Hitch Hiker had been a waiter since he was 17. He worked in the local restaurant called 'The Ogre's appetite'. He's a tall and slim man with amber eyes and dark hair. Hitch looked no older than 16. Even though at the age of 21, he worked hard for his only family. He has two younger sisters by the name of Erika(who worked as a bartender at the local pub) and Mitch(who is homeschooled). They lived together in a single house with two stories in the small town of Sarrald. The three of them were orphaned by the car accident on the bridge four years ago. Now, Hitch and Erika are the ones who worked as they're adults, while Mitch is still 16. They decided to homeschool Mitch for the sake of their finance.
"I would like a pot of chicken curry for the mister here, please," said a customer who sat down in the restaurant.
"A pot of chicken curry," repeated Hitch as he was writing down. "Anything else, ma'am?"
"Yes, I would also like a plate of steak and fries for the main course for me, a bowl of gazpacho for the appetizer for me and that's all, kiddo."
Hitch sighed lightly, even though he got used to be treated like a little kid, he still despised the face that everybody saw him as a kid. He then brought the order to the kitchen and stamped the number 25. "Order for table 25!" Yelled Hitch. Then he walked to pick up the finished order (the scent of the meat nearly made Hitch salivate but he stopped himself) and carefully balance over four plates on both of his arm and walked to the table 21. He then returned again (he could smell the strong curry in both of the pot and it made his stomach growl slightly) and carried back two pot of hot soup and brought it to the table 13.
"Uh, kiddo," said the woman seated at the table 13. "I said no onions in my soup!"
Hitch had met all kinds of customers. The picky ones, the annoying ones, the ones that took eternity to order, the karens, the ones that claimed to not have order what they've ordered and etcetera.
"Yes, miss," said Hitch politely. "I'll bring back these soups and came back with the ones without onions." Hitch took both pot at the same time and returned it to the kitchen. "These two without onions, please!" Hitch yelled with all of the noise happening.
ten hours passed by quickly for anyone who were enjoying their food, but not for Hitch. He had to restrained himself from eating the food every time he went to serve them. Hitch wished he could have sealed his nostrils every time he went to serve the food. Then, Hitch eyed at the clock glued to the wall and noticed that it was nearly time for him to stop working. Just five minutes and he could go home. Hitch then walked up to the kitchen and took five bowls of ice cream before he served them to a family of 5. Then he took an order from a young couple before he gave the order to the kitchen. The sound of everybody talking was louder than usual, it's basically gibberish for anybody who tried to listen. Then, it's time for Hitch to return home. He went to the room where all of the waiters put tags with their names on five different lines. There are lines title 'At Work', 'Sick', 'Home', 'On Vacation' and 'Busy'. Hitch took the tag with his name and glued it to 'Home'. Then he took his back and said his goodbyes to colleges. He can't believe at the entire day, he hasn't received a single tip. It was probably because Hitch hadn't been too persuasive and hadn't been nagging people much like how his colleges do. Hitch sighed heavily and then came outside and noticed that the sky was darker than usual. He walked in the empty street. The lamp posts were glitching from now and then. Hitch then looked in a dark alley and noticed two huge circular lightbulbs. There were turning off and on without any rhythm. That slightly annoyed Hitch as he was a person who loved to have his things organized. Then, both lightbulbs went out and then a deep sound sent a chill in his spine.
"What was that?!" He screamed as he spun around and saw nothing and nobody. He then thought it was probably the wind that did that. He continued to his journey home and frequently turn his head in every direction. He finally arrived at his favorite destination: home. There stood before him a house with two stories. He then knocked on the door thrice.
"Who's that?! Yelled a slightly muffled but still recognizable voice.
"It's me... Hitch!" He could hear the lock being removed and the door opened. In front of him was Erika (Short for Frederika as she doesn't like being called that), tall and slim and looked just over 18. With her curly brown hair and blue eye with a hint of purple in them. The light shone behind her, making her look a little bit majestic. She was wearing her usual white and dress.
"Well," she said in her usual bossy voice. "Come in, Hitch, we've been waiting for you and I was helping Mitch with her homework."
"Erika, I have so much to tell you about to day," said Hitch as he settled down on a chair.
Half an hour later, As Erika was preparing tomato soup and a beef steak. She was humming 'Mary had a little lamb'. She then poured the tomato soup into three different bowls before she laid them on the table. Hitch took a spoon and the plunged it into the hot soup before he put the full spoon just an inch from his lips and he blew on it multiple times before he gobbled the soup.
