#chat ||

IT was early, very early in fact. that rare hour that came even after the early morning stragglers drunkenly stumble their way back to any place that resembled home after a full night’s pub crawl. lily’s band, which consisted of only herself and the bar’s regular pianist (so really, just her and a pianist) were the last to leave and after a sudden spell of generosity, she told him she would stay back to lock up. so she was the only one left behind, struggling with a key that refused to fulfill its one role. for no real reason, she spared a glance at the mouth of the alleyway and that was when she spotted him. smoke swirled around his head like a fog, his face lit up with every inhale. at this time, were they any other person lily might have had the smarts to be afraid. with him, she could not think to do anything else but greet him with a smile. “bonsoir monsieur,” she cooed, hoping to catch his attention. “you look like someone who could use a happy tune.”

LILY was singing for a crowd of five-- six, if you counted the man behind the bar. she had sung for more, and she had sung for less, but somehow she was always singing in the same bar. different names of course; different locations, different owners, but always the same. the same red alcohol soaked carpet, the same dingy light with that one that was on the brink of a blowout but never quite blowing out, and the same smell of cigarette that seemed to be a permanent fixture in every corner of the room. it welcomed patrons of all sorts, so long as they paid for their drinks, which was perhaps why she always liked these bars over their more selective counterparts. and lily sang with the hope that her song might lift up at least one spirit every time she came, so she came as often as she could. 

it wasn’t as if she was paid particularly well for her time. none of them were, which was why that night, she was singing against a backing track that was beginning to stutter in the middle of her verse, the machine struggling against the strain of the age-old sound system in desperate need of an upgrade. with a loud pop, the music ceased all at once and lily was left trying to keep the song going against the clanging of glass and the hiss of pans and fryers from the kitchen. from the corner of the bar, she heard someone cough. if the people didn’t notice her before they were now. and she was trying to keep going as best as she could, but there her own voice was beginning to waver, and it was clear that she was struggling too.