New Orleans

Light, fluffy pastries with a harder outer layer and covered in sugar. Beignets are an iconic food in the tourist laden streets of New Orleans. Jonah was enjoying one such sugary delight when he was bumped into.

“Hey, watch where you’re going man!”

“S’orry, ‘bout that.” The obviously drunk man apologized to Jonah before staggering further down the packed street.

Jonah waved him off and continued eating his beignet. It was good. Like a fancy donut. The French always make things fancy.

Without much hero work coming his way, and his regular work not reaching the same levels of excitement, Jonah was in a rut. To cheer himself up he decided to use his powers for personal pleasure, at least more directly. Jonah grew up poor, he never could afford vacations, fancy or otherwise. But now with his new powers he could teleport to any location on earth, free of charge. This particular trip was to New Orleans, more specifically to the French Quarter of the city. He had hoped that he could let loose a little and enjoy the famous nightlife. So far all he had seen was dirty strip clubs and drunk tourists. Not that there was anything wrong with being drunk or a tourist, it just didn’t entertain him.

Jonah wiped the loose powdered sugar off his shirt and looked around. There were many bars and clubs to choose from. In his peripheral vision he spotted a dim alleyway. Down its dark lane he saw a neon sign flash at him. He didn’t know why but it called to him.

There was no line, no windows, and only one sign: ‘L'évasion’. Jonah pushed through a heavy door and entered the club. Once past the threshold the music and atmosphere engulfed him, increasing its potency with every step. Cigarette smoke obscured his vision, in the dim light only ground level LED lights guided his way. Further down the tight hallway came the sounds of creole styled dance music with heavy usage of horns and drums. It beat an infectious rhythm into Jonah’s chest.

At the end of the hallway Jonah had to push past a scraggly looking man with dark eyes and blond hair. He wore a trench coat and was adding to the smoky atmosphere with a loose cigarette between his lips. Instead of walking right by Jonah, the stranger stopped and gave a derisive sniff.

“You smell like shit mate. Got to wash that multiverse stink off ya. Attract the wrong crowd with that.” The man said before shuffling past.

Jonah was stunned for a second before deciding that he must have misheard the man due to his thick British accent. Easier that way.

The interior of the club had four sides. On the right was a sitting area with round tables and plush chairs, the left was a bar, and the front was a stage and accompanying DJ booth. Between the four areas was a recessed dance floor with painted wooden panels. It was hard to see too far into the club with the mass of people, the mist machines, and the strobing lights.

Cutting around the crowd, Jonah walked past the seating area and towards the bar. He looked into the crowd of dancing people, wishing he had somebody to bring here to dance with. Platonic or otherwise. Just then the crowd parted in such a way that Jonah got a clear view of a woman dancing.

She was one of the most beautiful women that Jonah had even seen. She had short dark hair and olive skin. She was wearing a tight green crop top, and jean shorts, both of which showed off her muscular appendages and her well defined six pack. Jonah stopped in his tracks and watched her move to the beat. Her body moved with such purpose and fluidity even during the most senseless dancing. Jonah could have watched her for quite a bit longer if it wouldn’t be perceived as creepy. Before he moved on, she glanced in his direction. He made eye contact with her serene green orbs. She smiled at him. He smiled back and moved on, his heart beating heavily in his chest.

After some waiting Jonah managed to get a drink. A Gotham Iced Tea, whatever the fuck that was. He sipped it slowly as he watched the crowd around him, appreciating the ambience and the strength of the drink.

Jonah looked to his right and saw the woman from the dance floor on the other side of the bar. His heart beat harder again. He knew he had to go talk to her. This was probably his only opportunity. With his powers he could be with any girl in this club, but this was different. Something about her was different, or he was being delusional, one of the two.

Gathering his courage as if he was going to war, again, Jonah approached. He didn’t even know what he was going to say. Shit! He should have thought of that before walking over. Well, it was too late now.

“Good evening.” Jonah kicked himself internally for such a terrible opening line.

“Can I help you?” the woman said plainly.

“Uh, let me buy you a drink, what are you having?” Jonah started “You can say no.”

“Beer, but-” she began to say.

“And I’ll have a Metropolis.” Another woman beside her said. She had long silky black hair and was wearing a corset top/fishnet combo. He guessed that the two women were friends. She flashed a teasing smile to the both of them.

“Another beer and a metropolis for the ladies please.” Jonah said to the barkeeper who nodded.

“I appreciate the drink, but you really don’t have to.” Said the first girl.

“Please it’s my pleasure. Plus, I have no one else to chat too and you seem like a great conversationalist.” Jonah said with the best confident smile he could muster despite the pressure of talking to an attractive woman.

“I’m really not that interesting.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. I’m Jonah by the way.” Jonah replied, sticking out his hand.

