I reached the entrance a few moments later, right as I heard the sound of ominous laughter filter through the darkness behind me.
Let me tell you, kids, there’s nothing more frightening than the sound of laughter when there’s no one in the room with you. You know what I’m talking about.
I put one hand on the door, hoping the ancient mechanism would still be at least partially operational so I could slam it shut once I was out, and started to squeeze my bulk through the entryway.
My t-shirt rubbed against the stone of the door, ruining it further and scraping off part of the band’s logo, but I was making headway.
Behind me, the laughter was growing louder. I glanced in its direction for just a second and instantly regretted it. A pair of red, glowing, sinister eyes were staring at me from some point in the darkness as clouds of dark fog swirled beneath it, starting to take the form of a person.
“Yikes!” I squeaked, then I sucked in my gut and made one final shove.
Just like that, I was out, and I fell to the ground of the outside world, a beam of light filtering through the trees, hitting me square in the face.
I basked in its glow for just a moment. Sunlight had never felt as good to me as it did in that exact moment. Then I lurched back to my feet and spun around to face the doorway.
My hands reached through the dirt and muck, searching once more for that switch. I found it more quickly this time and gave it another shove.
The ancient mechanism fired once again, and the door grinded and sputtered, closing almost all the way. Almost.
I shot the door an icy glare. “Really? That’s the best you can do?”
But I didn’t give it much thought. Hopefully, that would be enough to keep whatever evil wraith had tried to scare me at bay, for a little while at least.
One thing was for sure – I didn’t want to stick around and find out.
I worked my tired legs as hard as I could, every inch of distance a slight victory as I slogged through the forest, making my way back toward civilization with my new prizes in tow.
Another smile crept upon my face as I walked along the forest floor, my feet finally finding an actual worn path several minutes later as the trappings of modern existence started to come back into view.
I took in a deep breath of the fresh, mid-morning air as the fog all around me started to dry off and the sun gained in strength. It was a good day. The temperature was still mild, and the sun was shining overhead. Both good things when you’re potentially being chased by an evil spirit.
With my head held high, I took one last furtive glance at the barrow I’d recently vacated, and then I headed into the nearby town of Attleborough, making a beeline for the pub.
If my luck held, they’d be opening soon, and my lips were pretty parched. They likely wouldn’t have my favorite beverage, but just about anything would do after that harrowing experience.
I patted Grax’thor a few times and rummaged around in my pockets for any euros that might be hiding out there, then carried onward, the smell of hops and barley ushering me forth.
2
About two weeks had passed, and I was back in the heart of Seattle, Washington, mere inches from my happy place. A thick haze of smoke greeted me as I pushed open the nondescript wooden door and walked down the short staircase into the bar proper.
I know what you’re thinking, but it wasn’t cigarette smoke. That would be too cliché. Nah, this was sage with a hint of dragon’s blood on the backend. We magicy types are quite fond of our incense.
My nostrils took in the comforting scent, and the tension in my muscles instantly went slack, my mind and body starting to relax as I crept down the last two stairs, and my eyes took in the delightful sights before me.
I was finally home. Mei’s bar - the best bar for the magically-inclined in Washington, no, the best anywhere - stretched out in front of me in a wide arc. The floor and ceiling were covered in some sort of purple tile, and a long bar stretched out along the back wall, blocking off access to all the alcohol.
Perhaps a dozen stools sat at the base of the bar, half of them occupied, and Mei herself stood behind it, mindlessly polishing a glass with a rag in one hand, not even bothering to look up to see who it was that had come to visit her.
It was the loveliest sight I’d ever seen.
“The prodigal son returns!” a voice boomed out from within the room. It was Hank. Good old Hank. He was a werewolf on his off days, but I tried not to hold that against him. It’s not like he had any control over when he shifted, unlike some of the other magical creatures in the world.
I shot Hank my best smile and took a few steps forward, arms out wide.
“Hank!” I said. “Good to see you again!”
The big, burly man reached forward and joined me in the embrace. Even through his plaid shirt, I could feel all the tiny hairs that stuck out all over his body, but I didn’t mind. In that moment, it was the best feeling in the world just to be home.
Gosh, how I missed this place when I went on one of my adventures.
“Hey, it’s Damian!” another voice boomed out, sounding silky and altogether too sweet. That one was Sally’s. Sally moonlighted as a siren when she couldn’t find work at her usual job - cutting hair. Word on the street said she was a wizard with those shears.
Speaking of, I
