Down The Hatch (Mercedes)

[James Proctor]

The past few days had been relatively quiet for the young man. No 'strange' events taking place..anywhere. It was as if all other worldly beings had took some kind of mass vacation without giving him the heads up. Man he was bored to hell. In fact hell would likely be more favorable in comparison to this dive of a bar he'd allowed himself to enter.

James was sat at the bar. The fingers on his left hand were curled around a glorious glass of JD and coke. His right hand was holding his head up, his elbow leant against the bar as the young man hung his head. Seemingly drowning his sorrows, or how it may have looked from a far.

This was likely to be one of those times where he'd wished he was a little more social. You know, had friends that he could go do stuff with. Watch sports. Play pool..he'd even settle for a strip club right about now but no. No,he was a loner..that's how it had to be. No matter how bored shitless he was.

With a heavy sigh the young man bought the glass to his lips. He took a generous sip. Allowing the liquid to still in his mouth for a few seconds before swallowing. He felt a burning travel down his throat as the wonderful alcoholic beverage traveled down the hatch. The sensation hit the top of his chest before dissipating into nothingness.

Setting the glass back down he slowly sat upright and gave a glance around the bar. It wasn't that busy. He gathered this wasn't one of the most popular of hot spots. Well, at least not for regular joes. Now..a vamp haven..likely.

Thing was about these bars, was that you could likely build a story of someone by there appearance alone. He'd come to be quite good at it, besides it passed the time and on some level was somewhat fun. But the thought always crossed his mind. If someone else was playing this 'game' what would his story be? what type of character would he be to them?

[Mercedes Brookholm]

Mercedes had been in California all of two days. She had not been able to accomplish much in the way of unpacking as she found herself becoming too antsy to stay inside. Mercedes still had a pile of boxes in her small living room, and in her bedroom. She knew herself that her cloths were probably going to stay in the boxes for several days at least. Which was why Mercedes was not surprised with herself as she found herself leaving her apartment for the third time that day to stretch out.

Mercedes pulled her hair back into a pony tail after she had pulled on her jeans and a semi-dressy shirt. Something else that had happened since her arrival were the constant calls from her mother. Mercedes smiled at the memory of the last call when she tried to explain to her mother that she had not moved into a crack house, or an apartment that had anyone from the mafia running things. Things that her father should have been able to comfort her about since he had helped Mercedes move the boxes into her new home. Her circle of friends back in San Angelo had also made several calls in the time to make sure she had not changed her mind since leaving.

Luckily by the time that Mercedes had come out of her thoughts she was already down stairs. Mercedes had developed the habit the past couple of years of becoming lost in her thoughts, and still have an awareness of her surroundings. Mercedes left her apartment complex and climbed into her truck, which preoccupied her next five minutes of pulling out of the parking space. “These spaces where not made for trucks.” Mercedes muttered to herself as she left the covered parking.

As she made her way around town Mercedes grinned to herself as she passed her new running area. Back home, Mercedes had plenty of room to run on the ranch. Out here the closest that she could find was a small park, but Mercedes had figured that she would not have to worry about rattlesnakes or other critters getting in the way. She forced herself to focus on driving so that she would not get turned around and distracted.

Mercedes decided that she needed to pick a place to go. She looked around and saw a fairly empty looking bar. It really did not seem like much but Mercedes figured on starting small and pulled her truck into the parking lot. As she made her way to the front door she glanced back at her lone truck and grinned to herself at how out of place it appeared. Entering the bar Mercedes knew she was right about the lack of people. She took it in knowing that the entirety of the bar could probably fit into just one, maybe two rooms of Grahams back in San Angelo.

She finally decided on settling herself at the bar, knowing that she would not want to spend all night at the bar. Mercedes sat down at the bar and smiled politely to the bartender when he approached her, “Rum and Coke please.” The bartender nodded and went to make her drink. Mercedes took the opportunity to study some of the inhabitance of the bar. As it was limited Mercedes found herself looking at one of the only others placed at the bar. Unfortunately she did not have very much time before the bar tender returned with her drink. Mercedes flashed another friendly smile, “Thanks.”

