Chaos forms the storms that fetch the hustles of peace in bits.
~Yaris
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"Welcome to the Crowbar, we offer-"

"Just Coffee."

Her flat decision earned some tacky stares as the auburn eyes tried to hoot and dismiss what they just heard.

"Mam, I respect the choice but it's a bar. We don't do-"

"Well, you can try now, Mr."

She cut him short as she walked ten steps. Her hands loitered the little shrub pots serenely spreading their aura of springs. She glanced at the wooden floors reflecting the cone beam lights, before pulling the beige-tanned wooden chair to a sleek squat.

I thought she would be sweet!

She rolled her eyes. He shrugged his shoulders at her comments and scribbled something over his forehead.

"Saga, get me the order." He crossed his arms making her narrow her angled slits.

"Why would you pick me?" She twisted her neck as dramatic as she could.

"Who placed the bets?"

Before she could realize her claws glided to the edge of the table to the force that slid them.

"Owe! Ohhoo! Silly move."

In a swift blow, she wrapped her feathers back before the leap.

"Do you think she wouldn't be taken aback if I speak?"

He chewed his lips to tease her with a standard smile that meant nothing.

"Argh! Why do smart sheep always bait the goats?"

Striking his tail on his wrists, she flew to the strange space of the place.

God save me from hits!

A small thud resonated in her tiny four chambers as she prepped herself. She landed on the melamine perch stand holding the menu of the night written in flowy letters. Her thrill-driven pupils met the empty hazel as they gasped.

"Shooooo. Shooo- go away!"

Not reacting to her bland gestures, her claws hit the spring to get her attention.

"No thanks, coffee is fine. I just have that much money." Her fingers rushed to her pockets to make sense.

"It's all free coz it's your first time."

"You speak?"

She stood up with lids that were wider open than her lips.

"Yes. I do."

She blurted as her furry hind legs folded cautiously to be ready to dodge whatever may come.

"That's so amazing! Hey bartender, how did you train a crow?"

"She is smart!"

"She?-"

Her sudden cackles of surprise earned some nutty whispers. But the lonely echoes made her smudge the flares. Correcting her messy strands that teased her nose tips, she straightened herself.

"As you said. Whatever I order is for free? You sure?" She rubbed those silvery beaks.

"Yes, ten free shots." She tossed her neck to meet the flurried gazes of the man.

"The taxes?" Her brows scrunched.

"Oh yeah, it's covered!"

"Sounds like it's one of my lucky nights! Get me your favorite then." Her gleaming eyes wandered in tune with her words.

"At ease!"

Nodding to the order, she flew towards the counter. To her turn, she met his iffy jitters.

"Since when did you double the freebies?" He crossed his arms.

"Oh I was planning to triple them, then my mercy hormones kicked in."

But that sheepish thrust of her beaks did no good.

"Hey, I sealed the deal. Be blessed and now get my customer the Kinnaric Kahlua."

"Oh, it's too much! Do you know-"

"Consider it my gift. Ara, make it, please. You don't want me to disappoint that soul. Do you?" She rubbed her streaked crest feathers on his elbows to soften him.

"Alright. Will get her that."

"Ohiyo! I will keep her posted." Pouting a tiny kiss she flew to the table.

Taking the glass receptacle, he took the sealed bottle. As he poured the rust-brown liquid, the aroma of rum-ridden coffee beans stirred the peaceful winds. Slicing some fresh red melons he crushed the seraphinous berries for a thick garnish. With one final swirl, he let the punch settle in layers of brown-dusted gold with floating melons at the top. Satisfied with his craft, he poured the condiment into a glass jar set with a pair of shot glasses in the wooden tray beside the bowl of diced ice.

"Hey, Ara! Meet Radhi."

"Friends already?" He inquired as he set the table for her.

Drinking in the aroma of caffeine soaked in ripe berries, her dubious forehead relaxed. She readily poured the drink to gulp them down in a minute.

"Oh my! You have magical hands!"

Stating that she poured it again and lent some for him. Sipping the bouncing melons, he switched his brows to the sides as his eyes carried the question.

"Not yet." She said as her gut grew whispery.

Her angled eyes shifted to the pockets of the woman that glazed in the brilliance of warning shimmers.

⚫️⚪️⚫️⚪️⚫️

Lurking its divine wishes, the tender warmth of sanguine rays swiftly kissed the skies as they seethed to invade the dips of the dark. Snaking through the railings the subtle heat energized a raven lame bag lying curled up in the ground.

"Wouw! Why do thousand diamonds pierce me?"

She mumbled as she crawled to the edges fanning the stripes of shade.

"Ah! Now it's better."

As she rolled she could sense some goosy touch on her creases, making her loosened her lids.

"Why do you wake me, Mr Shed Shadie?" She retched as she looked to the side.

