I had dosed off and on all night, the nightmare replaying every time my eyes closed. The images made it hard to want to sleep at all…blood, demonic faces, fangs, claws but mostly blood. I woke up to the house phone ringing. Realizing I was covered in sweat I wiped my hands on a towel that had been left on the floor after last night's shower and then dashed down stairs to answer the call. "Hello," I said, my voice still a little raspy. It was my therapist, Dr. Greenfield, "Hello, Sage, I was just calling to make sure you weren't too anxious about today?" I blinked several times trying to think of what she could mean. I turned to lean against the counter, my gaze wandering to the window. The leaves were beautiful this time of year, fall was my favorite season. Then it hit me, "You mean about Halloween?" My therapist chuckled softly, "Yes dear. Are you going to be alright? I know you work the late shift…" Her voice trailed off. I thought about it for a minute, the bar was bound to be full of crazies and things that would trigger memories but isn't it best to face them, it has been a year. "Dr. Greenfield, thank you for your concern, it really means a lot to me. I think I'll be okay, its only one night, right," I sighed. "Look, I'll call you and let you know if we need to move my next appointment up a few days, okay?" Dr. Greenfield waited a few moments before responding, "Okay, Sage, just make sure to do that if you need too. Have a great day!" After replacing the phone onto the hook, I went to dress for work. I French-braided my hair up one side of my head and left my bangs to fall towards the left, covering some of the scar. The rest of my hair hung loose and wavy, the copper color really coming out against the purple and gold shirt I had decided to wear. I sighed in disgust as I noticed the rest of the scar trying to peak through the top of the shirt. I re-adjusted it and finished my make-up. I fed my cat and left.
The parking lot was already filling up and it wasn't even past 2pm yet, I noticed Amanda arriving at the same time. As we entered the building she glanced at me, "Where is your costume?" I raised an eyebrow, "I don't have one. Why?" She shook her head as we weaved thru the tables and up the stairs to the employee lounge. "We have to dress up for Halloween, it's the one holiday that Trent doesn't budge on, no matter what your beliefs." I pursed my lips, "Well, what do I do…I can't just go out and buy one at this short notice." She looked at me and then she raised a finger as if in triumph, "Oh yeah, there were a few girls your size that worked here a few years ago, they might have left the costumes in the back." She grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me towards the backroom. Inside dust floated thru the air causing me to sneeze. The light switch was just an old pull string on the light fixture itself. I could hear her rummaging around as I walked to the opposite side to look as well. I needed this job, I had bills and was still paying off the debt I owed to my parents for helping me move so far away. I tripped over an old box, well a trunk actually. Amanda squeaked, "You found it!" I grabbed the trunk and lifted it up on the shelf in-front of me. I opened it to find about 5 different costumes, one of which seemed the least slutty so I grabbed it, "I'll try this one on, I guess." She giggled from behind me, "Maybe you'll pull it off better than the girl before." I gave her a go to hell look before walking into the bathroom and changing. I could hear her changing thru the door as well.
Once I had put the entire costume on, I at once felt insecure. The skirt was short so you could see my thighs, my boobs looked enormous (even more so than normal) and I decided a bee should not be a costume, but it did fit my curves. "Well!" Amanda said thru the door, "How does it fit?" I opened the door and waited for her respond. She stood there with her face hidden behind a cat mask, "Meow!" I laughed, "Well is it as bad as I think?" She shook her head, "Nah, you look great, I think you should wear shirts that fit like that too!" I nodded as we went downstairs, this was the hardest part. I was the only bigger girl here at Spice and the three others were very pretty. I stared at my feet, which were enclosed in black high-heels, as I walked down into the bar area. Mitch, one of the bartenders whistled at us, "looking good ladies." He was dressed in an old mobster type costume, "Drink?" We nodded and sat down at the bar. "I definitely need one, very strong," I said softly. He tilted his head, "What's wrong Sage?" he poured me a whiskey and coke while waiting for my answer. I looked up at him, "Honestly? This evening might be tougher than I thought." I glanced around at the guests before drinking from my glass. Several people were dressed in costumes and the others were wearing fancy clothes. I finished my drink handing the glass back to Mitch, "Well, time to clock in." Really it was just a sheet of paper where we wrote our name and what time we started. The evening began to go by quickly as I rushed from table to table delivering food and drinks. Occasionally, I had to put up with sexual innuendos but that came with the territory of drunken fools.
