Page 69 of Rewrites of the Heart

Still, a third, he guessed, appeared to be a strange hybrid between a werewolf and Bigfoot.

He tried to guide Alex inside, using the free door. He could feel she was growing increasingly nervous. His movement into the coffee shop only excited the strange alien-like creatures more. The rumbling down the line grew louder and more formidable. Several creatures, evidently determined not to let them cut in, took several brisk steps in their direction.

“Excuse me, good man,” he said, as calmly as he could gather. Only the bouncing of his hair belied his nervousness. He tried hard not to alarm Alex. “I do believe you’re in our way.”

Alex now quickly removed her hand from his and placed her arm around his waist. Things appeared to be going from bad to worse. The aliens began shouting. More than half a dozen of the uniformed individuals and hybrid creatures blocked their way.

The growing unrest finally caught Alvin’s attention. He appeared at the door seemingly out of nowhere. “It’s okay, guys,” he told the creatures. “They’re employees. They aren’t going to drink the last Dark Hole Mocha or eat the last Philadelphia Experiment Cheesesteak.”

Alvin them escorted them in. “The crowd is getting seriously restless out there. Sorry about that.”

Blake and Alex followed Alvin through the café. Creatures resembling those outside occupied every table and booth. Their sheer numbers set him on edge. Not sure of their intention, he maintained a hold on Alex and deliberately kept pace with Alvin.

“This Space Cosplay Day is not only generating income,” Alvin said, “But I’ve already had several newspaper reporters and a television station in here covering the event. And it’s all due to your spontaneous text marketing plan. Me and the guys can’t thank you enough.”

As they passed one booth, a pair of werewolf-like creatures were getting up to leave. “Here, grab this booth before anyone else finds it. I’ll be back in a second to clean it off.”

The pair slid in, Alex rummaging through her backpack; Blake’s eyes fixated on the television.

“I’m more confused than ever,” he said. “When we were texting the event, I didn’t understand what it was all about.”

He paused, distracted by the action on the television across from them. “I’m still not sure I do.” His eyes remained riveted on the television. “How about you? Is this an American thing that we Brits don’t comprehend?”

The question was met with silence. He took his eyes off the television long enough to see Alex pull her history books out of her backpack. She surveyed the crowd before she answered.

“To be honest, I never really thought about what we were marketing. I just assumed you knew. But I never would have imagined it would look anything like this.”

She took a second look around the café. A small smile crept on her face. “This may sound odd, but I feel strangely bonded to these creatures.”

She pointed to a table across the room. “Watch those two over there. That’s the strangest game of chess I’ve ever seen.”

He looked behind him to a corner of the café. A gleaming crystal board and game pieces consisted of several levels. There were three conventional chess boards, stacked, step-like, atop one another. There were also four smaller boards, each with only four squares. Each player had another pair of boards that somehow hung in front of them on still another level. It was all very confusing.

His curiosity was aroused. He rose. “I’ll be right back, love. I promise.” He walked over to the players and stood just close enough to hear their conversation.

“Fascinating,” said one as the other scooted a pawn over a spot. Then he deftly maneuvered one of his pieces without much thought.

A third person, also wearing the popular skin-tight costume, approached the table. He sipped his coffee as he leaned in closer and tilted his head.

“Any suggestions, doctor, as to how I may get myself out of this?” the one man asked and smiled up at him.

“Damn it, Jim,” he said, “I’m a doctor not a chess player.” Then he turned on a heel.

“I always wanted to use that line,” he said, as he walked off.

Blake returned to find Alvin had bused the booth and Alex was already doing her homework, so he turned his attention to the television again.

“Look, love.” He pointed to what he had been watching. He sat on his side of the booth, with one elbow resting on the table. “Those things on the screen do bear a faint resemblance to the werewolves or whatever sitting here before us. And look, they almost look like that one, too.”

He pointed at another hybrid werewolf-Bigfoot creature who walked past as he munched on a plate of the Onion String Theory appetizer.

Alvin walked over with their lattes. “Look at all these characters,” he said.

“So, everyone at the café,” Alex asked as she took several pens out of her backpack, “are really characters from the television show?”

“Yeah, they are.”

A character walked up to Alvin, separated his fingers, two on either side and greeted him, “Live long and prosper.” Alvin returned the sign and the greeting.

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