by Tiffanny Haacker
This flash fiction story is dedicated to my high school sweet heart, for his name still rings in my ears.
Introduction
Kurleigh is a small mountain town, which has an old closed-down mine, and consequently a fortune telling parlor, which quite a few of the townsfolk rely on. It is not that they are insecure or superstitious; some just like to know what might happen to them or their loved ones, friends, and potential enemies on a given day, what with all the woods, sheer cliff, and closed mine--it just makes sense, some say. Some just say posh, and that is the end of it. With local mom-and-pop style businesses and a cluster of retail shops, farmers and crafters alike have made their living by selling their crops and creations. Apartments and small older single-family homes house singles, couples, and families alike.
Black Cat Day. On the second Friday of October, black cats are celebrated for their good luck after years of being associated with bad fortune. The celebration includes an offering to black cats of meats and treats, along with a festival where one might procure black cat trinkets and collectibles. This local holiday accompanies the change of season to autumn when the weather is slightly rainy during the day, the early morning is foggy, and at dusk, it is misty.
In Kurleigh, one of the more popular places the townsfolk like to gather is the local bar named after the pride of the town--the BIG BIG tree. The town boasts of the BIG BIG tree and offers a great view atop the drastic cliff hidden deep in the heavily wooded mountains. On a casual day, many also frequent Carol's 1980's style diner and the bowling alley. There is a mine that was closed fifty years ago, but hardly anyone remembers why.
The Phone Call
I have been up at the BBT Bar since 7am because today is Black Cat Day. I have my best bartenders, kitchen, and waitresses working the second shift so I can take my mother to the festival in town. This festival is basically a holiday to her. Unlike most Hispanic mothers, mine loves black cats and disagrees with her heritage in their belief that they are bad luck or mean that death is coming. I can’t say I share her feelings and can’t seem to shake the feeling that something is going to go wrong today. Although maybe… it's just my anxiety.
The bar is going to be packed tonight. I restock the beer fridge.
“Eyyy!” I hear Travis walk in.
It must be 10 already.
As I’m about to check the kegs, my phone buzzing in my back pocket.
“Hey, Mama.” I answered.
“Hola, Mijo. Are you ready for the festival today?”
“Si, I have to work the day shift though remember? I should get out of here by 3pm if Amber and Kelly come in on time for their shifts.”
“Okay, mi amor, te amo.”
“Te amo.” I hung up.
Shortly after 11am rolls in, so does the rain, and so do the customers, and they do not stop coming. Next thing I know it’s 1pm and the bar is already at full capacity.
How am I going to get out of here by 3? I started stressing myself out. Even if the girls are on time, I don’t think I can leave my bar this busy.
“Thank you, have a good day!” I start to wipe off the bar for the next couple.
“Ey, Bear!” Travis calls from the kitchen, “Here’s your burgers!”
I rush to the kitchen and bring table 3’s burgers.
“I’ll be right back with your beers.” I reassured the table.
The day continued steady and busy, just like I thought it would, being a big tourist day and a local holiday. I glance down at my phone while I’m pouring a draft. It’s 2:55pm.
I hear the front entrance, “Bing!” It’s Amber.
Dios Mio. I wave at her.
“It’s supposed to rain all day today.” I greeted Amber.
“Yeah, I suppose it is, sucks for the festival.” she replied, rolling her eyes at my small talk.
“Are you going to the Black Cat Festival when you get out of here tonight?”
“No? I won’t’ even be able to close the bar till after the festival is over. We close at 2am remember?” Amber barked.
“Oh, right. I’m sorry, my head’s just not in the right space today.” I tried to come up with some kind of excuse for saying something so stupid.
“Cause of your mom?” she asked softly.
You can’t have a name like Bear and be afraid of much. However, there was one thing that made my stomach launch into the back of my throat, and that’s the thought of losing my mother. My mother, Linda Rodriguez, is my world and she suffered from a brain aneurism earlier this year due to a stroke and hasn’t been herself ever since. She’s still my mom, just more fragile now.
“Oh no, she’s doing alright today. I talked to her earlier. As soon as I get out of here, I’m headed to pick her up.”
“Bing!” the front door opens again.
In comes no less than 20 people dressed in ridiculous Black Cat Day wear, ready to have some drinks and bar food and simultaneously I feel my phone buzzing again in my back pocket.
“Mom” it read.
“Hola Mama, I’m going to have to call you back, I just had a big group walk in. I’ll come pick you up as soon as I help Amber get them situated. Kelly isn’t here yet either.” I rushed to say. But it wasn’t my mother’s voice I heard on the other line.
The BBT Bar
“Bear?’ I heard a woman’s voice speak on the other line.
“Si, this is Bear. Where is my mother? Where is Linda?”
“Hi Bear, this is Calypso at the Fortune Telling Parlor.”
“Where is my mother? Is she okay?” My heart beating in my throat.
“Oh! Yes, yes, yes.” She finally answers my questions. I sigh in relief.
“Geez, okay. Thank you. Um... why do you have her phone?”
“Yes, that’s why I was calling, you are her only “in case of emergency” contact in her phone, and she didn’t have a password set, so I was able to look in her phone no problem. She was here just a while ago and forgot her phone. Just wanted to call and let someone know that I have it.”
