The Pale Ale and Horse Bar (full story)

The Pale Ale and Horse Bar

The four friends stumbled into the pub. It was a small dingy place, tucked away in a back alley, between 4th and Montgomery. They had not noticed this bar before but if it had not been for Matt running into the alley to try to find a place to use the bathroom they may never have stepped in. The sturdy carved wooden door slammed loudly behind them making them jump slightly. There was an antique wooden sign above the door that had a logo of a skeletal horse and rider. Underneath the logo was the words “The Pale Ale and Horse Bar”. A thick haze of smoke swirled around their heads as they stepped forward into the building letting their eyes adjust to the darkness within. The bar seemed to be carved out of one giant piece of wood. Spaced out evenly was large columns that had intricate carvings of gargoyles, angels, demons, and mythological creatures. Each column was completely unique from the others. Along the walls were culverts with booths and large tables in them. They looked like they could easily fit ten people at each table. The actual bar was in the middle of the large room and was laid open completely in a circular fashion so that it faced outward to every part of the pub.

The friends carefully snaked their way through the scattered tables and chairs set out in the open space among the columns. There were few patrons sitting at the tables and booths in the bar and none of them looked up as the friends grabbed stools at sat at the bar. Matt laughed nervously to break the silence as they waited for the bartender. The friends had known each almost all their lives. They had met in elementary school and were instant buddies since then. Their lives had each taken different paths but they always remained in touch and luckily lived close enough that they could get together for nights like this. Matt was a lawyer for a large corporation headquartered in a neighboring city. Erick was a local high school English teacher. Johnathon worked security overnights at a warehouse and did landscaping during the day. Barry was a musician and played various instruments for five different bands in town. Erick and Johnathon were married with kids while Matt was planning an adoption with his partner and Barry was divorced without any kids that he was aware of. The guys were talking among themselves quietly when the bartender came from around the oval column in the middle of the bar.

The bartender was a tall and abnormally skinny man. He had long stringy dark hair that hung loosely down to his shoulders. His pale skin was stretched out tightly against his bones giving him a dark skeletal demeanor.  He had a tight black t-shirt on behind a stained light brown apron. In typical bartender fashion, he was wiping off a mug with a white towel as he nodded to the friends and walked slowly over to them.

“Hello. Welcome to the Pale Ale and Horse Bar.” he said in a deep gravelly monotone voice. “What can I get you?”
Matt, Erick, and Johnathon were taken aback by the appearance of the bartender but Barry broke the silence with an easy smile.
“Hey man!” He said cheerfully. “We, um, are doing a tour of the bars here in town and just happened across this place. We dig it. Do you have any specials tonight?”
“Yes.” said the bartender blandly. “We have a special. It’s on the house ale. The Pale Rider. That is all.”
“Wow, ok.” spoke up Matt. He pushed his wire-rimmed glasses further up his nose with his left hand. “That sounds good to me. Guys? A round on me?”
The other three looked to each other and laughed. They each nodded to the bartender.
“If it’s on you then you can order whatever you like, Matt!” said Johnathon as he laughed. He scratched his bald  head lightly as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his jeans pocket.
“Right, keep on buying big shot.” said Erick as he smirked from behind his neatly trimmed red beard.

The bartender filled four large glass mugs from the tap behind him and set them down forcefully in front of the men, two in each hand, some foam spilling over the sides. Matt pulled his wallet out and began to thumb out a plastic card from it when the bartender reached over the bar and grabbed his hand suddenly. Matt grunted in fear and yanked his arm back instinctively. The bartender’s grip was firm and strong and Matt could not break away.
“Your money is not good here.” said the bartender with no emotion on his face. “I only accept stories. Your stories.” He let go of Matt’s hand and slowly withdrew his arm back across the bar.
“Woah, man. What?” exclaimed Barry. “Stories? What the hell are you talking about?”
“This is not cool.” said Matt with a worried expression. “We need to get the hell out of here.”
All four men began to get up off of their stools. The bartender quickly raised his arms up to shoulder length and slammed his fists down on the wooden bar. The glass mugs shook and ale spilled over the tops.
“NO.” boomed the bartender. “You can not leave. You must stay and drink.”
The friends nervously glanced at each other and as one turned to run back to the door they entered from. Knocking over a few chairs and pushing some tables aside they rushed to where the door had been. Incredulously they stared at a barren wall. There was no door. They stared at each other wordlessly.
“Follow me.” breathed Barry and they ran through the bar following the wall counter-clockwise. They ran all the way back to the barren wall without seeing an exit of any kind.

“You see. It is as I said.” said the bartender. Even though he was still standing at the bar the friends could hear him speaking as if he was standing next to them. “Come. Drink. You still have to pay for your first round.” Though they could not see him the first hint of emotion crept across the bartender’s face. A thin smile.

Warily the friends walked back to the bar. They sat down across from their drinks and did not speak.
“Good.” murmured the bartender. “Who shall go first?” he asked.
They remained silent for a few minutes. The bartender folded his thin arms across his chest and waited expectantly.
Barry spoke up first. “I’ll do it. I’ll tell a story. Alright... so it was back in ‘93 and there was this chick...” Barry trailed off as the barkeep held his hand up.
“No. You pay with your story of today. That is the only one that holds merit here.” He folded his arms back across his chest and leaned back on the stool again.
“Oh. Kay.” Barry muttered. “Today... so... I was with you guys today. And. Um.” Barry’s face contorted as he thought about the day’s events. He shook his head as if he was trying to clear it.
Worriedly, Matt spoke up. “Yeah, we were all together today. All day long... right guys?” They all stared at each other as confusion took over each one of them.
“No. That’s not right.” Barry said in a somber tone. “We were supposed to be together tonight. That was plan but it didn’t happen, did it? I know it know. I know my story.”

