Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Babylon ❯ Volume Three, Chapter Ten: The Rains ( Chapter 10 )

The Rains

I was a ruined man ten years ago. I remember when I first came to the city.

This had to be in the early 2010s. I didn't have anything to my name. No money, no home, no relationships, no future, or direction. It rained that day I came to the city.

I had nowhere to go. I was wandering around, barely surviving. I had a string of bad luck.

The night I came to Babylon, I was starving. I don't remember why I came here. Maybe it was the lights. Were they real or was I imagining things? I don't know. I just wanted a place to sleep. The rain poured heavily that night. My feet dragged with each step. I shivered. Being cold and hungry can be quite the motive. The red glow drew me in closer. I couldn't see anything else. Just that glowing gate. I think I reached out for it. I collapsed to the ground and passed out.

Moments later, I heard faint jazz music. I slowly opened my eyes. A dull glow of a lamp filled my vision. I squinted as I tried to adjust my vision.

“Where am I?” I asked, groaning.

“My bar.”

I turned my head. A man dressed like a bartender walked up to me.

“You okay there, buddy?” he asked.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Who me? I'm just the bartender of this place,” he said. I stared blankly at him.

“What were you doing out there? In that weather?” the bartender asked.

“Nowhere to go,” I said. I got a better look at him now. The man looked about him now. The man looked about thirty or forty. His grey hair stood out in the dim lights. The man looked like he could lose a couple pounds. He raised his eyebrow.

“Where are you from?” he asked. I shook my head. My stomach grumbled.

“And I suppose you're hungry too, huh?” he asked. I gave off a nervous laugh.

“Hang on,” the bartender said. He turned and walked to the back. He turned and walked to the back. Let me tell you something. A sandwich might mean nothing to you, but when he came back with that turkey sandwich on a plate, he might as well have given me a feast fit for a king. I ate it up without a second thought. I stayed the night at that bar to wait out the rain.

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The bartender was named Elmo. He helped me get settled in the city. I never understood why. He didn't ask for anything in return. Every year, I would stop by that bar just to see my old friend. We would just talk and Elmo would serve me a turkey sandwich. I didn't complain. I just let him be. It became a little tradition between us.

Speaking of which, I have to head out now. My friend is waiting for me.

Tenth Shot