Angel: A City of Lost Angels Story
Chapter 2: The Bar

Her POV

She took a deep breath as she neared the door, desperate for fresher air to clear her burned nostrils. As the light reached her cheeks, she tipped her chin up to take in the sky. Moody grey clouds but a bright and high sun suggested it was middle of the day. Blinking her brown eyes to the new brightness, she saw crumbling multi storey buildings and neglected streets. This was an old city of some sort. Similar to the service room behind her, there were stains of blood and unknown fluids everywhere she looked, and darkness around all corners and alleys warned of the activities committed within.

Biting her bottom lip in a nervous habit, she eyed the building directly opposite where she stood. It was a short single storey building with a blinking red neon sign above the door that read “BAR”. Large one-way windows flanked either side of a middle door, and the fear of not knowing what, or who, was inside should have been enough to make her turn back to the dark tunnels. Her stomach growled and clenched painfully though, making the decision.

She crossed the street toward the bar, smoothing her black hair and mentally trying to convince herself she looked stronger than she felt. She told herself that no one knew who she was or where she came from. She could be whoever she wanted to be here and do all the things she had never been allowed. She could make eye contact, speak freely, smile openly…

The moment her blistered and swollen feet crossed the threshold of the door though, all self-motivating thoughts disappeared. Her eyes grew large as she took in the bar patrons.

To her left was a pair playing something that looked like checkers or chess, mostly empty beer steins beside them. The tallest man she’d ever seen had silver skin and two twisted black horns rising from short, impossibly shiny black hair. His large hands had black nails, and his thin lips formed a frown of concentration. The black cloak surrounding him would completely hide him in one of those alleys, save for the striking red eyes that currently glared at the game.

His competitor opposite was in stark contrast all white with pale skin, long white hair, and dressed in a formal white suit. How did anyone keep anything white clean in this city? His eyes appeared to be all black as he sat reverse on a chair, lazily leaning his arms and chin on the chair back as he… chuckled? Yes, he laughed at his scary horned counterpart.

Biting her bottom lip hard she looked to the right and saw a trio by a long stained couch. All were of muscular build, with sleeves of black tattoos visible around wife beaters. Brown skin and short hair moved while they talked and gestured to each other and out the window. She stared for a moment too long when her acute ears picked up something else besides the scattered words. Did that one just growl? Oh God, they all just did! They were actually growling like dogs with bared teeth!

What the Hell kind of place was this?! From all the books she had been allowed to read, these people were fairytale creatures… Right?

Realizing she had stalled in the doorway, she irrationally decided to venture deeper into the bar, and headed for the empty bar stools at the very back. Trying to stride carefully while willing her legs to support her, she slid onto a torn bar stool and spotted a final pair in the dark other corner of the bar against an old jukebox. They were a mess of arms, legs, and skinny smooth tails while they obviously made out with each other. She felt her heart skip a beat when she saw cat ears like hers on their heads. They were nekos! She brightened with hope for her future if this city seemed to accept her kind here.

A sudden voice from behind the bar made her physically startle. “Hey, what’ll it be kitty?” A man rose from where he had been kneeling with a jug of an amber fluid in his hand. As her racing heart pounded from surprise, she surveyed him. Wispy brown hair, deep brown eyes, a faded black tee and dark ripped jeans. A sparkling cross glittered just above the scoop neck of the tee. He hardly looked dangerous compared to the other bar patrons.

“Um, whatever you have that is free, sir?” Damn, her shaky voice was giving her confidence level away.

“Hah-hah! Now careful asking for freebies here, else people’ll be thinkin’ you are lost. Nothing comes free in this city.” He paused as he looked her over. “I haven’t seen ya ‘round before though, so maybe you are new. Where ya from?”

She bit her lower lip again as she weighed his warning. “Um, just passing through sir. A little short on cash right n-now though”.

He let out a loud laugh, and she felt additional eyes in the room look her way. “Hah! Cash! Jesus kitty where ya been? We ain’t got use for that paper shit, we here trade for stuffs of value. Like weapons, intel, favours,..” He leaned around her to give an upward head nod at the red eyes that were now staring their way, “…or souls fer him”.

“Souls!?” She truly willed her mouth to stop gaping open but it refused. That silver skinned form innocently playing checkers took souls?

“Hah-hah, yes ma’am. Demons on the corner would be very happy to trade with anyone who still had a soul to give in this city.” He smiled when the silence stretched close to awkwardness while she processed his words. Demons?! “Tell ya what kitty, since I can see that you definitely need it, this is on me. Noooo soul required.” He laughed as he poured the amber liquid from the jug into a tall glass and slid it her way. Ducking behind the bar, he pulled out a sealed plastic bag with strips of a dried red meat and tossed it her way too.

Gesturing with open arms in a dramatic flourish, he added “Welcome kitty, to the City of Lost Angels”.