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Chapter 2

My head jerked up when the dull bell tone indicating another late-night customer went off. The late-night rush from the change in factory shifts had ended over an hour ago, leading the night to grow loud with quiet noises. The perfect condition for sleep to dig its unsuspecting claws into my unoccupied mind.

In my less than alert state, a glance of my miserable reflection in the darkened windows only served to frighten me. Clearing the thickness from my throat I composed myself as I turned to the sliding doors as they slid shut behind Nancy.

Just like that, the peace that had surrounded the last hour shattered.

"You were supposed to be here three hours ago," I said as I crossed my arms. I wasn't typically one to confront her for being late, but three hours was ridiculous.

The woman with greying hair who was 14 years my senior rolled her eyes like a child as she pulled her scarf off. "My car wouldn't start. I wasn't going to walk all the way here from the other side of the city in the rain."

I ground my teeth together, biting back my words. Taking a deep breath, I calmed my rising anger at her indifference and disregard. Getting into it with her now would only work against me. I needed her to be in a good mood if I wanted to ask for a schedule change to go smoothly. Not that I had much hope. It had gone out the window into the moment her eyes landed on me. I could feel the hatred she held for me just from her gaze. I always could. I never understood why she never liked me, but after a few initial failed attempts, I stopped trying to make peace.

"Nancy," I stopped her as she went to pass by the register I was manning. "Wait, I wanted to talk to you about my schedule," I said.

Reaching a hand up, I scratched at the hollow of my throat. I could still feel the ghost of the itch from earlier keep reappearing sporadically. I wasn't sure if it was a mental thing or if it was real.

She let out a breath of exasperation, not even trying to hide her dislike for me. She snapped her head towards me and narrowed her eyes.

I dropped my hand from my neck as she opened her mouth to speak, the words no doubt unkind if her expression was anything to go by.

"Rae-"

She only managed to get my name out before her eyes dipped down from my face and widened. She choked on her next breath before she could continue.

Her eyes snapped back to mine before dipping down again in wide-eyed horror. I glanced down at my shirt to see if I had a stain or something that had personally offended her. Finding nothing but a slightly stretched-out collar from all the scratching I had been doing by the narrow neck hole, I looked back towards the older woman who looked like she was about to turn into the ghost that had frightened her.

"Are you alright, Nancy?" I asked as her mouth opened and closed.

She snapped her jaw shut at my question, suddenly straightening. "Backroom," she blurted out. "I need to put my stuff away in the back room. I'll be back."

She quickly spoke the words before turning and rushing down the aisle stacked with snack foods that no one in this area could afford to splurge on, heading for the back. I was left standing with brows furrowed in confusion as I continued to look on after her. Over the last few years I had witnessed Nancy's various stages of bitch multiple times, but I had never witnessed what I just had before.

Brushing the strangeness of the brief encounter aside, pulled out the book with a missing cover that I kept stashed underneath the register for long, quiet nights. Nights that hopefully wouldn't continue after I had my talk with Nancy.

* * *

A glance at the clock told me that nearly 15 minutes had passed since Nancy had gone to the back room. Hypocritical given she would have chewed anyone else's ear off for taking more than five to put their stuff away.