Chapter 3
The tires on the truck scraped across the gravel as the brakes were applied. The truck came to a complete stop. The door creaked open as the stranger stepped out onto the dusty gravel and slammed the door. His face was slightly dirty and his five o’clock shadow was well past the stroke of midnight. His eyes could not be seen but by the way he walked you could just tell he had a helluva story to tell, one of those long ones that involved allot of pain and agony involved.
The door to the tavern swung open and he headed straight for the bar. He ordered the bar tender to serve him a scotch on the rocks as he perched himself upon the stool. She gave him his scotch and he put a hundred dollar bill on the bar and said “Keep them coming, I don’t want to see this glass empty!” “Right away,” she said and quickly snatched up the bill. She looked young and vaguely familiar. Way to young to be working in a scum hole like this. She looked to young to be working in any bar. He sipped his scotch as he eyed his surroundings. Everyone looked as though they were well into that grey area of life and crime topped up with a good helping of pain and misery. Sketchy souled, the kinda place where you should watch your back and front and likely end up with a knife in your side.
After a long night and a busy day the scotch was really hitting the spot. “Here you go,” she said as she smiled an innocent looking smile. “Thank you, Angel!” he answered as he swallowed down the last bit of scotch and started on the next one. “Is there anything else I can get for you?” she asked as she flashed a flirty smile across her face. “I don’t want to bother you, I’m just passing through,” he stated. “I don’t mean to stereotype but the people that usual sit at the bar are either looking to talk or power drinkers, she smirked as she said the last part. Your eyes are telling me you have allot to say” “These old eyes?” he says. “You aren’t that old, I’d bet you ain’t over twenty five,” she proclaims. “If she only knew the truth, he thought. Sometimes even he forgot that he looked allot younger then he really was. He had witnessed so many things. “You have an eye for numbers for such a young thing, he says, “I bet you are…” “nineteen,” she interrupted. “I am nineteen!” “I’m no pig, don’t worry little ma’am your age is of no concern of mine. Just keep bringing me my drinks and I promise not to report,” he said as he smirked at her. She winked back and said, “Deal!”
As he continued to sip on his scotch he could hear the sounds of the people in the bar. “Whose that blabbering at Jess!” one said. “Did you see the way he looked at your daughter?” another said. “He is looking to wet allot more than his whistle!” a third said. “Jess had better not fall for a bum like that!” yet another said quite loudly so that he could be heard by everyone in the bar. “Another one,” Jess said with a slightly raised tone. “Just ignore those bums over there,” she quietly said to him. “This ones on the house,” she yelled. “We take care of our new customers,” she had a big smirk on her face and made an obvious wink placed directly at him. She pours him another drink and had another big smile for him as she handed it to him. Her tone was louder now as she spoke. “So what brings a handsome fellow like you into a dirty, dark, dingy bar like this?” “No freebies!” was yelled from the crowd of men. “This dirty, dark dingy bar has enough trouble keeping up with payments” “Fine then!” Jess yelled. “This drink is on MEE then!” she exclaimed to the bar patrons.
Mumbles from the table farthest from the bar were heard but nothing could be made out by Jess or the stranger. He continued to sip on his new glass of scotch as Jess went back to wiping tables and getting drink orders. One of the patrons grabbed her and whispered something to her. His words were only heard by the other men at the table. All of them were quite drunk and becoming restless. They all had the look in their eyes that trouble needed to be stirred up to ease the pain of the weak pathetic excuses for lives. Jess hurried back to the bar, reached into her apron and pulled out four twenty dollar bills. She passed them across the bar to the scotch drinking stranger. “You better finish your drink and get out of here, “she told him. “I am not a fortune teller but I can see your future and within five minutes something bad is going to happen to you!” He finished his drink, “Do I get a last call fortune teller?” he replied, “I promise it will be quick and you can keep the money if you bring me three more.” She looked into his eyes for a few moments then brought him his three drinks. She put the money back in her apron and muttered quietly “Thank you, but you better slam those three and leave. I’m just looking out for you.” “Thank you, Doll,” he replied. Mumbling was heard from the table in the back. “Sit back down George!” Jess yelled. “He is leaving after he slams these three drinks, ain’t that right Mister!” She looked at him as she said Mister. “That is right, Jess ? Right?” he replied as he pretended to forget her name. “Just as soon as I am done I will walk out that door I came and fade away into the night and you will never ever see my face in your bar again.” George continued to approach the bar and the others four men from the table stood up and watched. The stranger grabbed one of his drinks and spun around on his stool. “Look, George, I don’t want any trouble. I just had a rough night last night and a not too pleasant evening today and I stumbled upon this place. I just need a few more and then I can carry on my merry way.” “You’ve been here long enough!” George says as he raises his voice. “I own this place and my friends and I don’t like you.” He looked George in the eyes as he kept stepping closer. “Now George, just calm down. You are only slowing down my progressive drinking,” he answered. “The sooner you sit down, the sooner I can finish and leave.” George stopped in his tracks and the stranger brought the glass to his lips and quickly it was empty. Jess stood between the stranger and George. “He hasn’t done anything except tip well, “she explained to George. “Jess, the stranger explained there is no reason to defend me.” I have two more drinks to go and then I will leave. No harm. No foul.” Move!” George yelled at Jess. He pushed her out of the way and she fell, her head hitting a chair on the way down. The stranger hopped off his perch and scurried towards the fallen waitress. George stepped in his way. “She’s fine! Finish your drinks and leave!” The stranger attempted to get to Jess but George would not allow him. He kept pointing towards the door repeatedly. “Leave! Last chance!” George yelled. He tried getting passed George again and George pushed him towards the door. “Get out, Now!” George yelled. “You will not lay a hand on my daughter!” George pushed him again but this time his arms were grabbed and he spun around as his feet left the floor. George skidded across the bar and knocked over a table and a few chairs. The stranger went to Jess and helped her up. She had a slight gash on her forehead and there was some blood trickling from it. He helped her to the bar where he reached around and found some ice. “Hold this right here,” he said as he put the ice in her hand and guided her hand to the gash.
