The Flame Keeper

Chapter 3

I racked my mind for answers. Anything.

I had heard my share of gossip, but not much about wildfires or anything of that sort. Something in the news about the capital, though, had grabbed my attention a while back. I had caught a glimpse of an old newspaper some time ago while running an errand and what did it say? Something about... the flame keeper. That's where I saw it.

There was something else as well. Star power. No, spark power. That was it. The paper had reported spark power overtaking hydro as the capital's new energy source, but nothing about the flame keeper being in 'danger' or whatever nonsense the stranger was talking about. But then again, I never had caught up on the news often...

I suppose I could ask Benjamin tomorrow when we have off. Or Alice, I mused. They would know something about the wildfires and whatever was happening in the capital.

I stared out the window, patiently—though my patience was waning—waiting for any sign of a customer. Sunlight lazily spilled into the room, gently warming my skin. I closed my eyes, pretending that I was a cat, basking in the sun all day, free of any worries and annoying customers. Nobody was coming here because of him.

Crash! The front door forcefully opened, and I jerked up, my eyelids springing open. A weary traveling group staggered in, and though the rain had stopped over an hour ago, they still left a trail of water on the floorboards.

Finally, I thought—customers at last.

The big, burly man, who seemed like the leader of the group, spoke up. "We fellas have been traveling for a mighty long time and stumbled across this restaurant." His dark eyes met mine and lingered there for a while. "The Cozy Corner, if I'm not mistaken."

I gave a small nod, averting my eyes from his unnerving gaze.

"You wouldn't mind us staying for a bit, eh?" A dangerous smile tugged at his lips, a steely glint in his eyes. I shuddered, but quickly regained my composure. They're just customers, I told myself. And besides, if they were bandits, they would've killed me already.

"You can sit at the rightmost table. The menus will be out momentarily." I gestured towards the table and the ragged group trudged over.

The big, burly man plopped down on the chair ten sizes too small for him and let out a huff. The other two, a young man who seemed only a few years older than me, and a slim woman with a bow slung across her back, sat down across from him.

I walked back to my desk and reached out to grab three menus from a wobbly stack but the man beat me to it.

"That won't be necessary," he said, pushing my hand aside. "We like to do things on our own."

He smirked at my dumbfounded reaction before heading back to the table. The other two snatched the menus out of the air as he sent them flying.

I sat down at my desk and fidgeted with a pencil, spinning it around on my fingertips. I got five or so minutes to kill, I thought when a voice suddenly interrupted me.

"Hey, waiter!" I looked up frantically from my desk. Were they done already? "We're ready to order."

I scrambled up from my chair and nearly tripped on the desk leg on my way to the table. The man guffawed, throwing his head back wildly. "What a klutz! I can hardly believe you're a waiter."

My cheeks grew hot, almost as hot as my hands yesterday, and I said nothing.

"So bread and butter for me, a tomato soup for Hank, and... what did you want, Aurora?"

"I suppose I'll go for the fruit salad." She replied, staring into the menu.

Hank was due for a tomato soup, Aurora wanted a fruit salad, and...