Shades bustled with customers as people sought to get rid of the workweek and get ready for the weekend, which was just a day away. Arlin stood by the front door, making sure the younger residents of Draven Falls didn’t slip past and trick a busy bartender for drinks, something he would have done as a teenager.
The North Carolina night was cool, in drastic contrast with the sweaty atmosphere of the inside of the bar thanks to all the bodies, with just enough breeze to keep it comfortable without making it too cold. Overhead, the leaves rustled in the wind as the moon continued to climb into the night sky. Outside was peaceful while inside was anything but, especially in the back of Shades, where the pack of hyenas that had come to town a couple of nights ago made enough ruckus to drown
