The air swelled with an uncharacteristic warmth, brought on by a sudden shift in Mother Nature's mood. A forecast that once bemoaned the cold took a hard left, as the sun gifted heat to much of Maine.

Accompanying this change, the sidewalks were occupied, as Friday morning chugged along like a locomotive. But beyond the uptick in pedestrian traffic that Raj caught a glimpse of, and merged into as he headed out of the community center.

He'd seen an increase in the number of coffee cups, and baked goods hovering around. Everywhere he went, he could find the trace of an incriminating croissant, or a handful of plump lady fingers.

It was as if the community's baking economy had sparked to life, and Raj figured that it was the competition's doing. Or it could've been the norm, who's really to say.

Walking past the two story house-turned vet clinic, being opened by a gray haired old lady in a lab coat. Raj crossed the road after waiting for a couple cars to drive by, and on the other side he walked past a bungalow where the garage was opened – revealing a rambunctious family of 6. Tumbling in, and spilling out of a station wagon, with the two eldest souls, the frilly haired brunette and her modestly lanky spouse. Fixed up the kid's outfits, and ensured everyone wore seatbelts.

The father glanced Raj's way, and smiled before waving. Raj waved back, when one of the kids broke free of his belt and ran off like a mad man with his progenitor giving chase.

Wincing, Raj continued his walk. Moving past Stitches 4 Witches, to which he owed his new hoodie to. An article of clothing presently absent, thanks to the weather.

'What is this weather?' Raj found himself thinking, as he rounded a corner and passed two guys chatting and gorging on two slices of funnel cake.

Up ahead Raj arrived at his destination, a library standing on the border of a vast forested patch of greenery. Entombed by a rectangular ring of buildings.

'Western Public Library' Raj thought, reading the wooden sign in his head that erected out of the ground. Next to a cobblestone walkway that led to a set of old wooden steps, and porch which housed the front entrance.

At a glance, the library stood out from every other building. It was large for only being one story, and echoed with a gothic style. But more noticeably, it lacked the notable hallmarks of having once been a house.

Something that not even the local grocery store could escape from.

Stepping inside, Raj walked across a carpeted floor. Greeted by a sight of shelves off to his right, and an L-shaped counter to his left. A reception of sorts, with a bulletin board on the wall beside it.

'Anybody home?' Raj wondered, as he walked over to the bulletin board and scanned it with interest.

There was a newspaper clipping regarding that dastardly raccoon, an unofficial warning issued by the police. Eliciting a bemused smirk on Raj's face, as he shifted his gaze onto the garishly 2000's ad for the end-of-the-month star gazing event, hosted by the local astronomy club.

Promising a good time, and cookies for anyone willing to come.

Raj smiled at the prospect, then frowned at the mention of cookies. Anger flaring through his veins at the image of the tiny red head that'd been swindling him of his hard earned money.

"Hello, is there something I can help you with?"

Raj jolted in place, as he snapped to the source. Coming face to face with a tall woman, one head taller than he was. Standing behind the counter dressed in a beige gown, with broad shoulders and lighter toned sleeves.

Her long bleach blonde hair went past her shoulders, as a pair of horn-rimmed glasses sat on the bridge of her nose. The lenses hiding a pair of brown owl eyes.

'How do people keep doing that?' Raj wondered, as his heart settled and he walked to stand across from her.

"Yeah uh…I'm looking for Elanor?"

The youthful woman smirked, and replied "that would be me".

Putting a hand on her chest, she added "keeper of the library, and you are?"

"I'm Raj".

She adjusted her glasses, and leaned in for a closer look. Her face lighting up, as she leaned back with a jovial grin.

"Ah, so you're Raj – the fixer of radios. I've heard quite a bit about you from Darla".

"Come again?"

"Most refer to her as Mrs. Arlington".

"Ah" Raj replied, while thinking 'fixer of radios…why do I get the feeling I've been type cast?'

"So I take it you came to fix my computer?"

Raj nodded, as he tapped the bag he had on.

With Elanor's permission, Raj moved to the other side of the counter and took off his bag. The plush office chair granted to him for the time being.

"So the problem on the flyer said that the computer wouldn't turn on?" Raj asked, as he pushed the power button on the aging Dell desktop.

Elanor nodded, and after watching the desktop's indicator lights come up. The monitor flickered to life with a loading bar, which led to an eternal black void.

Raj pursed his lips, as his mind got to work putting together a plan like clockwork.

"Do you think you can fix it?" Elanor asked, while looking down at Raj with twisted lips.

Raj nodded, and replied jokingly "it's not a radio, but I think I can manage".

Elanor straightened back, and let out a relieved sigh.

"Oh good, for a second there I was worried".

Raj blinked, as he looked at the woman with his mouth slightly open in surprise.

"Alright then, I'll leave you to it" Elanor said, as she moved out from behind the counter.

"Got somewhere to be?" Raj asked out of curiosity, as Elanor looked back and nodded with a smirk.

"A keeper's work is never done" she said before disappearing into the rows upon rows of books.

Leaving Raj to think 'I have been typecast…', and then promptly frown.

Tool kit sprawled out on the desk, the side panel of the desktop screwed off. Raj had his head inside the borderline antique, finagling a large mechanical drive out of a drive bay when a voice emerged from the ether.

"How's the repair going new chap?"

It sent a brief jolt of lightning through Raj's nerves, resulting in the sound of bone hitting metal.

'God damn it' Raj thought, as he pulled out his head and the hard drive out of the guts of the desktop.

Rubbing his scalp, and glaring at the man who stood beside him. A tall broad shouldered fellow, with a rugged face and short dark brown hair.

'I'm gonna need health insurance the longer I stay in this town' Raj contemplated, before answering "well, it's going well – I'm sorry who are you?"

The man, dressed in a brown coat and matching dress pants, blinked before saying "ah, where are my manners? My name is Theodore, but you can call me Ted".

Raising a brow, Raj asked "Ted the…keeper?"

Now it was Ted's turn to quirk a brow in response, as Raj added "a keeper?"

"No, just Ted or Theodore – only my wife's the keeper".

"Ah" Raj said, before putting the hard drive onto an enclosure which was hooked up to his laptop.

The inquiring glance Ted gave Raj summoned forth an explanation, "I'm just gonna run some hard drive diagnostics to see if the drive's at fault".

"I see…" Ted said while nodding obliviously as Raj did his thing. Pushing a button, and then saying "and now we wait".

In the 2 minutes that Ted stood there, watching the progress bar on Raj's laptop inch up to 2%.

Raj asked "by the way, what does Elanor mean by 'keeper'? Is it another word for librarian?"

Ted shrugged, and replied "no idea. All I know is that it isn't self-given".

'That explains nothing…' Raj thought, as Ted stuck around for another minute before making himself scarce, saying "well I suppose I'll leave you to it".

Sitting there, watching either the ceiling or his dated machine kick into overdrive. Afforded the time for Raj's mind to wander, remembering a brief on the town's history as told by Kiara a couple days ago.

Flashing a look at the slow progress bar with 98% remaining. Raj shrugged, and got up from his seat. Taking the opportunity to peruse the shelves, and follow the helpful wall mounted plaques that pointed the way to the non-fiction section.

The carpeting ended once he passed the shelves, the remaining interior sparking an uncanny resemblance to that of an office building.

'Now where is it' Raj thought, as browsed the shelves with a keen eye on the book spines. The sound of his feet clacking away on the hardwood floor, as he passed everything from historical compendiums on the American Frontier, to a journal of a 1930s hobo titled "The Rambler".