Shortly after George had made his way into some unsuspecting table and chairs, his friends had gotten up and were approaching the stranger. The stranger headed back towards his drinks and was met by the faster of the other four. The stranger looked into his eyes and decided that reasoning was not a valid solution at this time. The man swung at the stranger. He connected solidly with his open hand. The stranger closed his hand and squeezed. The man was brought to a knee. Now was the time for reasoning. “Let me finish my drinks so I can leave this hole!” he explained and with his free hand he reached across and slammed another drink. The stranger hadn’t even put the glass down when his leg shot straight out and connected solidly with the chest of one of the other men. The force of the kick sent the man rolling over a table. The man collapsed onto a few chairs and lay motionless. The stranger released his grip on the man’s fist as he put down his glass. The stranger then stepped forward as the next guy swung at him. He narrowly dodged it but as he approached, he grabbed the man’s arm, twisted it behind his back and then kicked him in the back of the leg which caused the man to collapse to the floor. The stranger then spun around and planted his fist into the throat of another man. The man grasped for air as he slowly fell to his knees. The last man, after seeing what happened to the first of his friends, went to George and helped him up. This was while the other two men were being taken down. Now the stranger made his way back to his last drink of scotch. George and the last man were coming at him each carrying a chair. The stranger raised a knee to the skull of a man as he was slowly getting up after receiving a chop to his throat. This was all done in one fluid motion as the stranger continued towards his scotch. The knee connected right in the temple of the man and he was unconscious before his body fell to the floor. He then caught the man’s fist in his hand yet again. The stranger squeezed tightly against the man’s fist and pulled him towards him. The strangers elbow caught the man in the jaw. The blow sent him backwards, he bounced off the floor and was left unconscious. The stranger was now a few steps away from his precious scotch. He ducked as a chair was swung just above his head. He spun and chopped the side of his hand into the throat of the chair swinger. The chair swinger was on his way down when he felt some hands on the back of his head pushing it down faster. Then a knee met his nose and he went back up. A fist then connected with his jaw and his backward fall was sped because of it. He was unconscious when the knee hit his nose but the fist made certain of it. The stranger then placed a hand on his drink and brought it to his lips. He dodged another chair as he took a sip of his scotch. His free hand grabbed George by the throat. George dropped the chair and grasped for air. “Now, can I finish my drink in peace?” he says to George. George could not speak or even mumble. He then lifted George up so his feet were just above the floor as he continued to sip his scotch. “How are you feeling Jess?” he asked. She just stared as she nodded her head as she put down the phone.”I am fine, just a little cut. Thanks.” “Good,” he said. He finished his drink and put the glass back on the bar with the other three. Then he released George and he fell to the floor. The stranger headed toward the exit. He turned towards Jess “Seems your prediction had a major flaw.” he then smirked and said “Good thing you are not a fortune teller.” He chuckled slightly and she smiled at him as he left the bar.
He had just put his truck into gear when there was a tap on his window. He pushed the clutch, put the truck back in neutral and rolled down his window. “Good evening Sergeant Chaud. Did you miss me?” “She ignored his question and replied “I received a phone call not too long ago. Someone called claiming there was an altercation here. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that would you Mr., Mr., “Stone he interrupted. “You can just call me Stone.”That must have been Jess. She is a good girl. She has a cut on her head; you might want to call the paramedics.” “Why, she seemed alright on the phone,” she says. “Oh she is fine, I’d call them though anyways, just in case,” Stone stated as he smirked and put his truck back into gear. “See you around Sergeant” he said as he waved out the window while backing away.
