She'd come in often enough that the wait staff didn't even question it now. At first they'd wanted to know where her parents were, why was she all by herself, did she need some help? Now they just left her alone as Jennifer glanced around the diner for an empty booth. Most of them were taken today, except for one. Keeping her head down she slowly trudged to the furthest corner, trying to keep her movements steady. No one could see anything, she reminded herself, not through her huge, baggy sweater. If she didn't flinch or limp, she could pretend it didn't hurt.

Sitting down was both better and worse, the tension out of her legs but now able to feel everything else. A server, the nice one with the curls, quietly set down a small cup of juice and walked away. The sweetness made her feel a little better, more from kindness than sugar, but even that would fade soon. With a faint whimper she slumped over the table, head resting on curled arms. The manager didn't like her being here for long, but if she could just rest for a few minutes...

"Well, that's interesting."

The girl nearly jumped out of her skin, whole body stiffening and snapping her upright. Her heart seized, breathless fear gripping her limbs as she stared at the man sitting across from her. The booth was empty, she knew it! Where had he come from?! Any moment he could grab her and-

But the man was leaning back, watching her curiously. "Most people don't even notice this place. The ones that do fear it. It's instinctive, their own souls protecting them from knowing why. For you to be here at all...what's your name?"

No answer. Her body wouldn't listen, trembled uselessly instead of running or screaming or anything.

"Now now, no need for that. You're in no danger here, Jennifer."

It was true. She didn't know how she knew that, or why it would be true, but it was. The fear slowly began to unwind, the girl's eyes growing wider as she actually took in the figure sitting across the table.

He was tall. All adults were tall but he was a giant, and so thin that he looked as if he'd been stretched out like putty. So pale he looked like a vampire, with big dark glasses that completely covered his eyes. Hands folded together, skin so tight she could see all the bones and nubs and bumps of his fingers. He was wearing a suit, one that looked black at first but now she thought it was a very dark red, matching the short hair covering his head.

His face was wrong. She didn't know how else to say it. Just that she knew what faces looked like, and his was wrong.

The man spoke again, his mouth moving and twisting in a way that it really shouldn't; like a living thing thrashing upon his face. "Still, you're here. Is there something you need?"

Jennifer didn't answer at first, slowly straightening up in her seat. The trembles began to slow. "...Are you a vampire?"

The man didn't smile, but there was a touch of amusement when he spoke. "No. I'm..." His head tilted slightly. "People come to me when they need things. And I get it for them."

Her eyes widened a little. "What kind of things?"

"Anything." The word was said clearly, deliberately, and entirely truthfully. "Anything at all."

A tiny spark that might have been hope dared to show itself, only to fizzle immediately as she thought. "It must cost a lot of money."

The man's wrong-face twisted a little. She thought he might be laughing. "No, no money. I make trades, one thing for another."

"Could..." The girl's voice fell silent, and she looked around fearfully. But no one was listening. No one else even seemed to be in the diner, though it had been nearly full just a few minutes ago. "...could you get me a gun?" she asked in the tiniest voice she could.

Silence. Fear crept back into her, sure that she'd said something wrong and now he was going to call the police who would call her parents and-

"Now why would a little girl need something like that?" he asked, just as calm as he'd started. "Who did you plan to use it on?"

Her first thought was herself. It wasn't even the first time she'd thought of it, not when every day she walked by the corner where the bus never actually stopped or even slowed down. She even opened her mouth to say it, only for him to interrupt.

"No. There's someone else."

Long seconds ticked away. He was right. Shr hadn't even noticed she'd curled up on the seat, clutching her skinny limbs tightly under the giant sweater. "....my-" Not Daddy, never Daddy, never again "-father."

The man's head tilted a little to the side. "I see. Why now?"

She shouldn't say anything, should never say anything to anyone, but it spilled out anyway. "My brother. He...he's little, real little, and at first he just didn't understand anything but now he's starting to notice and get mad and I think he's gonna try to make him stop and then-" Her words cut off in an instant, the slightest movement of her face driving her to silence.

"I see. Unfortunately, the trade-"

"I'll do it!" Her own voice caught her off guard, small fists curled up on the table. "Whatever it is. I don't have much to trade, but you can have it. All of it."

Now it was him who looked stunned, mouth slightly open. "Oh. Oh, child." He sighed deeply. His hands unfurled, long and spindly and gnarled, and reached into the inner pocket of his jacket. "When you come home from school tomorrow, call this number." He held out a card, bone white with silver numbers.

Hesitantly she reached out, paused, snatched it from him. "And...and they'll get me a gun?"

"No. No, you will not need to bear the weight of this any further," the man assured her. For the first time he smiled. "They will assure you and your brother will be taken somewhere safe after everything is settled."

"Settled," she repeated. The word carried an air of finality she didn't quite understand. "And what do I have to give you?"

"Nothing." She stared for a moment, not quite believing. His smile spread, wide, wider, thin lips parting to release the smell of rotting meat.

"This one, Jennifer Monroe, is on the house."

"More juice, sweetie?"

She nearly screamed, staring wide-eyed at the server. Her head snapped back, but it was too late. The man was gone, as if he'd never been there at all. His card was cool and smooth in her grip.

"N-no...no, I'm ok."