Night Shift

The following is a work of fiction.

Night Shift

The waitress behind the bar was a young woman, maybe in her late twenties, pretty and tired. She poured coffees for the middle-aged couple who have just finished their late dinner and were leaning on each other. The waitress gave the two a laboured smile as she turned around to walk back to the grill to keep an eye on the burger. Opposite to the middle-aged couple was a man, dressed in dark suit and a hat. He ordered a cheeseburger and a milkshake. The young waitress flipped the patty and placed a slice of cheese on it. She then proceeded to make milkshake for the suited customer. The man too had the appearance of someone who could do with a good night’s sleep but here he was eating at a diner way past midnight.

The four had no choice but to stay in the diner.

The young waitress assembled the burger and poured the milkshake into a glass and brought it to the man. Again, she gave a tired but genuine smile at her customer and sat down on her stool looking out to the street outside. She took a big sip of her coffee and walked towards the glass window. The three customers turned to her nervously. She carefully looked to her left and right. The only thing lighting up the world outside was the moonlight.

There was nothing more the young waitress wanted than to go home.

She knew the consequences of going outside at this time of the night and so did her customers behind her. She let out a big helpless sigh as she turned around to walk behind the bar. She noticed that the suit man’s coffee cup was empty, and she poured him another.