I bought an apple from a store, just something to chew on while I searched for work. I asked a few people around where there might be a need of help. I was pointed at the hotel a few times, so I heaed over in that direction. I found the Hotel, a big sign that said De Luna Hotel across it in big bold red letters. I walked in. It was empty, other then a few men in the corner. They were playing cards and a cloud of smoke that had gathered around them from there cigars. They gave me an odd glance, before turning back to their game. I went up to the bar, and waited. Soon, a young woman came up to me.
"Well Howdy." She said, a slight accent, "What can I do for ya?"
"I'd like some work." I said, trying my best to sneak my own accent in. "I can do any work ya need round here. I cook and clean too." The woman looked at me, a bit stunned I had blurted out a big desition so quickly.
"Well, how old are ya?" she asked.
"Sixteen." I said.
"You ever worked behind a bar before?"
"No ma'am." I said. "But I'm a fast learner." I looked her straight in the eye and gave her a gleam of determination.
"You handy with a gun?" she asked. I stopped, surprised by the question.
"When the time comes to it, I guess I'm about average." I said, not knowing exactly sure how good I was after the time warp.
"How bout cards? You good at gambl'in?" She asked. Well if I was anything like back home, I had a good hand. I nodded.
"Alright. Well, we have plenty of jobs round here that could use a good fill in. we don't get a lot of business, but if ya can cook, the kitchen's in the back. Any free time ya got will be spent watching the card games. You can play to, if ya think you can hold your own. But if you ever get caught cheat'in, you're fired. You there to watch for other cheaters. Don't do nothing. Just come tell me." She said. I nodded.
"What's the pay?" I asked.
"Well, consider'in you'd be doing two jobs, and in a very down hill place, I'll give ya two dollars an hour. Ain't gonna find a better deal." She said. I thought about it.
"Can I have my own room here to?' I asked. She nodded.
"Your own room and the kitchen is yours when Aunt May ain't there. Foods free." She said.
"Deal." I said. I really didn't think I would find a better deal. "When do I start?"
"Well, I don't see why not now?" she said, 'I didn't catch your name." I thought about it. Telling her my real name woulnd't hurt.
"Elisha. Elisha Young." I said.
"De Luna, call me Lou." She said, "I own this here heap of rotten wood. Come on back I'll show ya around." I followed her around back to the kitchen.
"Don't get much business here do ya?' I said. Lou shook her head.
"Not much we can do about it. We need somth'in new around here to attract attention. Fact is, there really is noth'I n new to take up. This here's the kitchen." She flipped on the lights. It looked like a regular kitchen, but with way more cabinets and no refrigerator. "Cold Cell is below the floor. You'll find the door out back. The store house is next to that. You can get hot water from the sink, something new that just got put in, and the water pump for fresh water is out back. Just follow the dirt path up a ways." I nodded. Lou showed me the rest of the kitchen and the behind bar stages for drinks. She showed me a few tricks to impress the costumers with, or just for the heck of it. And all this stuff was open to me at any time. "I'm usually in the main room playing cards with the big shots… that's the only room you're not allowed in." I nodded. "Other then that, you're free to do what you please." She gave me a kind smiled. I smiled back. She was incredibly nice. She Gave me a room, food, and work and good pay all in one deal. I wanted to repay her. How? Bring some business into this place.
"Hey Lou?" I said, stopping her before she left for forbidden room. "Could I try a few of my gran's old recipes? Try to spice things up around here?" Lou chuckled.
"Honey, you get any spice around here, and you're pay will be the one flaming up." She said, and shut the door. Another shot for more money. Ok. I walked back into the kitchen. First off, I would make…a cake. A chocolate cake my mom made me. With coconut sprinkled on top. I set to work, tying an apron around my waist. It wasn't hard to find all the things I needed, and I soon was mixing the batter in a bowl. I would bake all day today, and serve the food tomorrow. As the cake baked, I started in on an cinnamon apple pie. When I finished that, the cake was done, and I smeared the homemade frosting on top. I finished if off with the spread of coconut. I set it aside, and put the pie in the oven. The oven wasn't to hard to work with, but I managed. I thought about stopping a few times, but I knew if I stopped I wouldn't start up again. Lou was kind to me, and I intended to repay her. As the pie baked, I set to work on chocolate chunk brownies from scratch. It was a good thing I cooked with my mom. All these things would prove impossible if I hadn't. I slid the brownies in with the pie, and wondered what I could make next. I wanted something that would attract attention… something everyone would like. Seven layer cookies. Oh yeah. I went around gathering the ingredients, just as the buzzer went off for the pie. I set the pie by the window to cool, but then decided against it. I needed to keep it warm for tomorrow. I put it in a box, after layering it with a thick blanket from my room. I set the brownies in there along with it. As I began to set to work on the cookies, Lou came in. She was in a dark green robe, her curly brown hair around her shoulders.
"Dear me, have you been in here all day?" she asked. I looked up, flour and chocolate on my face.
"What time is it?" I asked.
"My bed time." She said.
"Oh!" I set down what I had in my hands. 'I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to wake you up!"
"No. You didn't wake me up. The smell did. What on earth are you cooking?' she asked.
"Oh… some stuff for tomorrow, that's all." I said.
"Well it smells wonderful. If I didn't' know any better, I could have sworn the smell itself made me sleep walk down here." She smiled, "Just make sure you clean up." I nodded as she walked off. As the cookies baked, I cleaned up. I washed my face and I do have to say, that cold water felt good on my face. When everything was clean, the cookies weren't quite done yet. I went to the box, and checked to see how the heat was holding in. Very well so far. I reorganized to make room for the cookies, and took the apron off and put it away. A quite seep across the floor and a good kitchen scrub down, and the cookies still weren't done. I waited around for about three minutes before I went back to cleaning the kitchen. It went from wiping the counter, to wiping the sinks, to wiping the entire floor and walls. I polished the sinks, and shined the cabinets. I got in every corner and nook, cleaned everything I could reach. A few minutes after the kitchen began to sparkle, the droning buzzer went off. I pulled the cookies out. Perfect. Just the smell made my mouth water. I set the cookies in the box, and turend out the light. Sleepily I went up the stairs, and found myself in a quite comfortable bed. I fell sleep, without changing clothes.