Don't hurt your eyes

Ring! Ring ring! RING!

Kosmas started. Opening his eyes, he was greeted by a blurry figure sitting at the bar. He blinked. 'When did I fall asleep?' he thought. Kosmas raised his head and rubbed his eyes.

Ring Ring!

"Do you like my new addition to the bar?" The blurry figured asked.

"New… addition?" Kosmas, still groggy form sleeping behind the bar, questioned.

"Yes, my new bell for the bar! It's for when the lazy barkeep falls asleep behind the bar!" The blurry figure… no, Silver smirked.

Kosmas started. "Oh, oh oh! Sorry! I'm not used to this just yet." He waved his hands furiously. "I swear I'm not being lazy." It had been a week since Kosmas had official started as the tavernkeep. He now spent most of his day at the bar, bored. Sure, sometimes he got up and swept up any dust or sand that blew in, and he wiped down the bar almost every ten minutes, but it was really monotonous work. With no customers, he was really free, and it had started to get to him.

Another voice came from the entrance, resounding around the room grumpily. "Sure does look like you are."

Kosmas' eyes turned, recognizing Mitch. "Well, you would fall asleep too if your whole job was this boring! Wait no, I didn't mean it. I actually love this job." Kosmas hurriedly said to Silver.

Mitch guffawed. "I'm only kiddin'. Pour me a drink buddy." He sat down at the bar, wiping down his boots with a cloth he pulled from his shirt. His hammer lay against the bar, smudging the wood a bit. "Hell, I gotta say, you definitely got the more relaxing bit here though, no matter how you word it."

"Well, if I thought you were better with your words, I would've had you there instead." Silver interjected. "It doesn't really matter to me who's behind this tavern, as long as there are no unsatisfied customers." He tapped his fingers on the bar, his gaze becoming void.

"Ope, Boss is out." Mitch took the mug of beer from Kosmas. "He's doing one of those things again." He took a big swig before sighing contentedly.

"Yeah he is." Kosmas waved his hand in front of Silver, who just sat there unresponsive. "Y'know," he continued, "This job really isn't bad. Or, it wouldn't be, 'cept I haven't gotten a single real customer. Seriously, does Boss expect someone to just come out to the middle of the Barren Desert for a drink?" He leaned against the bar with a sigh.

"Who knows?" Mitch shrugged. "Maybe Boss is expecting some people. I don't much care really, as long as he keeps things like this." He paused for a quick gulp. "He didn't kill us, and as far as I'm concerned, building all this-" He waved his beer. "-this is nothing to bad compared to my life." He burped, slamming his mug down on the bar. "Pour me some more, will ya?"

"Sure sure." Koasmas absentmindedly grabbe dthe mug, pouring out more beer. "Speaking of, where's little Dom?" He handed the mug back to Mitch. 

"Oh we're taking turns." Mitch laughed. "He lost a bet so I took his break time. Right about now he's probably finishing the rest of the pen up." He frowned. "Don't know what it's supposed to be for though." He finished the beer. "Well, I'd better get to the gate for the pen." He brushed his pants and grabbed his hammer. "I don't think Dom know's a damn thing about gates."

Mitch turned and left with a wave. Kosmas waved back with a sigh. Silver had sure kept the other two busy. They were building a pen, with a small house inside of it, that almost looked like a chicken coop. 'It can't possibly be though,' Kosmas thought. "There is no way a chicken could survive out here."

He picked up a broom and started sweeping near the front, looking out the windows at the desert sunset. It truly was beautiful. The sun just barely nibbled at the desert's lips, teasing it. The wind caressed the sands, blowing them up and creating wonderful rolling hills in the distance.

Overhead, the sky was clear save for a few black birds. They flew high in the sky, wandering the barren land in search of unfortunate prey. The area within a several hundred feet was clear of brush, but not quite flat. Subtle rolls slept in the otherwise flat land, breaking the monotonous land.

Kosmas sighed, sweeping the sand Mitch had drug in right back out the door. He returned to the bar and began wiping it for the nth time. 'When would he ever get to see a customer?' he thought to himself. 'I could really use something new right about now. Oh, what am I thinking, this is just fine.'

"Sorry about that, I got lost in thought." Silver's voice broke the sweeping sounds of cloth on wood.

"Oh, no worries!" Kosmas grinned. "It's refreshing. Makes you seem a little bit closer to us."

"Is that so?" Silver rubbed his chin. "Well, that's good then." He looked outside the bar. "Well, I have some good news for you."He stood and approached the window, beckoning Kosmas over.

"What is it?" Kosmas approached the window and looked out. He blinked, before rubbing his eyes.

"Well, they're a bit late," Silver replied.

Out the window, a black dot had appeared on the horizon. It was tiny, almost minuscule, but quickly growing larger, a dust cloud visible behind it.

Silver turned and left, patting Kosmas on the shoulder as he went. His voice echoed. "Don't get too excited. It's just your very first customers. Don't disappoint me."