Hostile Hospitality

Safe Space for Dining

Back inside Shanea was still fighting with her self in regards to the events that have been happening, or not happening in front of her all day. She wanted to believe it was all in her head. A trick of light in the room, and the sun‘s rays. From outside, however she knew better. Her subconscious wouldn’t let her ignore the events her own eyes had witnessed. “There has to be more to the story. Maybe they are just hazing me? Yeah! That’s it. He’s a new person; the rookie. They are just trying to get me to crack.” She had half-convinced herself that this was the truth. “There is no such thing as monsters. There is no such thing as aliens. There is no such thing as soul sucking alien monsters.” She repeated this mantra to herself for a few minutes until she was once again brought out of her thoughts by a smiling face couple.

“Good day, darling. We would like to get a table for two for lunch, Iffin’ you got some room available?” Said the older gentleman in a charming how-do-you-do southern accent. “Yes, yes of course.” Shanea said getting back into host mode.

“Are you guest here?”She asked out of pure curiosity. “Oh, no ma’am. We were just out for a stroll around the area and decided to stop by for a quick bite. Is that all right? Or do we need reservations?” The gentleman ask Shanea, who sighed in relief and said, “No, of course not. Reservations are not required for lunch. I just wanted to know for documentation purposes. Will it be just the two of you?” She reiterated in a form of a question. “Yes, ma’am.“ The woman responded. “All right this way please.“ Shanea directed the couple, before leading them into the dining area. As she was making her way to the correct section, she paused hoping that these lovely people would not be the next on the servers’ menu. She had come to see Lillian as a bit of a spitfire and didn’t want her to feed on these two. “You, OK?“ The couple asked simultaneously. Shanea took a moment to think before answering. After her pause became too long the couple could not ignore it. They went to ask the same question again. Only to get a rapid response from Shanea. “Oh, yes. Sorry.” She led them to Tion’s side of the room as a last minute decision. She did this in hopes he wouldn’t make lunch of them. Jackie noticed the abrupt change in direction from her spot on the other side of the room, next to the opposite hallway. She sauntered over to the host stand to await Shanea’s return.

When Shanea arrive back at the hostess stand, Jackie stared down her nose at her from the wall the stand was adjacent to. “So…, Why did you seat that couple and Tion’s section?” Jackie asked in a freaking voice. “Huh? Oh they uh, seemed to like the view on that side of the room better.” Shanea said turning her head to the ground and tilting it ever so slightly. “Oh, really? I didn’t hear them say anything about a view. You sure that is what they wanted?” Jackie proceeded to interrogate Shanea. “Because it seemed to me that they were fine with anything. They just wanted a quick bite after walking around seeing the sites.” Jackie started pressing and closer to Shanea as she spoke. “You were going directly to Lillian’s section, as you should have, then out of nowhere you just made a U-turn why is that?” Jackie stop directly in front of Shanea. “Well. Well, it just seemed like a better spot. I mean, since they are sightseeing at all. Right?” Shana ass nervously. “Wrong! I mean, no that is not how we seat that is not how it works.” Jackie quickly corrected herself after a quick unhinged outburst. Straightening her suit in the process Jackie plastered on a quick fake smile to Shanea who had jumped at Jackie’s outburst.

“Well sorry, I will work on it. It just felt better to put them there.” Sheena said defensively, and then she again put her head down and tilted it ever so slightly. Jackie how do you in on this being seen as tail but kept it to yourself with future reference. “Um, OK. Just make sure to go with the facts. Not the feelings.” Jackie said nonchalantly before swing away and back to her spot on the other side of the dining room. “That was scary, very scary.” She said to herself out loud. She continued the rest of her shift by the book and did not notice any more apparent feedings happening with the guest. At least none that she could bear to witness. As the day progressed, their shift was coming to an end, and it was nearly time to go home. Shanea and Jackie began clearing off their stations and completing the last of their paperwork. By 3:05pm, the evening hostess still had not arrived. No one had heard from her, so Jackie and Shanea were standing around. “You can go on home, I will stay here and wait on Titi.” Jackie said to Shanea. “Are you sure? I mean I don’t mind staying.” Shanea responded. “No, go on. I need to let her know about some stuff for tonight, anyways.” Jackie informed. “Oh, OK. Well see you tomorrow I guess?” Shaina responded more like a question and a statement. “Yeah, see you tomorrow.” Jackie said not really paying attention to her. With that, Shanea hesitantly walked away from the hostess area, and went to the coat closet and retrieved her things.