Servant of Jotunheim

Diner

As the light dims, I find myself on this unfamiliar world. It is clearly nightfall here and there is nothing much that surrounds me except a few small buildings in the near distance.

There is one that is lit up with bright lights and appears to have mortal beings inside of it so I make the decision to go there.

They all stare at me with confusion when I enter.

I must seem odd to them as we are dressed nothing alike. An older, golden haired woman with a label of some sort on her chest stating the name 'Darleen', smiles at me.

Darleen: "What can I get you, hunny?"

Me: "What is this place?" I ask, studying my new surroundings.

Darleen: "Hank's Diner".

Me: "Is this...Earth?"

Darleen: "It was the last time I checked. So what can I get you this evening?"

Me: "Are you a servant of some kind?"

Darleen: "Of course not, sweetie. I'm a waitress?"

Me: "What exactly is it that you do here?"

Darleen: "I take your food order, Hank cooks it in the kitchen back there and then I bring you whatever you wanted to eat".

Me: "And I pay with currency of some sort?"

Darleen: "Usually" she laughs.

I pull out the bag with the gold coins inside that Sara had given me before I departed and push it towards her, not entirely certain how much to give her in exchange for food.

Me: "Can I perhaps pay you with this?"

She opens the bag and appears equally confused and astounded while glancing back up at me and then back to the bags contents.

Darleen: "Honey, are you in some kind of trouble with the law that I should know about?"

Me: "The law? No, I am simply not from this place and I am seeking shelter for the night".

Darleen: "Let me guess, fella done you wrong?"

Me: "If you are inquiring as to the fact that a man has broken my heart then yes, I am afraid so" I answer honestly.

Darleen: "Listen, there's a pawnbrokers down the street that opens first thing in the morning that might give you cash for these, but please don't go flashing those around. A lot of folks around here wouldn't hesitate to steal those".

Me: "Thank you for your kindness" I show my appreciation and get up to leave.

Darleen: "Wait, I live in the apartment upstairs so you can stay with me for tonight if you'd like?"

Me: "I would be truly grateful" I smile and take a seat once more.

Darleen: "I can't see a young lady like you out on the streets alone. I'll go get you something to eat, honey".

I had no prior expectations that complete strangers on Earth would be so kind. This woman did not know me at all, and yet she had selflessly offered me food and shelter.

She soon brings me back a bowl of soup with some bread and I find that it is quite delicious.

Darleen: "So what's your name?"

Me: "Anya" I reply, not wanting to reveal too much about myself.

Darleen: "And what's a beautiful young thing like yourself doing all the way out here in Texas?"

Me: "The man I love rejected me rather cruelly".

Darleen: "So you ran away?"

Me: "Indeed".

Darleen: "Well if someone that looks like you can't keep a man then there's no hope for the rest of us" she jests.

Me: "I was not always like this. Until recently I looked rather different".

Darleen: "I'm sure that man of yours will come crawling back soon enough once he realises what he's lost".

Two tall, muscular men enter the diner and gaze in my direction while they take seats nearby, their obvious leering makes me feel rather uncomfortable.

Darleen: "What can I get you, Bob?"

Bob: "Two coffees for me and Travis" the older man requests.

Darleen: "Coming right up".

The silence is awkward as I sit there sipping on a cold glass of water, trying not to look towards them.

Travis: "Hey, pretty lady" the younger man directs at me.

Me: "Hello" I reply nervously.

Travis: "You ain't from round here, are you?"

Me: "No, I am simply passing through".

Bob: "You need a place to stay?" the older one asks me.

Me: "No, thank you".

Travis: "We've got a nice big bed you can use, but you'll have to share it with the both of us" he smiles, revealing his yellowed teeth.

Me: "I believe your intentions to be quite perverse so I will be politely be declining your offer once more".

Darleen returns and can clearly sense the tension between myself and the two men seated nearby.

Darleen: "Here's your coffee, gentlemen".

Travis: "Didn't know this place served frigid bitches on Saturdays" he says in an attempt to insult me.

Darleen: "Come on fellas, leave the young lady alone" she sighs.

Me: "It is quite alright, Darleen. I was personally unaware that men felt the need to insult women in order to compensate for their underwhelming manhood" I say loudly.

Travis: "You fucking bitch!" the younger man yells and gets up from his seat to approach me.

Darleen: "Hank, get out here!"

The man she calls Hank comes out from the kitchen. He appears to be relatively young and could clearly not win in a fight against these much larger men.

Bob: "This bitch owes us an apology" the older one joins in.

Hank: "Come on guys, just drink your coffee and leave. We don't want any trouble here".

Travis: "There won't be any trouble once this whore says she's sorry".

Me: "Of course, gentleman, how terribly rude of me. I offer my most sincerest apology for pointing out the fact that you are both lacking in girth and length in the genital area".

The younger man strikes me across the face and I am immediately surprised that I barely flinch at the force of his strength, it would appear that he is also.

Me: "Was that the best you can do?" I smirk.

I grasp his throat and effortlessly lift him into the air as Hank and Darleen back away into the kitchen, while the other mortals inside begin to flee.

Bob: "Let him go, you crazy bitch!"

Me: "You want him? Feel free to take him".

I throw him in the direction of his companion, causing them both to fall to the ground. They quickly scramble to their feet and run out of the door.

Hank and Darleen appear from the kitchen soon after that.

Darleen: "You really ain't from round these parts, are you?"

Me: "Not exactly".