She had applied on a whim because she needed the money, and they were hiring. As she walked into the bar, she was banking on the job involving little more than collecting empty cups and doing dishes in the back, she didn’t know the first thing about making drinks or serving customers.

Inside she met her trainer Jan standing at the bar washing glasses like she was in a movie. “You’re the new girl, right? Nora? You can throw your bag in the back room,” she motioned to a door behind the bar with her head. “Then meet me back here and we’ll get started. We have a lot to cover in a short amount of time.”

Nora followed the head nod through the door and down a hallway that ended at another door marked PRIVATE. She assumed the sign was for drunk patrons who wandered their way down. She grabbed hold of the handle and began opening it. A hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, she yelped at the suddenness and jumped back as the door slammed closed. She looked up to see Denis, the owner of the bar who had hired her a couple of days earlier, standing with one hand still holding the door closed as if it were about to pop open. He seemed so nice a couple of days ago. He had laughed off her inexperience, telling her he wanted someone who wasn’t burdened buy the knowledge of how other places were run. Their place was different. He had kind eyes that smiled. Now, standing above and looking down at her, his eyes burned – there was no smile there.

“That’s my private room,” he said. His voice was low and menacing. “Hence the sign that says PRIVATE.”

“I’m sorry, I thought,” she began to say.

“Private,” he cut her off. “Employee break room is through the curtain there.” He motioned to a 70’s looking bead curtain hung from a doorway.

Now, as he stared at her, waiting for her to turn around and walk back down the hall, his eyes bore into her, like they reached inside looking for something. And was he sniffing the air around them? It was unsettling, like he was sizing her up and measuring her worth. She followed his suggestion and turned around through the bead curtain to drop off her bag.

“All right, welcome to Xanadu which is quickly becoming the hottest bar in Marvellous. Though I’ll tell you now that this isn’t like most bars.” Nora was standing behind the bar with Jan as she went through her orientation spiel. “At most bars we’d go through all the prep work right now – and there is a bit of that here – but it’s really simple. Here, all you have to do is carve up a couple lemons and limes for the night, flip on the ice machine, and make sure there are no dirty cups. Typically, we wouldn’t even be in this early, but Denis wanted us to make sure we get the drink down right before we opened. So, let’s get to mixing.”

“Mixing?” Nora interrupted. “I didn’t think I’d be mixing drinks. I thought it’d be simple stuff; collecting glasses, washing them, the prep work. Other than a simple gin and tonic, I don’t know the first thing about making drinks.”

“If this were a regular bar, we might ease you in. But this is Xanadu, we’re too busy, and we’re only getting busier. Trial by fire, as they say.” Jan noticed the worried look on Nora’s face. “The good thing is, there is only one drink anyone ever orders, so you just have to worry about the one drink. Sure, occasionally you might get a rum & coke, a rye & ginger, the aforementioned gin & tonic, but we’re pretty confident you can figure out those by their names alone. If anyone asks for anything more complicated than that, grab one of us and we’ll make it. All you need is the one drink: Ambrosia.” She let the name hang in the air.

“All right, really simple; combine 2 oz. of whiskey, ½ oz. coconut cream, ½ oz. orgeat syrup, and 3 oz. of pineapple juice into a shaker with ice. Shake that up for about fifteen seconds, until the outside starts getting cold. Crack it open and add another 1 oz of this yellow bottle here,” She reached down and opened a cabinet under the bar and pulled out a bottle. Nora looked under and saw another forty bottles stashed away. “Cap it, shake it for another fifteen, strain into a glass, and serve.”

“What is that stuff?” She picked up one of the bottles. There was no label or name on it. It was a florescent yellow that looked almost like it glowed.

“That’s a closely guarded secret. No one knows except Denis. It’s his secret ingredient for the Ambrosia, and it’s what makes this whole thing work.” Jan grabbed the bottle from her and put it back under the bar. “So never leave a bottle out on the bar, under any circumstances. It comes out, you pour your shot, and you put it back. A lot of people are trying to get their hands on some to take it apart, try and figure out what it is and how they can make their own. People will offer you money too, a lot of money, for just a sample that they can take and deconstruct. That’s one of the reasons the pay here is so high, there’s a lot of temptation. If Denis gave you the job, that means he trusts you – so don’t fuck it up.”

