Bishop, in jeans and a faded blue 'CAROL'S BAR' T-SHIRT, adjusts a glass under the tap, watching the beer head grow.
JONES: Ay, um ... ba'tender, can we get s'more beers ova' here?
Dainty red-nailed fingers softly stroke the forearm of JONES (40), who's clutching a beer. Kym clings to him with a smile.
Bishop places the beer they poured in front of a MAN (25).
JONES (O.S.): Ba'tender! Ay, ba'tender!
Bishop turns, annoyed.
BISHOP: What, Jones.
JONES: Adam's much fasta' at getting mah beers.
BISHOP: I'm all you've got, unfortunately.
JONES: Well then, More Bud! And anotha Martini for the beauty here...
Kym leans toward Jones and whispers something in his ear. He grins, nodding eagerly. Kym stands up and pulls her short dress down before sauntering toward the unisex bathroom.
Jones watches her ass as she walks away.
JONES: Forget aboutta beer, we're gonna get outta here soon anyhow, hehe.
Bishop rolls their eyes and walks away. Jones puts a fifty dollar bill on the counter and stands. He approaches the unisex bathroom and raps his knuckles against the bathroom door. His other hand begins to unbuckle his belt. The door opens and Kym's red nails pull him in. The door shuts and locks.
Bishop walks back to where Jones was seated and picks up the cash. They stare at the entrance to the bar momentarily before turning to another PATRON (23) who wears a lazy grin.
PATRON: I'd like a gin fizz, my good sir!
Bishop deftly begins to prepare a gin fizz and the patron begins to speak. Bishop reaches up and turns their transmitters off, the patron deflates. Bar sounds vanish into ambient noise. Bishop sets a cocktail shaker down firmly.
Bishop pours Gin. Then a simple syrup. Heavy cream.
YELLOW SUBTITLES: [heavy breathing, a girlish giggle]
Bishop slices a lemon sharply in half.
YELLOW SUBTITLES: [snapping bone]
Bishop squeezes the lemon half over the shaker.
YELLOW SUBTITLES: [a popping-squelch]
Patrons are beginning to look around curiously. Bishop, oblivious, cracks an egg and sifts the white into the shaker.
YELLOW SUBTITLES: [a muffled crack]
Bishop closes the shaker and begins to shake it. People are still throwing cautious looks at the bathroom. Bishop sets the shaker back down, adds ice, and lifts it and begins to shake it vigorously.
YELLOW SUBTITLES: [Crunching. Ripping. Chewing]
The bar is empty. Muffled thumping. Bishop turns the sound system off and the lights on. Silence. They grab a mop, and head towards the bathroom. Bishop looks down at a thick puddle leaking from under the door. They squat and touch the mystery puddle. Brings their red fingers to their face. Their breath hitches. They stumble away from the door, chest heaving, digging into their jeans and pulling out a SMARTPHONE. They dial 911 and turn around, holding the phone to their ear. Unclear speech.
YELLOW SUBTITLES: Nine-one-one, what's your emergency?
The sound of your own voice underwater.
BISHOP (UNCLEAR): Bl-there's blood! In my-the bar-in Carols' Bar's bathroom, there is blood. I need-cops. Send cops.
YOU ARE READING
The Devils Are Here
Short StoryBishop works behind the scenes at their family's bar with their brother Adam. They prefer accounting to drink mixing, but are willing to put themselves out there so Adam can enjoy a vacation. While he's away, the bar gets a new regular with some...u...
