Captive Witch

Chapter Seven

I wake up feeling well rested this time, changing into a new set of clothes, I wonder what time it is, having nothing to reference to when setting up my new clock, I just left it at the default time which was noon, it looks like I have been asleep for four hours, so Jim was probably opening up the bar soon, meaning I should go see if he needs any help. I wander out of my room and into the bar, surprised to see everything all set up, as if waiting for the customers to arrive any minute, I frown when I see Jim setting out the last of some glass cups from his bin. "Why didn't you wake me, I would have helped?" He looks over to me and nods in approval at my new clothes.

"I didn't really need the help, we don't open for another thirty minutes, besides it looks as if you did lots while I was sleeping, I figured you needed the rest, oh and that's for you." He nods over at a large leatherbound book. I raise an eyebrow at him and walk over to it, wondering what it was.

I flip it open and gasp in surprise upon seeing the first page, Mythical Creatures in Our World. "What's this for?" I ask as I flip through the pages lightly, my eyes roving over the drawn pictures and inked words.

"Well, you said you didn't really know anything about our world so I figured this book would help, it tells you about all of the creatures that live here, the real ones anyways, none of that make believe stuff, what you read in there is true." I was extremely happy, this was such a thoughtful gift, I rush over and hug him, catching him by surprise from the way he tenses.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is the best gift I've received!" He slowly hugs me back as if unsure of how to do it properly.

"No problem, kid. Now, if you want you can go read that and just finish settling in or you can help me finish up before we open." I pull away from him and nod firmly, I was going to help him tonight to repay back some of his kindness.

"No, no, no, I'm staying to help you, just let me put the book away. I'll be right back." I race back to my room, scoffing at Nox's still sleeping form, and placed the book gently on the nightstand before jogging back towards the bar. Where I finished helping Jim set up the bar, "I have to warn you, I have no idea how to bar tend, but I can learn quickly I'm sure." He shakes his head at me, as if refusing what I have to say. "I am a fast learner, I promise."

"I'm not doubting that Valerie, but you don't have to worry about learning quickly or not, just cleaning up the tables and picking up empty glasses will be lots of help." I shrugged and kept setting up, knowing that for now that would be all I was doing.

An hour later, I was regretting not having Jim teach me anything about bartending because this place was packed, when I had walked in it truly was just the very last people in the bar, there had to be at least fifty people here, the stools in front of the bar were full, the booths stuffed to the max, and lots of people were still dancing. I was even using my magic to help out, waving my hand and sending empty glasses over to the sink where my magic was diligently washing and drying them before putting them on the counter to be used again. If anything, my display of magic was egging them on, as if none of them had ever seen a witch before.

I could only do basic drinks, like a beer, or straight alcohol shots, but that was really only what these folks wanted. It was like it didn't affect them at all, they were all like bottomless pits. "Is it just me or do these guys not seem to be affected by the alcohol at all?" I ask Jim as I was passing him to grab a bottle of tequila.

"Nah, its not you, I mostly get werewolves and the occasional vampire in here, and the full moon was last night, so these guys are partying the adrenaline of the night before off, and werewolves have a high body heat, so they just burn the alcohol off quickly, meaning to get drunk they have to drink as much as they can as quickly as they can, these nights are really good for business." He says with a wink before moving around the bar at a speed so fast he's a blur as he delivers out shots as quickly as he can, making all the werewolves throw back their shots and howl off the burn of the alcohol. With his speed and skill behind the bar, I now know that he was lying about getting slow in his old age, but I know he lied to help me feel like I was contributing and I was, maybe not as much as I originally thought, but I was still helping.

"Do you not get witches or any other creatures in here?" He shrugs as he pops an empty bottle of vodka in the bin and grabs a new one.

"Not really, the witches around here are more into the richer side of the city, I don't have enough plants in here for the fairies, and while I am close to the water, most mermaids aren't  able to stay out of the water long enough to brave coming here for those rare trips on legs." He looks at me standing there staring at him in shock, not really knowing how to handle him saying that all those other creatures were true also, I really needed to take a look at that book. "Hurry up and serve, these wolves are getting rowdy!" I roll my eyes and snap my fingers, making the bottles of alcohol float through the air and fill the raised empty glasses of the werewolves waiting for refills. Magic made things in life simple, as long as you knew how to do it, then you could make magic do it for you.

Like if someone asked for a shot of tequila my magic could pour them one if I chose it because I knew how to pour one, but if they asked for a long island iced tea, a drink I've heard of before but never tried, well then my magic wouldn't be able to help because I didn't know how to make one. Which was why to witches, or at least to me, knowing as much as I can about anything, having multiple hobbies, knowing how to make pottery, or wash dishes, made it so that I could have magic do it for me.

Though there was something fun about serving people in a bar, and not just sitting there and letting my magic do all the work. The song playing on the speakers changes and I recognize it within moments, Dance Without You by Skylar Grey, one of my favourite songs and one I cant help but sing along to.

"So serious, all the time, I feel restrained, I feel confined, I cannot take your whispering, your whispering." My voice is quiet at first, barely audible over the loud group of people, but as soon as the chorus comes on I cant help but raise my voice. "I WANNA DANCE WITHOUT YOU!" I twirl away from the bar, silver sparkles bursting off me with each twist, drawing the eyes of the crowd. "SO INSECURE, SO UPTIGHT, I BREAK MY NECK, TO BE POLITE." My neck jerks to the side with my words, but it bounces back just as quickly with the next words, I wasn't even serving alcohol anymore, just having fun for the first time in what felt like a while.

"HOW CAN I MAKE HISTORY, WITH YOUR CHOREOGRAPHY. TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF ME, TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF ME, BEFORE I SUFFOCATE!" I swipe my hands out as if pushing someone away and silver light flicks of my hands and over the werewolves. "I WANNA DANCE WITHOUT YOU!" The crowd screams the words right with me, and I grin wide, before getting lost back into the few lines left in the song. "FOR ONCE JUST LET ME LOSE MYSELF, I WANNA DANCE WITHOUT YOU! FOR ONCE JUST LET ME LOSE MYSELF, FOOOR LET ME LOSE Myself." I trail off with the final word of the song and the bar goes wild, werewolves at the front, these large beefy men, covered in silver glitter, screaming at me for more, I blush and hide behind my hair, watching as two of them even get into a fight over who got more glitter on them.

"That's one way to get their attention, kid." Jim says with a grin as he swipes the bottle I was using as a microphone away from my hand. I laugh and get back to work, just enjoying life for once without worrying that someone might find me.