They say what you don't know can't hurt you. But they couldn't be further from the truth. Whether it be whispers behind your back out horrors unfolding before your eyes, the only universal constant is, what you do know will hurt you.
Life is pretty simple for me. Sit in front of a computer for hours, melting my mind away with videos and memes until eventually I had to get ready for work. Sometimes the boredom soaks in and you get ready hours in advance. Other times your body feels like it weighs a ton and it takes as much effort to get up as it would to move a mountain. Today was one of those days.
I was exhausted from work the night before, so I didn't want to do anything but relax and maybe watch a movie or two. It was mid-October, so horror movies were all the rage for me. I was never the kind of person to get scared by horror movies. I almost find them comedic. I mean, why would the characters run toward the monster instead of hiding? Come on now.
But before I realized it, it was about twenty minutes before I had to leave for work, so I forced myself to my feet, headed to the closet and threw on a shirt. I picked up and sniffed a pair of blue jeans. They didn't smell gross, so I threw them on. Grabbed a random pair of socks off the ground, threw on my shoes and headed out the door.
Life is pretty simple for me. Sit in front of a computer for hours, melting my mind away with videos and memes until eventually I had to get ready for work. Sometimes the boredom soaks in and you get ready hours in advance. Other times your body feels like it weighs a ton and it takes as much effort to get up as it would to move a mountain. Today was one of those days.
I was exhausted from work the night before, so I didn't want to do anything but relax and maybe watch a movie or two. It was mid-October, so horror movies were all the rage for me. I was never the kind of person to get scared by horror movies. I almost find them comedic. I mean, why would the characters run toward the monster instead of hiding? Come on now.
But before I realized it, it was about twenty minutes before I had to leave for work, so I forced myself to my feet, headed to the closet and threw on a shirt. I picked up and sniffed a pair of blue jeans. They didn't smell gross, so I threw them on. Grabbed a random pair of socks off the ground, threw on my shoes and headed out the door.
***
Work wasn't too bad for the night. I worked at a sub shop, making sandwiches and ringing up orders. I'd often work by myself, much like tonight. It was relatively slow for a Wednesday night. I've been here for an hour or so and only helped maybe three customers. I basically had all of my closing stuff done. All here was left to do was wait until the clock struck ten and I could pack up and leave.
I'll be honest, this place has never been that busy to begin with. I mean, the sub shop is basically out in the middle of nowhere. People pretty much only know about it through word of mouth, unless you were one of the lucky few to happen to drive by and see it.
There are large windows overlooking the front of the restaurant, so if someone pulls into the parking it's almost impossible to miss them. Unfortunately for me, when night rolls around all you can see is pitch blackness. You might see some tall grass in the distance, and maybe some trees. Not much else.
Tonight was one of those nights where nothing is happening out there. Nothing at all. It's pretty boring to be honest.
You might be wondering how long I've been working here, or how I even found the job in the first place. Honestly, I'm not sure how long I've been here. At least a few months. When every night is the same thing over and over again, time starts to escape you.
As for how I even found out about this job, it's just as boring as the job itself. I saw an ad online. I guess they were hiring for $12 an hour. How could I say no?
I was taken out of my mindless rambling when I looked out the window and thought I saw a pair of eyes. There was certainly movement in that tall grass just beyond the parking lot.
I stepped out from behind the counter and approached the windows. As I stepped closer I saw a dark shadowy figure emerge from the grass and make its way toward the sub shop, its eyes locked on me.
I staggered back as it stepped closer. And as it stepped from the shadowy darkness and into the light of the shop, the fur on its humanoid body glistened. Was that a werewolf?!
It couldn't be, I thought as my heart raced. Werewolves don't exist. But then, what the hell was I looking at?
It burst through the front door and let out a deafening roar as I dove behind the counter and hid, my back pressed up against the lower wall of the counter. I tried to calm my breath, tried to keep from panting as I heard its footsteps grow nearer and nearer.
Suddenly, it leaped over the counter and onto the floor behind it, just inches away from me. I let out a scream of terror as tears began rolling down my cheeks. I tried to back away from it but it stepped closer, like an animal taunting its prey.
Just as I thought all hope was lost, a gunshot rang out across the shop. The werewolf's attention was immediately drawn to it. It came from the front of the store. The wolf leaped up on the counter, knocking some food to the ground as it did so. I knew I'd have to clean that up later, but I didn't care. I just wanted to live.
Another gunshot rang out, followed by the muffled and disgruntled voice of a man yelling at the beast.
