Weekly One-Shot Challenge
Week #16 Theme: 'Drink and become one of us.'
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Excerpt from Monday's The Louisiana Tattler
Arts and Entertainment Section, Page 3
"New Dance Club/Bar Hopes to Bridge Differences"
by
Allison Lee
If you haven't visited The Furry Fang, the newest bar and dance club in Northern Louisiana, you're really missing something special. Since opening only two months ago, The Furry Fang has made quite a name for itself in the area with both tourists and locals alike. Located outside of Shreveport, halfway to the sleepy little town of Bon Temps, this nighttime hotspot prides itself on its diverse customers and staff.
Just looking at the club's logo and slogan should give customers a pretty good idea about its philosophy and atmosphere: a hairy paw shakes a human hand, superimposed on an open jaw of vampire fangs. The motto beneath talks of the brotherhood within: "Drink and become one of us."
One of the bar's owners, shape shifter David Duncan, explains why his bar is attracting so much attention. "We wanted a place where everyone could come and enjoy themselves, whether human, vampire, or Were. Differences are embraced here. No matter your background or tastes, you can dance, relax, drink and become a part of our family. We wanted a slogan that would express that sentiment."
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Eric Northman and his child, Pam, stood in the parking lot, looking at the new bar's sign and motto with disdain.
"Drink and become one of us," Pam sneered. "What a ridiculous statement. As if I would ever want to become anything other than what I am."
Eric said nothing, his sharp blue eyes absorbing the fine details of his new competition's exterior. He was an astute businessman—and even if he didn't relish the idea of vamps and supes drinking together, he was still a progressive thinker. He would carefully monitor the success of this club and decide what changes might be needed to build back waning interest in his vampire bar, Fangtasia.
The new bar's appeal was understandable. The public always clamored for something fresh and unusual. But The Furry Fang was really no different in concept to another 'mixed' bar he knew of: Club Dead. But that establishment rarely accepted human patrons, although he could think of an exception or two. And Eric had no burning desire to return there to find out its customer policies since the Great Reveal.
There was no line to enter the club tonight, it being a Monday and slower than the usual weekend rush. Yet it was still fairly crowded, a fact which irked Eric. Fangtasia was always closed on Mondays because not enough business was generated on that day to justify the operating costs.
He and Pam were greeted at the door by one of the owners, the vampire Simon Lewis. Eric had met him previously, when Lewis had sought permission to live and work in this area. Eric was deeply regretting his recent approval.
"Sheriff Northman," Lewis said cordially. "What an honor it is to have you and your child joining us. Please, come in, come in. Consider yourselves our special guests this evening. Whatever you wish is on the house, sir," Lewis offered in his suave British accent.
Eric simply nodded and continued past him, taking in the many details. There would be much to pay attention to tonight.
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Duncan, 43, and his business partner, vampire Simon Lewis, 200+, formed an unusual relationship after Duncan was transferred abroad as a Marketing Analyst for the Coca-Cola Company. Lewis, a London native and longtime pub owner, befriended the American during his nightly drinking visits to Lewis' pub. Despite their species differences, the two formed a close and lasting friendship.
When the Weres publicly revealed their true nature several months ago, Duncan and Lewis decided the time was ripe to go into business together. Duncan was raised in Louisiana and decided to set up shop close to his Southern roots. Lewis was anxious to see America after waiting two centuries to do so, and eagerly joined the business venture.
"We hope to be the Switzerland of nightclubs," Lewis explained. "We are neutral ground. We serve everybody. Patrons can feel safe here and be their true selves without judgment or condemnation."
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"Have you seen this article about the new bar?" Sookie asked Bill. "It sure sounds great in concept." But it sounded impossible in reality. Given her experience with the hate and evil within the human and supernatural worlds, harmony among the groups seemed like a pipe dream.
"Yes, it is an intriguing idea," Bill responded in a flat and detached way. It was hard to know what he was really thinking about the idea.
