A watcher?
Salvatore closed the laptop and got up from the desk. His apartment was sparsely furnished but to him it was comfortable. He didn’t want or need for anything. Scanning to insure that everything was it its rightful place he shrugged into his top coat donned his fedora and closed the door behind him. Carefully he navigated the old creaky stairs between his floor and the main floor of his apartment building.
Stopping at the head of the stoop Salvatore Giuseppe took in the sights and sounds of the ‘city’. Grasping his overcoat by the lapels he shrugged into it one last time and reseating his hat started on his daily trek across town to the Serendipity. His slow, steady gate carried him past a remnant of an ancient forest left standing by those that have, over the years, developed in the ‘city’’. Sal was not attuned to the supernatural by any means, but each day as he passed the remnant he could feel it pulse and vibrate with an energy not readily visible. He had always wanted to explore that energy but that quest was not his to undertake. Still images of centaurs, talking animals and huge floating eyeballs came to him unbidden as well as visions of creatures that required concerted effort to merely describe to those not privy to his visions. Still trying to make sense of the images, as he did every day, Sal turned and continued on toward the Serendipity and his friend Phae. That and the overpowering desire to partake of some elderberry juice prompted his daily trek.
Parting the hazy fog that seemed to perpetually hang around the bar, Salvatore stepped up to the threshold and turning the knob walked into the Serendipity.
Glancing around as he closed the door behind him the elder gentleman surveyed all that was there. He did notice that there was a table that had been moved off to the side near the piano that still had sitting at it a dwarfish man. Curiously enough that gentleman had been at that same table for the past several months as near as Sal could recall. Shaking his head slightly at the uniqueness of the situation Sal move on up and took a seat at the closed end of the bar.
“Good day, Phae”
“Salvatore, how is it today?”
“The Remnant seems more active then usual.”
“That it does, seems like others have been talking about it. Got an elfin friend that should be comin’ down in a day or two for his monthly, maybe he’ll know what’s going on over there.”
“Perhaps. Elderberry juice?”
“On the way” Phae replied retrieving the special carafe from the small fridge beneath the bar. Pouring Salvatore a snifter full of the only beverage he ever drinks at the Serendipity, Phae slid the glass to Salvatore.
“How’s Casey? I don’t see her about.”
“She wanted a day off to meet with her brothers Michael and Gabriel. Seems like her dad’s been concerned with her and the company she’s been keeping.”
“I’m sure he only wants what’s best for his little girl” Sal replied lazily sipping from his snifter.
“As do all parents.” Phae shot back wiping down the bar.
“So Phae tell me, how have you been doing?” Salvatore asked raising the glass to his lips.
“Hhhmmm….why don’t you tell me, Salvatore.” Phae replied arms crossed on his chest, standing directly across the bar from Sal.
“What do you mean?”
“It is what you do isn’t it?”
“What?”
“Watch me. Isn’t that why you are here?”
“Phaedrus, I’m just an old man that stops by periodically to partake of some elderberry juice.” Sal replied feigning an insult to his person.
“Salvatore Giueseppe, you have been watching me for the last twenty some years. You know more about me then anyone other then me. I can’t seem to figure if you do it for yourself or if there is some sort of organized effort to record my life.”
“Phae, that is just plain paranoid.”
“Perhaps it is, perhaps it is.” Phae responded retrieving the twin sabers that he kept beneath the bar. Carefully Phae unwrapped them and began to rub then down with an oilclothe.
Salvatore watched with an eye trained to pick up every nuance of that which is being observed.
The two men continued their games, knowing that both knew more then he was letting on.
Stopping at the head of the stoop Salvatore Giuseppe took in the sights and sounds of the ‘city’. Grasping his overcoat by the lapels he shrugged into it one last time and reseating his hat started on his daily trek across town to the Serendipity. His slow, steady gate carried him past a remnant of an ancient forest left standing by those that have, over the years, developed in the ‘city’’. Sal was not attuned to the supernatural by any means, but each day as he passed the remnant he could feel it pulse and vibrate with an energy not readily visible. He had always wanted to explore that energy but that quest was not his to undertake. Still images of centaurs, talking animals and huge floating eyeballs came to him unbidden as well as visions of creatures that required concerted effort to merely describe to those not privy to his visions. Still trying to make sense of the images, as he did every day, Sal turned and continued on toward the Serendipity and his friend Phae. That and the overpowering desire to partake of some elderberry juice prompted his daily trek.
Parting the hazy fog that seemed to perpetually hang around the bar, Salvatore stepped up to the threshold and turning the knob walked into the Serendipity.
Glancing around as he closed the door behind him the elder gentleman surveyed all that was there. He did notice that there was a table that had been moved off to the side near the piano that still had sitting at it a dwarfish man. Curiously enough that gentleman had been at that same table for the past several months as near as Sal could recall. Shaking his head slightly at the uniqueness of the situation Sal move on up and took a seat at the closed end of the bar.
“Good day, Phae”
“Salvatore, how is it today?”
“The Remnant seems more active then usual.”
“That it does, seems like others have been talking about it. Got an elfin friend that should be comin’ down in a day or two for his monthly, maybe he’ll know what’s going on over there.”
“Perhaps. Elderberry juice?”
“On the way” Phae replied retrieving the special carafe from the small fridge beneath the bar. Pouring Salvatore a snifter full of the only beverage he ever drinks at the Serendipity, Phae slid the glass to Salvatore.
“How’s Casey? I don’t see her about.”
“She wanted a day off to meet with her brothers Michael and Gabriel. Seems like her dad’s been concerned with her and the company she’s been keeping.”
“I’m sure he only wants what’s best for his little girl” Sal replied lazily sipping from his snifter.
“As do all parents.” Phae shot back wiping down the bar.
“So Phae tell me, how have you been doing?” Salvatore asked raising the glass to his lips.
“Hhhmmm….why don’t you tell me, Salvatore.” Phae replied arms crossed on his chest, standing directly across the bar from Sal.
“What do you mean?”
“It is what you do isn’t it?”
“What?”
“Watch me. Isn’t that why you are here?”
“Phaedrus, I’m just an old man that stops by periodically to partake of some elderberry juice.” Sal replied feigning an insult to his person.
“Salvatore Giueseppe, you have been watching me for the last twenty some years. You know more about me then anyone other then me. I can’t seem to figure if you do it for yourself or if there is some sort of organized effort to record my life.”
“Phae, that is just plain paranoid.”
“Perhaps it is, perhaps it is.” Phae responded retrieving the twin sabers that he kept beneath the bar. Carefully Phae unwrapped them and began to rub then down with an oilclothe.
Salvatore watched with an eye trained to pick up every nuance of that which is being observed.
The two men continued their games, knowing that both knew more then he was letting on.
posted by Miscatonic | 12:36
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home