See part one for disclaimer and story information.
Part 3
Zan looked around the cafe wearily; they had been walking around town all day trying to find a job and a place to stay. Unfortunately no one seemed to want to hire a teenager or his eleven-year-old sister, and since he couldn't find a job staying at a hotel was out of the question. At least it was summer and warm here during the night; they could survive a few nights camping outside. He hadn't wanted to stop at the cafe but the feeling of familiarity and the fact that Angel needed to eat overrode his caution.
It wasn't that bad of a place, in fact it was much better than most of the other places they had stopped to eat at during their trip. Like all places in this town the whole place had an alien theme, but unlike all the other places in town in this building it looked right. Zan looked down to Angel who was sleepily looking around the cafe. Seeing she was tired Zan walked her over to a booth and sat down next to her before continuing to look around the cafe. An older man was standing at the cash register ringing up someone and an older teen was waiting on a nearby table. Turning his attention away from his surroundings Zan looked back to Angel who was now leaning against him, dozing into sleep. When the waitress came over to them he ordered them food and as he waited for them to come he began to think about what they were going to do. Neither of them noticed the man at the counter watching them curiously.
He noticed them almost immediately when they entered the cafe. The blond teen boy and the younger dark haired girl looked like complete opposites, yet they looked familiar to Jeff Parker. The young girl especially looked familiar to him. After waiting on a customer he looked again to the two children and frowned as he saw they carried a suitcase with them and the boy had a backpack on. The young girl had her arm in a sling and was leaning sleepily against the older boy as he ordered some food. He knew most of the local teens in town, The Crashdown being a popular hangout for them, but he didn't remember seeing these two in town before. They didn't look like tourists either. He continued watching the duo between customers until they left. All that night he thought about the young girl and boy he had seen and wondered why they seemed familiar, and hoping that they returned soon.
Everyday for the past week now they had stopped at this same cafe. It felt safe to her for some reason, like the glowing tower in her dreams. Even the man at the counter who always watched them when they came in didn't scare her like most adults did. She was glad Zan was with her though. It was the middle of the afternoon and there were more people than normal. Zan wrapped his arm around her and led her to their booth.
They were back, he hadn't really been expecting them this early, the two children usually came just as it was getting dark. They had been coming in every day since the first day he saw them. The only difference from the first time was that after their second visit to the cafe, they lost the suitcase. The boy still carried the backpack and the girl's arm was still in a sling, they both still wore the same outfits they wore on their first visit. He was even more convinced they were on their own. Besides their clothes, they were always alone, and they always ordered one dinner to share. They kept to themselves. He had seen them around town a few times since he first saw them. He had asked around and found out some information about them. Their names were Matt and Annie, and Matt was looking for a summer job while his parents worked. Or at least that's what he told everyone, for some reason that explanation felt wrong. Tomorrow he would talk to the sheriff about them, maybe he could find out why the two children seemed familiar. Turning away from watching the two he began waiting on another customer at the counter. A few minutes later he was interrupted by the boy walking up to the counter.
Zan was worried, in the week since they had been in Roswell their cash fund, which had been low to begin with, was down to almost nothing. They had been camping in some woods nearby and only eating once a day, neither of which was very good for Angel. He had tried for a job everywhere, everywhere except the cafe he and Angel always ate at, He didn't really know why he kept coming back to the same place. The place just called to him for some reason. This was his last chance, he really didn't know what he would do if the guy who owned this place turned him down. The waitress who served them their meal said that this guy was the owner. He had seen the older man watching them over the past week. He should have been more concerned over the attention the man gave him and Angel, but like the Cafe the man felt safe. Even Angel felt safe with him watching over them, and he really needed this job.
"Stay here Angel." He said as he stood up and began walking over to the man at the counter.
"Excuse me sir..."
Part 3
Zan looked around the cafe wearily; they had been walking around town all day trying to find a job and a place to stay. Unfortunately no one seemed to want to hire a teenager or his eleven-year-old sister, and since he couldn't find a job staying at a hotel was out of the question. At least it was summer and warm here during the night; they could survive a few nights camping outside. He hadn't wanted to stop at the cafe but the feeling of familiarity and the fact that Angel needed to eat overrode his caution.
It wasn't that bad of a place, in fact it was much better than most of the other places they had stopped to eat at during their trip. Like all places in this town the whole place had an alien theme, but unlike all the other places in town in this building it looked right. Zan looked down to Angel who was sleepily looking around the cafe. Seeing she was tired Zan walked her over to a booth and sat down next to her before continuing to look around the cafe. An older man was standing at the cash register ringing up someone and an older teen was waiting on a nearby table. Turning his attention away from his surroundings Zan looked back to Angel who was now leaning against him, dozing into sleep. When the waitress came over to them he ordered them food and as he waited for them to come he began to think about what they were going to do. Neither of them noticed the man at the counter watching them curiously.
He noticed them almost immediately when they entered the cafe. The blond teen boy and the younger dark haired girl looked like complete opposites, yet they looked familiar to Jeff Parker. The young girl especially looked familiar to him. After waiting on a customer he looked again to the two children and frowned as he saw they carried a suitcase with them and the boy had a backpack on. The young girl had her arm in a sling and was leaning sleepily against the older boy as he ordered some food. He knew most of the local teens in town, The Crashdown being a popular hangout for them, but he didn't remember seeing these two in town before. They didn't look like tourists either. He continued watching the duo between customers until they left. All that night he thought about the young girl and boy he had seen and wondered why they seemed familiar, and hoping that they returned soon.
Everyday for the past week now they had stopped at this same cafe. It felt safe to her for some reason, like the glowing tower in her dreams. Even the man at the counter who always watched them when they came in didn't scare her like most adults did. She was glad Zan was with her though. It was the middle of the afternoon and there were more people than normal. Zan wrapped his arm around her and led her to their booth.
They were back, he hadn't really been expecting them this early, the two children usually came just as it was getting dark. They had been coming in every day since the first day he saw them. The only difference from the first time was that after their second visit to the cafe, they lost the suitcase. The boy still carried the backpack and the girl's arm was still in a sling, they both still wore the same outfits they wore on their first visit. He was even more convinced they were on their own. Besides their clothes, they were always alone, and they always ordered one dinner to share. They kept to themselves. He had seen them around town a few times since he first saw them. He had asked around and found out some information about them. Their names were Matt and Annie, and Matt was looking for a summer job while his parents worked. Or at least that's what he told everyone, for some reason that explanation felt wrong. Tomorrow he would talk to the sheriff about them, maybe he could find out why the two children seemed familiar. Turning away from watching the two he began waiting on another customer at the counter. A few minutes later he was interrupted by the boy walking up to the counter.
Zan was worried, in the week since they had been in Roswell their cash fund, which had been low to begin with, was down to almost nothing. They had been camping in some woods nearby and only eating once a day, neither of which was very good for Angel. He had tried for a job everywhere, everywhere except the cafe he and Angel always ate at, He didn't really know why he kept coming back to the same place. The place just called to him for some reason. This was his last chance, he really didn't know what he would do if the guy who owned this place turned him down. The waitress who served them their meal said that this guy was the owner. He had seen the older man watching them over the past week. He should have been more concerned over the attention the man gave him and Angel, but like the Cafe the man felt safe. Even Angel felt safe with him watching over them, and he really needed this job.
"Stay here Angel." He said as he stood up and began walking over to the man at the counter.
"Excuse me sir..."