Rabbit Hole Carnival: Simple Creatures

“Welcome to the Rabbit Hole Carnival!” Renee replied. “What drink will be your festival?”

“Just a… umm… A Fruit Roulette I guess.” the female said.

“Tough night with men?” Renee asked.

“Tough night period. And Norah.” Norah said as she took a swig.

“What makes it a tough night, Norah?” Renee asked.

“Just… I dunno.” Norah replied.

“You came into a bar near closing time, and ordered a drink, and don’t know what made it a tough night?” Renee said. “You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t believe you.”

“Just not seeing the point.” Norah said. “Certainly not going back home until they are asleep.”

“Doesn’t sound like much of a home” Renee replied. “Like the one I had to keep going back to.”

“Really doesn’t deserve to be called much of a home then.” Norah said. “Where do you live now?”

“Here with Daddy.” Renee replied. “The bedrooms are upstairs.”

“With your dad, but didn’t you just—” Norah said.

“We staying open?” Nick asked, as he walked down the stairs.

“No, I think Norah here is our last one, but she’ll be staying after hours.” Renee replied. “She doesn’t wanna go home until she’s sure others are asleep.”

“Doesn’t sound like much of a home, Miss Norah.” Nick replied, as he closed the place down. “And a particular reason you don’t just take up shelter elsewhere?”

“I’m trying to.” Norah replied. “Keep trying to make plans, and some are still in motion just… I’m trying, okay?”

“Trying is hardly something one needs to apologize for Norah.” Nick said. “To try at all is often the hardest part of it all. Especially when it keeps failing. I’m rather sure that trying was the hardest thing Renee here ever did.”

“That story has always gotta come up, huh?” Renee asked, with a giggle.

“It felt weird without it coming out at this point, Honestly.” Nick replied. “I’m going to bed now. Wake me if there is going to be another girl on my couch.”

“Okay, Daddy.” Renee said.

Norah finished her drink. “Could I get a refill before we continue?”

Renee refilled the drink, and waited for her to sip before she coughed. “Don’t like Mango?”

“I love Mango but wasn’t this pineapple be…for… Fruit Roulette, of course.” Norah replied. “Forgot my own order.” She giggled.

“There was a customer once. He wanted that same drink. And ordered me not to stop until his got through all 13 variants of it.” Renee replied.

“What did you do?” Norah asked. “I mean is that even legal?”

“Yeah there’s not that much alcohol in them or anything. So I got a notepad, and wrote down which fruit I used. Used to dice, made a lot of rolls, and served one of each.” Renee said.

“Why?!” Norah asked.

“He wanted to see if he could try and remember the order he got all of them.” Renee replied. “He got pretty close too, but he swapped… I think it was strawberry and cherry, and blueberry and blackberry.”

“No, why would you want to do that? And why would you honor that?” Norah replied.

“Why did Daddy let me walk in here crying in the middle of the night when I wasn’t 18 yet when I did so?” Renee replied. “Why did I bother to do that at all? Why did several inspectors come walking in here hating their job at that point, but they knew someone had to do it? Why does anyone do anything at that point?”

“Why did I walk in here, and just talk to someone when I didn’t know it was gonna work?” Norah said, and followed with a drink. “I think I will be sleeping on that couch… Just to try.”