Haunted Roads

Things weren’t the same since telling Maggie the truth of what he was. He knew they wouldn’t be. No matter the love, no matter the care, such news would draw anyone away. Creating that distance to try to…come to some sort of understanding. Even his father had taken a step back when the truth really hit him. When that painful undeniable reality was thrown in front of him. Bastian didn’t have it in him to feel anything towards it now. He just accepted and forced himself to continue to move forward. Attempting to take steps in some direction…though he never knew if they were right or wrong. Right now just the fact that he was moving at all, was good enough. Sitting still…dwelling…it didn’t do any of them any good.

Telling Maggie wasn’t the last of it though. It wasn’t as though all that truth was laid bare now. No…he still needed to tell Sophie. He knew that wasn’t going to be an easy conversation. He was prepared for scoffs and doubts. But he had to do it. One more time speaking what he hated to speak. One more time having to face that disbelief. It wasn’t all that he should speak likely, but the past was something he did not want to dig up. Not anymore then he had to at least. Wasn’t knowing that it was bad enough? The details…no one really needed to know that.

“It’s good to see you again Bas!” another shouted as they came into the bar, giving a grand wave and a bright smile. Bastian smiled back, appearing all put together and happy to be there. But though this place had always been home to him…it was now a reminder of the night everything had gone wrong too. All too often he found himself staring across the way on where it was he’d been thrown. Where he knew his blood had been spilt against the worn floorboards. At times he was certain he could still smell it…even if he knew that wasn’t the case. Too many years had passed for that. Far too many years.

Bastian sighed, trying to focus himself back on the task at hand. He was trying to get some of the work caught up for his old man. Really it was nothing more then distraction, the work could wait as it had been waiting for some time now. But Bastian needed something to try to keep his mind off of everything going on. He just…needed a damned break from it. It was too much to have on his thoughts constantly.

Distractions never worked for long though. An hour or so taking stock and serving drinks…and back his thoughts began to drift. There was so much he still had to do. So much that he had to try to figure out. He knew time wasn’t on his side in this. Meetings were set up for next week, none of it sat right with him but what else was he supposed to do? Keep thinking he could manage this on his own? He knew that he couldn’t. He knew that if she showed again he stood no damned chance against her. She’d made that clear often enough in the time he’d been with her.

“Heya Bas!” another regular to shout his name and give a smile. Thankfully not many had asked where he was, maybe after being gone that long it was an obvious that nothing good had kept him away from here. The few that did question accepted the answer of “he was just glad to be back” as answer enough.

Details…Bastian hated the details. He wanted to fucking forget the details.

“Been gone so long you forget how to pour the drinks?” One of the guys joked, Bastian cursing as the beer overflowed the glass. “Fuck, apparently….” He needed to get his head together. Wiping up the drink he handed it over to the eager patron and set to cleaning up the mess. This night was going to be too long….or not near long enough. Bastian wasn’t sure yet.