Amanda winked at me as she passed by seeing the giant tip a man had just slid into my stocking. I smiled and shook my butt for him a little as I walked away. Vicky saw that and giggled giving me a thumbs-up. It had been a $50 tip, so I guess I felt he deserved something. Those in costume were allowed to enter a contest to win free drinks for the evening. The contest would be held around 1030pm and the winner would receive a "golden ticket" to turn into the cashier when they left. About 930 it had gotten so busy at the bar Mitch asked me to come and help him. I did it happily knowing it would give me a break from having someone trying to grab my ass. Drink orders came from right and left but I managed to keep up. I loved to drink, it was one of my favorite weekend things to do, so I was familiar with the names. A few minutes after the crowd had subsided down to the lonely few, I cleaned up the tiny spills I had made. Amanda came running in, she had been passing out candy to the line waiting to come inside, "Oh my god, we are about to have the hottest group of guys come in." The sentence had barely left her mouth when in thru the door a group of five guys and one woman came walking in. The way they moved, the presence they gave off...was intoxicating yet scary. Everyone moved out of their way as they approached the bar, but Trent headed them off and sat them down, probably trying to figure out who they were.
Two of them were shoving each other back and forth; one was cute in a childish kind of way with curly hair. The other looked like a member of twisted sister but better looking. Then the next one in the group was a Native man, very attractive with long dark hair and no shirt underneath his jacket. The next two must have been a couple because she was leaning her head on his shoulder. She was wearing a gypsy costume and he had on a leather jacket with blue jeans, both were good-looking as well. The last one seemed to linger by the door flicking a cigarette out of his mouth before coming into the door way completely. I couldn't breathe…Mitch said something but I couldn't hear what. The man that had been last in the group was by far the most alluring. He had Platinum white hair cut into a rocker style mullet and he wore a floor length black coat, with a black shirt and jeans with boots. I finally managed to take a breath when Amanda stood directly in-front of me breaking my stare, "Are you okay?" I smiled and nodded, "I think so." She giggled her next reply, "Good because Trent just sat them down in your area." I gulped, "NO!" She nodded and grabbed my hand, "Lucky, you better get over there and take their orders…oh and get the Native ones name, or better yet just introduce me." I nodded slowly.
The place returned to the normal vibe as I slowly walked out from behind the bar and Trent came over, "Sexy Bee, be sexy and make lots of money for us tonight." I rolled my eyes, I felt all my insecurities rising up in my throat as I made my way thru the crowd. My scars, my weight, my fears of people I didn't know. The guy in the couple of the group noticed me coming first, he gave me a quick smile as he glanced over my costume. The rest of the group seemed to notice me at the same time, because the two friends stopped bickering and looked me up and down while the native one just waited for me to arrive. Platinum lit another cigarette and took a puff before turning sideways to look at me. The smirk on his face was intoxicating, but I shrugged it off when a guy grabbed my ass. "Hello, Welcome to Spice, my name is Sage. I am your waitress for the evening, can I get you something to drink?" The twisted sister looking one spoke first, "So who is a bee's favorite singer?" I really hadn't been expecting a joke so I smiled, "I'm not sure, who?" He replied, "Sting!" They all laughed a little bit except the girl and the curly haired one asked the twisted sister one, "Paul, what do you call a bee that can't stop eating?" The twisted sister one answered," I don't know Marko, what do you call a bee that can't stop eating?" Marko replied, "A Chub-bee." Paul lost it on that one and slapped the table as he laughed, the platinum one looked up at me as I gave a half-hearted smile, "That's enough boys, give her your orders."
