Paranormal Activities Unit
Page 7
Chapter 4
Emily and Will were sitting at the bar waiting for people to wake up. Slowly it began to happen. People groaning and stretching, as if they'd been asleep. Then sitting up or standing up again and looking slightly confused. Especially confused about the other people who weren't awake yet.
"What happened?"
"Why is everybody down on the floor?"
"Where are my car keys?"
That sort of thing. Then the bartender popped up in front of them. Sort of like he was spring loaded. Like a jack-in-the-box. They both jumped.
"What can I get you two kids?" He said cheerfully. "You know I'm gonna have to see some ID." He was an older man, in his mid-forties, looked like he'd had too many sunburns, but was in good shape physically.
"Oh, just a ginger ale," Emily said. "Thanks."
"And you?" the bartender asked Will as he turned to get Em's drink.
"Ah... root beer," Will said, distracted. He was still staring out at the bar full of people readjusting their mussed up clothing, getting the kinks out of their necks, and looking puzzled. After a few minutes they all seemed pretty alright with it, whatever had happened. It was like they forgot waking up. Go government technology.
The bartender served them their drinks, and they sat there sucking pop through their straws like two young kids. The bartender shook his head at the weirdness. Just then the alarm went off again.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Will said, reaching into the backpack.
The bartender looked puzzled, "You got a music box in there?"
"Uh, yes," Emily said. "It keeps going off by itself, crazy thing."
The bartender still looked confused.
"It was a gift," she continued. "We bought it." She thought more. "Today. To give to someone." The bartender seemed fine with this. "Let's go, Will." She smiled at the bartender and grabbed Will's arm and led him out as he read the GPS screen.
They got out onto the dark outdoor mall sidewalk again.
"Uh..." Will said, "Which way's north?"
"It's still that way," Emily pointed to the north.
"On the GPS!" Will said.
"Oh," Emily said and stepped closer to look at it. "That would be 'N'." She pointed.
Still staring at the screen, Will turned to point north, then started to walk.
"Car's this way," Emily said gently, turning him around again.
"Fine, fine," Will said as he was led away.