The Blood of Amietta

III. The Owner of the Pub

 I don't stay at Noelani's mansion for much longer. The mayor seems eager to kick me out, so I quickly finish my drink and get the fuck out of there– something tells me not to trust a sorcerer who's patience is wearing thin.

Noelani sends me off with a sullen look, She seems lost in thought. I hesitate in the doorway, wondering if I should bring up the strange dream I had in the diner earlier. I open my mouth, but my instincts scream at me to stop. I should wait until I have more information.

"Goodbye, Mayor" I say instead.

She gives a curt nod. "Miss Wilde," she says simply, sliding the door shut and flipping on the porch light.

Wow.

I turn my back to the mayor's stone castle, hoping to find warmer reception somewhere else in Moonwake. Deities, where am I going to sleep tonight?

The sun is almost completely set and people still wander about the town square. I find myself wandering too, people watching as, one-by-one, they begin to slip inside the safety of their homes for the night. How are they so comfortable here? What? They just built brand new lives on top of the knowledge that they are completely abandoning everything they've ever known? What about their jobs? Their families?

What am I doing here?

Did I really just stumble into a magical object and trap myself for eternity? It doesn't seem like something I would do. None of this makes any sense without my memories. Noelani explained that it will take a couple of days to remember everything. Hopefully then I'll get some answers.

I stumble past all the stone buildings until the city lights fade and I'm standing at the edge of an abyss.

Literally. An abyss.

This must be the edge of Moonwake. Shockingly, there's nothing out there except a blanket of darkness. It's an unsettling sight and I find myself reluctant to stare at it for too long. What would happen if someone wandered out there? The thought makes me feel sick to my stomach.

I turn my attention to the sky instead, hoping that the stars will lift my spirits a bit.

More darkness. Great.

The night is completely void of stars. In fact, the only object in the sky at all is a large, bright moon. It must be an illusion, right? A fake moon created by Noelani's magic. Just how powerful is this woman exactly? If she can create an entire town– a freaking entire celestial body– why can't she free us from this hitchstone?

It makes no sense.

I grumble and turn back towards the town. I'll figure this out tomorrow, I decide. Right now I need to figure out where I'm going to sleep.

As the lights of Moonwake enter my line of sight again, a singular building catches my attention. It looks bright and lively. As the door swings back and forth, I hear the pounding sound of music. I perk up a bit.

A bar?

As I get closer, I find that my initial thought is correct. The front of the building has a bright neon sign. The neon words, Arabelle's Pub, blink in and out of existence against the darkened sky.

Arabelle is a strange name, I think as I push open the door and make my way to the beautiful wooden bar at the back of the building. The place has a sort of underground vibe– the bright lights and lively music does a lot to cover up the misery of those who likely spend all of their time here soaking up ways to pass the time. That and probably gallons of alcohol, I would imagine.

I smile to myself. Finally. My people.

I feel the burning gazes of those I pass as I make my way to an empty barstool. Their stares don't feel hostile, just curious. I wonder what they think of me, an outsider invading their town. But then I remember that we're all in the same predicament– at the end of the day, we all opened the same hitchstone.