Fated to the Mothman

My 20-something-year-old car screams as I floor it trying to get through the hills ahead of me. I really should fix the exhaust, and probably the handful of other things my dad reminds me to have someone look at every time I talk to him. I make a mental note to listen to him as soon as I have some extra money to spare. However long that is. Money isn’t my main motivator, it’s probably not even in my top 5 at this point. That might sound stupid or privileged but I don’t mean it that way, I’m not naive. At 25, I’ve had a handful of “grown-up” jobs, a few others in high school. Some people see me as unreliable or whatever else they think of me, but I don’t care, I just want to find my place. None of the places I’ve worked have felt right, just a means to an end. A way to pay bills. They say do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life, but what I love isn’t sustainable to live off of. Not in my small town, my best chance was finding a larger town or city to start my new life in. I needed to figure out how to live my life away from my parents, away from the town where I’m surrounded by people I’ve known my whole life, where a class reunion happens all the time in the grocery store because nobody left. I didn’t have it in me to go to the city, there’s still so many things I love about smaller towns, the charm, and friendliness of them, they feel like a warm hug in a way. I see the water tower ahead, the name Towerbrook painted on it. I chose this town because I’d been through it a few times on my way to the city. The thing that drew me in the most was the vibrant town square, narrow two-story brick buildings with colorful awnings lining the heart of town, all surrounding and facing inward toward a park with colorful gardens and a small playground. The boutiques, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, antique stores, and more look like a dream to walk around on a lazy Saturday afternoon. It looked like a place where my dreams might come true. Turning down the main street and I head toward the charming town square that will be my new home, a cute (and cheap) one-bedroom apartment above a closed store. At the stop sign, I pull my phone out to let the owner know I’ll be there in a minute. Driving past, I see my new address on the front of the building, then take the next right, right again, then pull down an alley that has a handful of parking spots at the back of the conjoined buildings. Pulling into the parking spot under the small deck that is connected to my apartment, I wave at the woman standing there waiting for me. “Hey, you’re Audra?” She smiles softly at me. “That’s me, and you’re Sienna?” “Yep! Here are the keys, I’m not at the old store much anymore. If you need me, shoot me a text. I left a packet on the kitchen counter with some takeout menus, local businesses, and other events the town hosts. Anyway, I’ll let you get settled. I’ll see you around!” Her sad eyes don’t reflect the customer service voice she’s putting on but I decide that’s none of my business and thank her, grabbing the key to my new home. After turning on her heel, she walks to the back door of the closed store. She’s younger than I expected, probably close to my age–Maybe I can convince her to be my friend. I shake my head and grab my first load of bags, toting them up the steps that lead to the deck. Somehow I doubt my sad landlord wants to be my bestie. After half-ass unpacking, it’s nearly supper time so I snatch up the takeout menus and plop down on the bay window seat that faces the square, taking in the sight. A family of Orcs walks through the gardens at the center of the square. A nymph and ogre are seated on the small outdoor patio of a bar & grill having drinks. A first date maybe? They look adorable, making googly eyes at each other, sipping their drinks, and picking at a basket of onion rings between them. Throwing the menus aside, I decide that bar & grill is my first destination, those onion rings look killer. Towerbrook is a predominantly monster town, though humans live here too, both coexisting peacefully. These various species are the same as seeing different races of humans anywhere you go. I can imagine that this town seems to be a favorite for monsters though, given the nature of our area, rural Midwest isn’t always the most tolerant place to live. Prejudices run deep in some human families so I can imagine having a town where they outnumber humans could be more comfortable. Shimmying into a sundress that hugs my curves and stepping into sneakers, I clip up my brown hair, pull the shorter face-framing pieces out in front, and stare at myself in the mirror. I put makeup on before coming to town but it’s lost some of its oomph since this morning, especially after unpacking all afternoon. After swiping some burgundy eyeliner on, smudging it out with a brown eyeshadow and add some more mascara, I do one last mirror check. Not much makes my muddy brown eyes pop but this combo is a favorite of mine. New experiences don’t usually bother me, I love adventures and trying new things but unfortunately, I’m usually doing them on my own. Tonight though, there is a bit of a pit in my stomach. This isn’t some vacation, anyone I meet here will be neighbors, future friends, and people I’ll see again around town. Something about that makes me nervous. After jogging down my steps and walking around to the front sidewalk, I take my time peeking into storefronts as I go, scoping out places I may want to visit on another day. Nerves and excitement churn in my gut when I stop in front of the bar and grill called The Pour. My hand grips the cool meta of the front door handle when I notice the “Help Wanted” sign in the window. I had saved up a good chunk before quitting my last job so I’d be able to get settled here, but I didn’t have a plan beyond that so a part-time gig at The Pour might be the perfect first job in my new home. Glancing around the vacant hostess stand, this seems to be a seat-yourself sort of joint. I make a beeline to a booth towards the back so I can look extra creepy considering I’m here alone people-watching. Mentally, I check myself, it’s not that serious, you’re here to eat and have a drink, which all the other people here are also doing, stop being weird. As soon as I sit down a petite elvish-looking woman appears next to my table, gasping, I clutch my chest in surprise. “Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you!” She exclaims. I let out a breathy laugh, “No you’re fine, really, I just didn’t see you come up.” She releases an exasperated sigh, smiling, “Busy night, I’m trying to keep up! Drinking, eating, or both?” “Both. I’ll take a beer, cheeseburger, and onion rings with ranch, please. Hey, speaking of, I saw the help wanted sign. If you’re still hiring I’d like to fill out an application, I have some experience waiting tables. I’m new to town.” She smiles wider than I think I’ve ever seen. “Perfect! This is going to sound crazy but can you start tonight? After you eat, of course. It’s early and this place is about to get packed, our new girl just quit which is why I’m trying to cover the bar and tables. My brother will be here soon to bartend but it’ll take two to cover this place on a Friday night.” I blink at her pleading, oversized smile. This is one of those things, I remind myself, those adventures I said I like going on so much. Or try to convince myself it is anyway. Plus she’s so sweet I don’t know if I could tell her no, she’ll be getting her butt kicked tonight if I don’t. It’ll be a good first impression if anything. “Uh, sure, of course,” I say. “Amazing! You’re a lifesaver, I’m Millie by the way!” She says, grabbing my hand for a rough handshake. She blows the bangs of her pixie cut out of her eyes, then like a whirlwind, she’s gone again. Staring down at the table and I laugh to myself. This is going to be an interesting night. My meal comes out a short time later, my mouth watering. I pick up the cup of ranch and mentally fist pump the air, it’s homemade. Only true ranch lovers will understand. I eat my meal and finish just in time for the dinner rush to begin. Jogging up to the bar, I introduce myself to the man working there. “Hey, Millie wanted me to help wait tables tonight as a sort of trial run. I’m Audra.” I hold my hand across the bar and he hesitates a moment, then takes it in a handshake equally as frantic as his sister’s earlier. “Audra, I’m Scott. Millie is in the back, just head through those doors and she will get you set up!” Soon after, I walk up to my first table, taking a deep breath, black waist apron secured, pens, a notepad, and straws tucked into their pockets. It’s all coming back to me now, waiting tables is a familiar feeling taking me back to my high school days. It’s like riding a bike, something you never forget.