Prison of paradise, book 4 in Wingless series

Bathroom wall

People talk, that's what everyone did. We talked until we had nothing more to say. And then something new to say came along and there we were talking some more. Communication was meant to be a good thing, but sometimes simply opening your mouth had such a bad effect. Sometimes when we said nothing we said everything. It was hard to know when we were right to speak and when it was just too much.

We pulled up to an old hole in the wall bar, an old rickety sign on the side of its peeling paint. The name simply was Mouth nothing more nothing less.

"What kind of bar is named mouth?" I asked crossing my arms already feeling dirty before we hit the door.

"People come to bars to chat. So seems fitting if you ask me." He said holding the door. I cringed at the poor lighting and cracked leather barstools. Peanuts scattered on the countertops and floors. My feet crunching amongst all the rubble, and the people boy were they strange. One old man had a bird on his shoulder, like a pirate. An older lady in the corner banging and banging on the jukebox that clearly hadn't worked in years.

I clutched my purse taking a seat at the bar, Kenny taking the one next to me. He looked around not seeming that bothered by the appearance of the place.

"How did you know about this place?" I asked picking up a shell.

"My parents always came here; this was like a home away from home when I was a kid." He said pulling out his cigarettes. I eyeballed him knowing he never smoked unless he was nervous.

"And you come back here?"

"It's been years, we needed a place out of the way didn't we?" He said lighting up.

The bartender came over he was an older man in his sixties I would have thought possibly even older it was hard to tell, His skin dark brown, and his hair gray. He barely paid attention to us as he wiped up the counter miserably at that.

"What'll it be?" He asked low and in a grumpy tone. I looked to Kenny unsure I would even drink anything.

"Give me whatever beer you have and give her some girly drink." Kenny said cracking peanuts in his fingers.

The man mumbled something going about his business.

"I like beer that would have been fine." I said nodding. Kenny looked at me and away.

"You don't like beer, who are you trying to kid?" A smile spreading across his face as he looked at me again.

"Beer cranberry vodka." The old guy said blurring the two together as if it was one drink. He plopped mine down doing a quick swipe at the counter again. He suddenly looked up pulling on his glasses that were in his shirt pocket.

"I'll be a son of a whore!" He yelled. I jumped, shocked a man of his age used words like that. Kenny seemed to light up ear to ear at his response.

"Your mother was a whore Truly, you told me all the time." Kenny said standing up to hug the old man behind the bar. I stayed quiet unsure what to make out of it. Kenny was never loving, or happy to see anyone it was odd.

"Never thought I would see you again, figured you went and got yourself killed." He said staring Kenny down, checking him out just beyond thrilled to see him.

"I'm alive haven't been so lucky yet." He said laughing with the old man.

He looked at me furrowing his brow.