Science, medicine, and rock and roll all past. Raj scoured every inch, before stopping and pursing his lips together into a frown.

'I'm gonna have some strong words for Kiara the next time I see her' Raj thought, when he spied a book spine that caught his eye.

'Hello…' thought Raj, as he pulled the book out from the tail end of the shelf.

"Friend-lake Times Compendium Volume 2 – 1960s to 2000" Raj read out to himself, before flipping through the contents.

Each page contained archived news clippings held in a plastic covered page covering the various headlines that were published in the past. Headlines that all had a consistent through line from the mid-70s to the early 80s.

Bright lights in the night sky, and people going missing in a patch of trees called Torricht Woods, located right here in Western Friend-lake.

'Small town, and UFO's…who'd have thunk' Raj thought sarcastically, as he came to a stop at one unusual page.

'What the?' Raj thought, flipping back and forth from the page. Before coming to the conclusion that there is nothing on the page.

"What? Where's the headlines for 1981?"

"What headlines?" asked Elanor, who appeared right beside Raj, whose heart spiked briefly as he turned to face the ageless woman.

"The headline's…for 1981, there's nothing there".

Elanor blinked before gesturing for the book, and taking a look.

"Well that's odd" the bleach blonde said, her lips curling down slightly as flipped around before closing it and handing it back to Raj.

"What's odd?"

"There were headlines cut out for 1981. I was sure of it…"

'Huh…' Raj thought, feeling a bit of dread well up from his minds abyss.

"I'll have to look into it, and see if anyone stole them – or worse. Destroyed it!" said Elanor, as she cupped her chin in thought, before looking aghast at the idea of one of her books being harmed.

"Anyways, I uh…I was told that there were some history books here? About the town?" Raj asked, as he pushed down the foreboding trepidation.

Elanor blinked, and brought her hands down in front of her waist. Fingers wrapping over one another, as she said "ah, well I'm sorry but…I keep that information in the back, and…well, I don't know where they are anymore – sorry".

She smiled bleakly, as Raj asked "you don't know where they are?"

"Afraid not".

"But, don't you tag them?"

"Which is only useful if I had the log for them, which I also lost".

She smiled sheepishly, as Raj furrowed his brows at her before sighing.

'Just my luck' Raj thought, as Elanor asked.

"So, I take it you're finished?"

"Not quite, just had some time to kill while waiting for some diagnostics to finish".

"Ah" said Elanor, as silence befell the two.

"I should get going" Raj said, breaking the silence as Elanor nodded and replied.

"I should too, oh and uh…maybe I could indulge you in some pastries? I got a little excited yesterday, and bought too many torpedoes".

Raj blinked, and asked "bought too many what now?"

"Torpedoes, oh it's a wonderful little pastry sold at Flour Power. You'll love it" Elanor implored, before turning around and walking away.

'Small town strangeness…maybe there's some truth to stereotypes after all' Raj thought, as he left the shelf space and returned to his laptop.

The progress bar hit 97% when Elanor emerged with a plate of pastries, each one looking like a white puffy cylinder with cream oozing out of one end.

Encouraged by the librarian, Raj picked up one of the pastries to sink his teeth into. A river of viscous saccharine drowning his taste buds, while his teeth were held in a mushy vice grip.

"I take it you like it?" Elanor asked, as Raj nodded in response. Ripping out half of the aforementioned torpedo, while the other half was chewed to bits and swallowed.

She smiled at the answer, and picked up one for herself.

"The bakeries are probably enjoying the sales from all the local publicity" Raj commented, as Elanor nodded.

"Oh absolutely, speaking of which, who do you think is going to win?"

Raj shrugged, and replied "no clue. Never really checked out most of the places".

"Well, you should. All of them are getting feedback via free samples for their entry".

"Free samples?"

Elanor nodded, after biting into a torpedo and briskly chewing before swallowing.

"One per person, with a probable background check but free nevertheless".

Raj nodded, before asking "a background check?"

Elanor was about to answer when Ted popped up across from Raj, on the other side of the counter.

Startling Raj.

"Why, to steer clear of the prospect of espionage of course" Ted said, as Raj looked at the man with a deeply confused head tilt.

The computer beeped, and Elanor said "oh, I think it's finished".

Raj looked to his computer, and checked what the program had to say.

"What does it say?" Ted asked, picking up one of the torpedoes and ripping out a chunk with his mouth.

"Nothing good, unfortunately".

Elanor, and Ted both gave Raj quizzical looks as he said "the drive's a bust. You're gonna have to get it replaced".

"Oh" Elanor said, her shoulders sagging slightly as Ted asked.

"But is there any way to recover what's on it?"

"That I can do, but it'll take a bit of time".

"Then have at it" Ted said boisterously, as Elanor smirked and added.

"Along with all the torpedoes you want".

The data extracted, and job well done. Raj left the Western Library with his backpack in tow, and a new mission for the day.

Hit Flour Power, and La Vie est Rouge for free samples.

Stuffing aside the earlier clandestine discovery, Raj made a beeline to Flour Power – the closer of the two bakeries.

The first time he was there it was largely vacant, but now? It was packed. There were people eyeing the displays, buying pastries, and huddling around a platter of strudels on the far right of the front counter.

A gaggle of four that each tasted a strudel, including two figures that Raj recognized. Rob, and Dan. The latter eating a strudel with bliss, with his muscular form exposed thanks to the white vest he wore to take advantage of the fortuitous weather. The former chatting with John on the other side, while writing something down on a notepad.

Beside the front counter, and the auburn haired woman manning the cash. Was a line of 6 people, standing in front of a sign that read "Line for samples begins here".

The door behind the cashier opened, and a green haired woman came stumbling out.

"Next!" called out a voice, as the unoccupied portion of the counter that faced the line was flipped open to permit the emerald headed woman escape. Simultaneously allowing the next person in line to move forward.

'Guess that's where they're doing the background check' Raj mentally concluded, while getting in line and finding it all a tad bit much.

'Like seriously? Espionage? Who'd be willing to go that far for some baking competition?'

"That's easy Raj, it's money".

Raj blinked, before turning around to face the source of the voice. Finding the local plucky blonde standing behind him.

"What the? How'd you…"

Amy chuckled, and replied "you're new in town, and living paycheck to paycheck. Free samples are a given, and being new means you're not exactly in the know".

Raj tilted his head slightly, and asked "am I really that predictable?"

"Absolutely".

'And she said that with such confidence' Raj thought, before asking "wait, shouldn't you be at work today? I've seen you at Roswell Groceries on Fridays".

"I'm on my lunch break, actually and I've deemed free samples as my lunch".

"Not much of a lunch if I'm being honest".

"Better than eating sour cream flavored Jello".

Raj's mouth formed a straight line, and he sighed.

"Touche, touche".

Moving down the line, Raj looked to the shifting gaggle of people by the free samples asking "so what's Rob doing here?"

"Probably covering the baking competition for the paper. He'll probably write some new article on it for next week's issue".

"What I wonder though is how thorough of a background check they're going to do" Amy said, as Raj asked.

"You don't know?"

"Nobody told me, and I didn't bother asking. Besides, it changes every time there's a competition like this, or some grand event. Last time, Flour Power had some PI's tail you afterwards in secret to make sure you weren't a spy".

"Seriously?"

"Yup. And apparently, they were all out of towners. Hired only for their discretion".

'Gun wielding raccoon Raj, gun wielding raccoon' was the only thing Raj had to tell himself in his head to suspend his disbelief.

