Shadows of Shadows Passing

It was a quiet night in the Mare Inebrium. Too quiet, Trixie thought. A half a dozen tables were occupied with the same number of aliens and beings from different planets sitting at them. Still, it was early, and things would hopefully pick up later in the night. She had just finished serving a round to a group when her gaze wandered over to a corner of the room where a man sat at a table. She was sure she hadn’t seen him come in, but she walked over anyway.

“Good evening, sir. What can I get you?” Trixie asks cheerfully.

“What?” the man replies, looking up at her.

Trixie looks at him. He is thin and gaunt, with a haunted look in his eyes. He looks harmless enough, but you could never be sure these days. “What can I get you, hon? You look human. We have several drinks that most humans like, or many alien varieties, if that’s what you prefer.”

The man pauses for a moment and then looks down again. “Just water, please,” he replies.

“Sure thing”, she says and walks away. When she returns with his water he is still looking down, swaying back and forth slowly in his chair.

“Here’s your water, hon.”

“Thank you.” He takes the glass in both his hands and slowly sips it.

Trixie stands by, watching him drink, wondering what kind of person this man is. Is he an addict of some kind or a wanted man, a criminal from the law? He certainly has that look. Curious, she speaks up.

“My name is Trixie. I’ve never seen you around here before,” meaningless jabber to help break the ice.

“Yes, I know. Or I knew. Or I will know. I’m not sure.”

This is starting to creep her out, she thinks. Still there is something about this man that she couldn’t put her finger on that kept her from calling the bouncer and having him thrown out. She makes one more attempt.

“You look like you could use a good meal. When was the last time you ate? How about I get you something nice to eat, on me? Would you like that?”

The man looks up at her and after several moments speaks. ”I’m not hungry. I don’t get hungry or thirsty. I sip this water to remember what it was like to eat and drink once.”

Trixie shifts nervously on her feet. This is definitely getting weird. She looks over at the bouncer talking to the bartender across the room. Maybe she should call him after all.

Perhaps sensing her apprehension, the man spoke again. ”I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. It’s just so hard.”

“Are you a criminal? Are you hooked on something?”

“No. Nothing that simple, that easy.”

“I know people, maybe one of them could help you,” she replies hopefully.

“No. No, thank you. But I am a criminal of sorts, I guess. I broke no laws except for the ultimate one and now I am paying the price. I was judge, jury and executioner at my own trial. I read all the charges and pleaded guilty to them.”

“What was your crime?” she inquires.

“It has no name. I guess you could say my crime was against reality. Do you know what a moebius strip is?”

“No.”

“You take a strip of paper and give it a twist and then glue the two ends together. You now have a three-dimensional object with only one side and one edge. You start at one point and continue along the strip, and you end up in the same spot where you began. No beginning. No end. My life is like that.

“How long have you been like this?”

I don’t know. I measure time in the moments that I exist like this. A hundred years, a million years. It’s all the same.”

“I think what you need is a good meal right now. I’ll go get you one.”

Trixie turns around and almost runs into Blanche who is walking toward her.

“What’s up kid? You’ve been standing over here for several minutes.”

“I was talking to this guy over here,” she turns around and points at the table which is empty. Only a half-filled glass of water is on it.

“What guy?’

“I swear there was a guy here and I brought him a glass of water! A real strange guy too. I said he needed a good meal, and I was just about to get him something.”

“No one’s here, kid. Can I get you a drink? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Yeah. But—but, he was there,” she stutters.

“C’mon. You need a good drink.”

******

They walk together to the bar and Trixie orders a stiff one that she downs on one gulp.

“Feel better?”

“Yeah.”

Blanche looks over at the entrance at a group of customers walking in. “You want to take them, or should I?”

“No. I feel fine. Really.” She then walks over to the group, greets them and guides them to a nearby table.

******

The rest of the night goes normally enough. Business picks up and both waitresses are kept busy. For some reason, the table the man was sitting at stays empty. Occasionally when she walks past it, Trixie thinks she sees a man sitting there out of the corner of her eye.

THE END

Bio: "I have had stories published in anthologies like Of Poets, Spies and Unearthliness and Dickensiana Steamfantasy- A very different 1800's, both edited by Sergio Palumbo. I also had a story published in the December issue Schlock magazine with another due in July. I like to listen to Youtube videos while writing. I used to sit in m y car in the library parking lot because I didn't have wi-fi. I like Black Sabbath, Alan Parsons and Tubular Bells, to name a few to get me in the mood. I can't type and I am still learning how to use my laptop to write these stories. I haven't written anything in over 40 years since my college creative writing classes and I am still learning. My world got turned upside down last year due to a hospital stay and I am still adjusting to my new life."

E-mail: Randy Stuart

Website: Author's Website

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