“What is it about this drink though?” Nora held the glass up in her hand to look at it. It was a bit cloudy, bright yellow, with swirls of orange, and blue through the glass. They looked like they made images; a swing set, a tree, a bird, someone’s face. Not actually of course, just her mind interpreting the random swirls. When she held it, she half expected it to be warm like a lightbulb. “Why do people love it so much?”

“Have you never tried one?” Jan looked shocked. “I figured everyone here had made the rounds at least once. Well, make me one, and find out.”

With slow and deliberate care, she mixed all the ingredients, only spilling a little of the pineapple juice on the bar. When she was finished, she looked at it. It wasn’t quite the same. It didn’t glow the same, the colours were muted, the swirls didn’t seem as alive. Jan took a sip. “Not bad for your first try. A little heavy in the syrup, but you’ll get there with practice. Now try it.”

Nora took the glass and raised it to her lips, took a hesitant sip. It was fruity, a bit creamy, tropical with the coconut and pineapple juice, and then like a wave it washed over her. In that first sip she became filled with an indescribable feeling of joy, hope, and optimism. The fear of this new job, of her first night, melted from her mind. She felt capable of anything, like no matter what happened, it was all going to work out for her. She no longer worried about money, or how she would pay for the operation – she just knew it would all work out.

“It hit you, didn’t it?” Jan said, looking her in the eyes. “It’s always fun seeing someone experience it for the first time. We don’t know what it is either, but there’s something in this drink, in that secret ingredient that Denis makes, that turns people. Anything seems possible and everyone wants to work together to build each other up. People will spend all night arguing over something. After one of these they’re hugging and making notes on napkins for a new business plan. It can be addicting though, that high. So we’re supposed to limit how much we have. You can grab one after a particularly long shift or rough day, once the bar is closed and everyone is gone. That’s another one of the rules: no drinking on the job, especially one of these. You’ll get all spacey and start ignoring the customers orders. Or plotting with them on a TV pilot.”

“Has anyone tried just the secret ingredient? I mean, why go through the trouble of making this complicated drink if we can just pour out shots or something?”

Jan opened one of the bottles and held it to Nora’s nose. She took a whiff and gagged, could feel her stomach try and fold itself inside out. “That’s why,” Jan said. “Whatever it is, it isn’t palatable. Denis created the drink to mask the taste, blend it in. It also slows people down. That’s another thing you must watch out for. This drink, and that feeling can get addictive, so we usually cut people off after about three of them. With a full drink they’re more likely to take their time with it. A shot is gone in a second and they’re right their demanding another one. And of course, with straight shots, someone might try and sneak one away.”

Jan checked her watch. “All right, your first shift is about to start. It should be an easy adjustment; I’ll be here the whole time backing you up. And listen, you’re going to fuck up,” Nora started to protest but Jan cut her off. “Don’t worry, I know you’re going to try your best and yadda yadda yadda. Doesn’t matter, you’ll still fuck up. But it’s fine, you’re still learning. Hell, I’ve been here five years and I still fuck up, that’s life. We’ll take it and we’ll roll. There’s just the one thing you can never, ever, fuck up – the special ingredient. Don’t give any out, don’t let anyone steal a bottle, don’t do anything with it other than mix it into the drink – and only the one drink. Everything else will be gravy. Got it?”

Nora nodded.

Two men were already at the door when Jan unlocked it. Nora watched as they walked up to the bar, their legs jittery, like they wanted to run up but were holding themselves back. “Two Ambrosia’s please, my friend and I are trying to settle something.” One of them drummed their fingers along the bar as Jan informed them that they were training at the moment, and why don’t they take a seat, and the drinks would be delivered once they were ready. They protested, like if they were able to stand there, they might get their drinks faster, but Jan insisted, and they slumped away.

Nora started making the drinks. Out of the corner of her eye she watched the two men sitting at the table, barely making eye contact with each other, and certainly not talking. As she watched, shaking up the second drink, one of the guys turned to the other, “You’re a real asshole.”

