If the world ran on nothing but magic and rule bending, it would be no world that I would want to live in. The rules of life keep me company when all else has left me. What goes up must come down and all of that.

But today? Something went up and never touched the ground again.

On my way home, I would always pass this old decrepit restaurant that somehow had its lights still on; and the tales that I’ve heard about that place?

People have gone in normal and happy and have come out tinted green, trying to pull their tongues from their mouths. They have baskets placed near the front entrance for people that wanted to wait to, uh, “return their meal to the owner” so to speak; so as not to be rude after being poisoned. I have never once seen someone leave that place with a smile; until today I suppose.

He was a tall gentleman, with a stern set face; one that seems like it’s never housed a laugh before. He wore this sleek black suit with green accents, and talked with a voice that could fill the room at a whisper. I could hear every word as I walked by, and slowed down ever so slightly as I heard compliment after compliment of the food there. I couldn’t believe my ears.

“…spectacular meal; every time. They’ve got a chef who knows what he’s doing back there. I could die happy after the food I had tonight. Matter of fact, I’m going back in there to pass my compliments to the chef.” He said, picking at his teeth with a golden toothpick and a glint in his eye, albeit a bit dazed.

My eyes got wide; I tried to convince myself he was talking of some other place, but he turned on his heel, and pushed right through those rotting mahogany doors. It just doesn’t make any sense, why is he not sick to his stomach? What could they have possibly fed that man that they refuse to feed to their other customers?

I wanted to let it go, but I just couldn’t. It nagged at me all the way back to my door, and followed me into my bed. The staff is not supposed to be receiving any compliments, and somehow they’ve skirted around the numerous lawsuits that should’ve been placed against them, how on earth are they still gaining revenue?

I tried to get my eyes to close, but with every new thought, they shot open like lightening. I just had to investigate; was it some kind of Sweeney Todd-esque scheme, or did they just miraculously find better cooks with edible recipes?

I made a split decision to leap out of bed and stake out the situation, I’m pretty sure they’re still open, too. I’ve never actually seen their lights off, even when I worked through to the early hours of the morning, they would still be on with customers sat in their booths.

I tried to be inconspicuous as I peeked around the edge of the wall into the front window. Things seemed normal; old broken down decorations, grimy looking floors, cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, roaches scurrying across people’s shoes. Then I caught a glimpse of their plates, and I almost lost my own dinner.

The food was covered in mold. Completely coated in sickly blues and splotches of white; if I looked closely, I could see maggots skirting around the edge of the plate.

But the customers didn’t seem to care. They would cut each piece of their meal and bring it gingerly to their mouths without a second thought, even lighting up as soon as the food touched their tongues. What the hell was going on?

“Can I help you, miss?”

I jumped nearly a foot in the air at the sound of a gruff voice beside me. I turned to find a tired looking cook, with a cigarette between his fingers. He looked me over with suspicion and a bit of contempt, like I was peeking into his own home. But there was something…off about him. His eyes looked almost glazed over, as if he was trapped in a trance of some kind.

“Oh, uh sorry! No I was just trying to, uh, scope out this place! I always pass it on my way home from work, and I thought I would…give it a try tonight.” I cringed as those last words left my lips, why on earth would I say that?

He chuckled, amused at how flustered I was, “relax, you’re not in trouble. Be my guest,” He said nonchalantly, waiving his cigarette toward the door, then continued staring across the street and taking long drags in silence.

I nodded and stretched a smile over my teeth, trying to hide the fact that every atom in my body didn’t want me to go through those doors. But my feet carried me anyway, and my hand pushed through the entrance to find…

Oh my god. This place…when did it ever look like this? As soon as the doors closed behind me, the decor seemed to come to life. There were red and gold curtains accenting the area, marble statues, gold rimmed plates, extravagant gowns and tuxes. It wasn’t until I looked down at the glistening floors that I noticed I had changed as well; I was now wearing a gown of dark emerald and silver and my hair had been done up in sleek braids. Before I could even contemplate what had just happened, I was being greeted and pushed toward a seat near a large record player. Looking around I saw that they were placed throughout the entire restaurant, by each seat.

And this haunting, beautiful melody seeped from its speakers making it hard to…to hang on to my…my thoughts-

“Good evening, miss, could I start you off with something to drink?” Said a waiter with too many teeth. He had that same faraway gaze as the chef outside.

“Just water, thank you.” I was too dazed to think of anything else.

I decided on the steak dinner, as that was the meal I had seen through the window, but what arrived on my plate was nothing short of a gourmet meal. Not a trace of…of…I’m not sure what else I would’ve expected, truly, this place might as well be a five star restaurant.

I had never tasted more delectable food in my life. The steak was succulent, perfectly cooked; everything was seasoned to perfection, and I ate every bite. The meal proceeded as normal, even though I could barely think straight, and I paid the bill with a generous tip to that kind waiter. I then sent my thanks to the chef, and took my leave.

As soon as the fresh night air hit my face, however, my thoughts all came rushing back to me and I felt my stomach drop at the thought of what I just put into my body.

But there was no nausea, not even a grumble. I was fully satisfied as if I had had a meal fit for a king. But when I looked down I realized I had changed back into my own clothes. And I couldn’t get my mind off of the taste of that steak; my mouth was nearly salivating.

The chef was gone from the front, so I cautioned another look into the window to find the place back to its grimy glory, mold covered food and all; not a single evening gown to be found. The only aspect that did not change was the record players near every seat.

I was baffled. That melody…I had never heard anything like it before, like a siren song without words. And I couldn’t get it out my head. It played in a loop that brought the taste of that steak back to my tongue, and I knew that no other food would satisfy me more than the meal I had tonight.

I had gotten down to the bottom of this place, but at the cost of my own free will and appetite.

That owner is hypnotizing people into eating pure garbage; and it’s powerful enough to leave them wanting more, and more, and more. I hadn’t even known magic like that existed. If that place ever closed, it would be the end of me; rules and regulations be damned, that place will get shut down over my own dead body.

I know where I will be getting my dinner from now on.