Chapter: Eleven



All though there was only one person that he was sure of that was there, he still felt, in a weird odd way, like he fit in. There were a few shadows of people sitting in silence off to the side of the tavern door step. Salem walked up to the door and pulled on the black metal door handle. The door was heavy but opened smoothly. The tavern was crowded and loud, filling the street with its conversations and laughter. Lanterns hung from splintering wooden support beams that held the ceiling up. Many people were in the room, making it very difficult for Salem to get across to the other side. But still he pushed forward and squeezed through gaps between drunken strangers that he had never even thought to have existed.
“Barkeep?” Salem asked calling over to the young brown haired bartender.
“What can I get you?” The bartender asked.
“It’s not what you can get me, but it’s what you can help me with,” Salem replied.
“Okay then what can I help you with?” The young bartender asked.
“I was wondering if you’ve seen a girl around here, she’s about 5’2” and she has long black hair,” Salem asked.
“Hmm I don’t think I have”, He replied.
“Her name’s Ash and I’d greatly appreciate it that if you see her that you can tell her that Salem is here and he is looking for her,” Salem asked.
“Sure if I find her I’ll tell her”, the bartender answered with a polite smile.
“Well thanks anyway, I guess,” Salem said and then squeezed through the people and began to make his way back outside of the tavern. Opening the door he slipped back out into the much calmer, quieter, and colder outside. As he stepped out onto the door step to the tavern he noticed that the silhouettes where still lurking off to the side of the cement door step that was underneath the wooden overhang that served as a door cover. One of the shadows was male and the other two were girls probably around the age of fifteen.
“You look lost….are you new around here?” one of the girls asked him from down on the side of the door step.
“I am…although I don’t know if I’m here permanently, or just visiting,” Salem replied.
“Oh…are you looking for something in particular?” the same girl asked from down by the door step. In the darkness he couldn’t make out any of the details and characteristics of her face, so the only thing he could make out about her was that she was a she, around sixteen and her voice sounded vaguely familiar.
“I’m looking for a girl by the name of Ash,” Salem said
“Sorry Salem, I don’t think I can help you there,” the girl said.
There was a rustling noise that broke the silence in which all of them found themselves in thought. Finally Salem realized something.
“I didn’t tell you my name,” Salem said, struggling to see into the shadows of darkness that covered her face. It was impossible to see through the darkness of the dim glow of the flame of the lantern.
“Ash…?” Salem whispered down into the darkness. The shadow from down below the door step rose and began to run away from the tavern. Her footsteps crunched into the untouched white snow that covered the brick street. Salem took off after her running quickly through the snow covered street.
“Wait, Ash!” Salem yelled as he ran after her.
He looked up at the red numbers on his alarm clock that read nine twenty p.m.

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