Magicians (Re Draft)

I- Rose

I-Rose

I needed an attitude adjustment. No, I'm not snotty or rude. Some people would call me a workaholic, okay everyone calls me a workaholic.

So what if I held five jobs while trying to raise two younger brothers and maintain a crazy high school life. Someone had to be the bigger man and take charge, and it certainly wasn't going to be my uncle.

My perspective on not just working, but the world and life itself all changed one night at a bus stop where I met a magician.

No, not like the phony ones that pull rabbits out of a hat. He was special. More special than I realized at that time. Let me start from where it all began.

"Your change, sir," I said with an exhausted sigh. I handed the man his change for his meal and watched him exit the diner.

Slow jazz music was the white noise of my night here. It was always the same routine. Wake up, job, school, job, back to school, job, home, job, back home, job, sleep, repeat.

Yes, this is the part where your all like, "well why do you have so many flipping jobs!"

Well, my parents are dead.

Oh, you saw that one coming. Admit it. It's true though.

Now I dramatically weep on the couch crying, "woe is me". Haha, no.

I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself. Sure, it's sad they died, but  part of me is kinda angry at them for leaving me. Leaving me, a ten year old girl to raise my younger brothers. I've sucked it up though and moved on.

Now where was I? Ah yes. The job.

Giving a tired glance at the clock, I managed to give a smile knowing my shift was over. It was nearly midnight and the smell of coffee was burning my brain cells.

"My shifts done, Bernie," I called to the cook in the back while washing the everyday stickiness off my hands.

"Alright, doll face. Your paychecks under the register," the gruff voice replied from behind the counter.

I quickly snatched up my paycheck, grabbed my used sweater from the front hat rack and left.

The cool, crisp night air nipped at my ears. I hugged my jacket and pulled it over my restaurant apron.

The boss lets me keep it since I work at the diner so much.

My weekly paycheck sat safely in my back pocket of my jeans as I headed towards the bus stop. This was my third paycheck I got today. I felt good.

The night life in this dreary town would scare most people. But I'm not like most people. I could go shopping in the most dangerous night and be fine. I've wrestled with plenty of nose picking thugs to know that I'm tough as nails.

Autumn leaves gently swayed off tall trees branches landing on the cool cement in front of me. That means winter is coming. And went winter is coming, it's harder to get from job to job. It's colder. Our heater is broken at home. This year I wanted to get my brothers something for Christmas. Working five jobs sometimes gets you a little pocket money. And all my pocket money goes to my brothers.

I pondered the idea of what to get them for Christmas as I approached the bus stop sign only to notice a stranger standing there waiting for the bus.

I put on my tough girl smolder and proceed forward. The closer I got the more I could make out of his features.

A young boy around my age stood there in a casual, everyday outfit. He didn't seem like a casual, everyday boy though. Getting closer to him, the hairs on my arm stood up on there ends. The atmosphere around him seemed murky and mysterious, like a swamp. I couldn't make out what was underneath the water. It could be a harmless fish, or a vial crocodile. That's what it felt like approaching this stranger.