My heart finally started to palpitate to a somewhat of a normal pace.
“Ah! Okay, thank you so much. What time do you close tonight? I will head over there as soon as I get off work.”
“I’ll be open all-night hon, it’s Black Cat Day!” She happily reminded me.
I had stepped into the deep freeze to take my call, just to prevent anyone hearing or getting concerned. I walked out rubbing my hands together, warming them. I see Amber at the large party wearing her customer service smile and taking drink orders. I quickly ran behind the bar awaiting her beer orders and anything else she might need.
Amber slaps her chicken scratch order down on the bar. I let out a deep sigh and immediately got to work. Only 15 minutes later and I had everything ready for her on trays except for the shots. As I start working on those, I obsessively look at my phone again to check the time. 3:42pm. Hopefully she’ll be okay after I get these drinks all done for her. I texted my mom to let her know that she left her phone at Calypso’s place, but that I would come grab her first and we could go together. Then I realized how stupid that was.
SHE DOESN’T HAVE HER PHONE STUPIDO.
While pouring the shots out in one slick move from shot glass to shot glass for the large group, I hear, “Bing!” the front door yells at me again.
Yes!
It’s Kelly. Our waitress. Now Amber can get behind the bar and I can head out.
Now, where is my mother?
The Fortune Teller
As I walk out of the bar, I nearly get trampled by the insane crowd. The festival is right in the middle of town, and my bar and the fortune parlor are some of the buildings that surround the festival. I look in the direction of the fortune parlor, just right next door.
If my mom was this close to me, why wouldn’t she just meet me at the bar? Where would she have gone after seeing Calypso? There are so many people, how can I possibly find her without her phone?
I brush past the crowd, kids holding black cat balloons and sporting black cat hats, women wearing black tutus with black cat ears, college guys running by in black cat onesies, everyone but me with an umbrella.
“MEEOOOOWWW!” I heard a screech as loud as it could, realizing I stepped on its long black tail with a grey tip.
Of course it’s a black cat. Why would it be anything else? The thunder clasps as the cat runs off down an alley, just as the lightening dims, it was out of sight.
I approach the fortune teller parlor and grab the large black skull for a doorknob and turn it. It doesn’t take long for my eyes to adjust to the dark room, my nose overwhelmed with the smell of incense.
“Bear, darling!” Calypso yelps.
“Hey, thank you again for calling me, I’m going to grab her phone and go look for her. You don’t have any umbrellas, do you?”
She hands me the phone and her eyes get large and frightful. She grabs my wrist and glances eerily at my hand, the phone slamming on the hard wood floor.
She slowly slides her gaze to my eyes, “You stepped on a black cat’s tail, didn’t you?” I jerked my hand back.
“Thank you, Calypso, I have to find my mother now.” I picked up her phone and got out of there as fast as possible. I knew what that meant. Something bad was going to happen today, just like I thought this morning. I raced through the crowd, my eyes searching for my mother.
She is so fragile now, she could have another stroke and end up in the hospital, she doesn’t need to be lost out here.
My thoughts can’t stop, my heart beating faster, the rain downing my clothes and hair, the thunder shaking Kurleigh.
Where is she?
Then, I see her. Neilt down in front of the bowling alley. Petting a black cat.
The Festival
“Madre!” I shouted at her loudly.
She looks up at me from under her umbrella innocently smiling, gesturing towards the cat. The closer I get to her I can see its tail had a grey tip.
“You missing something?” I held up her phone.
“Ay! Mijo! Thank you!” I didn’t know where I had lost it at.
“You ready to walk around the festival?”
“Can she come with us?” Pointing at the cat that seems to be everywhere at once.
“No.”
“Bear!”
“No.” I give her my arm to hold onto and start walking into the crowd. Leaving the cat behind.
“We did it, Mami.” I smiled at her. What do you want to look at? The makers market?”
“Si,” she says softly.
“Are you okay?” I asked her concerned.
She grabs her head as if she became dizzy.
“Let’s come sit, Mami.” I start to walk her towards Carol’s Diner.
“Meow,” I hear softly behind me. I glance back and see the same grey tipped stray following us. I try to get my mother to quicken the pace, but she is struggling. Her eyes are rolling and she’s not okay. My heart punching my insides. She collapses. I bend down to pick her up, her face in a lop-sided smile.
“Mami?”
She’s unresponsive. I look up at the crowd that has circled around us and pointed at a woman whose cat makeup was running down her face making her face into a blur, “Call 911!” I yelled at her.
“Mijo,” I hear quietly. “Te amo, mi amour.” She smiles at me with little teeth showing.
I’m squeezing her hands and looking around frantically for anyone who can help her.
She’s not breathing.
“She’s not breathing!”
“SHE’S NOT BREATHING!” I couldn’t scream loud enough. The EMT’s arrived and began doing CPR on my mother and pulling out lots of other things that surely can save her life. The rain pouring over her closed eyelids and filling my shoes.
“She’s gone,” the EMT sadly looked at me.
I can’t breathe. I can’t feel. I can’t think. I fall to my knees and sit on the heels of my shoes. Tears merging with the rain steaming down my face. Then I hear it again.
“Meow.”
I look up. There she is. Sitting in the middle of the crowd. Her wet grey tipped tail swaying in the air like cats do. Staring at me.
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