The other guy turned to him, “What did you say?”

“What are you, deaf? I called you an asshole.”

The second guy looked like he was about to respond with his fist when Jan called out to them from the bar. “Remember the rules gentlemen – any fighting and you won’t get your drinks. Be a shame to lose them now when they’re almost done.” They calmed down and turned their eyes away from each other again to avoid another outbreak.

Nora walked over with the two drinks and set them down on the table between them. “Sorry about the wait guys, here are your drinks.” She hurried away before she got caught in the crossfire of whatever was going on between them. The air was thick and getting thicker. They made eye contact as they picked up their drinks. They each took a sip, looking like they’d rather take the glass and smash it over the others head.

Then the wave took hold of them, and Nora knew what Jan was talking about. The wave rippled, their faces relaxed, their eyes lightened, their scowls turned to smiles. They took another sip, and then another. They ordered two more before they were finished, and by the time their first glass was empty, they were standing up and hugging, tears rolling down their faces.

“We’re going to sort this out, it’s going to okay. Why don’t you take the house?”

“I’ll take the house, but then you take the cars.” They hugged again.

“That’s the power of Ambrosia,” Jan said.

The night began to pick up, and they were swamped with customers. Nora was running back and forth along the bar, cranking out the same drink over and over and over again. At the rate she was going she was going to be an expert at slinging the drink by the end of the night.

Two more bartenders showed up as the workday ended and the bar became more swamped. Fallon walked in wearing a leather jacket and carrying a motorcycle helmet. At first sight Nora was in awe of her presence. The other bartender was a man everyone called Astro – and no one explained why. They gave Nora and Jan a chance to take a break, exhausted as they’d been going non-stop since the early afternoon.

Nora was sitting in the break room with Jan eating a sandwich, thankful that she could get off her feet for a bit. Somehow it had escaped her just how long she was going to be on her feet. They ached and she pulled her shoes off to stretch them and rub them. She made a mental note to buy some better shoes.

Jan noticed her rubbing her feet, “it’s brutal, isn’t it? I guess Denis didn’t warn you about getting a good pair of shoes.”

“He did, I just didn’t realize how good they had to be.”

“I’ve got this cream that might help sooth,” she pulled a tube out of her purse. “Won’t last all night, but it’s better than nothing.”

She went to the bathroom and rubbed some on her feet. As she was walking back to the break room Denis was closing the PRIVATE door. They locked eyes and for a split second she saw that same crazed look in his eyes. It was a strange mix of anger, hatred, and fear and anxiety. She asked if everything was all right. He shook his head and the look was gone, replaced with that familiar glowing smile she’d seen on him when she was interviewed.

“Oh yeah, just great. It’s shaping up to be a lovely evening, isn’t it?” His hands fidgeted at his sides, and he kept glancing back at the door. “So um, how’s your first night going?”

Delicious

“What did you say?” She asked.

She’s perfect

“Excuse me?” She followed his eyes to the door and saw that it was open again, a thin crack of yellow light pulsating out from behind it.

He slammed the door closed and held his had there like it was going to pop open again. “Your first night, I hope it’s going well.” It wasn’t a question anymore. He pulled out a jangle of keys from his pocket, extracted one, and locked the door. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to pop up front and see how they’re managing.”

Back out on the bar after her break slinging more drinks. Over the course of the night there was only one drink that Nora made that wasn’t Ambrosia, and that was a ginger-ale for someone who wasn’t drinking. Nora wondered why they didn’t just name the bar after the drink. She saw people laughing, and hugging, and loving each other all night. Not a single instance of aggression crept up. Sure, some people came in a little hot headed, but once they had one of the drinks it set them on a better path, and they started buying rounds for everybody. It became almost impossible to keep track of what had been paid for and what hadn’t. It got so bad one customer accused her of trying to steal from him when she asked for payment, saying that he had already paid.

“Hey, what seems to be the problem here?” Denis walked over. Nora explained the situation, that she was withholding his drink until he paid. “You know what, don’t worry about it. This one is on me, let the man have the drink. Then I’d like to talk to you over here for a moment.”