Soon they were next, and right as Raj reached the front counter. The door behind the cashier flung open before a tall muscular woman in a sleeveless cargo jacket, and matching pants stormed out. Grabbing firmly onto the shoulders of a short haired man, whom she shoved out past the flipped open counter gate.

"I'm telling you that never happened!" the man said, as he turned back to the face the woman, whose short auburn hair adorned fiercely dark hazel eyes and a menacing scowl.

"And I'm telling you, Rudy, to beat it before I make you eat pavement" she growled, as Rudy dusted off his shoulders and walked out.

The woman then turned her attention onto Raj, towering over him like a giant.

"You, with me" she demanded, as Raj gulped and replied "yes ma'am".

She glared the moment Raj spoke, and to appease the beastly woman he scurried on past the open gate. Following her beyond the door.

"So that's the new guy?" the cashier asked Amy, who smirked and nodded in response.

The door closed behind, Raj only got a second to take in the familiar interior before a black bag fell over his head.

"What's going on? Why's there a bag over my head?"

"Shut up and do as I say!" the militant woman from before demanded.

"Yes ma'am!"

"Call me that again, and I'll sock you!"

"Sorry ma'am" Raj blurted out without thinking, and flinching.

"What I'd say?!"

"I'm sorry!"

Raj felt his hands, and arm gripped painfully with the accompanying words "resist, and I'll have to resort to force".

Raj nodded, as he let her take control. Guiding him to a door which he heard open, and before long he was forced onto what felt like a chair with the bag being yanked off his head. Revealing a plain looking room with a table in front, and the woman from before standing on the other side.

"Was that really necessary? Like I've been here before".

The woman slammed a hand on the table startling Raj, saying "I'll be the one asking the questions, Mr. Lakmal".

"How'd you know my last name?" Raj asked with his brows raised.

"I said I'm the one asking the questions!" the woman exclaimed, as she pounded a fist on the table.

"S-Sorry!"

Directing a paralyzing glare onto Raj, the buff woman leaned in and asked "earlier this week, you were seen going into La Vie Est Rouge a lot – what was the nature of your interaction?"

'Who is she?' Raj pondered, as the woman smacked the table and rattled the brown man's resolve.

"Answer the question!"

"R-Right!"

"And you better not lie to me, cause if you do…" she said, before picking up the black shroud that lay on the table, and twisting it viscerally.

Raj gulped, as she stared him down expectantly.

"They had oven troubles – I thought I could help, so I did".

"And that's it? That's all it was?"

Her hands twisted the shroud even tighter, as Raj nodded frivolously.

"Yes. Yes that's all, I swear".

The woman continued her burning stare for a couple seconds, before dropping it and straightening up.

"Checks out".

Raj blinked, feeling the heat bearing down his face vanish.

"Really?"

She nodded, and replied "there were rumors going around that La Vie Est Rouge had oven troubles, and Tina verified your statement".

'Thank you Tina' Raj thought, feeling an excruciating wave of relief flood his lungs. When the shroud came back on, and he was enveloped in darkness.

"What? Seriously, again?!"

"Brute force. Last resort" the woman informed while gritting her teeth to emphasize her voice's barbarity.

"Right, right" Raj said, as he let her take the wheel.

The moment he was pushed out the "Employees Only" door, the darkness was gone and the woman called "next!"

Amy smiled, telling the cashier "gotta go. See you later Nat".

Nat smiled, and gave the blonde a slight wave as Raj walked out and swapped places with Amy.

"Casey, it's been a while" Amy said, as she approached the brutish woman, whose demeanor softened as she gave Amy a smile.

"Been too long Ames" said Casey, as she held the door open for Amy to enter before closing it.

The last thing anyone heard being "we should catch up sometime…"

'Oh so it's just me that gets the FBI treatment' Raj thought with his brows furrowed, and lips slanted slightly.

Moving over to the strudels, as the two unknowns from before left. Casting him curious side glances, before muttering covertly to themselves while heading out. Raj stepped into the tail end of a dialogue between Rob, and John. While Dan savored his strudel's taste, eyes closed and head knee deep in flavor town.

"That sounds like a good plan, but I feel that's a bit unnecessary no? Given Flour Power's reputation, and performance in past competitions" Rob asked, looking at John for an answer.

John had his arms on his hips, and chuckled lightly before saying "well, we never like to discount the possibility of something going wrong – or underestimate our competition".

Rob let out a hearty chuckle in response, writing down John's answer and saying "always so modest – even when you clearly have the edge".

John smiled slightly, as he turned to Raj who came up to the plate.

"Ah, Raj. Here to try out some of our samples?"

"After getting bagged, and interrogated – damn right I am".

John sighed, and scratched the side of his head sheepishly.

"Yeah, sorry about that. My sister has a habit of taking things too seriously".

Raj did a double take, asking absentmindedly "she's your sister?"

"Yeah, she sure is…" John replied, as Raj scanned up and down taking in John's skinnier feebler frame, and comparing it to the grotesquely monstrous figure that Casey possessed.

'Shezus, growing up with her must've been painful' Raj thought, the image of Casey snapping John in half like a twig popping into his mind.

"Well, have at it and let me know what you think".

"Next!" called out Casey, as Amy stepped out bidding the taller indomitable human farewell.

"It was so nice to see you, we really should hang out some time" Amy said, as she walked past the counter gate.

"Definitely" Casey agreed, before pointing a finger at the next person and commanding them to come with.

"So just to be clear, is it just me who gets the bag over head treatment or?"

"Everyone, not just you. Unless you're Amy that is".

'So she's the special one…guess that makes me feel a little better' Raj thought, as he picked up two strudels and handed one to the approaching Amy.

"Oh, and by the way. I heard what you did for the Rouge family, thanks for that – they must've been terrified with a quarter million dollars on the line" John said, as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Quirking a brow, Raj asked "you're…grateful?"

John chuckled, as Amy sighed and said "jeez Raj, what? Did you think they were monsters who wanted something bad to happen to them?"

"N-No, but…I was just under the impression that people around here got real competitive".

"True, but I would never want to wish ill-will on our fellow neighbors and competition".

'Aw' Raj thought, as John added "besides, it wouldn't be much of a victory if we didn't beat them at their best".

'Oh' Raj thought, correcting his internal response, as Amy took a bite out of the strudel. Closing her eyes, and uttering a pleasurable moan.

"Mmmm, this is good…" said Amy, as she slowly chewed the bit of strudel in her mouth. Patting Raj incessantly on the arm, saying "Raj you gotta try this!"

"Alright, alright just stop hitting me" Raj begged, as Amy ceased and watched while Raj bit into the strudel.

The second his teeth sank into the crunchy layers, and spilled the red ichor that the strudel held within. Unfurling a red carpet that paved the way for the march of sweet, affectionate faeries that tended to the wildest whims of his taste buds. Caressing, kissing, wining, and dining them into submission.

A salaciously seductively gala unfolded in Raj's mouth, before moving down his gullet. Sending wave after wave desire that flew dangerously close to lust, throughout every fiber of his mind.

"So? How's it taste?" John asked, his voice cutting through the addictive imagery and drowning him in the bland empty reality that was the present.

Amy looked at him with a keen interest, and a maniacal smile. As Raj uttered a nervous chuckle, and said "if I wasn't broke, I'd buy your entire stock".

"Same" Amy said obliviously, before gasping loudly and exclaiming "I can!"

"Ditto" added Dan, as both he and Amy looked at one another with large toothy grins.

"Now, now. These are merely samples, we currently don't have this type of strudels – that's for our competition entry".