“I was on my way to a gig. I was planning on meeting up with you guys after it. Time’s have been rough lately and money has been scarce so I’m taking anything I can get. It’s been really hard, ya know? So, I’ve, uh, been numbing the pain a little. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Maybe I had a drink or two before I left for the gig? It’s not a big deal. We’ve all done it.” Barry wiped his face with his hands. “I took the bike. I knew we’d be downtown and parking is horrible.” He smiled weakly. “I was running just a little late so I was going a bit fast. I mean, nothing crazy. It’s nothing I couldn’t handle. That bike is a dream and can definitely handle anything I can throw it’s way.” Barry’s brow knit in worry. It was if he was remembering the events right as he was speaking about them. “I don’t know what happened. There’s that construction, ya know? Right at Ward St off the freeway? I was trying to take a short cut to the bar I was going to play at. There was this stalled car that was sitting there. No lights or anything. No way I could have avoided it.” He sighed deeply. “That’s all I got. That’s it.”

The bartender nodded sagely. “Well done.” He said quietly. “Who is next? Speak.”

Johnathon cleared his throat noisily. “This is crazy. I’ll do it just to leave this messed up place.” He defiantly stared at the bartender.

“Let’s see, today. I had to wake up really early today. I remember that. I pulled a double shift last night and then had to come into the work site to supervise today. One of my security coworkers just had a new baby and I promised him I’d cover for him at night. And then my construction company gave me the day off just to call me in too. I was pissed off but I knew I’d be with you guys later so I figured I’d just power through it.” He paused for a second to recall his memories. “It’s funny how quickly stuff happens. My day shift was almost done. We were winding down. Most of the machines were powered down and almost everyone was off the site. There was just the one new guy still wandering about the site so I walked down to get him and tell him to go home.” He smiled thinly. “New guys are always trying to impress everyone by pretending to work harder. It never fools me. He was down in the pit. I don’t know what the hell he was doing but it was time to go. I was never more ready to have drinks with my friends. He was bent over looking at something in the dirt when the machine slid. I can still see it in slow motion sliding over the lip of the pit and tumbling down towards us.” He looked around to his friends with tears in his eyes. “I might have been able to save him. It just happened so fast though. I froze. Before I could react it was on top of both us.” Johnathon held his head low and sobbed quietly.

Matt began to reach out to console Johnathon but the bartender lifted his arms again. “No. He is beyond your help.” The bartender stared at Matt with cold eyes. “It is your turn now.”

Matt looked around at his friends. Erick was the only one meeting his gaze. Matt could see how scared Erick was. “Ok. Fine. My turn.”

“I canceled. That’s right, I had completely forgot about it. My firm needed me overseas at the last minute so I had to cancel my plans with you guys. I was heartbroken. It seems like forever since we were last able to meet. It was an early AM flight and I got to the airport early. You just never know with screening how long it will take. Usually it’s a breeze and I’m in and out but there’s just those times where you’re in line over an hour. I really hate flying. I really do. It’s a horrible way to travel, I think, but what can you do? I brought a couple of books to read to keep me occupied. I had my laptop for work but I had finished my briefing days before. Anything that needed to be amended I could do after we landed and I spoke with my colleagues there.” Matt wiped sweat away from his forehead with his arm and looked at it shockingly. “The flight was going so well. There was hardly any turbulence. It is hard to believe but I think I may have been enjoying it, oddly enough. At first it started quietly. It was just flight attendants walking up and down the cabin. I think I saw one of the pilots walk to the back of the plane as well. When they announced the engine problem over the intercom it escalated so quickly! The plane shook violently. I saw one woman, who was not buckled into her seat, lift several feet into the air at one point. I freaked out. The only thing I could do was just grip the seat and pray that everything would end well.” Matt looked away towards the back wall. “It ended so suddenly. The plane was going down and then there was nothing.”

The bartender stood up and looked down upon the friends. “Very well. Your drinks have been paid for.” He began to turn around.

“Wait!” yelled Erick. “What about me? What about my story? My day isn’t over yet and my drink isn’t paid for.” Panic was plainly written across his face.

“No, you cannot pay yet. Your story is not yet over. It is time to go.” The bartender turned as the center column of the bar slowly faded away leaving a plain wooden door in it’s stead. Erick’s friends stood up in unison and walked around the bar. They stood in a line in front of the door.

“I don’t understand. What is happening? What is going on? Matt! Barry! Johnathon! Come back guys, it’s time to leave!” Erick pleaded frantically.

“It is time for your friends to leave, Erick.” said the bartender in a monotone voice. “I will not see you again for a long time yet.”

Erick stood up and reached out towards his friends when the bar went dark. There was the sound of a door slamming shut and light began to illuminate the air above him. He was back in the alley leading to the bar. He scanned the alleyway around him. There were no doors or entrances around. It was as if the bar never existed at all. He numbly stared down at his right hand in shock. He was holding a cold bottle of beer. On it was a label of a skeletal horse and rider that said “The Pale Rider” and underneath that in smaller print was “The Pale Ale and Horse Bar.”




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