“Kendra.” She replied with a firm handshake.

“Kendra, that’s a lovely name, I’ll have to remember that.” Jonah sat down in the free barstool next to her.

At this point the bartender returned with two drinks. The other woman grabbed her Metropolis and gave Kendra an encouraging nudge “Thanks for the drink cutie. I’ll be over there if you need me.”

“So, are you from New Orleans or just visiting?”

“Both I guess. I used to live here with my ex-husband. But that feels like a lifetime ago. I’m just here for some nostalgic fun.” Kendra said into her drink.

Jonah was able to get a closer look at Kendra now that they were nearer. She looked to be in her late twenties, but her occasional mannerism conveyed a certain aged wisdom. Her face was naturally pretty, with strong features. She was filled with a stern but understanding air, like an older sister you don’t want to disappoint.

“Is it working?”

“Huh?”

“Are you having fun indulging in your nostalgia?” Jonah clarified.

Kendra gave him a lopsided smile “Not as much as I’d hoped.”

“I get that. That’s nostalgia for you. It’s always so bittersweet. Sometimes the sweeter the memory the more bitter nostalgia is. Like you are being reminded of what you are currently.” Jonah ruminated.

“I’m sorry I even brought it up. You didn’t go out to get stuck in a depressing conversation.” Kendra looked down again.

“I’ve had worse things happen to me. In comparison, this is a highlight of my day.”

“Oh yeah?” Kendra returned her gaze to him.

“Oh yeah. This morning, a bird pooped on my head. Right as I got to New Orleans. Bam! Welcome party. And here I was expecting beads.” Jonah admitted.

“How’d you manage that?” Kendra looked at the top of Jonah’s head, imagining where the poop had landed.

“I don’t know. I always thought that birds liked me. Maybe this one wasn’t a fan of tourists or something.” Jonah noticed Kendra’s gaze on his head “I washed my hair already if that’s what you are worried about.”

Kendra chuckled and smiled; she had been caught. Jonah’s heart fluttered at her smile. It had made her serious face even more beautiful. He wanted to make her smile again, to see her happy.

“That’s good! How did the rest of New Orleans treat you?” Kendra asked.

“It’s a great city, I can see why you’d live here. The women are particularly lovely, at least the ones I’m talking to.”

“Well, we do know how to have fun.” Kendra rested her lean, muscular arm onto the bar. She was slowly warming up to this strange man.

“I hear the music is fantastic. I would love to do some dancing.”

“I think that can be arranged.” Kendra stood up from the stool and began walking towards the dance floor. She looked back at Jonah “You coming?”

Jonah hopped off his stool and followed Kendra to the dance floor, weaving through other revelers. Kendra found a spot in the middle of the dance floor and began. The song was one with heavy usage of guitars, an older song unlike the popular club hits. The two danced. They danced together, they danced near each other, and they danced completely separately but they had made the connection. Each was a part of a system, the collective people of the dance floor. Within the system they paid special attention to each other.

Jonah watched Kendra as she moved with passion and lucidity. It was as if there was no outside world around her. Maybe that was the point, her goal in this club tonight. She told him that she came here to revel in nostalgia. But he was a stranger and strangers often hear the truth only when it is hidden by many layers of misleading meaning. In reality it was very possible that she came here to evade something, whether it be external or internal. To escape, to retreat. Jonah could relate, he wanted to escape, he had been running for a while now. The difference between them was not they both wanted to escape, but that Jonah would never retreat, he couldn’t, and he didn’t want to.

Kendra would be his escape tonight. She was a stranger, a blank slate on which to project his intimacy onto. He tied his movements to hers and moved nearer. Jonah touched her, incidentally at first but then more closely. Luckily, she didn’t seem to mind none. She had taken a liking to him for whatever reason. Maybe she felt how Jonah felt, an instant attraction. Maybe she just liked the attention.

A slow song played. A song for lovers and those who wanted to be loved. The two now danced with each other. Kendra was only a little shorter than Jonah. Their faces so close that Jonah could feel the warmth of her breath and the smell of **** emanating off of it. Neither of the two were thinking, they were truly in the moment, body against body, within the rhythm of the music.

Jonah wanted to kiss her. He felt like a schoolboy again, anticipating the feeling of her lips, nervous that he was going to mess it up. He forgot what it was like to feel like that, the innocence, the weakness, the tenderness.

Jonah leaned in to kiss her. He thought she was going to kiss him back, but she stopped him. Placing a firm hand on his chest and lowering her head. When it came back up again her empty, sensual expression had been replaced by one with a plethora of emotions a stranger like Jonah wouldn’t understand. She was filled with regret, grief, and responsibility.

“Sorry.” Was all she could muster.

All Jonah could do was watch dumbfounded as she walked out of the club and out of his life.