"I hate my life" Amy stated bluntly, as Dan exclaimed "la vida no tiene sentido!"

'I wish I wasn't broke' Raj thought somberly, piling onto the misery that was his lack of financial situation.

"Like I said, you've got this in the bag" said Rob, giving John a thumbs up before putting his notebook in the breast pocket of his duffel coat, and his pen on the belt of his fedora. Tipping his hat to everyone near, before leaving.

"Good luck with the bakery coverage" Dan said, as Rob waved before walking out.

When a phone call came for Dan, and he excused himself for a moment.

Amy glared at the half-strudel she held in her hand, saying lowly "wish I could keep you".

"You can't?"

"Not if you wanna lose that arm!" exclaimed Casey, who poked her head out after having ushered someone inside. Glaring daggers at Raj, before sliding behind the confines of the white door.

"Basically" added John, as Raj nodded. Convinced that Casey, of all people, probably could rip his arm off his torso and then use it to beat him to a pulp.

"Good things aren't meant to last Amy, that's what makes them good" Raj said, as he pat the dower blonde on the shoulder reassuringly.

She nodded, and sighed.

"Yeah, you right" the blonde said, before stuffing her mouth with some more angelic crunchy goodness.

Raj following close behind.

A river of bliss filled Raj's mind, taken on an elegant boat ride with angelic women in loose revealing togas massaging every ounce of his body. Giggling, moaning, and pouring red strawberry wine out of an urn and into his mouth.

"Que fuerte!" exclaimed Dan, his voice ripping Raj out of his dreamy thoughts and back to reality.

Amy, who'd finished her strudel, licked her fingers regrettably while looking at a frustrated Dan asking "something wrong?"

"Gunther bailed on me, straight outta nowhere!"

Planting his hands on his hips, Dan said "now whose gonna be my drinking buddy for the night?"

Immediately, he looked at John who brought his hands up in defense.

"Don't look at me – I'm swamped with work trying to keep our operation ship shape".

"Ditto" added Nat from where she sat, as Dan let out a sigh. He turned to Amy who nodded her head sideways saying.

"Sorry Dan, I've got something planned for tonight".

There was only one last person left, and Dan's eyes found him with a slow head turn.

"Got any plans tonight, Raj?"

"Um…well…"

"Actually, he's uh…busy" said Amy, as she jumped in like a kangaroo.

"I am?" Raj asked, looking questionably at Amy alongside Dan.

Amy gave Raj a look, expressing him to lie.

"Yeah, yeah absolutely…"

Dan shifted his weight onto one foot, as he looked at Raj and asked dubiously "oh yeah? Well, what is it".

Amy wore a nervous, toothy, bashful smile as the spotlight fell on Raj to give a convincing answer.

Struggling under the circumstances, with his mind pulling in a dozen different directions and Dan's gaze boring deeper into Raj's soul. Resulted in an answer that failed on all fronts.

"TV dinner".

Amy's palm met her forehead, as Rob nodded his head sideways. Raj looked frustratingly at both as Dan put a strong hand on Raj's shoulder.

"Bah, that stuff's trash – I'll show you to some real food and drink. My treat".

"I…I uh…" Raj stammered before blinking and saying "your treat?"

Dan nodded, and pat Raj assuredly on the shoulder saying "my treat".

Raj's confusion was replaced with excitement, as Amy glared at him with disappointment screaming out of every pore on her face.

"See you at 7 compadre" Dan said, as he turned around and headed out.

"What is wrong with you?" Amy hissed in a hushed tone, as Raj looked at her with a frazzled expression.

"But it's his treat" Raj pointed out.

"Do you have any idea how strong of a drinker Dan is?"

"But it's his treat" Raj reiterated.

"He could out drink an elephant!" Amy exclaimed with her hands thrown into the air.

"Amy, relax. I appreciate the concern but it'll be alright. I can handle myself, I won't drink squat it'll be fine".

Amy sighed, rubbing her temples saying "you haven't gone out drinking with Dan – you don't know how persuasive he can be".

Raj chuckled, and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, okay. Like he could make me do something I don't want to, without already being severely inebriated".

Amy dropped her one hand, and looked brazenly at Raj when her phone beeped – signaling that her lunch break was over.

"I gotta head back to work – but don't go out drinking with Dan. I'm warning you" said Amy, as she left the bakery. Pointing a cautious finger at Raj as she walked out the door.

Leaving Raj to scoff at Amy's advice, the thought of a free dinner drowning out all worries.

The midday sun reached the apex of its climb when Raj arrived at La Vie Est Rouge, having left Flour Power long ago. Rob had some more questions to ask so Raj left him to continue his pursuit of all things free.

La Vie Est Rouge, meanwhile, was nowhere near as packed as Flour Power. But there were still people hovering around their free samples – a platter of mini tarts that was loosely guarded by Amelia, while Elodie manned the cash.

Getting closer, the sight of Rob, one of the three around the free samples, warranted a double take. Thinking 'how? How'd he?'

"Hey, Raj" Amelia called, drawing the attention of the trio in front of her away from the free samples.

Raj responded with a wave as he approached, Rob continuing to write something down on his notepad as the woman beside him. A physically fit figure in a blue coveralls with the upper half unzipped and tied around her waist. Finished up her sample, and walked up to offer a handshake.

"New guy right?" the slightly tanned woman asked, her black pony tail flopping to the side the moment she stopped.

"That's me" said Raj with a straight-lipped smile, as he hesitantly accepted the handshake.

"And he fixed our oven" Amelia added from behind, as Raj put on a half-smile and replied.

"I helped".

"Seriously?"

Raj shrugged, and nodded. As the mechanic let go, affording Raj the chance to tend to the newfound soreness in his hand.

"Huh, now if only you could fix a car radiator – wouldn't mind an extra hand in the depot" said the woman a little wistfully, as the other enjoyer of the free samples.

Eyed Raj carefully.

"Ah heh, yeah I'm not crazy enough to attempt something like that" said Raj, as he chuckled nervously.

"Ah well one can only dream, by the way I'm Sal".

"Sal's AutoDepot right?"

Sal smirked and nodded, as Raj made his way towards the free samples.

"And I'm Alice" the last unknown in the building said, a short raven haired woman clad in a simple green V-neck and black jeans.

"There's two Alice's"

Alice grinned before saying "there's a third".

"There is?"

Sal rolled her eyes, as she wiped her hands off her coveralls.

"Yeah, but she got lost in the woods chasing after a rabbit".

Raj looked at Alice with a straight mouthed expression, while a widely curved smirk worked onto Alice's face.

Sal's phone rang, and taking a quick look at its screen. She pocketed the device, before bidding her farewell and taking off.

"Gotta go – good luck with the competition".

Alice nodded and waved slightly, Rob put away his notepad and pen before turning to face the baking sisters to say "similar sentiments – good luck and god speed".

"See ya Rob" replied Amelia, as Rob tipped his hat before heading out after Sal.

"And that's also my cue to leave – good luck on the competition" said Alice, as she made her departure leaving Raj, Elodie, and Amelia the only ones in the bakery.

"Alright, so let me guess – you're…here…for free samples, right?" Amelia said, pretending to read Raj's mind.

"Uh huh" said Raj, as he glanced over at Elodie. Noting her slumped shoulders, and distant gaze.

"Well wait no more – give it a try and tell us what you think".

Amelia pushed the plate of mini-egg tarts towards Raj a little, leaving Raj to ask "you're not gonna do a background check?"

"Oh, uh, yeah that…" Amelia said, as though the notion was an afterthought, before reaching underneath the counter and pulling out a…

…magic 8-ball?

