The wind was howling on this cold winter night. It whistled through my hair like whispers of the undead coming back to remind me that I wasn't as alone as I felt.
It was supposed to be another Tuesday night, but this was one unlike any I had ever experienced.
The day began like any other. I woke up late and after an hour of scrolling through my phone, I dragged myself out of bed as I realized I needed to leave for work soon. Man, how I dreaded my job. It was an average minimum wage job that required little experience. But the people there work you like you're some kind of robot. You're basically expected to be a manager without the pay, nor the authority.
Sure, I had every opportunity to leave. Hell, I should have several months ago, but I stayed because it seemed easier to me than to be retrained again for a job I'd also hate.
But as I got to work, I clocked in and noticed all of the workers gathered around the break room table. Was there a meeting today that I didn't know about? I wondered.
I went over and the boss stopped in her tracks, looking at me in shock. She cleared her throat and awkwardly waved all of my co-workers off. They all stood and scattered off. This was odd.
With a confused look plastered on my face, I approached her. "What was that all about?"
"It was nothing," she said, trying to keep her calm. "Don't worry about it."
"It was about me, wasn't it?" I demanded.
She shot me a glance of concern. "Look, don't worry about it, okay? It's for the best."
She then ran off before I could catch her, leaving me frustrated. Something was up.
And it wasn't just her that was acting weird around me. Every one of my co-workers I'd even happen to lock eyes on would look terrified and wonder away in the opposite direction. Why was everyone acting so weird?
It was supposed to be another Tuesday night, but this was one unlike any I had ever experienced.
The day began like any other. I woke up late and after an hour of scrolling through my phone, I dragged myself out of bed as I realized I needed to leave for work soon. Man, how I dreaded my job. It was an average minimum wage job that required little experience. But the people there work you like you're some kind of robot. You're basically expected to be a manager without the pay, nor the authority.
Sure, I had every opportunity to leave. Hell, I should have several months ago, but I stayed because it seemed easier to me than to be retrained again for a job I'd also hate.
But as I got to work, I clocked in and noticed all of the workers gathered around the break room table. Was there a meeting today that I didn't know about? I wondered.
I went over and the boss stopped in her tracks, looking at me in shock. She cleared her throat and awkwardly waved all of my co-workers off. They all stood and scattered off. This was odd.
With a confused look plastered on my face, I approached her. "What was that all about?"
"It was nothing," she said, trying to keep her calm. "Don't worry about it."
"It was about me, wasn't it?" I demanded.
She shot me a glance of concern. "Look, don't worry about it, okay? It's for the best."
She then ran off before I could catch her, leaving me frustrated. Something was up.
And it wasn't just her that was acting weird around me. Every one of my co-workers I'd even happen to lock eyes on would look terrified and wonder away in the opposite direction. Why was everyone acting so weird?
***
As the night approached and the darkness overtook the outside world, I was left alone to lock up the store. It wasn't unusual, as I closed more often than anyone else here.
I swept down a few aisles before grabbing my mop and cleaning the floors. I know it's so mundane, but there's something about making a dirty and muddy floor look new and shiny that just does something for me.
As the night went on and I approached the registers to close everything down for the night, I saw a dark, shadowy figure looming over the front door that made me jump out of my skin. He had his hand raised to his head as if to peer into the store and look around through the dimmed lights.
I stepped around the counter to where I was clearer into view for him before yelling out, "We're closed!"
He seemed to ignore me completely as he began slowly banging on the glass. What was this guy's problem?
And then, I let out a blood-curdling scream as the entirety of the glass on the front half of the store shattered all at once. I ducked down behind the counter as the dark, shadowy man, completely unphased, stepped through and into the store.
I could hear his slow footsteps crunching over the glass on the ground. It almost seemed like he was a creature, on the hunt for fresh meat. And I knew in my gut that I was his prey. I did my best to stay still, to not utter a single sound.
"Oh Sam," a voice echoed through the store. It was deep and guttural, like they were struggling to speak at all. "I know you're in here. I need to speak with you."
I heard the footsteps, slow and deliberate, approaching the opening at the other end of the counter. I braced myself to be greeted by this twisted person. And when he peeked his head around the corner, I screamed and ran, dodging past him. Or at least I tried. His hand shot out quickly, grabbing my leg and keeping me in place. I stumbled and fell forward, my leg still caught in his grasp.
"I'm sorry it had to be this way," the man uttered slowly, his voice a hoarse whisper. "But I'm afraid we have to let you go."
I turned back to him, panic overtaking me. "Let me go?" I cried. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"We're having to make some cutbacks," it said. "Unfortunately, you're one that we have to fire. I'm sorry."
It let go of my leg as I stared over at the man in disbelief.
"Don't worry about the store," it turned to me. "I'll clean up here. You run along and enjoy the rest of your night. While you still can..."
I swept down a few aisles before grabbing my mop and cleaning the floors. I know it's so mundane, but there's something about making a dirty and muddy floor look new and shiny that just does something for me.
As the night went on and I approached the registers to close everything down for the night, I saw a dark, shadowy figure looming over the front door that made me jump out of my skin. He had his hand raised to his head as if to peer into the store and look around through the dimmed lights.
I stepped around the counter to where I was clearer into view for him before yelling out, "We're closed!"
He seemed to ignore me completely as he began slowly banging on the glass. What was this guy's problem?
And then, I let out a blood-curdling scream as the entirety of the glass on the front half of the store shattered all at once. I ducked down behind the counter as the dark, shadowy man, completely unphased, stepped through and into the store.
I could hear his slow footsteps crunching over the glass on the ground. It almost seemed like he was a creature, on the hunt for fresh meat. And I knew in my gut that I was his prey. I did my best to stay still, to not utter a single sound.
"Oh Sam," a voice echoed through the store. It was deep and guttural, like they were struggling to speak at all. "I know you're in here. I need to speak with you."
I heard the footsteps, slow and deliberate, approaching the opening at the other end of the counter. I braced myself to be greeted by this twisted person. And when he peeked his head around the corner, I screamed and ran, dodging past him. Or at least I tried. His hand shot out quickly, grabbing my leg and keeping me in place. I stumbled and fell forward, my leg still caught in his grasp.
"I'm sorry it had to be this way," the man uttered slowly, his voice a hoarse whisper. "But I'm afraid we have to let you go."
I turned back to him, panic overtaking me. "Let me go?" I cried. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"We're having to make some cutbacks," it said. "Unfortunately, you're one that we have to fire. I'm sorry."
It let go of my leg as I stared over at the man in disbelief.
"Don't worry about the store," it turned to me. "I'll clean up here. You run along and enjoy the rest of your night. While you still can..."
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