She slid the drink across the bar to the man who took it with a smug grin on his face. She stepped to the side of the bar where Denis was waiting. “I’m sorry Denis, customer is always right and all that.”

“Oh, it’s nothing like that. I’ve got a good eye on this bar, and that man didn’t pay. I hope it didn’t seem like I was throwing you under the bus there, that wasn’t my intention. There is one thing here that I want to stress, everyone who wants a drink gets one. Most everyone pays, but every once in a while you’ll get someone like him who thinks they’re being sly – or maybe they are being genuine, I don’t know. But what I do know is that the good actions that will come out of them having that one drink far outweigh the lost revenue of a couple of drinks.”

Nora went back to the bar and the man was standing there waiting for her. She was shored up, ready for a fight, and stand her ground against another free drink no matter what Denis said.

Instead of the smug grin that he’d left with, he was frowning. “I’m sorry about earlier, you were right, I didn’t pay for the drink. I’ve been having a pretty rough day – that doesn’t excuse it, just trying to explain it. Anyway, here’s for the drink and a tip for yourself.” He slapped a fifty-dollar bill on the bar and walked away.

“And just like that, his life is changed.” Denis said behind her before moving to the other side of the bar.

Nora stayed until the very end, right until they closed, and the last customer had left. She was exhausted, ready to collapse and sleep for two days. All the bartenders left at the same time, and Denis was there to lock the door after them. “Great job today everyone,” he had that same glowing smile on his face again, the one from the interview. Like the man she had seen earlier was a completely different person. “I think we mended a lot of bridges. People today looked like they were making some great connections. I’ll see you all tomorrow night.”

Nora was halfway down the street when she realized that she had forgotten her keys in the breakroom. “Don’t wait for me,” she told the others. “I’ll see you all tomorrow. Have a great night.”

She came to the bar and found it locked. Of course, Denis had been there to lock it behind them when they left. She looked around the back and found a service door that looked closed but hadn’t latched. She managed to pry it open and walked to the breakroom to grab her keys, making a mental note to tell Denis about the door tomorrow in case someone else wanted to use it for more nefarious purposes.

She saw the door marked PRIVATE was open a crack, with a bright yellow light emanating from it. If Denis was still here, she should tell him now about the door. She also felt better about letting him know now that she had come back. She didn’t want to give the wrong impression that she was keeping secrets from her new boss.

As she opened the door a little more, she could hear multiple voices echoing out the door.

“Would you lay off, I’ve done this a hundred times, I know what I’m doing.” That one she recognized as Denis.

“I’m just saying, I don’t think that fourth ruin there is spelled correctly.” That voice wasn’t familiar to her. It was low, gravelly, like whoever was talking had something caught in their throat that they couldn’t get lose.

“I don’t even know why you’re here; payment isn’t due for another week. I’m not finished with him. There’s still more to extract.”

“Well, I want it today, that’s the price for working with me.”

Nora crept in and called out. “Denis, are you there? I forgot my keys and wanted to let you know about the back door being open.” She turned the corner and couldn’t believe what she saw. Denis was standing in a white robe that had gold thread stitching it together, and wide sleeves with embroidered symbols on the cuffs. He was holding an open book in his hand. The room was lit by a ring of candles. There was a person hanging from the ceiling upside down, above a circle drawn on the floor with runes carved into it. The most shocking thing was seeing a demon-looking creature standing across the circle from Denis, arguing with him.

“Oh no, Nora you shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t see this.” Denis said, a sadness in his eyes.

“No, she shouldn’t,” the voice full of gravel and malice said. “But it’s perfect that she is here. I’ll take her as payment.”

Denis looked conflicted. “No, she’s new here. You have to give her a chance. I’m sure she’ll forget about everything that she saw here. Isn’t that right Nora? You didn’t see anything here tonight, right?” He turned back to the demon. “You’ll get your payment next week as agreed. I’m almost finished with this one.”

She’d been struck mute. She had no idea what she was looking at. All she could see was the demon, and the body glowing yellow, the glow dripping off them and into a bottle at the centre of the circle. “I…I…” she tried to get a sentence together, but her mind was going completely blank. “I…”

“Perfect,” the demon said. It snapped its fingers and the door closed behind her.