He motioned at the other end, "Michael start it up." Michael, "I'll have a bud light," He turned to the girl, "Star?" She looked up at me and smiled, "I'll have some water please." I nodded and turned to the jokesters, "You two?" They answered quietly, 'White wine" and "Stella". The Native one leaned closer to me and motioned for me to come closer. I leaned in and he spoke, "My name is Dwayne and I'll have a Blue moon." I nodded and went to stand back up when I realized that both he and Platinum had been staring at my breasts while I was leaned in. I blushed and waited for his drink order, he put his cigarette out and looked towards the dance floor, "Surprise me." I nodded and walked back to the bar where Amanda was waiting for me eagerly to spill the beans. I grit my teeth at her, "They are a bunch of assholes, Amanda. But if you must know, his name is Dwayne." I walked behind the bar and helped Mitch get the drinks. I looked back at the table, it was empty. I looked over at the dance floor, apparently they all like to dance.
I made Platinum's drink and returned to the table, where he met me with his dance partner. She was a blonde cheerleader type and sat down provocatively upon his lap. I smiled briefly and sat down the drinks and then his as he nodded, "A Sazerac, nice choice." I smiled and left to attend my other tables. For some reason it seemed to hurt that he didn't find me attractive, and that's stupid because I didn't even know him. I wound up bringing over 12 rounds of drinks to their table, racking up quite a bill. Dwayne asked Amanda to dance with him and she practically bounced out to the dance floor in one leap. I laughed watching from behind the bar. Mitch stood next to me, "She is a great lady. I hope she just doesn't go home with him tonight." I smiled, I knew Mitch had had a crush on her for a while now, but he won't ever tell her about it because she used to date his brother. He looked at me, "Well costume contest is 10 minutes away. Are you going to enter?" I shook my head, "HELL NO!" We both laughed and started to clean up. I looked at the clock, 1030 already, that ten minutes flew by. Trent walked up to the bar, "Well Sage, how did you do tonight?" I looked over at him with disgust in my eyes, "I made you money, let's put it that way." He chuckled, "You can go ahead and change into your street clothes if you want. The night is pretty much done." I half smiled at him, "Thanks!" I walked out from behind the bar and over to the stairs where Platinum was sucking face with the blonde. I went to walk around, "Excuse me," I had to side step up the stairs past them. Upstairs I closed the bathroom door and looked at myself in the mirror. My makeup had started to run slightly from the heat so I cleaned it up. Then I changed back into my shirt and jeans with my boots. Thankfully no one had noticed my scars or at least didn't say anything about them.
I could hear the music starting up for the contest and ran out of the bathroom and down the stairs to watch the girls up on stage. Each person had to do a little dance for their character and then the crowd reaction chose the winner. Amanda's was cute and so was Vicky's, but Samantha was so drunk she just looked like a dead fish. The crowd chose someone dressed as MJ and then slowly they all started to pay their tabs and clear out. When the contest winner turned in his ticket we gave him a little plaque to keep as a momento. Amanda looked upset about not winning until Dwayne came over and said goodbye, kissing her hand as he left. She giggled, "Oh goodness, you!" I watched her run upstairs to change and then headed out of the place myself. Trent handed me my tips as I walked out the door, "See you tomorrow honey." He winked as I rolled my eyes, the parking lot was pretty much empty and I could make a straight line for my car. I saw the 'gang' around a bunch of motorcycles getting ready to leave. The blonde chick sat down behind Platinum and then they all rode over by me, "Thanks for the drinks, Sweet thang" Paul yelled out as he drove past, I waved at him. The last one was Platinum of course, he stopped, "and will you be working tomorrow?" I nodded and turned to get in my car when he shouted over his engine, "I'm David, by the way." Then he sped off, the girl's laughter fading the farther they went. As I drove home I noticed a few cars pulling into an old mansions driveway, I guess they had bought it because the for sale post had been taken down. That's when I heard the motorcycles coming up behind me, I watched in the review mirror as they pulled into that same driveway…it was the guys from the bar. Oh well, new people move in all the time, no big deal. I pulled into my own little driveway and smiled at my little cottage, my parents had been so great in buying it for me. I went inside and changed into my pj's. Curling up on my bed to read a good book, my cat jumped up and joined me. I fell asleep before I could even open it.