Million Dollar Soul

Chapter 3

I found Gal’s when I was only 16, I had been driving around upset about something that happened that day, now I can’t even recall what it was. I had let the car and rain soothe my anger and take me where it wanted, before I knew it I had driven to the state line. Now if I wanted to be daring I could cross it but leaving state boundaries as a Jackal was risky, while we had an over arching government that took care of basic policies, like the humans each state had its own sub laws that could get you in trouble if you did the wrong thing.

I decide to pull off into an old parking lot just before the border, I remember thinking the old lot must have been an abandoned relic of businesses past before the borders were divided long ago. Then came a faint glow at the end of the lot, as I got closer I saw that it was a neon sign, “Gallagher’s”. No way anyone is getting business all the way out here, but for lack of wanting to start my trek back home I park and start toward the building. The sign flickered and hum as I approached, the building looked like an old run of the mill shack, like those old biker bars you find in the middle of the desert randomly, except there was nothing in the lot save 2 other vehicles beside my own.

I know how I look walking into an obvious bar in the middle of nowhere but I was curious. On the inside it did not match the outside, it was definitely slightly more up to date, I wouldn’t say modern but not as rickety and old western as you’d think from the outside. It was dimly lit and I loitered in the doorway a moment as my eyes adjusted to the deep wood background of the place. Red wood littered almost every surface, including the bar with a shining surface flanked with shelves and units holding liquor and glasses. The bar was stationed in the middle of the left wall, just left of the door was some round sitting tables where two burly men were laughing among themselves, in front of the door and on the right wall were booths, upholstered with a maroon leather that was well kept, none of it seemed to be cracking. The atmosphere was comforting without being alienating, soft rock music playing just under my hearing so that I could hear it but wouldn’t struggle to talk over it if prompted.

“Can I help you darling?” came a melodic voice from behind the bar. I lifted my eyes and walked over to the bar and sat down as I made eye contact with the owner of the voice, she was pretty. “Whiskey on the rocks” I said saying the first drink that came to mind. The looks at me for a moment before walking down the bar. She looks maybe 20, young for a bartender, lush curls falling down her back, in the dim light its hard to tell but they look rusting brown, possibly red in better light, she had a bit of a petite frame, slight curves but definitely short, I was probably a bit taller than her to be honest. I recall the round nose, and full bottom lip from when she was in front of me. Looking past her at the end of the bar I could see a set of swinging doors that probably led to a back room or kitchen, with a balding head poking into view just over the top, security maybe. On the opposite side of the back wall was a big older wooden door, dead bolted twice, wonder what’s in there.

A glass makes an audible clank as it makes contact with the bar top causing me to turn back toward the pretty woman handing me my drink. She gazes into my face as I take the drink and sip, I open my eyes wide while setting the glass down abruptly, the drink is not whiskey, not that I’d know what that taste like but it is a Cola. “You’re not fooling anyone sweetheart,” The woman chuckles at me, “What are you doin’ here kid?” She leans over the bar onto her elbows.

“You don’t look much older than me, what are you doing here?” I counter taking a sip of my soda.

“Think you’re cute” she huffs out of a half smile before pushing off the bar top and walking away.

“Hey doll,” I half shout to get her attention back down the bar, she turns her head slightly but not all the way, staying stand offish, “Why don’t we get to know each other over this soda?” I lift my glass in her direction. She chuckles to herself and looks back to the end of the bar. I thought she meant to ignore me until she saunters back over with an empty glass in hand.

“What’s your name?” she asks starting to shovel ice into the glass.

I thought about lying, I’m not only underage but also high tier, but I am out in the boonies what’s the likely hood of anyone from out here finding me, or me returning. “Charlie”, I answer tapping the side of my glass absent mindedly. “Alyssa” she offers her hand after putting the ice scoop down.

