Dinosaurs: Casting Pearl

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Chapter 3: Get Over It

Pearl smirked in a corner of her saloon as small female dinosaurs danced on the bar as they served whiskey to the growing number of hooting and hollering patrons. Word had begun to spread that Pearl’s had the best drinks around. After having the saloon up for a few months, she started to notice other creatures showing up as well. They came in all shapes and sizes, from all parts of the universe, or so they said. New Pangaea only had about one million dinosaurian inhabitants, a far cry from the billions alive before the Great Freeze.

A human-looking creature casually strolled through the swinging doors, clad in dark cowboy boots, tight blue jeans, and a white T-shirt. Despite entering a somewhat dark interior, the creature continued to wear large dark sunglasses. It swung a leg around a barstool and slapped a hand on the bar.

Pearl approached the bar and grinned. “Howdy,” she greeted him warmly, “anything I can get for you? You seem new ‘round these parts.”

“I’ve had the opportunity to visit this land previously,” the creature noted with a low, smooth voice, rubbing a gloved hand through his dirty blond short wavy hair. “I was hoping for a Peach Fuzz.”

Pearl was taken aback. She scratched her head. “Sorry, hon … ain’t got none of that stuff.”

“MindBender?”

Pearl shook her head. “All I gots is whiskey.” She shrugged. “Got a sort of specialty thing goin’ on here, ya see.”

The male creature nodded. “Whiskey, then.”

Pearl winked at him. “Sure thing, darlin’. I’ll get ya set up right away.” She approached the glasses and set up a rather large one in front of him.

The male creature looked up at her. “What sort of payment do you accept?”

Pearl laughed heartily. “Well, the last time I heard a question like that was back in the good ol’ days, when I was young enough to be afraid of wakin’ up with a young’un the next mornin’.” She laughed some more. “Anyway, we’re still workin’ on the whole monetary thing ‘round these parts, so barterin’ works just as well.”

He took out a small spherical clear crystal vial, with water sloshing around in it. He smirked.

Pearl took it and peered at it closely. “What is it?”

“Water, that’s all,” came the reply.

Pearl sighed and patted him on his hand. “Now, sugah, I get this may be all you got, but you did see that big honkin’ river just a few feet from the entrance, now, right? It’s not exactly like water’s in short supply.”

“But it will never empty.”

“Neither does the river, darlin’.” Pearl handed the vial back to the male. “I’ve been here quite awhile now. Even the summers aren’t hot enough to dry up mah sources.”

He sighed and leaned back slightly. “If I don’t do something with this, I fear something bad may happen.”

Pearl cocked an eyebrow. “I thought you said it was only water.”

He nodded. “It is. However, it’s a reminder of a bad relationship. You’ve little idea how difficult it is to find one’s true love.”

Pearl sighed. “I know all too well. Had a thing for four-leggers, mahself. Never could get those relationships to work, though.” She sighed again. “I take it you’re currently between girlfriends, right?”

He frowned. “Not exactly.” His upper lip curled slightly. “Had I my way, being ‘between’ two lovely women would make things interesting. As it stands now, I’m stuck with only one.”

Pearl smirked. “Just too much love in that ol’ heart of yours for just one female, huh?”

He smirked back. “More like having the one female who agreed to stay, not the one I want.” He sighed, staring at the vial. “Still, each had their advantages. Each has been a learning experience.”

Pearl nodded. “Yessir, I sure know what you mean. I just try to go with the flow now.”

He cringed. “Any other expression would be most welcome.”

Pearl shrugged. “Well, I’ve always been a leaf, travelin’ fast and free. I just go where the cool breeze takes me.”

He sat there, pondering. “Do you create your own destiny, or are you enslaved by it?”

Pearl smiled and patted him on the shoulder from across the bar. “I’m not a master nor a slave, hon.” She took his chin and made him look her straight in the eyes. “I’m a pardner to life. It gives and I take and vice versa. Assumin’ a hierarchal relationship where none exists is just a waste of precious time.” She let him go and winked at him. “’Sides, I’m gettin’ too old to shove my weight around or follow rules. Those are the concerns of the young.”

The male stared at her. “You don’t sound like you followed the rules much when you were younger, either.”

Pearl chuckled. “Yeah, I could be a little free-spirited, naturally.” She sighed with nostalgic contentment. “Still, I paid my dues. I ain’t no anarchist. Even a leaf floatin’ in the wind succumbs to the laws of physics.” She took the vial from him. “I think I got your numbah, sugah. We’ll just get rid o’ this ol’ thing an’ you’ll be feelin’ better’n no time.”

The male flashed a look of concern. “No, don’t break --!”

Pearl crushed the vial in her hand and poured out the water into the glass. To her astonishment, a thick mist started to rise from the glass. Deep within the mist, one could see pale images of a large toad in gaudy attire, winding stone paths, and a ferocious storm flooding villages. “What the devil?” she gasped.

“Something along those lines,” replied the male as he and the other patrons started to back up.

The mist started to resemble a floating blob of water. A humanoid face appeared and snarled. “All of you shall pay for defying me!” it roared in a gurgly female voice. It grew in size, stretching from the top of the bar to the ceiling. The face turned around and a stream of water shot out at Pearl, who gagged. “You who benefit must pay dearly!”

Pearl could feel her body drying up, like the moisture in her rotund form was being sucked out of her. She sensed an overwhelming hatred of love, as though she had lost it all her life. While true to an extent, she soon realized the reaction wasn’t hers, but this … thing.

Pearl frowned. She reached back and tossed a bag of super-absorbent powder at the water blob, the kind you use for those who chucked lava all over the floor.

It shrieked as it rose higher, trying to keep its bottom border from being trapped in the powder.

Pearl snarled. “Now, look, sugah … I don’t know what kind of drama you’re used to gettin’, but get it on your own time! You ain’t evah been the only one dumped this side of the universe!” She pointed a finger at the swirling water blob on the ceiling. “JUST GET OVER IT!”

The water blob started to darken, turning a golden brown. A weak moan emanated from what soon became a floating pool of whiskey.

Pearl smiled. “Now, everybody,” she announced to her patrons, “this here’s special one-of-a-kind monster whiskey, just for y’all! Hope you liked the show, now dig in … it’s on the house!”

Later that night, just before the dawn of the new day, Pearl sat watching the stars with Monica.

“So everyone drank a floating pool of alcohol?” Monica asked again, still not believing it (though it was a funny story).

Pearl nodded. “And the weirdest thing was, after we all had our fill … my powers just up an’ disappeared.”

“I take it that means the end of the saloon, right?”

Pearl laughed and shook her head. “Not at all, darlin’. I happen to know someone with a recipe for a mean mint julep. They got a kingdom just full of ingredients for every kind of drink you can think of, all of ‘em positively enormous. I got a feelin’ I can keep this baby goin’ as long as they’ll take a bulk rate. I may not be a cheap floozy, but I sure know how to keep down the bottom line.” The End