The Write Cafe: A Discord Community Novella

Vignette I: A New Customer

Valen

     September 3rd, 2019. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was looking online for a place where I could share my writing and get feedback on the stuff I've done. I was looking to improve as a writer, and that's what led me to a cafe close by. It was listed as a sort of cafe book club hybrid. It was an odd premise, but something drew me to it.

     Later on that fateful day, I put on a coat and bring my laptop in a backpack, preparing to head out. With a deep breath, I exit into the noon rain, strong but peaceful. Lacking an umbrella, I pull up my hood and begin steady walking down the sidewalk, avoiding people and trying to focus.

Halfway down the route I pull out my maps app. It was still a couple miles away but a bus route heads in that direction around this hour. I was lucky, perhaps another turn of fate. I take a seat on a dark green bench next to the bus stop sign.

Minutes later and I'm drowned out by the music in my ear buds. I turn my head to the cloudy sky and shut my eyes, still tired. My hood falls gently in the wind. And then suddenly, I hear a voice. "You look exhausted." I lift my head and look over to find someone else on the bench. Someone who wasn't there seconds ago.

He had black hair, and was wearing a full on suit. He was carrying a transparent umbrella. Guess he's heading to his office job or something. Although something was odd, even a little mystical about him. "Uh, yeah. I stayed up kind of late yesterday." He nods in silence. How was I really supposed to respond to that?

I go to open my mouth again, but I am cut off when he finally speaks. "Sorry to intrude like that. Where are you heading?" I scratch the back of my head, hair soaked already. "Oh, uh. Just a cafe about a stop away. Looking into new places, you know?"

"I do." His answer was strange. Something about it seemed a bit too understanding. Something intangible was looming around this guy. Some kind of strange force. I take my ear buds out, hanging them loosely over my hoodie. "So what's your name, mister?" I ask, slouching over the bench, elbows on my knees.

"This may sound silly, but you can call me Dragon." Dragon? What kind of name is that? I can't help but raise an eyebrow, but he just gives me a calm smile in return. "Perhaps I can explain later on." He gestures to the bus in front of us and my eyes widen! I heard nothing but the rain. How long has this bus been here?

I get up and stretch my legs a little, heading up the bus steps. I hand the driver a quarter, and head down to take a seat near the back. Dragon follows behind me. "Mind if I sit with you?" I scooch over quickly. "Sure thing." He takes the seat closing his umbrella and letting out what seemed to be a held breath.

"So where do you work?" I ask, and he looks down at his hands. "I'm an owner, of sorts. You?" Wow. He must be some kind of big businessman to be able to get away with the name Dragon. "I'm currently unemployed. But I'm... also a small time author."

He looks over in surprise. But his stare just makes me focus mine on the window. "An author! That's simply wonderful. What genre do you write?" I look back over to him. "I write in all kinds of genres. But my core is fantasy." Now he's the one raising an eyebrow. "Core?"

"Oh, uh. You know, like my main writing style? I guess?" He laughs, looking into the isle. "I've never heard of that one. Interesting way to put it." I nod awkwardly, looking out into the street. Cars drive by in the calm of this unending rain. Stores pass by without greetings. It was calm, but this position was still a bit unsettling. I'm sitting next to a guy named Dragon for crying out loud!

The bus suddenly stops. What? Already? "I think this is our stop." He gets up, and gestures for me to go in front of him. No. There is no way we are already here! And yet I check the stop number outside as I get up, and it is indeed correct.

I walk down the isle, passengers idling on their phones or sleeping, and I wave to the driver as we both step out. I'm met with another green bench. "Come on. I believe the cafe you're talking about is this way." I turn around and he's already walking down the sidewalk. I jog to catch up.

"How do you know?" He opens his umbrella again, covering both of our heads. It's nice of him but I feel like he's looming over me now. I grab the straps of my backpack, and he begins to smirk. "Because I'm the owner." I freeze for a moment in shock. So this was his big reveal. He's the owner of The Write Cafe.

So that's why he had so much interest... "Sorry for keeping up the suspense. Let's just say that I have a flare for the mysterious. Come on. I'll walk you there." I look away but do as he says, staying under his umbrella. This guy was real weird. Can I really trust him?

My thoughts are drowned out by the wind as it overcomes my ears. We are left in a distant silence for the rest of the walk. Around the corner, the cafe from the photo appears. An open book symbol is plastered on the small building, and glass windows surround the entire front of the ground floor.

The sign on the door already said open, and yet it's owner is right beside me. How? Could Dragon be lying? Suddenly, we stop as we reach the front door. "I never asked. What is your name?" He looks over to me. "Valen. My name is Valen."

"That's a nice name. Welcome to The Write Cafe. I hope to see you here again. But this is where our paths separate. I have some work to do in the back." I nod, and he heads inside with a gentle final wave. In the rain, I take one last breath and head inside.

A new tone reverberates around me, a quiet place with people reading at the serving tables. Or eating, or drinking. I awkwardly take a seat, not really knowing what to do. Dragon already disappeared, and there seems to be servers. I guess I just wait.

I pull my backpack to the side, and unzip it. I gently take out my laptop and log in, opening my docs. My books appear, some complete, others not. Then, my screen tilts down and a hand appears into view. There was a guy with dark skin and glasses sitting across from me. I'm having a lot of trouble noticing people approach me lately, jeez.

"Hello. Sorry to intrude, but I noticed you were new. Figured I'd introduce myself. My names Forest, nice to meet you." He reaches a hand out, and I awkwardly shake it. "Uh, hi. Nice to meet you. I'm Valen."