"Oh omniscient arcane 8-ball, that which was born from the bowels of the one in all! Did Raj come here with any ill intentions?" Amelia asked with a dramatic flair, before shaking the novelty toy like salt shaker.

"Sure, why not" the 8-ball spoke, a bored vaguely Russian accent as Amelia put the toy down on the counter beside the plate of free samples.

"Alright, you're good" Amelia said, as she gave Raj a firm thumbs up.

"8-ball's spoken" Elodie added blankly, not once turning to look at Raj or her sister. Keeping her eyes trained on the empty yonder.

"You know, you could've just…not gone to the trouble of using an 8-ball, and just said you guys don't do background checks" said Raj, as he picked up a mini egg tart.

"Ah, but where's the fun in that?"

"Fair enough. Just that, after the hell I went through at Flour Power. I just thought that I was gonna be put through the ringer here" Raj said, as he took a bite out of the pastry in his hand.

Elodie's interest sparked, as she looked at Raj with a curious gaze.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, John's sister gave me the FBI treatment".

"Bag over your head?"

"And the interrogation" Raj replied, letting his taste buds savor the rivers of cream and vanilla that flooded his mouth.

"Yeesh, and it was John's sister? Beefcake McGee?"

A sharp chortle escaped Raj's lips, as he took another bite out of the firm yet velvety desert while Elodie lowered her head, her mind filling with anxiety.

"Oof" Amelia rightful concluded, as Elodie winced in response.

"Well, we never believed in doing background checks or safeguarding our samples – also we wanna crush the competition knowing they had the chance to fight back".

Amelia looked confident, a fire burning in her heart while Elodie looked melancholic.

"That's the spirit" Raj said after finishing the egg tart and swallowing it down.

"So how was it?" Amelia asked, as Elodie's interest grew. Her eyes locking onto Raj, who nodded and said.

"I like it – it's really creamy and it's got just the right amount of vanilla".

Elodie visibly eased up a little, and tensed when Amelia asked "now which do you prefer? Us or whatever Flour Power's got?"

"Uh…well…" Raj began, as the taste of Flour Power's sample strudel flashed into his mind. The river of red, the sensual treatment of his taste buds, it summoned pangs of desire in the depths of his stomach.

That imagery was almost unshakable from his mind, taking great difficulty to suppress in order to compare the two different pastries. And immediately one thing was blatantly apparent, the egg tart was woefully inferior in comparison to the strudel.

"I mean…they're both good, in their own way".

Amelia looked unconvinced, as she tilted her to the side while Elodie's shoulder sank even lower than before.

"I'm serious".

Amelia stared insistently at Raj, and after failing to elicit a different response she relented.

"Cop out" Amelia joked, as Raj smirked.

"Hey, in my humble opinion. I think they're both…equally good" Raj said, having to fight to say the word "equally".

"Ack, you're of no use" Amelia said, as Elodie averted her gaze. Aiming it back on the door, and sinking deep into her dolor mind. One hand clutching the underside of her chin, gripping it like she was clinging to dear life.

Clapping her hands together Amelia said "and that's all you get, one per person. Those are the rules".

"That's fine, I'll just hit up the other bakeries systematically".

The moment those words were spoken, and made real in Elodie's reality. An idea sparked to life in the drowning depths of her mind.

A darkly brilliant idea.

"Oh is that right?"

"Yup".

"You might run the risk of getting punted out the door for having 'comprised allegiances'".

"They can't prove anything" said Raj as he pointed an index finger at Elodie's sister, while Elodie herself looked to and from Raj with contorted lips.

"And besides, the risk's worth it and I've done worse things for free stuff".

"Really?"

Raj shrugged, and replied "what can I say? I'm a sucker for a free meal".

At that moment, Raj's stomach uttered a low guttural rumble. Letting its physiologically joined benefactor know that he was running on empty.

"Guess your stomach agrees with you" Amelia said sharply, as Raj blushed a little as Elodie smirked. The storm in her head having parted, as she aimed her gaze Raj's way.

"And I think that's my cue to head out" Raj said, as he turned around to leave.

Amelia nodding, and saying "well, thanks for stopping by and trying out our egg-tarts".

Raj waved, as he left while becoming the center piece of Elodie's raptorial gaze.

The longer she stared at him leave, the more confident she grew. Her resolve solidifying the moment Raj opened the door, and stepped out.

Amelia's phone beeped, and upon checking it. She turned to her sister, and said "hey Elodie".

But Elodie didn't budge.

"Elodie?"

Elodie continued to stare off into the distance, until Amelia crumpled up some tissues from beneath the counter and hurled it at her sister.

The ball of tissues bouncing off the side of Elodie's head, startling her into the present.

"Amelia what the hell?!" the brunette exclaimed, as she straightened up and looked angrily at her sister.

"Bastion says he needs your magic hands" Amelia said, as she showed Elodie her phone.

Elodie sighed, before scooching off her chair and heading into the back. Her heart locked in on a brewing plan.

Night fall came quicker than Raj anticipated, the sun seeking shelter in the horizon while the moon sprinted into the sky. Drawing a curtain of darkness along with it.

The stars shone brightly amidst the inky black, glistening with a cosmic wonder. Each shimmering dot a gateway to a vast array of nigh infinite potential. From endless oceans to explosions of magma.

'Wow, it's like the whole universe just opened itself up' Raj thought, as he took in the carpet of twinkling stars overhead. A far cry from the pitch black skies of Cape Breton. It could've mesmerized Raj to no end, stroking that deeply suppressed fondness for the cosmos that lingered as a holdover from childhood.

But thankfully, the reminder on his phone pulled him back to Earth.

'Crud buckets I'm late!' Raj thought, as he pulled out his phone and saw the time.

7:00 PM.

Raj booked it like a mad man, crossing the road overlooking the community center and barreling down vacant roads. Nary a soul being present at this time of night. Nothing but the shadow of trees watching him as he entered a brisk jog.

Rounding a corner, and barreling past a vet clinic that was closed for the night. Raj crossed once more before reaching the edge of town. Where a 6 foot fence met him on the other side of the road. Keeping a vast forest, and its nightly ambience confined.

One last intersection crossed, and Raj arrived at the only pub in Western Friend-lake.

'The Local'.

A one story building surrounded by a small dirt road parking lot with trees, bushes, and a sea of dark green carpeting the ground. Giving room for nature's shadow to seek refuge, as Raj walked up to the uneven wooden steps that led to the sturdy, if old, front porch.

Carefully navigating up the steps, Raj approached the door before sneaking a glance at the windows. His eyes bathed in a warm murky light, where otherworldly shadows shifted and moved like the inside of a lava lamp.

Heading inside, Raj moved past a bustling scene lit up by warm ceiling lights where laughter, and merriment made up the ambience. The pungent smells of whiskey, and steak flaring Raj's nostrils the deeper he delved.

'Never underestimate the power of a Friday night' Raj thought, as he looked around with a subtle awe. Seeing faces old, and new mix and merge into a cacophony of camaraderie and joy until Dan grabbed his attention saying.

"Ey, senior Raj over here!"

The mustachioed man in a popped collar shirt, and weathered jeans waved and patted the empty barstool beside him. One of 8 that were all occupied.

Reciprocating the wave, Raj walked over to the empty stool and sat down. On the other side, beyond the wooden barrier were cabinets, wine racks, a fridge, stove, and many other culinary equipment. All strung along by a horde of pictures stuck to walls, and surfaces – acting as the backdrop for the purple ponytailed star of the show.

