” She leaned closer to him. “Now, I want to know who the hell you are.”

“You know who I am.” His eyes held hers. “You’ve seen me once before.”

“Where? At work? Are you stalking me?”

“Your ex stalks you not me.”

“Then, tell me where.”

“Go back to the past, and you’ll get your answer.” He slid out of the booth. “Once you understand what was, you’ll know what is.”

“And what the hell does that mean?” He stood near her. “Got that from a fortune cookie?”

“Just don’t resort yourself to the ordinary. It won’t become your sanctuary but a prison.” She shook her head. “Accept who you are.”

When she turned to look at him, he was gone. The door to the pub continued swinging open and close, allowing a cold breeze to flow in. Voices still raised high in the air, and trays bopped up and down nearby. And finally she spied the waitress that had attended to them earlier.

“Can I help you?”

“Yeah. How much do I owe you for the drinks?”

“What drinks?”

“The drinks my friend and I were having.”

“Listen, lady, I don’t know what you are on, but there are no drinks on the table. And I never served you, so if you do want a drink, just tell me what it is.”

Glancing at the table, she didn’t see any drinks, but she remembered having one Midori Sour. And the guy was sipping a beer, but where did the glasses disappear to? And she could hear a loud sigh escape the lips of the waitress, who tapped her foot impatiently.

“Did you see anyone sitting here with me?”

“Let me guess. A tall dark and mysterious man.”

“Yes.”

“No. As far as I know, you only just sat down in this booth, and there are other people here waiting for a seat. So, either order a drink or move.”

“So much for your tip,” Abby muttered as she stood up from her seat.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

As the waitress turned and stormed away from her, she tripped over someone’s foot. Her empty tray went flying into the air and crashed down on the floor. She broke her fall by landing on her elbows and knees, and her head snapped back in Abby’s direction. And all Abby could do was laugh.

“Have a good night.” Abby walked out of the pub.

As the cold air struck her in the face, Abby hurried over to her car. The day had started out ordinary, but the night ended far from it. And she had more questions than answers, but as she thought about her mystery man, she was sure of one thing. He was trying to help her, but would she ever know why?

Last Call

by, Melissa Rachel