The Report (Part 2)

Who would have ever guessed that a tavern could hide someone so well?

On my way into town, about an hour ago, I saw a couple arguing outside the tavern. Then I saw another lady, wearing very little clothing, step out into the couples fight and push the lady away. Well, I thought , Maybe he shouldn't have payed the hoe. I walked away, but I realized that they could be low on work, hiring chefs where normally the last spot to be filled in a tavern. Maybe I could ask to work for a little. 3 p.m. was about 4 hours away, so I definitely had time to spare. Plus Zoe couldn't come in here anyways. So I turned around and headed in the tavern.

At first it was a little too dark for my taste but then my eyes started to adjust and my senses started to recognize other things, like the musty cent of sweat, ale, and smoke and the burly men lined up on barstools. To the right I could make out a stage with some mics and speakers on it, and to the left was a old styled vending machine with soda and candy in it. Most of it was probably long past due. Behind the counter was rows and rows of shelves lined with every kind of ale imaginable. Running the whole show was a tall lumber-jack looking guy. I walked up to the counter and waved him over.

" Hey little girl. Watcha doing here eh?" He asked in a thick accent.

" Looking for work, just until 3 later today. Got anything that might work for me?"

" Aye, I sure do. Ya wana work in the kitchen for a little? Just needs a sweepin and it should be good. I'll pay you a whole pig fer it."

" Oh you don't have to pay me that much. Maybe just a bowl of stew and a drink. I'm just passing through and the less the merrier."

"Aye. I can do that." He said as he turned around and headed to an almost invisible door farther off the the right side of the wall." Follow meh, then."

I hopped off the stool and over the counter. I rounded the corner of the door frame and looked into the kitchen, witch was lighted by large sky lights. Wooden counter tops matched the floor, making it look like the counters where stretched up from the floor. The large pantry doors where open and and I could hear mumbling behind them.

" Oi! Oliver! New temp'rary! Show er what ta do!" And with that left me in the care of a stranger.

" Um... Hello." I said as I walked towards the pantry doors.

" Oi! Stop right there miss!" He shouted at me. Apparently Oliver doesn't like people much. He backed out of the pantry an looked me dead in the eye. He was a shorter elderly man with black thinning hair. The skin around his eyes where droopy, whether from lack of sleep or age I don't know. He also had a limp, but not so bad as to the point that he couldn't walk.

"Do you know what yer supposed to be doin?" He said eyeing me.

" Um... Sweep?" I said. Or did I hear that boss guy wrong?

" That's right. And to sweep yer need what?"

"A broom..."

"Aye. And where are the brooms?"

" I don't know I've never been here before." I said. It's rather obvious in my opinion but oh well.

" Never been here, aye? Like I'm gonna believe that... They're behind the door ya niny. Now go grab one and get to sweepin."

Ohhh this is gonna be a long day...

Turns out it wasn't that long. I had the floor done in about half an hour and got nothing else to do for the rest of the time, so I got to sit and eat my meal in peace. Well, for the most part. I still got bumped into now and then by drunks passing by my table. Now only 3 hours to go.

I decided to keep moving, I could get found if I stay to long in one spot. So I headed into town even farther, towards the hotels and market place. Obviously I didn't want to head towards the marketplace, Zoe might be there, so I turned right down the road towards the housing area.

The streets smelled of flooded sewer systems and dead animals, some of the animals you could still see along the sides of the road. Poison oak has sprouted up through the cracks in the road, caused from under-use. Dodging those sprouts was easy. The animals hiding in the middle of this stretch of grass, those were harder to dodge. Wild dogs, pigs, and nests of bees and wasps were hiding within. After the 4th world war, all streets where announced as unsafe to use and soon abandoned. Not long after the animals moved in. They created their own ecosystem, almost separate from ours, but not quite.

I edged closer to the side of the road, not wanting to have a run in with any of these animals when I stepped of something hard. I hoped it was just a rock, but when I looked down I saw a little face staring up at me. I screamed and stepped back a few feet. Once I regained my senses I looked at it closer.

It was small, delicate, and pretty pale, It looked like it was covered in black spiderwebs, but it was just cracks in the glaze. The doll head was missing an eye, but the other one gazed up with a crystal blue clarity. Almost like... it could see. Her gold curls were tangled and grown through with grass sprouts.

I picked it up carefully, hoping to keep it all in one piece. I examined it in my hands, turning it over to see the back and then back again. Only a chunk out of her foot was missing, but other than that everything was intact! Even the major part of her body, the torso, wasn't missing any parts. Then I heard a little kid squeal in delight, and I looked up.

On of the doors to the house across the street was open, and in the doorway was a little girl about 5 years of age, behind her stood what appeared to be her mother. Both where blond, but the little girl had small curls in her hair while the mom's was tied up in a bun on the top of her head.

" Is this you doll?" I asked. She jumped a little, almost as if she hadn't expected me to talk.

"Uh... yes..." She said, getting even more shy by the minute. I could see pink spreading on her cheeks as she kid behind her hands. She still watched me, though I think it was more the doll she was looking at.

" Want me to bring it to you?" I asked, guessing she wasn't allowed out of the house.

She nodded her head, so I stood up and walked across their lawn, littered with old bikes and toys. I carefully climbed the steps of their porch and knelt down in front of the doorway.

" Here you go. She's rather beautiful." I said with a smile. The little girl blushed and hugged the doll to her chest. " What's her name?"

"Lucy. Her name is Lucy."

" Lucy. I like it very much. Now you take care of her, I have to get going or I'll be late."

"Where are you going?" She asked.

" I was drafted. I have to meet some people in town square today."

Her eyes lit up like a thousand suns.

" My sister! My sister was too!!"

" Oh really? What's her name?"

"Her name is Sierra! Could you tell her I love her, and good bye? She left before I woke up today..." She said looking me dead in the eyes. What is with people and looking me in the eyes today I wondered.

" Who should I tell her said that?"

" You mean what's my name? It's Lorelei!" She said with a giggle.

" I'll make sure to find her and tell her Lorelei says she loves you and good bye. Sound ok?'

She nodded her head so I smiled, got up, waved her and her mom goodbye. The mother looked pale, almost sick. She was holding onto the doorframe with all her might, her knuckles turned white with the force. Her eyes were on me, but they weren't looking at me. More through me, at the road beyond.

I turned to see what she was looking at, but saw nothing. I shrugged then set back off on my way. I wasn't going to let a crazy mother put me and my sister in danger just because I'm late.