Linda, who in her loosely buttoned plaid shirt, and rough denim pants. Handled the task of making drinks, and dishes with a near simultaneous fashion. Spinning around a cocktail shaker in one hand, as the other finished pouring a glass of scotch on the rocks. Out of the shaker poured out a margarita, before sliding it off to its recipient and tending to the fries in the air fryer.

Swiftly prepping a plate of steak, and fries she handed it to the fourth man at the counter. And as fast as she was done, she moved to prepare 3 more drinks all at once. She even managed to get Raj a menu, plopping it in front of him with such speed that Raj didn't even register her move.

'Wow, she's fast' Raj thought, as Dan pat him strongly on the back.

"About time you got here".

"Yeah, sorry about that. Got a little uh…distracted…" Raj said, his eyes looking around suspiciously as Dan faced the bartender.

"For a second there, thought you bailed on me too. And if you did, I was gonna complain to Linda about it".

"For which I'm eternally grateful for" Linda said with a slight smile, as she put down Dan's drink on the counter. A tall dark brown concoction, which quickly became the center of his world.

"Also, a fine nightly hello Raj. Didn't think I'd be seeing you in here this early".

Raj placed his hands on the counter, and asked "really?"

Linda nodded, as she pulled up a glass and plucked out a hefty bottle of bourbon from behind her.

"Figured it'd be too soon for you to have gotten some drinking buddies, but I see you've already got one. And boy oh boy did you hit the jackpot".

Raj chuckled, before blinking and asking "the jackpot?"

Linda nodded, as she added the finishing touches on a burger and fries.

"Man's got an iron liver" she answered, as Raj looked at Dan chug down half of his glass in one go.

'It's okay Raj, all you have to do is not drink much…if at all' Raj mentally affirmed, as Linda handed off the burger plate to the guy beside Dan – James, who was immersed in a conversation with Jules. Too focused to care much about their surroundings.

"Ah, now that's the stuff" said Dan, as he put down his glass and snapped his fingers at Raj.

"How about you? What you in the mood for? Scotch? Brandy? On the rocks? Anything fancy, or something simple?"

Raj chuckled anxiously, and replied "how about we have some food first? I haven't had anything since lunch".

Dan nodded, and pointed a finger gun Raj's way saying "good idea – Linda, get me the chicken strips and fries".

"You got it" Linda replied, as Dan looked expectantly at his conditionally unaware drinking buddy.

"I uh…" Raj began, as he surveyed the menu he was given.

"…I think I'll go with the, Wand-un, roast?"

"It's pronounced Vand-hun" Linda explained, as Raj nodded and said "I'll have that".

"He'll have that" Dan added, as Linda nodded.

"One Wandhuhn roast coming right up" Linda said, while handing out 3 glasses and a plate of pork chops to an emerald haired woman.

While Linda worked her mind boggling magic, and Dan tried to reach the bottom of his glass. Raj looked around, trying to spy as many faces as he could recognize. There was the patriarch of the Bjorgensen's, who looked like he was enjoying a rambunctious dinner with his wife. Sal, who was huddled at a table with three scrappy looking unknowns. Laughing up a storm, to the point that one of the no-names started coughing.

Roland, the exhaustingly benign high school teacher sat at a corner table with a raven haired woman. Gleefully chirping away, while Roland nodded happily. As Marla, Bridgette, and a third elder with aging gray hair and deep skin folds. Formed a band of near-retirees getting their kicks with saucy glasses of wine.

Finally, Raj's eyes fell on Dave. Wearing his aviators with a similar ignorance to Rob and his perpetual ski-mask. Chatting in distant silence, as Raj locked onto the convenience store clerk and self-proclaimed owner.

Morbidly curious, as he studied Dave until Dave caught wind and looked back. In a flash Raj averted his gaze, planting his eyes firmly on the personable menu that lay on the counter. A hint of dread seeping into his veins, which quickly subsided when his linguistically German roast arrived.

"Here you go, enjoy" said Linda, as she placed the plate of what looked like a whole chicken leg, roasted to perfection, with a side of fries and coleslaw paired with appropriate cutlery. Alongside Dan's plate of chicken strips, and fries.

Raj nodded, as Linda smiled before being called to make a glass of whiskey.

The smell of the roasted chicken charged into Raj's nose, his mind and stomach sparing no time getting ready to consume. It hit all the right notes, and after digging in and getting a taste. Beyond the satisfying levels of crunch, and crisp. His shackled hunger was let loose, and Raj tore into the chicken like a lion starved for weeks.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were hungry" said Dan, as he paid for their orders with a handful of bills that were pulled out of his pants.

Raj only nodding, as he devoured the chicken leg.

"Oh, and one more thing Linda".

Linda looked Dan's way, while pouring a glass of whiskey.

"Get him a Friend-lake Twister, since its first time here and all".

Linda grinned, and nodded before handing the whiskey off and getting to work on the aforementioned twister.

"Friend-lake Twister?" Raj asked, half muffled, as he looked at the menu eyeing the beverage section.

There was a name, and a price but nothing else to describe it.

"You'll love it – trust me" Dan affirmed, as he tore off a chunk from a chicken strip while Raj gulped down a bolus of chicken.

By the time Linda arrived with the drink in question, Raj was halfway through his dinner. Both paid for by Dan, as Raj looked at the drink Dan had recommended. A medium sized glass housing a sea of brown with a spinning vortex of white, and ice in the middle. Slowly losing momentum.

Picking up the glass, and eyeing it inquisitively. Raj watched the slightly hypnotic swirls within, while saying "by the way, thanks a lot for the meal and stuff".

"Ah, it's whatever – you can pay me back some other time".

Raj's shoulders slumped a little at the thought of being in even more debt, as Dan pressed on saying "now go ahead and drink man. It tastes the best when you drink it while it spins".

Cornered with nowhere to go, given how the drink was effectively free. Raj shrugged, and took a sip.

His throat flooding with a rush of alcohol that sent a sharp jolt through his system, straightening him up. Before his tongue was serenaded by a song of creamy vanilla, which spiraled into a twister of nutmeg and honey going down.

Putting the glass down, Raj looked at Dan who smirked and nodded knowingly. As Dan picked his mostly empty glass, and raised it saying "welcome to Friend-lake compadre" before finishing up his drink.

The passage of time went unnoticed, as the alcohol flooding Raj's mind dulled his senses. The people around shifting, and changing as the night pressed on. New faces mixing with the old, as the omnipresent jocularity swirled all around.

Linda moved like a vaguely purple blur, the others around him a cavalcade of shifting silhouettes. The one thing Raj's eyes honed in on, amidst all the haziness was Dan gulping down his 5th glass of whiskey, while continuing to ramble about Gunther's last minute change of plans.

'How…how is he still going?' Raj pondered, as his eyes fell on the glass empty glass that sat next to his empty plate. The 3rd of its kind, each one having been a Friend-lake Twister.

'How…?' Raj thought, as he picked up the glass and eyed it closely.

"…but no, tonight he's busy and he didn't even say why" Dan concluded, as he put down his empty glass.

Raj nodded, Dan's words barely cogent in his mind as he put down the glass. Unsure of how he got here, and too cognitively busy to think.

"Done with your 4th? Nice, let's keep it coming Linda" Dan said, as Raj's heart jumped at the request.

But try as he might, his body couldn't muster an appropriate response. Arms flopping onto the counter, and head barely holding itself up. A rejection reduced to groans, and mumbles as his glass was refilled with another Friend-lake Twister.