"Do you belong to a human, Shadie?"

"Can't you see her standing above-"

Before she could finish, her words clouded as her upward glances realized what was wrong.

"How long am I here alone?"

She swirled her spreads to frisk them as she woke.

"For a few hours now."

The dark silhouettes of wave patterns lengthened as the rays shifted.

"Hours? Damn! Why did you not inform me?"

"Shadie, calm down."

"How can I be calm knowing that I'm alone!"

She touched her temples with her fluid palms, breathing her nervousness through the pointed nares.

"Well, you were snoring."

"Yeah, she was too loud. I couldn't sleep!"

The bitterness of the cubic rim from beside pushed her to retch more cusses but she knew it was not the right time.

"Apologies shades! I'm in such a miserable state."

"Terrible actually! Who loses the owner?"

The wavy shade implored as he looked keenly at her.

"We have only one rule to follow, just stick to their feet till gone. Was it too difficult for you? Kids these days!"

The cubic one towered over the waves to scare her with his resonant groans.

"Oww. Oww. I'm not an alien. I'm just like you all but existing free."

"We never exist free."

"Yea! You can't fool us."

A voice from behind startled her enough to stumble down her legs.

"Don't worry. I'm a shadie cat. Meoww."

"Eavesdropping? Nitwit!"

She dusted her inner terrors with two deep sighs as she looked at the curling orange fur ball above the shade that cloned it.

"I need help. Can someone tell me if you saw my human?"

Her voice softened as she glanced at the three shades in a row.

"Oh no, I didn't notice that." Mr Cube leaned back.

"But, I feebly remember as she left towards the market exit."

"That's my Mr Shed! Thank you."

"Hrgh. Not so wise you are. You can't walk in the sun if you are alone. You know that!"

"Yes, Mr Cube is right."

The cat bubbled as it sat to curl its legs to the itchy ears. Their concerns were true. But she had no answers to afford.

"Hey! Shadie you can use the shades to move. We can protect you within our premises."

"Thanks, Cube, but how long can you expand though? You can't move."

Their hues dulled as they realized their limits. Time passed as they thought but silence probed them as the only answer.

"When will the humans come?"

"Sometimes noon but it's of no use."

"True, Shed. They will be short and might not be helpful enough to contain you."

Yet again a desolate agony stirred her qualms.

"How dumb I was to lose it all in a stupid slumber! The more the time I waste the more are the chances of me becoming a lone walker."

Her words made every shade cough to feeble it.

"Lone Walker is a nightmare! You will never have an end."

"But who is-"

Akin to the rain in sultry summers, the sudden shrieking echoes of rolling wheels calmed them.

"That's a truck. Shadie here you get lucky!"

"Thank you, Mr Shed. Thanks, guys."

Greeting her final goodbye to the cube and the cat she rolled to sweep under the truck.

"Oh hello, mam! Ow- you are wandering alone?"

The hoarse voice shrieked as it realized the situation within it.

"I need help to get to my owner."

She clung her palms to the railing shades while climbing her foot over the little spaces she could find to settle.

"I'm obliged to help. Be careful. Keep off the sun. Without a boss, he will burn us."

"True that!"

"By the way, I'm Mr Ley. Where are you heading?"

He contained her spilling pods within his rims as he asked.

"I'm caught in an unfortunate situation. I'm confused if I should visit their place. What if she is lost somewhere nearby?"

"That's sad, maybe we should watch out the sides to see if anything different gets in the way."

Nodding to him they both tossed their heads to look around. But as far as they could see everyone was human.

"How would she look, Shadie?"

"Ditto! But she walks in flesh and blood."

Blinking for a few moments to her descriptions he tossed his head out. His eyes rolled as he tried to skim the shades with the fast running of the truck. As they geared for a sudden halt, he threw his pods out to grab attention.

"Hey, Mr Enfield did you by chance see any human zombie? She would look like her."

He pulled the woman near him. His moves earned them some bewitched gazes.

"I don't know if I'm sure, but yeah I haven't seen anything nasty like her since my existence."

Her arms rose but before she could hit he left as his wheels rolled.

Why would I greet great stupids in every street!

"Ohho! That same bhoot."

A startled voice from behind made them turn their heads.

"Hey, cycle! You saw her?"

Shudders colored him dark. He peeked at her again to nod slowly. Once again he stared but this time, his bizarre looks warmed them.

Terms:

Kinnara: It refers to the fairies who are shown as going in pairs noted for mutual love and devotion.

Kahlua: An alcoholic brew from coffee beans.

Bhoot: Sanskrit word for ghost.

Elementals:

Mr Cube: Shadow of Building.

Mr Ley: Shadow of Ashok Leyland truck.

Mr Enfield: As you have guessed, it's the shadow of Royal Enfield.

With riddles,
🧩..Yaris..🧩