NOVEL WEB Prologue
“I’m not done yet!” She slurred her worried as she sat down the empty shot glass, “Why do you want to leave so bad?”
“Charlie, come on, you can’t warm this barstool forever.” Olivia tugged at her arm, “It’s been six months.”
She took the liquor bottle and poured herself another shot, “I still go to work.”
“You work across this bar, idiot,” She rolled her eyes, “You’re supposed to be working right now and I came in to cover for you because Mikey said you’re hammered. It’s time to go home.”
“I can walk!” She laid her head down on the bar and belched, “I just need a nap first.”
“Michael,” Olivia walked to the backroom and called past the doorway, “Will you cover while I take her home?”
“Yeah, sure thing!” He replied, “It’s slowing down enough. Just come back for cleanup, yeah?”
“You’re the best, Mikey!” Olivia flashed a grateful grin.
“Why can’t I just sleep here?” Charlie groaned as her friend pulled her to her feet.
“Because I’ll already have enough drunks to take home at the end of the night,” She sighed and threw her arm under the woman’s shoulders, “I’m worried about you, babe.”
“I’m fine,” Charlie hiccupped, “Besides, I’m not always drunk. Sometimes, I’m just hungover.”
Olivia sighed and half carried Charlie down the busy street. Lights flashed from electric billboards above advertising specialty products to anyone unfortunate enough to be in that area. Charlie squinted at the storming lights and leaned her head against her friend’s shoulder. The older woman opened an umbrella to stop the light drizzle of dreary rain from soaking the pair.
“When will it stop hurting so bad, Via?”
“I don’t know, Charlie,” She patted the drunk’s head, “But, you have to cut back on the drinking. Do you want to be like your aunt? The old bat barely exists anymore.”
“She’s always been the cool one,” She laughed, “Better than my parents.”
“I know,” Olivia sighed, “Will you at least start to see your therapist again?”
“I have an appointment for later this week.”
“Babe, it’s Thursday,” She stopped outside of a tall building with a glass window showing different flashy electronics, “Did you miss it?”
“Shit. I should probably call them, huh?”
“The offer to move in with me still stands, you know?” She pulled Charlie’s wallet out of her back pocket and tapped it against the scanner, “We can help keep you afloat for a while. I’ll even break your lease. Just think about it, okay? We're worried about you.”
“Will you tuck me in?” Charlie batted her hazel eyes at her friend.
“I have to go back and help Mikey,” She shook her head, “I can bring breakfast in the morning?”
“Okay,” She rubbed her temples and yawned, “I’m going to head in then. Night, Liv.”
“Goodnight, Charlie,” Olivia handed her wallet back, “Do I need to actually walk you to your apartment?”
“Nah, I got it.”
“You said that last time and your neighbor called me to get you off his couch.”
“Yeah, yeah,” She waved dismissively, “I’ll be fine.”
As Olivia walked back down the block, a car drove past and splashed the stagnant gutter water on Charlie. She groaned and stepped into her apartment building. She wrung out her sandy brown hair onto the entrance mat. Charlie stumbled through the hallway with storefronts on either side until she reached the mailbox.
“Apartment number….” She whispered as she trailed a finger along the numbers, “517!”
She fumbled with her keys until she opened the shoebox sized mail slot and grabbed the letters within. Several from her mother that were immediately binned, a few bills Charlie groaned at, and a coupon for a turkey at the local supermarket.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Charlie rolled her eyes, “What a waste.”
She folded the bills and put them in the back pocket of her jeans before she stumbled back towards the elevator. As she passed a storefront, an advertisement caught her attention.
“Tired of where you’re at in life? Want to leave everything behind and start anew?” The robotic woman stated and pointed to a number on the screen, “Join the adventure of a lifetime! Call now to get one of our first free offers!”
Charlie looked at the number on the screen and pulled her phone out. The robotic model looked like a librarian, not like the sexbots of the typical advertisements this late at night. She watched as the woman looked her in the eyes and watched her take a picture.
“Charlotte Leah Watkins,” The robot spoke to her, “Are you interested in our offer?”
“Whoa,” Charlie pressed her nose to the glass in front of the display, “How do you know my name?”
“Call the number to begin your journey!” The robot smiled unblinkingly at her.
She brought her phone up and began typing the number in, “5…1…2…”
The robotic woman waited patiently for Charlie to enter the phone number. As it rang, a phone appeared on the screen and the woman answered it.
“Hello, Charlotte. Would you like to start a journey like no other?”
“I’ll bite,” She giggled, “What do I need to do?”
“Repeat after me,” The robot flashed words onto the screen, “By the Great Creator, I accept this contract and submit to transportation to Filigor.”
“By the Great Creator,” Charlie squinted her eyes to read the words, “I accept this contract and submit to transportation to Ferigor.”
“No, wait—!” The woman reached out towards her.
Bright lights surrounded Charlie and she felt her body lift into the air. She dropped her phone as the lights swallowed her completely. As the screen of her phone cracked on the tile floor below, the light disappeared completely with no other trace of the drunk woman ever there.