Rain pelted on the windows of a small diner in the middle of nowhere. Opened 24 hours of the day to provide food and comfort for any traveller who walked into its doors. The place wasn’t something to brag home about or get excited over fine dining. But it was homely to many, an ideal spot to gather and catch your thoughts.

  Families, travellers, truckers, and the occasional tourist would enter Dale’s Family Diner. A place that was treated like sacred ground for everyone in Alabama. It was a safe space before it was desecrated.

  It was the 10th of September, 9pm. The world was getting ready for the power plant to open up and provide power for the entire state of Florida. Everyone heard of the Ra Engine and how it could solve the energy crisis and bring people to some sort of golden age. It was the talk of the town, the hope and dream that it will all get better once it turns on. It was a point of history that gave humanity a glimpse into a brighter future. How couldn't it? Free energy that doesn't produce any pollution was nothing more than a miracle.

  Three people were in that diner. Judy, the worker who stayed in that building since 10am. Her replacement should’ve arrived three hours ago, and she knew she had to do an all-nighter again. But even if she was furious at her coworker, she was excited for her holiday next week in Tahiti. So extra hours wouldn't hurt for her.

  Travelling from Florida, a man and his daughter came to the diner to get a late meal and get a break from the road. The daughter was going to a junior chess competition to compete and have an opportunity to meet her Australian friend she met online. The father, while not understanding the allure of chess, was supportive of her through and through.

  However, even dreams will have their own nightmares. While the reptile emerged from the forest and limped to the diner. His right arm bled blue blood while the bandages on his hands were covered in mud and grime. Even as he struggled to breathe because of the cold, he pushed on despite the pain. Each step becoming heavier than the last.

  He was being hunted. Pursued by killers who wanted his head to retire early. Something Jackson refused to allow to happen, not when he was so close to getting his revenge.

  Before anyone in the diner could react. Jackson burst in and raised his colt revolver and his sawed-off double-barrel shotgun. He expected to hold at least eight people hostages like in his time. Instead, he was glad to only find three people.

  Judy froze, her body rigid as her mind tried to process the encounter before her eyes. Before the daughter could scream, her father stood between her and Jackson while trying to calm her down. Fearing that causing a commotion would get them all killed.

  ‘Hands!’ Jackson ordered, his tone harsh and emotionless. Everyone complied with his simple command.

  The people in the diner freaked out, disturbed by the sight of a scarred reptilian inside of the diner. Not showing any sort of emotion or care about them and covered in old and new wounds. A monster of violence, and he was covered in blood. Both his own, and of those who fought it.

  No one spoke. None of them have the courage to say anything. All they could do was listen to the monster in the building with them. It was clear it wasn’t any kind of robbery, that was for certain.

  Jackson turned to face Judy. ‘Coffee, mince, and first-aid kit. On the counter.’

  ‘What?’ She stuttered, unsure why he would make the request.

  ‘Coffee, mince, and first-aid kit. On the counter.’ Jackson repeated before he sat at the counter. Putting his weapons down while he turned his back on the father and his daughter.

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  They had a chance to run, and the reptile would’ve let them. But unsure, they stayed where they were. To them, it was suicidal to do anything besides sitting down and staying put.

  Jackson examined Judy’s faded name tag. He also noticed a worn wedding ring on her finger and how she constantly fiddles with it to calm her nerves. She placed a packet of raw mince and a first-aid kit in front of Jackson while the coffee brewed.

  The more she fiddled with her wedding ring. The more Jackson yearns for someone he had lost and for his ring that was taken from him. Deep down, he regretted scaring her and forcing her to find comfort in someone she loved. He wished he could do the same, finding solace in something they held close to them. However, he understood that he had to be unkind and force them to do his bidding. They were innocent, but they were also an obstacle.

  The reptile flinched as the wound in his right arm flared up. Needing to be attended to, Jackson took his battered jacket off to perform a field operation to stitch his wound before he could change the bandages with something better than someone's torn pants.

  Both the father and his daughter winced at the sight of Jackson’s back. How the flesh was twisted and the scars overlay one another. There should be scales, instead, it seemed his flesh was twisted and molded like how a child tried to make sculpture with playdough. It was clear conflict was not new to the reptile. Violence was an aspect of his life, and he could never change that part of him or deny it.

  Judy got a glance at his knuckles, how the layer of skin was shredded apart. As if he volunteered to put his hand into a shredder to destroy his knuckles. The wound is fresh, as if it happened a few hours ago.

  ‘What are you?’ The father spoke up.

  ‘Human,’ Jackson bluntly replied after he tore the packet of mince open and ate it a fistful of raw meat. ‘Same as you.’

  Everyone looked at each other, unsure if Jackson was making a joke.

  ‘What’s going to happen to us?’ The father asked again.

  ‘Nothing,’ he replied as Judy poured him a cup of black coffee. ‘Are you going to be a problem?’

  ‘Uh…’ The father stuttered. ‘No, no we won't.’

  After Jackson stitched his right arm and drank his coffee. He sighed, glad that he finally had something to eat and a warm drink to keep him awake for a lot longer after days of non-stop fighting.

  ‘Leave,’ Jackson bluntly ordered.

  Taking the opportunity, everyone in the diner bolted out of there. Even abandoning some of their belongings while they got in their cars and drove away Jackson couldn’t care. All it meant was he got to have a moment to himself to think. A luxury he needed ever since he emerged from that containment facility.

  Yet during his moment of rest, the lights above him flickered and his coffee became a block of ice. Someone, something, needed to talk to the reptile. A long overdue conversation that had to take place.

  But the conversation could wait for a bit longer. The reptile wasn’t ecstatic to open his mind just yet, after days of tracking and being chased. Some peace and quiet was well deserved.