[James Proctor]

James lifted the glass to his lips once more. Tilting his head back, he pressed the rim of the glass gently against his bottom lip and slowly poured the dark liquid into his mouth. The glass now empty was slowly placed back down onto the wood work surface.

Gently he slid the glass to the barmaid, swallowed whatever liquid was left in his mouth before lightly speaking toward her "Another" he insisted with a gentle tone.

As the barmaid saw to it. James curiously gazed among the inhabitants. Not many faces, that was for sure. This bar was practically dead. Which on some level was a good thing. He wasn't one for crowds, it always created an unnerving beneath his skin. Those loud crowds you saw on mostly Saturday nights. The beer guzzling men in shirts and women in stiletto's, barely able to walk, spitting some profanity filled nonsense about a 'hot' guy she'd just had in one of the germ infested club bathrooms. Oh how the days had changed.

He was quite appalled to say the least. How much people had changed since his day. Though, you'd have never have thought about him coming from any day apart from the present. But, these people most like animals. Selfish, most of them. Inconsiderate and also disloyal. This world was full of hate, distrust and dis loyalty not to mention one hell of a divorce rate. James sometimes found his head aching, as if it would cave in from all the deep thought and questions of 'why?' and 'how' they lived this way.

As he slowly turned to his newly refilled glass. James caught sight on another person settling at the once empty bar (aside form himself of course). A girl. A dark haired girl. No older then 20 maybe? but who was he to question this. These days you could never tell someones age, he was living proof of that.

With a glance toward her he slowly turned back to his drink. Taking a generous sip he felt that same sensation as before. The burning warmness moving down his throat toward the pit of his chest, where it stopped and vanished once more.

James heard the girl talk, order herself a rum and coke. He found himself smiling slightly. Of course, that explained it all she wasn't from around here.

"Texas.." he mumbled turning a smile to her.

[Mercedes Brookholm]

Mercedes took in with joy at the few people that happened to also be in the bar. Her plan to start slowly had worked as this place seemed completely dead. She started mentally counting down the time until it would be appropriate for her to leave. Mercedes noticed a pool table that was not being used and she considered for a moment going over.

It was then that she realized, while there were few inhabitants, it probably wasn’t any different then back home. Mercedes knew that there was a greater likelihood of a man getting to close for comfort if she was playing pool alone. And she did not see things going over well if she ended up punching a guy out because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself.

“Texas..” Mercedes turned with a faint smile to the lone person she saw at the bar beside herself. She glanced down at her cloths for a moment and laughed a little, “That obvious?” She knew that with talking she’d probably confirm any doubts as to where she was from. Mercedes removed herself from her seat and sat a little closer to the stranger, leaving two seats between them. She offered her hand and a friendly smile, “My name is Mercedes.”

[James Proctor]

James continued to generously sip at his drink. He was never into the whole beer drinking, natcho eating type of thing. Yeah, he'd have the occassional beer here and there but nothing too weghty. He liked liquor, vodka and brandy..those types of things. The drinks that put hair on your chest.

“That obvious?” The girl spoke.

James slowly turned his head toward her. Eyes viewing and a smile upon his mouth. The dark haired woman began to emerge from her seat and slowly moved to the stool closer to his. He watched her as she approached, finally setting his gaze upon her as she seated.

She was young. Not to young. Early 20's maybe. Again though, these days you could never tell. She went on to offer her hand to him before sharing her name.

“My name is Mercedes.”

What a perculiar name was the first thing to pop into his head. With a smile he lightly took her hand and introduced himself "James.." with his other hand he set his glass down upon the bar.

Recoiling his hand he folded his arms against the bar. "So Mercedes, what brings a texan girl all the way out here?" he asked curiously.