The Parlour

The sound of shaking spray cans echoed their dissonant chimes from the alleyway to dissipate into the wide, open street. Beaming lights ran around the walls of the alley like figure skaters on ice. Three hooded figures gripped flashlights between their lips as they layered paint on the city’s brick canvas. One figure swished their can upward in the same style one would use as if they were putting pen to paper. The hooded figure took a few steps back from the wall and lowered their hood to reveal a woman with purple and black, pixie cut hair. “All right, fellas, I’m set.” She spoke audibly enough for her two companions on opposite ends of the alley to hear, but with enough restraint not to yell. “Paige, how’s it going down there?” The woman took one last look at her portrait of a neon-colored scarecrow mooning crows and jogged over to Paige.

            “You’re in luck,” Paige said as he let his hood down and combed his hand through his hair, “I just finished.” His flashlight waved across the design as he gave a little bow. “Feast your eyes, Rin, on the best work of the night.” Rin rolled her eyes at the sight of a velociraptor wearing a top hat and a monocle sipping tea with its pinky finger in the air. She gave a side eye to Paige who was stroking his long, blonde beard as he admired his work.

            “Really? Another dinosaur portrait?” Rin folded her arms. Having to arch her neck to look up into her friend’s eyes loosened the annoyed tension in her face.

            “And there’s more to come,” Paige said with a wink. Rin sighed, turning back to the direction she came from. The third figure still had his hood on.

            “Amon, you done yet?” Rin called.

            “Al…most…” Amon mumbled with his flashlight wedged in his mouth. Paige and Rin walked over to Amon and their jaws reached for the ground.

            “Uh, Amon,” said Rin. “I thought you’ve never done this before?”

            “You hustled us good, kid.” Paige stroked the grizzly bear fur he called a beard, a smirk appeared on his face. Amon finished his signature of a scarab with wings spread to the sky. He added a letter ‘A’ and ‘E’ to each wing and moved away from the wall so that he could see his masterpiece in full view. Together they took in the Rice Krispy cereal mascots dressed as Mafiosos, their guns made out of rice crispy treats, and the body of a Keebler elf faced down in a pool of blood.

            “I had a hard time deciding if I wanted a female Keebler elf snuggled up next to Pop, but then figured I can add her in another day,” Amon explained. He took off his hood and shook his black, curly hair. “So, um…?” He asked while his companions stared at the picture. “What uh – what do you think?”

            “I think,” Rin started, “That-”

            “You deserve a drink, buddy,” Paige interrupted. He turned Amon around and put his arm around the baffled young man. “Beers are on me tonight. Rin, give this guy the money you owe him.”

            “Wait, I didn’t agree to him winning the bet.” Rin followed closely behind the guys.

            “What do you mean? You were just as shocked as me,” Paige laughed.

            Amon raised his hand slowly, “Um, I’m not twenty-one.” Rin huffed and slapped a bill in Amon’s raised palm.

            “Wait, you’re not?” Paige paused for a moment and then continued walking with greater stride. “No worries. I know the best bar in San Fran for people like us.” Paige led the group out of the alley and towards Union Square.

The trio stopped in front of a tattoo parlor called Vandal’s Oasis. “The sign says it’s closed,” Amon pointed out.

            “And yet it never is,” Paige replied with a smile.

            “Over here.” Rin nodded her head down the alley of the building. She and Paige trotted along while Amon stepped slowly as he admired the various murals and graffiti drawn not only on the walls, but on the concrete sidewalk of the alley as well. “Those are the emblems of various fighters in The Parlour that have visited this shop.” Amon veered his head from his feet to Rin’s head through a metal railing. She and Paige were halfway down a flight of stairs. They waved their friend over then continued down the stairs. Amon, with a quickened pace, walked around the railing and down the staircase to a red door below the tattoo shop. Rin and Paige were waiting patiently for him. “Place your hand on the door,” Rin said. The young man approached the door with a slight hesitation and placed his hand upon it. His tattoo started to glow through the sleeve of his hoodie. A black, Egyptian feline with a gold necklace and the eye of Horus as its left eye radiated a black and gold outline on Amon’s arm. As if a spirit from beyond had taken it upon itself to help, the door crept open. “Nice job, newbie.” Rin walked inside.

            “I knew you were one of us,” said Paige as he followed Rin’s lead.

            “Wait, what was that just now?” Amon asked. “What’s going on with my tattoo?” He waved his arm frantically.

            “We’ll explain inside. Let’s go,” said Paige. Amon looked concerned at his arm when he heard a cat meow. He looked behind him to lock eyes with the exact same cat he had on his arm. “Hey, Amon, we can’t leave the door open all night.” Paige raised an eyebrow at Amon. “What’s taking you?”

            “There’s a cat,” said Amon. Paige looked up the stairs. Then back to his friend.

            “Where?” asked Paige. Amon looked back again and saw nothing.

            “I swear there was a cat there. My cat. The cat on my…arm.” Amon saw that his arm no longer glowed. And he grew sad. “But I-”

            “Don’t worry about it,” Paige reached out for Amon’s arm and tugged him into the rowdy bar. “Like I said, we’ll explain everything inside.”