Tonight has been another typical evening at Merlotte's Bar and Grill. We get the dinner rush in and then it fizzles out, and it picks up with those just wanting to come for a pint after a long day at work, or simply to just socialize with the town folk.
Merlotte's over the last...oh gosh, nine years, has become the social hub of the town. I've worked here since I was sixteen and I am now twenty-one. This place has helped me tremendously with a certain disability I have that's been pretty much a curse for as long as I can remember.
But I've learned to accept that I'm different than everyone else, as I've never come across another like me, or who's different not that one can necessarily tell a person is different as most people do not know what I can do, they just get a vibe I'm not normal.
For example, sometimes someone will be looking at the menu or thinking of what they want to order in their heads, I'll be able to hear it loud and clear, thinking they've said it out loud. I then write it down, and handed it over to the kitchen hutch, placed it in front of them only for the individuals to say they didn't actually order anything yet, with a rather confused look on there faces. Happens all the time when I'm tired.
The lovely folk of this town have nicknamed me crazy Sookie, though they don't know that I know that. Purely because of stuff like this! But when I'm tired it's harder to keep my shields up. Harder to keep people out of my head. You see, I'm not your ordinary twenty-one-year-old waitress. I'm also what's referred to as a telepath.
It comes in handy, my boss Sam Merlotte questioned me about it after a particularly stressful Super Bowl show last year. I couldn't handle it any longer; claiming a headache and needing an extra break. Sam came and found me, asked me what was really wrong and I let it all out.
Surprisingly he didn't judge me or think of me any differently, even told me I could read his mind. But I declined because that's not my scene. I value my own privacy so why would I listen in on someone else's private thoughts just because they've given me permission? Even though I find it hard keeping people out of my head, I still try my hardest to stay out of there.
Life's a bitch sometimes, but I roll with it. I've had to learn how to handle it and face each challenge or day as it comes. After all, as I said before, I've never met another like me, so it's hard to exchange notes with somebody when a person won't understand what it's like to be uniquely you. Everyone has their own unique little quirk or skill that makes them different from the next person. My little thing just happens to be telepathy, but I don't scream it out loud to the world, because if I did that I would probably be locked up in a mental cell or used by the government for their own advantage.
Time flies by and before I know it, it's the end of my shift. I put my cleaning things away and grab my bag from Sam's office, where the lockers are saying goodnight on my way out, with Tara who was waiting for me by the main door.
As we walked outside we said our goodbyes, and she promised to swing by for brunch tomorrow morning with Lala. As I got into my car, I froze when I heard a voice inside my head.
Sookie...
Please don't be alarmed, my child. I can tell I've spooked you, and for that, I am truly sorry. I really shouldn't be here but I just had to see you from a distance and warn you.
DO NOT let your grandmother or your friend into your room.
Everything will be explained in the box I left on your bed.
The voice faded away and silence of the parking lot came flooding back to me.
What the heck? What box? This had to be some crazy joke, right?
I'm used to hearing people's voices in my head, not having someone jump into my private space and actually speak to me IN MY HEAD!
Was I really going crazy? Is the town's nickname for me becoming reality? I drove out of Merlotte's parking lot as fast as my yellow battered mini would take me and made it home in record time. Slamming my feet on the breaks as I swerved into my usual parking space outside my home. I grab my bag, yank my door open, surprised it didn't fall off, and rushed into the house, trying to also be quiet, as I knew my grandmother would still be asleep.
When I reached my room at the top of the house, I hesitated. Slowly I pushed open my door and stepped inside my room, closing it behind me. My hand hovered over the light switch for a minute before I pressed it on.
And there on my bed is an actual box.
A freaking box, just like the voice inside my head said.
That must have been a real huge shock for Sookie, lol!
Imagine being so used to hearing other people's thoughts. Then suddenly you have some random voice inside your head conversing with you?
I'd be freaked out too, hehe.