Concrete Summonings

WEDNESDAY

"All right ma'am, here's your check as you asked. Will there be anything else today?" Said the satyr waiter, putting a little wooden tray in front of her with a slip of white paper turned upside down. She had half a mouthful of butternut squash and moonfruit pancakes in her mouth, so she reached up and took a sip of her coffee to help get words out.

"Mmm!" She said putting down her newspaper, "Thank you- and you know what, I'm sorry- can I just bug you for some more syrup? And that's it, you're free to go."

"Absolutely, I'll have that out to you in a moment." He said.

"Thank you!" she said. She looked at the bill. The food here was pricey, but it was worth it. And she was starving. That's what happens when you're on the go and you don't eat, it sneaks up on you. It was still dark outside this morning, but the sun was starting to trickle out here and there. More people were starting to shuffle in here and there and more and more cars were clogging up the streets. She looked at the time, the questing board wouldn't be open for another three hours.

She poked around here and there in the newspaper she dished out six dollars for from the newsstand outside her hotel. She wondered what there was to do in the city, maybe even at this hour of the morning. She had decided late last night after calling her brother that if nothing terribly interesting was going on at the questing board she would take the day off. Go see some stuff. Get her obligatory selfie in front of some landmarks and find some ways to kill time that didn't involve intrigue or risk of sepsis. After finishing her gororoot bacon, and lots of deliberation, she decided she would take the subway to Phoenix Island to see the great and famous Phoenix memorial and later go see a movie. That is, if there was a check for her waiting at the questing board. She received a text last night telling her that there was one. She was so excited to actually get it today she barely slept last night. Hence the reason why she was at some hip diner in early morning hours.

She took her time at the restaurant and then left once it got filled up with people. She made her way down the block and took a detour to go into Nathaniel's Natural Grocery store to get some snacks for later, all though she made note not to spend too much time here or she'd be broke by the end of the week. This trip was turning into an accounting project more than anything else. To her disappointment and relief, Brody (or whoever) was nowhere to be seen in the store. Which for some reason she thought was odd, but then again, she figured maybe he gave himself the day off today. He could do that, he was the boss, right?

She sat at the same statue again and ate some of the fruit she bought. She was still hungry. Maybe instead of going sightseeing today she could just drift form place to place and eat all day. If she were indeed going to get paid today that wouldn't be a bad idea. She'd leave that open as an option.

Just amid daydreaming about food she looked across the street. Billy was out there again, with a plastic container in front of him for people to put money in. This time looking right at her. He wasn't ogling or gazing like a psychopath in a horror movie, just looking at her, maybe trying to figure out if he knew her from somewhere. He seemed different out here. He wasn't as vigilant or battle ready. In fact, he looked kind of soft out here and even a little confused or misplaced this time. Then he did something odd, he held up a hand and gave a stiff, half wave. As a slow reaction without even thinking, she did the same right back. He turned his head back to the street and that was that. She waited a few minutes and then left.

She wasn't thinking about food anymore.

***

She was getting much more comfortable at the questing board now. And it was her third day in a row, why not? She saw some repeat faces, but nobody she was familiar with. She thought she saw her goblin buddy from the day before, but she was kind of avoiding his gaze, she wasn't in the mood to shoot the breeze with her fellow sorcerers today. In fact, once that sign lit up, she would wait in line, ask if there was any money waiting for her and then zip on out.