#swampstart

Though she tried to ignore it, her eyes refused to keep checking the clock on the wall as it slowly counted down to 1am. She was just finishing with wiping away the stickiness on the bartop---anything to kill time---when she was flagged down. 

“What can I do for you, sugar?” she chirped and tossed the rag back to the sink behind the bar. “If it’s a drink you want, you’ll get it if I can make it in--” her gaze shifts back to the clock for a moment, then returns, “--three minutes’r less.” 

“There you go-- all signed,” Serena smiled, handing the folder back. Recently Serena had found herself signing off on all sorts of things-- everything from permits to licences to city checks, even honor roll certificates for the community’s youth, which she particularly enjoyed doing. “Please let me know if you need anything else. It’s always so lovely to have visitors drop by City Hall!”

Tessa always enjoyed drawing from life-- there was something dynamic about it-- a lot more exciting than drawing from a photo. She had been doodling the scene before her for the past twenty minutes or so, when she noticed one of the people in her frame of vision beginning to move. “Wait!” she exclaimed a little over-excitedly, “Okay, now this is going to sound a little strange, but can you not move for like, two more seconds? The lighting is perfect and I’m almost done with this sketch.”

this festival wasn’t duke’s first, nor would it be his last but he was certainly old enough to not be completely enraptured by the various vendors and pretty lights anymore. instead, he opted to linger at the edge of the crowd with a beer in hand rather than among the other townspeople. he had never been a central figure in this town, finding mingling all too uncomfortable with probing questions he never wanted to answer which was probably why he had very little friends and no social life whenever he wasn’t taking care of his father. maybe he’d try tonight. meandering his way into the crowd, he managed to accidentally bump into someone, spilling a bit of his drink in the process. “shit, sorry. hardly saw you there.”