Persephone and Phemia's Epic Quest

"You shouldn't have to pay for what you can get for free."

I smiled at the man, a stranger I've never met before. He winked and walked back over to his table where a few others sat and talked. I continued to clear their empty glasses, taking them to the kitchen where dirty dishes were stacked up into the sink. I glanced out of the window above the sink, looking at the dark blue sky with only a few stars shining through.

"It's getting late," said my boss, "and you should go home early today." She dug into her pocket and pulled out a small wad of bills and handed it over to me. I took it from her hand and stared at it for a moment before stuffing it into my own pocket.

"Thanks," I said as I grabbed my coat off the rack by the door. I waved goodbye and hurried outside into the cold New York night. The wind bit at my skin as soon as I stepped outside but I didn't mind, there was something romantic about walking home in the middle of winter.

I arrived home and quickly changed out of my work clothes for some warm pajamas, sliding under the covers of my bed and exhaling deeply. It had been a long day and all I wanted to do now was sleep. But sleep wouldn't come easy tonight, not with all these thoughts swirling around in my head. Thoughts about that man...

I couldn't get over how he looked at me when I brought him his beer; those intense eyes staring straight through me as if looking for something he could feast upon. And he treated me as if I were his property; like some kind of pet or slave that he could order around, use however he pleased, then throw away once he'd had his fill. His words still echoed in my ears: You shouldn't have to pay for what you can get for free.