Dreamland

Closing Time

I find myself sitting on a barstool in a rundown tavern on the rough side of town. I don't recognize the place, but that doesn't matter. It seems my main intention is to just sit here and drink.

Maggie is a plain looking woman, short dirty blond hair,looks to be in her late fifties, she's the owner of this dive. Carrying more than a few extra pounds and wrinkles, looks like she enjoys her beers and smokes. She's friendly enough bantering with the regulars, but I'm not here for small talk. I'm in a bad mood, I just want to be left alone to drink in peace.

One of the locals asks if I want to shoot a game of pool. "Maybe another time, I'm watchin' the game," I say, and I turn back towards the screen behind the bar.

I finish my beer and call out to Maggie "One more, please."

She brings it to me, I take a healthy swig, and go back to looking at the TV. I'm not really watching the game, I don't even know what the score is. It's just a diversion, something to do so people leave me alone while I let the alcohol dissolve the anger in my blood.

Eventually I find myself nodding off, then I hear Maggie bark out "Closing time, everybody outta the pool! Time to go home and make sweet love to your wife if you got one, to your hand if you don't!"

This draws a chuckle from the remaining regulars at the end of the bar as they get up to leave, though they've probably heard the line a thousand times before.

"One more for the road." I say holding up my empty bottle.

"No time for that now, I'm closin'," she says.

"How 'bout a shot of Jack?" I ask.

She grinds out her cigarette in the cheap aluminum ash tray in front of me, "You're not driving tonight, are ya?"

"No, I'm on foot."

"Well alright then, but you make it quick." she says, and she brings me my whiskey.

I drink it down, pay up, and head for the door. "See you 'round, Maggie."

"You be careful now, ya hear?" she says.

"Don't you worry 'bout me," I say, as I try hard not to stagger as I'm leaving.

I live in a cheap one bedroom apartment a few blocks off the main drag. I decide to take a shortcut through an alley to get there. As I'm staggering through the alley, these scary looking ragged people start coming out of the shadows towards me.

They are moaning unintelligibly, shuffling slowly, reaching towards me. As they get closer I can smell the decay, and see that the flesh is rotting from their bodies. One of them grabs me, I am surprised at the strength of his grip. I struggle and manage to push him away.

I find a piece of rusty pipe on the ground, pick it up and start beating on my attackers. More and more of them come out of the shadows. I struggle and fight my way through the alley. When I get back to the main street the zombies retreat, apparently they don't like the streetlights.

Somewhat battered and bloodied, I make my way back to the Bar. I pound on the door, "Help! Let me in!"

Eventually Maggie opens the door, looking half asleep.

I run inside and shut the door behind me. "There's zombies out there, they're trying to kill me!"

She says "I told you to be careful, I thought you knew? Gotta stay away from the dark places after the sun goes down."

"Can I stay here tonight?" I ask.

"I'm sleepin' on the table tonight, got my room upstairs let out to make a few extra bucks. But you can sleep in one of the booths if you want." She says, as she climbs onto the pool table and pulls a blanket over herself. "Just turn off the damn light switch next to the bar and get settled, I gots to get me beauty sleep!"

"Thanks Maggie, I appreciate it," I say, and I turn off the light. I lay down in the booth next to the bar, pull my jacket up over my shoulder like a blanket, and fall immediately asleep.