I heard the wolf leap down and run toward the person by the door. I figured it was safe enough for me to stand and see what was happening. As I did, I was shocked to see my manager standing there, a shotgun in his hands. The werewolf was viciously trying to fight him, but he pulled the trigger again. Finally, the werewolf went down with a whimper.
"I've been waiting all season for one of these things," he said breathlessly as he stared down at the wolf, blood beginning to pool beneath it. He flipped the open sign to closed and grabbed the wolf by the tail, dragging it behind him as he made his way to the back of the shop. "I didn't think the wolf was going to take the bait but after so many months, I guess it finally did."
"Okay, what the hell are you talking about?" I demanded, "I almost died!"
"That's the point," he chuckled. "Why do you think I hired you? Werewolves like to stalk their prey. They usually go after young adults like yourself. The fact that it took so long surprises me. I thought I'd have to fire you and get someone else to work alone at night."
I was dumbfounded. What do I even say to this? I was used as some werewolf bait? I risked my life for a measly $12 an hour?
I threw off my apron and walked toward the front door.
"Where do you think you're going?" my boss demanded. "You still gotta close the store up."
I turned back to him, "I think I'm done here. Have a good night." I headed to my car and left, never to see that place again...
I'll be honest, this place has never been that busy to begin with. I mean, the sub shop is basically out in the middle of nowhere. People pretty much only know about it through word of mouth, unless you were one of the lucky few to happen to drive by and see it.
There are large windows overlooking the front of the restaurant, so if someone pulls into the parking it's almost impossible to miss them. Unfortunately for me, when night rolls around all you can see is pitch blackness. You might see some tall grass in the distance, and maybe some trees. Not much else.
Tonight was one of those nights where nothing is happening out there. Nothing at all. It's pretty boring to be honest.
You might be wondering how long I've been working here, or how I even found the job in the first place. Honestly, I'm not sure how long I've been here. At least a few months. When every night is the same thing over and over again, time starts to escape you.
As for how I even found out about this job, it's just as boring as the job itself. I saw an ad online. I guess they were hiring for $12 an hour. How could I say no?
I was taken out of my mindless rambling when I looked out the window and thought I saw a pair of eyes. There was certainly movement in that tall grass just beyond the parking lot.
I stepped out from behind the counter and approached the windows. As I stepped closer I saw a dark shadowy figure emerge from the grass and make its way toward the sub shop, its eyes locked on me.
I staggered back as it stepped closer. And as it stepped from the shadowy darkness and into the light of the shop, the fur on its humanoid body glistened. Was that a werewolf?!
It couldn't be, I thought as my heart raced. Werewolves don't exist. But then, what the hell was I looking at?
It burst through the front door and let out a deafening roar as I dove behind the counter and hid, my back pressed up against the lower wall of the counter. I tried to calm my breath, tried to keep from panting as I heard its footsteps grow nearer and nearer.
Suddenly, it leaped over the counter and onto the floor behind it, just inches away from me. I let out a scream of terror as tears began rolling down my cheeks. I tried to back away from it but it stepped closer, like an animal taunting its prey.
Just as I thought all hope was lost, a gunshot rang out across the shop. The werewolf's attention was immediately drawn to it. It came from the front of the store. The wolf leaped up on the counter, knocking some food to the ground as it did so. I knew I'd have to clean that up later, but I didn't care. I just wanted to live.
Another gunshot rang out, followed by the muffled and disgruntled voice of a man yelling at the beast.
I heard the wolf leap down and run toward the person by the door. I figured it was safe enough for me to stand and see what was happening. As I did, I was shocked to see my manager standing there, a shotgun in his hands. The werewolf was viciously trying to fight him, but he pulled the trigger again. Finally, the werewolf went down with a whimper.
"I've been waiting all season for one of these things," he said breathlessly as he stared down at the wolf, blood beginning to pool beneath it. He flipped the open sign to closed and grabbed the wolf by the tail, dragging it behind him as he made his way to the back of the shop. "I didn't think the wolf was going to take the bait but after so many months, I guess it finally did."
"Okay, what the hell are you talking about?" I demanded, "I almost died!"
"That's the point," he chuckled. "Why do you think I hired you? Werewolves like to stalk their prey. They usually go after young adults like yourself. The fact that it took so long surprises me. I thought I'd have to fire you and get someone else to work alone at night."
I was dumbfounded. What do I even say to this? I was used as some werewolf bait? I risked my life for a measly $12 an hour?
I threw off my apron and walked toward the front door.
"Where do you think you're going?" my boss demanded. "You still gotta close the store up."
I turned back to him, "I think I'm done here. Have a good night." I headed to my car and left, never to see that place again...
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