"Delicious as always, Erika," said Hitch while he licked his lips and could still feel the warmth in his mouth.
"Thanks for the complement Hitch," said Erika.
"Brother, how was your day?" Asked Mitch.
Hitch then told her about all of the kinds of customers he had during the day and Mitch was a really good audience as she knew when to do what and say what. Hitch then told about how he hasn't received even a single tip.
"I can't believe that you hadn't received even a single tip!"
"Yeah," said Hitch. "It was probably due to the fact that I don't nag people enough. I'm you know how I am. I don't like when people reject me. It's literally my worst fear."
"Hitch, this is for you," said Erika when she place the plate of steak in front of Hitch with a fork and knife. Hitch then grabbed them both and used them to cut a chunk from the steak before placing it in his mouth and chewed.
"Hmm... medium rare..."
"Just like how you love," said Mitch.
"Seriously," said Hitch. "You gals are really missing something out!"
"No thanks!" Said both gals simultaneously.
Hitch knew that Erika and Hitch are vegetarian for the sake of the animal as they love all kinds of animals, but also for the sake of the cost of living. Hitch savored the juicy meat. Mitch then grabbed one bowl of tomato soup before she slurped it. Erika then sat down and placed two plates of roasted eggplant in front of her and Mitch.
"I'm starving!" Said Mitch as she cut the eggplant.
"Me too!" Said Erika.
"It's nice to have a dinner together," said Hitch gently as he reached for the water jug.
"How were your days Hitch and Erika?" Asked Mitch.
"The usual," said both elder siblings.
"How are these 'usual' then?" Insisted Mitch.
"Well, you know, all kinds of customers in the restaurant. But today wasn't as record breaking as that specific day," said Hitch.
"Today, I've served over a hundred times, which is quite record breaking so today isn't really my 'usual', Mitch," said Erika.
Half an hour later, the three of them had finished their dinner and yawned as it was nearing 10 P.M. Hitch then stood up and took the empty dishes before he brought them to the kitchen. Mitch and Erika did the same.
"Tonight, I'm going to pick a book to read from your room," said Hitch as he looked at Erika.
"Fine by me," she said.
Hitch then walked up to Erika's room. The room's lit up by a small lamp next to the single bed. In front of the bed laid a huge shelf full of books. He walked to the shelf and ran his fingers on the books. He then stopped at a book titled 'Tales of Evergreen'. He had never read that one and thought of giving it a chance. The book wasn't that big, rather even small. He took it off the shelf and closed the door. Before he went up the staircase to his room. His room is located just on the left after the staircase ended. He open the door and was met with a double bed with a shelf next to it, full of books. In front of the of the bed stood a door that led to a bathroom. Hitch hopped on to the bed before turning on the lamp and opened the book. The book contained over dozens of stories with many illustration in each page. He prefer books without any pictures as it led the mind run more in freedom. But he doesn't mind that much. The tales the book contained were about fantasy creatures like goblins, dragons, ogres, werewolves, pixies and many other. Then he noticed that a quarter of the book was dedicated to a single story.
'Once upon a time, there live a single farmer and his wife. The farmer had everything he ever wanted. Then one day, his wife was struck by a deadly illness. The farmer had seek in every village and searched every healers, doctors, and herbologists. But none had heal his wife. The farmer then prayed to the sky, asking for a miracle to heal his wife. The Sky had heard his prayers and sent to him a powerful Witch. The Witch introduced herself to the farmer as the Witch of Pacts. The Witch of Pact promised to the Farmer that she'll heal his wife, if he were to be able to collect three things: a dragon's horn, a siren's hair and a werewolf's tooth.
The Farmer traveled over seas and lands. He then was met with a dragon. The dragon had a toothache and the farmer healed it's ache with herbs. The dragon thanked the farmer before it took a small piece of its horn and gave it to the farmer as a sign of gratitude. The Farmer took a boat and journeyed to the sea. He was met with a siren. The siren had its legs stuck on a rock and the farmer helped the poor creature. The siren thanked the farmer and gave a piece of its hair to the farmer. The farmer then tracked down a werewolf before finding one stuck in a hunter's trap. The farmer aided the werewolf before it was free. The werewolf thanked the farmer before giving one of its tooth to him.
The farmer then returned to the Witch of Pacts and gave what she needed. From it, she craft a powerful potion, capable of healing any illness. She gave a drop to the farmer's wife and she was healed. Then they livedhappily ever after.
Hitch closed the book and wondered to himself what made him picked such a childish book. He thought nothing much of it and turned off the lamp.