OCtober Day 12: DJazz

I still remember how I landed the job at the Supernova club in the first place. Late afternoon in Gehenna, I’d been doing some sightseeing and felt my stomach rumble. From a few locals I’d heard about a cute little place called the Sweet Dreams Bakery. The building was squashed within a row of shops, though the cutesy, bright exterior stood out amidst the gloom. Craving a cupcake, I approached the place, humming a little tune as I did so. Though, the humming stopped as I heard a groaning in its place. Looking around myself, I was troubled to see a young man crumpled up against the wall. He looked very pale, and very thin. The jeans and t-shirt were hanging off him. Short ginger hair flopped over his freckles and half-open, green eyes. A pair of dark grey glasses hung lop-sided on his face. Not wanting to leave him alone like that, I felt maybe I should inform the shop owner. 

Thus, I’d swiftly entered the building, rushing to the counter before anything else. A young lady, couldn’t have been no older than fourteen, stood politely at the counter. Quite short, pale and a few freckles. Her hair was also ginger, but longer and tied up in a blue ribbon that matched her dress. The name tag she wore read ‘Ambrosia’. She was having a conversation with another woman, of whom I was in too much of a rush to notice at first. Awkwardly, I slotted myself beside them both.

“Hello, sorry to interrupt, but there’s a young man outside that looks rather...unwell. I think he needs medical help. Pale, ginger hair, jeans and a t-shirt. Right outs-” I rapidly explained, my sentence cut off abruptly by the other woman bolting outside. Within moments she came back inside, gently coaxing the young man from before. She dropped him by the closest table. There weren’t many customers around, and the few else that remained quickly finished up and left.

Awkwardly, I found myself planted to the ground. Concern still lingered, so if there was some way I could help, I wanted to. Ambrosia had rushed back into the kitchen for a moment, so I decided to approach the woman cautiously. She seemed to be checking the young man for any signs of injury. The look on her face reflected one of an angry, though caring mother. Whilst things were quiet, I properly took in her appearance. Though she was sat down, I could tell this woman was very tall. Quite curvy, much of her umber skin was exposed by her rave style clothing. Starry yellow eyes sparkled in the shop lights. Lashings of electric blue hair had been styled into a multitude of braids, held in place out of her face by golden clips or bands. Her makeup was expressive, the dark blue lips contrasting lighter shades of eyeshadow. 

“Oi, shine head, ya gonna stand there like a lemon, or ya gonna help?” the woman grumbled, not even looking up. Her tone was deep, commanding, with a heavy Jamaican accent.

“Oh right, yes, just tell me what to do” I perked up. 

She pointed at the counter.

“Should be a med kit in there, get it for me”

I complied, quickly finding it by leaning over. Coming back to the pair, the rave woman instructed me to sit.

“Help me with this, will ya?”

Simply nodding, she continued to guide me through patching up a few minor grazes and marks that I, unfortunately, recognised as needle holes. Just as we finished up, Ambrosia returned, carrying food and water on a tray. The wholesome young lady thanked us both, with the young man offering a meek “thanks” as well. Leaving a couple of cupcakes in front of us, the pair adjourned to another room for a while.

The woman in front of me groaned, leaning back into her chair.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Huh, oh yeah, I’m good, just...I worry about Nectar sometimes. He’s a good chile, and so is the lil sistah. I call ‘em the gingersnap siblings. They've been through a lotta shit so I take care of ‘em every now and again” she sighed, sitting back up to face me. “It’s fine, just ol’ DJazz did a worry back there”

“DJazz, now why does that sound familiar?” I half muttered. I’m sure I’d heard it in passing around here. The starry eyed woman laughed heartily.

“You haven’t heard of me? I run the Supernova, hottest club in hell. And that’s after my festival tour under DJ Page, my trans activism, the feud with the mafia…” she carried on, listing a myriad of impressive accomplishments. Some of it rang a bell, though I’d not been around long enough to have heard the whole story.

“I guess I missed a lot, been...busy, let’s say” I responded sheepishly.

“Ey, it’s fine. I worked hard to get where I am, ain’t too often I meet someone who ain’t heard of me” DJazz chuckled.

Her bright clothes flickered as she moved, prompting me to ask something.

“Am I keeping you by the way, you look like were going somewhere” 

She raised an eyebrow, then caught on.

“Oh, yeah, nah it’s fine. Co-host can keep it handled for a bit. Besides, I didn’t catch ya name” DJazz mumbled, taking a mouthful of her cupcake.

“Call me M” I replied, also taking a bite of my own. A burst of sugary delight tingled my brain, my body feeling a light as a cloud.

“Well M, how would ya like a job?” DJazz offered. “Always needs good people like ya on staff. Plus, one of the guy’s is on temp leave after a bar fight”

I looked at her wide-eyed, a little concerned. She shrugged.

“Ain’t that strange around here. Besides, my nanna always used to say don’t be like those who stay pon cow back and cuss cow”

”Uh…”

“Mean’s something like being ungrateful to those who helped you. She also used to say ‘mi old but mi no cold’. Respect your elderly that is, and I ain’t gonna go disrespecting my grandmother, dead or alive”

Ambrosia quickly popped around the corner from the other room. I nudged DJazz to look as the ginger girl flashed a thumbs up, quietly whispering “everything’s fine”. Satisfied, the raver stood up to leave.

“Looks like we good here, you coming? I can show ya around the club” she said, a grin present on those blue tinged lips.

Going with the flow, I followed DJazz out the door, looking forward to what other opportunities awaited me.