'I should've listened…I should've listened…' Raj thought, the idea blaring in the vacuous depths of his mind.

'I don't have to drink…I won't…' Raj mentally declared, but that sour side of him. The one that made it impossible to ever look a gift horse in the mouth, even if it was demon in disguise.

And Dan's unbridled encouragement certainly didn't make things easier.

"Come on Raj, you can do it. 3 down, one more's NOTHING!" Dan exclaimed, as he threw an arm around Raj's neck jovially.

"Do it, do it, do it" Dan began chanting, as the guy beside him, Ryan, joined in on the chanting.

Their voices clawed away at what remained of Raj's inhibitions, and just like that the drink went down his gullet in record time.

"Eyyyy! There we go" said Dan, as Raj slammed the glass down. Head heavy, and light at the same time. Half of the glass empty, as blood outnumbered the blood his heart pumped.

Dan followed suit, but unlike Raj, he swallowed whole the contents of his glass. Slamming it down, and exhaling a fiery breath.

'I might die…' Raj thought, as the lull of an indomitable black called to him from the depths of his mind.

Uttering an unceremonious burp, Dan pat Raj firmly on the shoulder and said "well I gotta take a leak. Be back in a sec".

Before hopping off his stool, and walking away. Leaving Raj all alone.

'Now's my chance! I have to get out of here' Raj thought, as he sent a command to his legs and was horrified at the lack of control.

'What the?! My legs aren't moving! Come on, move damn it! Move!' thought Raj, as he sent a dozen or so orders to his legs but they refused to budge.

"Well, well, well…lookie we have here…" spoke a familiar salacious voice, which Raj turned to look at with internal horror.

For sitting next to him, was Samantha. A fiery red head in a black camisole top, and shapely blue denim. Looking at him with a devious grin.

'MOVE! MOVE NOW! MOOOOOOVE!' Raj screamed to his legs, but the most they could do was jerk only slightly.

She eyed Raj's drink, tilting her head to the side curiously before reaching over and pulling it up to her nose.

Raj didn't have the strength to stop her, or even acknowledge it beyond keeping his eyes trained on the glass.

A couple sniffs, and Samantha put the glass on the table before looking at Raj.

"Friend-lake Twister eh? I see you're a man of good taste".

"Recommendation" Raj blurted out, the first cogent thing his mind was able to assemble.

Her grin turned sly, as she asked in a matching cadence "wanna try something even better?"

'No' was what Raj thought, but a barely audible "bleumph" was what escaped his lips.

"Linda, honey. Could you get me two glasses of Idaho Devil's Kiss? One for me and Raj?"

Linda gave her a thumbs up, and in a flash produced the drinks as requested. Two fruity looking mixtures, with a generally pinkish color.

"Idaho Devil?" Raj asked, looking oddly at his drink. Shoving all thoughts of consumption down, as Samantha paid for the drinks.

"It's based on an old urban legend, and it goes a little something like this…"

All of a sudden Samantha leaned in close, shoulder to shoulder. Arms touching, as she brought her mouth to his ear.

"An out of pocket man, walks into a pub" she begins, her breath brushing briskly against Raj's skin sending a sluggish shiver through his mind.

'WHY WON'T MY LEGS MOVE?!' Raj screamed into the void that was his mind, as Samantha continued.

"He's down on his luck, got nowhere to go so he orders a drink to drown his sorrows".

She turns to look at Raj, flashing him a wicked smile while peering into Raj's eyes. Scanning his face, and grinning even more.

"And then, out of nowhere, this beautiful woman comes out of the blue and sits down right next to him" Samantha said, leaning back a little and looking away. Taking aiming at her drink, and taking a sip. Gingerly bringing the glass to her lips for the daintiest of nips, before putting it back down.

"She was infectious, and the night seemed to get better with her in the picture. Especially after she offered to buy him a drink".

The red head turned to face Raj, her lips turned pink and stretched into a smirk. As she leaned in fast, and close to do the unthinkable.

Plant an infernal kiss on Raj's face.

In a second, every nerve and muscle in Raj's body flared to life.

Inebriation notwithstanding.

Raj fervently rubbed his cheek, partially cogent thanks to the stimulus which burned the surface of his facial epidermis. Glaring at Samantha as his face ran through the gambit of shock, anger, confusion, and fear.

"And so, she plants a kiss on the man's cheek, they leave…" began Samantha with a playful tone, which sharply turned dark saying "…and they were never heard from again".

Taking another sip of her drink, while looking away. No longer invading Raj's space, Samantha added "it happened all over Idaho, a woman in black luring lonely broken men only to disappear forever. Depending on who you ask, it was the devil's doing".

'I got that much, but did you have to KISS me to explain it?!' thought Raj, as he continued to glare at her.

"Oh, and it also makes for a real hot kiss" Samantha said playfully, as she looked at Raj with a sheepish smile.

A sigh escaping Raj's lips.

He was more alert now than before, but his legs still weren't in the mood to move.

"Hey Samantha! Sorry I was a little late, lost track of time" Amy said, running in like a ray of sunshine in a topsy-turvy world. Dressed in a creamy lace top, and wide leg jeans.

She hopped onto the empty stool beside the ginger, as Samantha gave her a smirk and said "well, it's a good thing I had Raj here to keep me entertained".

Raj's brows furrowed, while thinking 'I bet'.

The second Amy's eyes fell on Raj, a deadpan expression overcame her perpetual enthusiasm.

Unsurprised at Raj's presence, which Raj understood and responded with a somber forlorn expression.

"Alright, I'm back" Dan announced, as he returned with some pep in his step when his eyes caught a glimpse of the two new additions to the bar counter.

'Oh god he's back' Raj thought, as he gave his legs another shot and failed.

'No dice, they're still out cold' Raj thought, as he looked to Amy. Desperation etched into the sinews of his face, hoping in that moment that she could read his mind.

"Sam, Amy. What are you two doing here?" Dan asked smiling.

"Lily bailed on me last minute. Got some work dumped out of the blue" Samantha replied while shrugging, as Dan scoffed.

"At least she gave you a reason" Dan replied, as Amy nodded before pulling her off of Raj and setting them on the red head.

Clapping her hands together excitedly, Amy said "hey I got an idea. Why don't you guys buddy up for the night? Maybe rant about being bailed last minute by your friends?"

A curious half-smirk worked onto Samantha's face, as she looked at Dan and shrugged.

"I'm down".

"Hey, that's a pretty rad idea…but I already asked Raj and…"

Mustering all of his strength, Raj uttered without hesitation "no, no. It's fine…I'm good, really…"

"You sure?" Dan asked for clarification, as Raj nodded vigorously and gave him a robotic thumbs up.

"Alrighty then, shall we seniorta?" Dan asked, offering Samantha a hand.

Samantha grinned, and replied "si" before accepting the offer and leaving altogether.

'Thank you! Oh thank you so much!' Raj thought, as Amy scooted over to the stool Samantha once occupied.

A flaccid yet disappointed look on the blonde's face.

"I told you. I warned you, but you didn't listen".

'Free food Amy! I was blinded by free food!' Raj thought looking pleadingly at Amy who sighed in response.

"God you're hopeless" she muttered, before rubbing her temples and asking "how many drinks have you had?"

Raj brought up 4 fingers, as Amy turned to Linda.

"Lin?"

Linda looked at Amy, unfazed by the different things her hands were doing.

"The only thing a gambling man ever needs, is a suitcase, the lord, and a trunk" Amy said with a straight face.

