Chapter Twelve

[thebestseller]

I've got a new job tending bar at the Death Match. Bars are a good place to hear stories, and you know how much I love hearing stories.

[A pause and some pen taps before he adds:]

I'm a pretty good listener, too. If anyone needs that.

Comments

[dog_eat_dog]

I'm not much of a storyteller, but I have been meaning to check this place out.

[thebestseller]

Then swing on by. Wishing for booze is the best thing.

[dog_eat_dog]

I'll be down soon, then.

You know, where I'm from, drinking is technically illegal. No bars. None worth going to, anyway.

[thebestseller]

Really, now? Prohibition or something else?

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess doesn't reply, on her way down to the Death Match. She's there not long after, a skinny woman with dark hair and sharp eyes, dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans. With three weeks in Paradisa under her belt, she looks less starved, but there's still a few scabs on her face that are healing over. No make-up.

She drops her bag by a bar stool and slides up onto one. She can only assume the handsome fellow there is the bartender she spoke to.]

Prohibition, yeah. I'd say it'd be nice if they had learned from the 30s, but this is military rule. It's a whole new ball game.

[She puts her hand out across the bar to shake.]

I'm Tess.

[thebestseller]

[Castle returns the handshake, feeling a small twinge of pity at the woman's appearance- she seemed a little skinny and appeared to have been through the wringer physically. However, her handshake seems plenty strong.

He then winces.]

Oh, ouch. Let me guess- they kept all the best stuff for themselves?

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess's smirk grows a little smug.]

Nope. They're as dry as the rest of the quarantine zones, unless they're buying from the black market. Mostly just moonshine and bathtub crap, but when people buy from me, then they're getting the good stuff. I only deal in vintage, bottles from before alcohol was something you had to make yourself.

[thebestseller]

[Castle swallowed and was quiet for a few moments, considering that. Quarantine zones?]

Sounds like you came from a hell of a world. Going to try resuming dealing here, or have you found other hobbies?

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess shrugs, one-shouldered.]

I think you've got the market cornered already, don't you? There couldn't possibly be demand enough to match what the castle can supply.

But yeah, hell of a world. I take it you're from somewhere a lot cozier.

[thebestseller]

Oh, you'd be surprised. Sometimes people prefer just making things themselves instead of wishing it up- reminds them a bit of home. There's a bar in town, too.

[He nods.]

I'm lucky, I know.

[dog_eat_dog]

I don't think serving the booze is really my kind of job, unfortunately.

Where are you from? Early 2000s?

[thebestseller]

It's definitely not for everyone. [He nods again, sagely.]

And yeah, I'm from 2012.

[dog_eat_dog]

So maybe a cozier time, instead of a cozier world. You've got a good year ahead of you, though, all things considered.

[thebestseller]

[Castle is quiet again at that, before he offers Tess a bowl of snacks.]

And meanwhile, you get a reprieve from everything going on in your world. It's nice to have a reminder that this place isn't a bad thing for everyone. Not that it's been particularly bad for me, mind... I just miss my daughter. And my mom.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Getting food from the castle is one thing, but it's strange to see people handing over food without bribery or threats. Then again, Tess reminds herself, that's this guy's job. Weird that such little things could make you think about how dehumanizing your experiences have been.

So Tess takes some, though she has to squash the urge to take it all. ]

Uh huh. Funny... I've met a number of parents and a number of kids here, but no matched sets. This place sure loves a broken home.

[thebestseller]

Yeah, for a place calling itself after paradise, it sure does love to screw with people.

[He picks up a glass and begins to polish it.]

It's both good and bad... and weird. My permanent loss was my ability to drink coffee, of all things. I can try, but no matter who prepares it or what's in it, I can't stomach it. Other people have lost memories, or objects... I like being able to make sense of things, but trying to do that doesn't work here.

[dog_eat_dog]

My partner lost his watch, his kid lost a necklace. I still haven't figured out my loss –– I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. If I don't know, I can't miss it, right?

[She takes a swig of her drink.]

The coffee thing blows, though. Sorry to hear that.

[thebestseller]

[Castle grins.]

Appreciate the sentiment. All things considered, I could've gotten off a LOT worse. And that's also true... I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually. No use in rushing things.

[dog_eat_dog]

I figure I've got all the time in the world to find out.

[She smiles, faintly.]

So you bartend back home, or is this just a "spare me the boredom" job?

[thebestseller]

Sort of... to both. I own a bar, but I only tend casually- at poker games with my friends and the like. Figured that since I can't exactly resume my career here, I might as well learn something useful.

[dog_eat_dog]

[She eyes him over the edge of her glass. Nobody gets to play coy with her.]

And that career is...?

[thebestseller]

Writer. Of mystery novels, to be specific. I could write here, of course- plenty of interesting stories- but there's no publishers, no printing press... makes it hard to distribute stuff.

[dog_eat_dog]

That makes it sound like you write for money and fame alone.

[thebestseller]

... well, you do have a point. I don't write just for either of those things, but I do like being able to have an audience to entertain and not keep stuff to myself, you know?

[He thoughtfully rests his chin on his hand.]

It's not impossible to have an audience even without a means to mass produce, though...

[dog_eat_dog]

Tell stories on the journal, then. Anything to break up the monotony of complaints.