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For once it was a blessing that Pam drove the bus like a bat out of hell; the suffocating heat of Calico Desert couldn't disappear fast enough.
Fuck that crazy blue lunatic… who does he think he is?
Pelican Town was unaffected by the unsettling experience in the desert. Safe, still, peaceful. Just the way it should be.
What should not be, however, was the lingering smell of the rancid drink that con artist had been pushing. Snake milk? Please.
But a different kind of drink should fix that nice and quick…
The saloon door creaked on its worn hinges, predictable as ever. Gus stood behind the counter drying glasses, his cheerful greeting a familiar and welcoming sound.
Although, come to think of it, that seemed to be the only sound.
Not a single other soul occupied a seat at the bar or the wooden tables. No sounds of pool balls clacking or arcade games beeping from the other room, no low hum of the jukebox on the other wall. Shane wasn't tucked into his corner nursing a pint, and Pam hadn't made her way over after locking up the bus for the night. The saloon was silent, as if the entire building had been placed inside a vacuum and the usual lively chatter replaced by a quiet pressure.
"Uhh, where is everyone, Gus?"
Gus didn't look up, focused on polishing the glass in his hand. The rag was bone dry.
"Gus…?"
"Your commitment to denial truly is fascinating."
In all the years of knowing Gus, though it hadn't been many, he had never uttered a single word that could be taken as insulting. Never crass, never bitter, not even dismissive. There wasn't a mean bone in his body. But now, plain as day, his mustache twitched in a smirk as he lifted his head and made piercing eye contact. The chocolate brown of his eyes was completely gone, replaced by an inky black that somehow held no depth and the entire universe all at once. He opened his mouth again to speak, the voice his but the words not.
"You really think you can refuse me and just walk away? After all I've invested in you? You're smarter than that, kid."
The air in the room turned ice cold.
"What… what is this? What did you do to Gus?"
Gus's jovial laugh spilled out of his mouth but it was stilted, forced through a mouthpiece that wasn't his.
"Oh, he'll be just fine. He's taking a little nap, that's all. How honorable of you, feigning interest in the well-being of these simple-minded folk. You and I both know you're destined for things far beyond this backwater town."
"Y-you don't know shit." The words were meant to be sharp but they came out shaky. Hearing such condescending lies said in Gus's lilting, comforting voice felt wrong.
He set the glass and cloth down and leaned both hands on the counter. The empty eyes stared, cold and calculating. “I'm impressed with your tenacity, kid. If you'd just allow yourself to unlock your full potential, you'd see how much you and I could accomplish together. Think about it." He paused, glancing at the watch on Gus's wrist. "There's a door on the western side of Ginger Island. I know you've seen it. Figure out how to get it open and meet me inside. It'll be worth your time, I guarantee."
The absolute……audacity…!
Through the paralyzing fear and unease, something snapped. Words now poured out as if from a broken fire hydrant, spraying vitriol on the invisible presence in the room.
"I don't want any part in whatever creepy, underground, dark magic you're doing here. I came to the valley to escape all the secrets and lies from men like you. All I want is a quiet life in this boring town, and I don't need you poking your greasy nose in my business with riddles and games meant for children just to feed your ego! You're not a god, you're just some sad, lonely guy forcing your way to the top, and you don't care who you step on to get there."
Face red, chest heaving, fingertips tingling.
And he simply smiled, the quiet mirth almost reaching his black eyes. "There's that spark."
The icy chill in the room gave way to a warm sort of buzzing. Everything turned a bit fuzzy at the edges, and Gus's body sagging forward over the bar was the last thing that made any sort of sense before everything went dark.
The morning light woke him as it always did, but it seemed softer today. He wondered if it was going to rain and couldn't remember if he had checked the weather the night before. In fact, he couldn't remember… anything from the night before. It had been a normal day, all the regulars with their drink of choice, some pleasant chatter with Emily, the usual clean up… had he cleaned up? Did he lock the door, wipe the tables, secure the register like he always did? Did he go straight to bed? He couldn't even remember his head hitting the pillow…
Gus scrubbed his hands over his tired face and stood, trying to shake off the peculiar feeling.
The day went on like any other, and the days do blend together, he supposed. He opened at noon and welcomed the early birds in with a pleasant smile. After a few hours the saloon was filled with lively music and conversation, just as it should be. The creak of the door opening again called his attention and he looked up to greet his next customer.
He locked eyes with the Farmer, a dull pounding suddenly at the back of his head. He shook it off and waved his hand.
"Evening, Farmer! Good to see you."
The Farmer gave an awkward nod and hurried straight past the bar.
Gus swallowed the foul taste in his mouth. What an odd day it had been.