Linda looked sternly at Amy who nodded, as Linda looked at Raj and dropped what she was doing to pull up a glass and quickly whip something up.

A pitch black drink that appeared before Raj, as Amy took the pink drink Samantha bought him.

"Drink that, you'll feel better" Amy said, as she took a sip from the pink drink while Raj looked at the glass he now had. Looking at both it, and Amy with the same bewildered expression.

The glass was oozing with a black, tar-like substance, and given what Amy said to have such a beverage be requested.

Raj's skeptical levels were off the charts.

"Just drink Raj" Amy implored, as she gestured to him with her drink.

Slightly nodding his head, Raj took the plunge once more. Too out of it to think straight, as much of the black liquid went down his neck.

It was awful, like cough syrup mixed with molasses. A match made in the depths of hell, which kicked Raj's head into proper form.

"Oh god, that's terrible…" Raj began, coughing a little as he put down the glass when he noticed the lofty haziness in his head disappear.

"Better?"

"Holy mother of…" Raj said in shock, as he looked down and saw his legs move with ease. His senses having largely returned.

"What the heck is in this stuff?" Raj asked, as he looked at the glass with renewed interest.

Amy took a long drawn out sip, before exhaling and saying "it's best that you don't know".

Raj looked incredulously at the blonde, who changed the subject with "so, what'd you think? First time out at the Local and all?"

"It's surprisingly packed – given outside it's like a post apocalypse".

"Never underestimate the power of Friday nights" Amy remarked, before taking another ship of her drink.

"But beyond that, and making the terrible mistake of accepting Dan's proposition – which I'll concede I will never do it again. Ever. It's nice".

"Thanks for the glowing review" said Linda briefly, as she moved on past to hand a couple drinks off to a gaggle of ancient ladies.

"By the way, I thought you said you were busy tonight" said Raj, as he looked dubiously at Amy.

"Dude, I told you to lie through your teeth when Dan asked. Not my fault your priorities are all out of whack".

"How was I supposed to know Dan could actually out drink an elephant?!"

"I literally told you that".

"I thought you were exaggerating".

Amy sighed, as Raj took a sip from his glass and winced at the taste.

"Well now you know" Amy replied, as Raj looked around. Taking in the hustle, and bustle with a newfound appreciation – now that his mind seemed more put together.

"So does it get busier in the weekend?" Raj asked, holding up his glass in perpetual limbo.

"Gets heated on Saturday night, then dies on Sunday" Linda answered, while filling a cocktail shaker with whiskey, wine, and some dark blue substance.

"Oh, speaking of the weekend. Got any plans?" Amy asked, as Raj blew out a puff of hot air.

"No…" he replied, stirring a brief pang in his heart and a burn in his stomach.

Pointing her drink at Raj, Amy asked "then maybe you could come with to try out all the samples being given out by the other bakeries".

'Huh…I did say something like that to Amelia earlier' Raj thought, as he looked at Amy and said "come to think of it, I did sorta plan something like that".

Amy chuckled, and replied "what I'd say earlier? You're pretty predictable".

"Could've just said 'great minds think alike', but no you just had to go in that direction instead" Raj replied, as he took an unknowing sip of his glass and flinched.

Amy shrugged while smirking, and finished her drink. Putting down the glass, and saying "then it's settled. Tomorrow, it'll be you, me, and every bakery in Friend-lake!"

"Sounds good to me" Raj replied with a smile, as he finished his glass as well. Doing so with a great deal of disgust, but happy nevertheless that it was over with.

The moon hung overhead, as the zero hour loomed on the edge of night. The Local had become less packed by now, and after Linda's solution to the drunk state of mind was done with – Amy took a deep dive into the depths of hazy nights, and blinding lights.

Half an hour of watching Amy get less, and less coherent. He left the bar with the blonde in tow, an arm wrapped around his neck, as she hummed a quaint out of tune ditty.

The black tar drink that Raj downed having been largely useless, as Amy was too far gone for it to have worked.

"Wer gunnnnna haf soooo mush fummmm!" Amy declared, leaning onto Raj's shoulder making the trip down the stairs needlessly difficult.

"Uh huh" Raj replied, as he sped down and landed in one piece by luck. Before resuming his journey, while wondering how the script got flipped as fast as it did.

For the first time in Raj's life, he wished he'd driven as the herculean trip of taking Amy home was quite the exercise in patience and cardio. What with Amy's endless incoherent rambling that made sense once every blue minute, and her significant lapse in coordination.

Sooner rather than later, they arrived at Amy's oddly placed home. Taking her up to the door, where the blonde fumbled with her keys. Insisting on doing this on her own, and swatting away Raj's attempts at helping.

Raj tapped his foot, while watching Amy fail to shove her key into the door knob for the 7th time before finally getting it right.

"See? I gosh if…" Amy boasted, as she hastily opened the door and fell inside. Landing face first onto the floor, faster than Raj could intercept.

'Ah jeez' Raj thought, as he stood at the mouth of the front entrance, where the light of the ambient light that flooded in revealed Amy, rolling onto her back and blurting out gibberish.

Before giving a weak thumbs up.

Raj rolled his eyes, and helped Amy up. Before looking around, as he guided Amy inside and saw a couch where he helped her onto. A yawn escaping Amy's lips, as Raj put up her feet onto the armrest on the other end of the sofa.

Eyes closing, Amy's last words before sleep took hold were "g'nife rach…"

'G'nife to you too, Amy' Raj thought, as he looked at the sleeping blonde with a slight smile before heading out.

Past the shifting shadows, and a howling breeze. A yawn escaped Raj's lips, as he reached the doorstep of his home with a stomach full of chicken and booze.

Flipping on the light in his room, ready to just fall into bed. Raj blinked twice, before staring at the startling state of his room with his mouth hanging open.

'What the heck happened?!' Raj thought, taking in the sight of an overturned office chair, blankets and pillows on the ground. The stuff on his desk relocated to the floor, with the desk itself a little crooked.

Far back was an open window, which sparked the realization while closing it.

'Did someone break in?' Raj thought, when a scuttling sound came from his closet.

Eyes trained on the closet, Raj quickly pulled out his phone to dial 9-1-1 but the automated voice shot that idea down. Blaming network limitations as the cause.

'Drats' Raj thought, as he approached the closet with hands balled into fists.

'It can't be that hard to throw a punch…right?' Raj thought, remembering all the action movies he'd ever seen and imagining himself throwing a punch in the very same way.

His hands trembled, as he grabbed the handle and after taking a deep breath. He slid it open, only to find his wooden mannequin Rose inside. Arms over its chest, and head tucked in.

'What?' Raj thought, as he pulled the mannequin out. Seeing the scars that now littered every inch of his body. Of note were the somewhat large claw marks that were carved into Rose's wooden torso, and left arm.

"What the heck happened to you? And how'd you end up in the closet?" Raj asked, mostly to himself, as he propped the life-sized wooden dummy to stand of its own accord.

Taking a second look at his room, more confused than before, he noticed something on his desk. Standing out in the absence of his pens, books, and small tool box.

'What's this?' Raj wondered, as he approached.

It was a folded piece of paper, that when unfolded revealed to be a letter. Written by hand, and largely indecipherable save for a select few phrases. It felt familiar, like he'd seen it before, and after sifting through its contents. He realized why.

…need you to figure out what everyone else is doing…

...their entries…competition…

…spying, basically…

…call me on 207-444-0000…NO TEXT!

Sincerely, Elodie

Putting the letter down, and rubbing his temples. Raj turned off the lights, and fell face first onto bed. Figuring that the night had gone on long enough.