To this day I don’t know what came over me, whether it was teenage rebellion and that I felt like I could get away with anything, or if I thought I was genuinely flirting with this woman in front of me but next I asked, “Want to see a trick Alyssa?” while c*****g an eyebrow at her. “Sure” she answers exasperated, probably being asked all kinds of cheesy things all night. I can hear my dad lecturing me in my head as if he was here for what I’m about to do. I lift my finger off my glass slightly and start to turn it in slight circles as to not really create attention to it, my drink starts to swirl ever so slightly before a bubble of Cola separates from the drink in my glass I guide it the few inches between our glasses and let it fall into hers. Now this is my favorite part the look of sheer awe in their eyes as they think they’ve witnessed magic, which they have, and then gives way to them ruining for themselves while explaining away what I did. I look up to see that glint in Alyssa’s eyes but instead she looks purely annoyed, huffs, “Goddamnit” she said under her breathe, followed by a much louder, “DAD!” I follow her gaze to the swinging door where the bald man has stood up and is pushing out into the main room.

Shit, I need to get out of here, I start to stand. “One of yours, she’s young” Alyssa says walking down the bar. I’m starting to back toward the door while they’re both talking to each other. “I didn’t have any newbies coming for tonight, and its early” the rasp smoke like voice comes from the man. I turn to run out the door and as I do the door glows with sealing runes. I turn back around and then man is standing in front of my drink at the bar, arms crossed and an unimpressed look on his face. “I don’t want any trouble,” I said holding my hands up. “Sit” he gruffs nodding his head toward the chair again. I made my way back over slowly before fumbling back into the chair hands on the bar top as to not cause alarm. I don’t know what kind of magic he has, or his tier so I need to play it safe until I know whether I can fight my way out of here. “What’s your name and what are you doing here?” His voice sounds like gravel being mixed up. I glanced back at the door, no choice but to play along I guess. “Charlie, and honestly I was just wandering around and when I got the border I was going to turn around but I saw this place. I can be on my way, I won’t even say anything.” He sizes me up looking at my hands and the two glasses in front of us, “What’s your element?” a baited question, I obviously cant tell him all of them, and since I did a trick with the drink, “Water” I offer hesitantly as too seem less imposing. “And how old are you?” he asked fiddling with Alyssa forgotten glass. “20” I lie, at least it makes it seem like its not far fetched for me to be in here. He locked eyes with me and looks bored before dragging his pointer finger along the rim of the glass leaving a faint yellow light glowing in its wake that blossoms into a tiny flame along the glasses edge starting to melt the ice inside. A conjuror he’s powerful then, and he’s telling me not to lie. “16” satisfied he snuffs out the small flame and puts the glass under the bar, “When did you come into your element.”

“When I was 12,” I’m not going to volunteer information but I have to give him something so he doesn’t try to burn me to a crisp. “Have you been trained?”

“A little, my grandmother was an elemental”, I start fidgeting with my glass again.

“You ever run into others?” That sounds like a baited question how am I suppose to answer that, of course I’ve seen my fair share of jackals, but with my fathers position in our world I don’t know what a normal number to run into on the streets is.

I shrugged, “Sometimes I guess, hard to do when we’re trying to pass for human”

Looking just over my eyelashes to see how he responds I notice he uncrosses his arms and his eyes soften just a bit, guess he deemed me not a threat. “You know,” he turns slightly to face his body toward the end of the bar, “You’re not gonna impress her with power, she ain’t to fond of what we are.” His gaze is on Alyssa, what WE are? “So she doesn’t have power?” I ask him. “She says I stole all the power from my family line so there wasn’t any left for her, but she prefers it that way.” He shrugs turning back to me, “I don’t know if you’re stupid or incredibly ballsy walking into a bar at the edge of nowhere and at 16. But you acknowledge power, and were truthful enough, don’t think I don’t plan on getting more out of you.” He gives me a pointed look, “you want to see a real trick come back next Thursday.” He stands to full height and walks toward the end of the bar, up to Alyssa before laying a hand on her shoulder and turning back to me, “Names Gallagher, in case you didn’t guess she’s my daughter and even thought she’s not interested, Don’t even try, unless you want to be turned to ash” He gives Alyssa a slight peck on the head, as she shakes it not looking up from what she’s doing. “That just sounds like bait to me,” I shout at his back as he fumbles through the swinging doors again.

Alyssa comes back down the bar and picks up my glass, since I stood to leave, “Jackal or not, I can handle myself.” She levels my gaze, “I would never,” I say in mock surrender, “you’re too pretty to attempt to scuff up.” She shakes her head at me, “Come try again when you’re older darling.” I start to back peddle toward the door, “It’s a date then.” I can hear her chuckle as I turn my back and head out. Thursday, I’ll be here

The rest, as cliché as it is, is history.