The Bartender

“Well I got a job,” I said as I walked into the kitchen where my mother stood before me. 

“Well what’s the job,” she turned to me and gave me that look a mother always gives before she’s about to disapprove.

“A bartender,” I say with a smirk as I lean over the counter and grab a delicious red apple. I grabbed my coat off the coat rack and stormed out the door. I have to be honest I have no idea how to be a bartender or even how I got this job. The bar Dunes Lounge located in downtown part of New York called me the other day. They asked me who I was and I told them my name Vanessa Valentina. I don’t know what I was expecting from this call but it definitely wasn’t me having a job by the end of the call.

I walked down the streets of downtown New York the smell of garbage and sewer was gut wrenching. Garbage such as plastic and shattered bottles of beer lined the sidewalk in a thick layer. It was around 11:30 at night when I had reached the bar. I stood in front of the building admiring the bright neon sign “Dunes Lounge''. My eyes then moved to the huge glass windows from there I could see the bartender, a tall man who was slender. His eyes moved to me, I looked down and walked to open the bar’s door the music blaring in as I continued further. 

“You’re the new bartender correct?” the man said from behind the bar. 

“Yes I am” I replied back to the man with a smile. You’re probably asking why I didn’t tell the bar I didn’t apply. Well I know that I would never apply so this is an opportunity I wanted to take. My confidence took me into this opportunity with open eyes and a wide smile.

The man told me to come around the bar. I walked to the side and pulled the door open there. I was left in the back of the bar with all the drinks. My confidence began to crumble under his gaze. I felt like he knew something was up. 

“Are you experienced?” he asked as he laid the white towel over his shoulders.

“Not really,” I told him the truth. It's what had to be done. He didn’t look too impressed with this answer.

“Well let’s help you figure this out I have to go soon so I’m going to teach you quickly” He sounded like he was in a rush but he didn’t sound angry.

Within the hour he had taught me all the drinks I would need to know for all the people there. I felt like this job was my destiny I mean why else would I just randomly get this call about having a job. I would never even want to do this job but here I am. As the night went on my confidence began to build itself again. All the customers were kind and didn’t give me a hard time 

As the night ended I began to clean up the bar. I like the other bartender draped the white towel over my shoulder as I had worked so hard. I turned the lights off and locked up the bar for the night. Another neon sign started flashing “CLOSED” it was a gorgeous lavender. I walked all the way home with no hiccups on the way. You are probably wondering what my mom thought of all this and I would tell you. But I can’t because as I walked through the front door the bartender stood over my mother. Her blood had a thick lining on the new carpet. He looked up at me and he began to smile. I did as well what you didn’t know was my mother was the devil herself. I didn’t know about this job and I didn’t know Aiden would be my answer to leave my living hell. He walked towards me. I was hesitant about him doing so but he told me he knew me. 

“Can’t you tell I’m the brother that got away,” his eyes watery and his voice sad.

“What are you talking about,” I said with anger booming in my voice. Of course I acted as if this was a big deal he couldn’t know. 

“ You had two twin brothers when you were younger, our mom killed Tristan.”

“Why would she do such a twisted act?” 

He walked towards her body and told me she was mentally ill and one day they just pushed her over the edge. This had happened with me before she almost choked me to death. The bruise was a ring around my neck and in two weeks time it had cleared up. No proof left to show she was crazy so I just kept my mouth shut. He walked into the kitchen and pulled out cleaning supplies. His thick gloves made it hard to open the bottles so he handed them off to me. Though I did want her dead her body gave off a horrid stench. 

“You want me to help you get rid of her body, how do you even know I believe you?”

“Of course you believe me you’ve seen it I can see it in your eyes,” He said as he lifted her body onto plastic wrap. 

I believed him I knew what he was saying. So I helped with it and we took the body to the landfill. The head was dismembered from the body because we didn't want to get caught. I turned to the officer and his gaze was piercing through my skull.

"Who called you to give you the job," The officer said.

Aiden of course he had been stalking me for months from the sidelines watching my every move. How could I know he was going to do all this just to kill my evil mother. The story was true but who would’ve thought that getting a random job would result in my death sentence. I love you Aiden.