The wolf is at the door here.

She was just standing there, at the end of the line, watching him cook. At first Sam hadn't really noticed it because he had been too busy cooking, but after a couple of minutes it was hard to ignore. He could feel the eyes on him. She was new, cute, with a nice thick body that he always liked and cute brown eyes. Still she irked him, especially when she did things like this? 'Can I help you?' He asked, trying to mask the irritation he felt. 'No, just waiting.' She smiled again. She would do this sometimes, stand there if she felt an order was taking too long and just watch. As if her presence there would expedite the cooking process. And he knew for a fact she was hoping her looks would factor in, he could tell she had been using them to get things for a long time. Sam put up a burger and an omelette in the window. It wasn't that busy, only a few slips, but they were all fairly large tables, still it hadn't been that long, he had checked the clock outside several times. Why are you still here? He thought to himself. This is my dominion, this kitchen, when I'm cooking this is my house, and these fryolators, this grill, and this baine marie is my territory. Unless you have something to change in an order, or you're going to come back here and help me cook it, get the fuck out.

'It's coming up soon.' Sam said finally, mainly to just get her out. Her name was Abby and she was nice enough, except for that one thing. In many ways she had a lot of attributes that he would normally find appealing in a woman, dark hair, curvaceous body type, intelligence, a sense of humor. Still he knew it would never be possible, she was too much of an overachiever, the type that was trying to be everything. In all honesty he felt intimidated by it, it was too much. What would he possibly say to someone who had plans to study in Europe next year when he had been at the diner for 2 with no such plans on the horizon. She was too good also, he could tell. One time, he had been outside with Mike smoking a bowl in the shed and she had come out yelling to them to come back to cook orders when they had returned it had only been an order of fries. While she hadn't said anything to them about it, it was obvious, she knew what they were doing out there, and she didn't approve. He put up the last order in the window. He went out the door and looked around, all the menu's were gone and all the tables with people at them had their food.

He saw Lindsay at the coffee station brewing up another batch, 'How you hanging in there?' he asked her. 'Doing alright.' She replied. 'How's it going back there?' 'Pretty good.' Sam replied. Abby was on the other side of the dining room getting her table something. 'She's kind of annoying though.' He said in a low tone. 'I know,' Lindsay replied. 'We'll talk later,' He continued. 'Do you think I could step outside for a second?' He asked. 'Whose working with you?' She responded. 'Zach.' 'He's been out there for a while.' 'Yeah, at this point I'm used to it. I pretty much assume I'm going to be along behind the line.' She went around to give a refill to the table in the back. 'Ok go now, but you might want to get Zach back in here. I think this girl might be a snitch.' Sam nodded and got up. Good old Lindsay. She has a good heart, Sam thought. He didn't know much about her, but from what he could gather about her past she had a turbulent past had become stronger because of it. He went in the door through the line and into the walk-in freezer. He had stashed two nips of whiskey behind the beef liver, he put one in his pocket and downed the other. The warm feeling cascading into his stomach. That sweet burn, he thought.

Normally he wouldn't have started drinking so early, but tonight he made an exception. When he had gone over to Andrea's last night it was obvious it was over, although she hadn't quite said as such. They had hung out, had sex, smoked a little, and then she had dropped a bombshell, 'Why do you still like me so much?' she had asked, nonchalantly. Like asking what time the game was on. She had gone to to explain how there was nothing much keeping their relationships together, that they had no common interests, no glue, no mortar to hold the bricks. It was, in many ways, the same thing he had been thinking for a long time. He had protested, had attempted to plead his case, but it was all in vein, mainly for show. Mainly because he wasn't ready to be alone again. They had finally decided to 'take a break,' for a while, to 'cool off,' but that was all for show, he knew. She was trying to spare his feelings, to perhaps avoid the awkward confrontation that often occurs with a breakup.

Zach was smoking a cigarette and looking at his phone, 'How's it going man?' Sam said as he entered. 'Pretty good, anything going on in there?' Zach asked not looking up from his phone. 'No, not really a few tables.' 'Word.' Zach replied. Zach was hard to read sometimes, he was quiet alot of the time, and tended to keep a lot to himself. 'You have a bowl? Sam asked. 'Yeah, I got one.' Zach replied reaching into his jacket. 'Be careful around that new waitress, I think she might be a snitch.' Sam remarked. 'Yeah I could see that.' Sam went into his backpack and pulled out his bag. Zach handed him his glass bowl. Sam broke up a nug and stuffed it into the bowl. He took a hit and passed it to Zach. He looked at his phone, 8:30, word. He sent her a text, 'Want to get together tonight?', Zach passed the bowl back. I know this is a bad idea, Sam thought as he took his hit. Just let it cool down, but he couldn't, he couldn't leave it be. Not when that was how he left it. He wouldn't be sane as long as he remained in purgatory. 'It's pretty slow, do you think I could leave at like 9:30? He asked finally. 'Yeah.' Zach replied, somewhat reluctantly. Not that any good would come of his early departure, he knew. Most likely she wouldn't text him back, or if she didn't it wouldn't be what he wanted to hear. Still in many way's that wasn't what he wanted. He wanted oblivion, annihilation, darkness. To completely forget who he was for the rest of the night.