LONE WOLF (On Hold)

Chapter 6 - What is it with this town?

Chapter 6 – What is it with this town?

Beck's POV

At ten to six on Friday evening I make my way down the stairs, following all the noise that's emanating from the pub. As promised to Alex, I'm ready to start my first shift behind the bar.

I've spent most of the day in bed, as I didn't manage to get any sleep during the night, but now I'm fresh and ready to stand behind the bar for the next few hours. I've worked in a pub before, a couple of times actually, so I'm fairly clued in on how it all works.

I managed to get all my clothes washed yesterday, I'm happy to announce, and I've also been able to shower and brush my teeth properly. So far this deal is really working out in my favour and I've decided to push all thoughts of going back to the cave to the back of my mind for now.

"Hey," Alex greets when she sees me walk through the door, turning to face me slightly as she continues to pull a pint into the glass she's holding. She looks tired, definitely not as energetic as she was yesterday, but I decide not to comment. It's not my place to pry.

"Hey, where do you want me?" I ask, moving to stand beside her and leaning my forearms on the bar.

"You, my friend, are on empty glass duty," she informs me, nodding towards the tables at the front of the pub that have a bunch of glasses left on them.

"Wonderful," I reply sarcastically.

She laughs at my lack of enthusiasm and gives the waiting customer their drink before turning back to me, also handing me an empty tray to collect the glasses on from under the bar.

"I've already done it once tonight, it's your turn," she explains with a shrug.

"Fair enough," I agree, taking the tray from her and glancing back at the tables.

"You can take the glasses through there," she says, pointing towards a door that I assume leads to the kitchen. "Bruce is on washing duty tonight until nine."

"Bruce?" I ask.

"Our cook," she elaborates.

"Oh, okay," I reply with a nod, making my way over to clean the tables and, with that, starting my first shift at 'The Red Lion'.

For the next three hours, after Alex gives me a quick run-through of the place, things go pretty smoothly. Alex and I stand behind the bar, serving people when needed and passing on food orders to the cook, whilst Bruce cooks and cleans in the kitchen.

Bruce is a pretty cool guy, looking to be somewhere in his late thirties with brown hair and a beard. He's easy to get along with, joking around with Alex and me whenever we cross paths. According to Alex he's been working here for about ten years now, give or take a few months, so he's easily Jenny's longest employee.

"What about you?" I ask as I stand behind the bar, waiting for the next customer to come along as we watch Bruce leave for the night. "How long have you been working here?"

"About a year and a half," she answers, leaning her elbows against the bar and throwing the towel she just used to mop up a spill over her shoulder.

"Huh," I say, trying to work it out in my head to make conversation. "So that makes you... twenty?" I guess.

"Close. I'm nineteen," she corrects. "What about you?"

"Twenty-one," I reply, glancing over at the door as a new customer arrives. It's a girl, looking no older than Alex, with dark brown hair and wearing a bright smile as she walks over to us.