The Bar

0.4

"Nala, please pay attention." The teacher demanded from the youth.

Quite a common reoccurrence with the adolescence. Nala was never the star pupil nor was she enacting the actions to seek attention, her mind just carelessly made her do the simple things she did that would wind her in trouble. Her eyes fixated on the ceiling, ignoring the pleas from the educator as an eery feeling imminent under her gaze. Presumably the presence emitted a dark and sinister aura, like it was stalking it's prey in the shadows. But the girl felt neither afraid nor worried about whatever lurked in the dark crevices.

"Nala." The principal now called, a hint of disappointment in the man's tone.

"It's a bat." She muttered, squinting her eyes while the students looked at one and another, confused and or annoyed.

"Here goes the elf again." Someone mumbled causing the class to guffaw, the principal only shakes his head while the teacher looks concerned for the child.

Nala didn't engage with unmindful bunch. Her body erupts, feeling the presence of whatever lurked shifts, just for a mere split of a second as the bat wasn't a bat anymore. She shoots up, scaring her peers while the adults could barely register the action but the girl knew was in danger. Fleeing out of the classroom, she can feel the creature's demeanor pursing her trail quickly causing anxiety to wash over youth, fear settling quickly into her bones. Classes were gathering in the halls, confused on what was happening while the principal tries to catch the girl, but failing to gain any bit of distance. 'What is going on?' He and many others think.

Nala jumps down a flight of stairs without a moment of hesitation, thinking it would give her leverage and distance enough to catch her breath. Goosebumps danced across her skin when she turns around to see the unveil of the mysterious creature now appeared on the top of the stairs. The principal also stood, but more unfazed about the presence of the monster causing questions to swarm into the young girl's brain. This demon of a creature had an appearance as if it had came from a nightmare or worse, hell. 'Why can't anyone else see it?' Nala asks herself, now fearful as the monster slowly descended down the stairwell. It's dark and demonic like stature made it impossible to move, but her mind had raced to only one person...well two, her mom and someone else; her hero.

"Dinah!" Nala screams in fear.

To what felt like slow motion, the monster had picked up its pace—hurling towards the youth—nearly reaching the girl but the entrance doors crashes open. A figure stood, both hands in their mustard yellow pants pockets, head tilted and furrowed eyebrows in front of the student. Smoke rose from the ash of the cigarette and the wind dragged the fireman's jacket off their body and onto the small student.

"This is bad..." Dinah mumbled to herself. 'Why is Hades sending his underlings to a school?' She thought to herself, taking the cigarette out from between her lips and blew the smoke towards the monster.

It moved through the air in a rush as it quickly enters the monster's body causing the monster to become stagger—their movements locking—and Dinah turned to Nala who stood watching the whole thing with an open jaw. 'So this is why she called. She can see the creature—Which means...' Dinah lets out a sigh, gazing at the humans peering and gospel spreads through the crowd about the altercation. They all stood, confused and concerned for what had happened so Dinah began to search for an excuse.

"Uh...I, well." She stammered, well damn.

She had nothing. Nala was too occupied on observing the mysterious creature which made matters worse because to everyone else, the girl was gazing at air. Heels clicking against the marble flooring brought her out of her thoughts and captured the attention of most.

"Dinah? What are you doing here?" The familiar tone spoke, Nala perking at the sound of her mother's voice, any ounce of fear had quickly vanished.

"Oh Normani...Well." Dinah thought of the right words while Nala crashes into Normani's legs.

"I called her, and she came! She sa—" She is immediately cut off by Dinah while Normani furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"I was passing by and heard someone scream so I thought a kid was in trouble." Dinah covered, she couldn't reveal the actual truth, it would seem a little weird if not explained thoroughly.

"The office called and told me that you were causing trouble again." Normani eyebrows lifted in concern as she crouches to her daughter's height.

"But—" Nala frowns.

"No buts." Normani sighs, she cannot afford for Nala to move schools again, she just gotten herself a stable job.

While the two communicated about the incident, Dinah was in deep thought. The whole scenario didn't make an ounce of sense. 'For what reason did Hades send his goons for? To a school nonetheless,' she can feel that there was nothing special here either, she will have to call Tori.

"I'm going to have to ask you a few questions." Dinah side eyed the monster that only she and the small girl can see, but Normani thought the statement was intended for her.

"Huh? What for?" Normani wondered.

The monster just chuckles devilishly then begins to mutter something and Dinah squints her eyes in horror. 'That's bad..' she thought, it was going to place a curse and the fire eater couldn't allow that to happen.

"Just curiosity." Dinah sighs knowing she won't be getting answers out the creative, the cancer stick rolls to the palm of her hands and crushed the bud causing the monster to then explode resulting in Nala's jaw dropping.

"Woah! What did you do?!?" She asked, amazed.

"So you can see it huh?" Dinah muttered to herself but Normani still heard.

"See what? I'm confused." Normani stood, taking Nala's hand into her own.

"It's nothing. Come on, I'll buy lunch." Dinah began to walk and Normani ushered for Nala to follow Dinah before making her way to the school's office to sign Nala out for the day.

There are things that need explanations and this was one of them. Her daughter had never ran out of a classroom before, and for the fighter eater to appear? The mother obligated to figure out what was going on. When they do arrive to the cafe, Dinah didn't order anything except for a beverage while Normani and Nala ordered themselves a sandwich.

"So...what is it you wanted to ask?" Normani tilted her head.

"Just give it a few seconds." Dinah sets down her drink.

"For?" Normani wondered and moments later, the doors flies open.

A woman walks in, with long shiny brunette curls, all grey pants suit matching with some grey shades. Her hazel eyes scans the cafe and when they set onto Dinah, she then took off her shades with a glowing smile.

"Dinah, long time no see." She spoke and Dinah lets out a breathy sigh.

"Yeah Tori, you as well." Dinah reciprocates a small smile as a greeting afterwards becoming solemn. "We have a major problem." She declares and Tori frowns immediately.