Dark Heroes: chapter one

Kody

Thanks to anyone who's been bearing with me through the last few chapters I sort of went off topic - From here onward is when it starts getting more to the point.

Okay, please don't judge me for this next part, because it doesn't show me in a great light. One Monday afternoon I woke up after missing my alarm. I was very hungover. Like really hungover. My head felt like it was being beaten in, and every movement made me nauseous. Unsurprisingly, as a broke young adult living in a motel I didn't have any pain killers etc. and one surefire way to abolish a hangover is to get drunk all over again. 4 gulps of vodka, a swig of beer and a shower later, I was hurrying off to work, my hair flying out of it's messy bun - and not in a cute way like in romcoms, rushing along with a coffee in one hand and a handbag in the other - no, I was practically sprinting, wearing clothes I had obviously been wearing the night before, with the smell of alcohol following me around like a fucking cloud. I'd hoped my shower and some overpowering cheap perfume would cover it up but evidently my plan had failed, as several people, most of them middle aged mums glared at me as I ran past, weaving in and out of people on the street, unable to keep my body upright as I stumbled and bashed into things.

When I entered the diner Patrick came storming up to me, my apron in hand. The piercing glare he gave me probably would have made me feel bad about myself if I hadn't been to pissed. "You can't do this. Do you know how late you are?" I Did. I was three hours late. "You're three hours late"

"I'm sorry" I said meekly after a too long pause.

"If you turn up late again. If you turn up drunk again. That's it. You're out" I mean to be fair anyone else would have fired me on the spot so he let me off remarkably easy. "Yes. of course. I'm so sorry Patr-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses. They don't mean anything to me".

Patrick was a stern 50-something year old with an orange beard streaked with grey and almost no hair atop his head. His beady brown eyes squinted at me through his copper eyelashes and moved his hand back. Expecting him to hit me I flinched instinctively but instead he patted me on the shoulder and said "eat something" before stalking off into the back room. 

I set off to work, cleaning and doing the odd bit of waitressing until around 10, when everyone crowded in. I was serving at the bar that evening and I kept stealing drinks when Patrick and Eileen turned their backs, to keep the hangover at bay, which I knew, with every sip was just going to be worse later. "Hey!" Some guy yelled at me when I took too long on one customer. "One minute" I called back. It was mostly white middle aged men with beer bellies in a place like Patrick's, at this time of night, and I was used to dealing with arseholes being sexist or overly friendly, but Patrick, being the guy he was, had no time for that shit. Anyone caught being inappropriate was given a warning, and if they were being particularly crude, he would kick them out altogether.

"Ok Kode, 10 minute  break. I'll take over" Eileen said, pushing me into the back "Thank you" I murmured, my lips not quite forming the words I wanted to say. "Oi!" It was the same man as before, shaking his fist in my direction. Too exhausted to explain to him that I was going for a break I just turned away and headed for the doors to the kitchen. He shoved his way through the bodies by the bar and grabbed my arm. "Please get off me" I said in what should have been a commanding voice, but my words were slipping around in my mouth. "Go get me a fucking drink" He practically yelled in my ear. I yanked my arm out of his grasp and stood up craning my neck to look him in the eyes. "I'm taking. A break. I will be with you soon. In the meantime Eileen is taking orders" I spat every word, taking my time so I sounded clear and didn't slur again. "I want you, not that ugly old whore" I mean really if we're pointing fingers, It should be noted that this guy was fucking asking for it. I looked over at Eileen and thought of all those times she'd looked the other way when she saw me stealing scraps from the kitchen, and all the men I'd seen her kick in the nuts for saying sexist shit to people. "You shouldn't have said that" My words were clear now, without trying and the anger I felt temporarily cleared my foggy mind. He leaned closer so his face was right next to mine "Whore" He said again, moving his hand to my waist. Suddenly I slammed my head forward, slamming my forehead into his nose and blood instantly exploded all over his face, splattering the floor and my shirt. I elbowed him in the stomach while his head was back and he immediately crumpled to the floor, one hand on his face the other on his stomach. "KODY!" I heard Eileen scream as she scrambled to my side, grabbing my arms. Patrick burst into the room and stepped in between me and the three guys who had moved up to defend the man at my feet.