Since the Fairy War, Bill had become a more frequent visitor to Sookie's house, often keeping her company on the evenings she didn't work or wasn't with Eric. Bill and Sookie's friendship was deepening, much to Eric's dismay. Ever since Bill almost died trying to save her, Sookie saw him with different eyes. The recovery for both of him had been a difficult one, physically and emotionally; but their current relationship was now stronger as a result. She and Eric, however, were still trying to work out their feelings for one another. Complicated by their bond and the pledging that tied them, it certainly wasn't easy.
"Would you mind taking me there tonight, Bill?" she asked. "I'm dying to see what all the fuss is about, anyway. After all we've been through, we deserve a night out, right? And it's been ages since I danced," she said.
For the first time in a long time, she was feeling like her old self.
Without any hesitation, Bill agreed.
"Certainly, Sookie. I'd be happy to take you anywhere."
And for the first time in a long time, he smiled.
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If the club's booming business is any indication, the residents of Northern Louisiana are ready to embrace this diversity. So much so, that the nearby bars have been feeling the bite from the increased interest in The Furry Fang. Business is reportedly down for these other local bars, whether human-, Were-, or vampire-operated, and this worries their owners.
With entry waiting times of up to two hours and lines that snake around the block on weekends, it appears that owners Duncan and Lewis have come up with a winning concept. Let's hope that tolerance and acceptance really can be achieved here in our little corner of the world.
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Sam Merlotte was in his office reading the paper, since he didn't have much else to do. Business had tanked recently and he had to cut back hours for all of his employees. The article about the new bar disturbed him. Vampires should stay in vampire bars and Supes should stay in supe bars. And humans? They should be as far away from vampires (and fairies) as possible, thinking of Sookie in particular.
Anyway, vampires had been customers at his bar, along with Weres, and no big crowds had gathered at Merlotte's for that momentous event. Why was The Furry Fang such a big deal?
His curiosity and frustration finally got the better of him. He quickly sent home his one waitress and two customers, flipping the "CLOSED" sign on the front door. Time to check out the competition.
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Excerpt from Tuesday's The Louisiana Tattler
BREAKING NEWS: Main Section, Page 1
"Fiery Explosion Shatters New Bar— Casualties Still Uncertain"
by
Mark Dupree
Yesterday evening an explosion ripped through a local bar, causing extensive damage and at least several casualties. The Furry Fang, a dance club/bar located outside of Shreveport, had been attracting crowds since its recent opening. The bar's policy of welcoming and mixing human, vampire, and Were customers was met with mixed reaction around the community.
Many locals and tourists seemed accepting of the concept, often waiting in long lines to enter the club. "It was an awesome place to be and be seen. Everyone could be together, no matter what," human bartender Daphne Winston commented after the attack. The club's popularity seemed to attest to that fact.
But hate groups, such as The Fellowship of the Sun, had openly decried such integration, calling the bar "an abomination" and "an unnatural, immoral breeding ground for sin." Although the group has not claimed responsibility for last night's attack, police suspect their involvement.
Fire investigators are still trying to piece together the events leading to the explosion. Initial reports indicate that the timed incendiary device was set to detonate during the peak of evening attendance. Casualties were fewer than originally feared because many of the bar patrons had exited the building just prior to the attack. A violent brawl concerning a human woman had erupted among several vampires and a shapeshifter. Club co-owner Simon Lewis and his bouncers managed to corral the fighting group outside to the parking lot, where a large number of excited customers followed to watch.
Co-owner David Duncan, a human, was one of the victims already identified. At least three vampires were believed to have also perished but verifying their remains has proven difficult, if not impossible. Two more unidentified bodies have been recovered but it is unclear whether they were human or Were, since both look the same in an unchanged state.
Lewis, deeply troubled by the attack and distraught over the death of his partner, remains resolute and determined. "I will rebuild this club and try again. David [Duncan] and I had great hope and faith that this community could come together and be tolerant and accepting of differences among all walks of life. I refuse to believe that we can't live together in harmony and peace and just become 'one'."
Looking at the bar's prominent sign and logo in the parking lot, it is clear that Lewis believes what he says: 'Drink and become one of us.' But it appears that in this little corner of the world, not everyone is ready to do just that.