Miss Serial

Prologue

It's March 21st and the evening will be the start of the purge. This is the 4th time of me surviving this stupid event.

"Hey, Elle. Can you please take the register for me? I'll just grab our salary in my office," my manager asked. I was busy putting some junk foods in the box. I stood, nodded, and said, "Sure thing, Clark."

He gently smiled and left. My boss, Mr. Clark Richmond is a nice guy. And I mean a nice boss to the fact that he gave us a 60-dollar salary for an hour is just crazy. He doesn't have a problem with salary because the store has a lot of regular customers. Everyone knows him as the wise man and he's only 35. Clark is like a father to me and to my brother to the fact that we don't have one since birth.

As I went to the register, a customer was already waiting so I walked faster and then greeted him, "good afternoon... Oh, Louis! How's our thesis for the lab?"

Louis Erickson is the smart guy in the class. Just became my friend yesterday since he's my lab partner. Glad he is because I could let him do the thesis while I do the rest instead. I don't have the time of thinking about the topic of our thesis because of my work.

"The process is a hassle, Eleanor. But don't worry, it's coming really good," he said with a grin. I chuckled and grabbed his items and checked them. "So, have you prepared for the night?" I asked him. "Yep, I have. You live in an apartment. Isn't that unsafe?" He asked. I shook my head and showed him an "it's fine" smile. "Yeah, but I can handle it with my brother." If you're wondering, how the hell did he know where I live? I told him except for my address.

"Alright, that would be 13 dollars," I told him after checking and putting the items inside an eco-bag bag. He handed me the money which I then grabbed and put inside the cash register.

After our minute talk, he left. "Who's that guy?" My soul almost left my body when someone's voice appeared out of nowhere. I looked behind and rolled my eyes. "Kath, for goodness sake stop doing that." Kath Richmond. Clark's niece who's 2 years older than me. She has Ruby Rose's hot haircut.

She chuckled and asked me the same question, "Who's that guy?"

"My lab partner at school."

"Do you have feelings for that guy?" My eyes widened and glared at her. "No, Kath. Of course not for Christ's sake." She's being the big sister mode again.

She's also working in the store so we both helped each other put every item in a box and then place it inside the storage room.

"It's 5:30 already, you should go home now," said Kath. I nodded and said, "Sure, I'll just tell your uncle that I'm leaving."

"No need, Elle. You need to leave early since you have a younger brother to take care of. Here's your salary today, by the way." My soul almost left my body again when Clark suddenly appeared beside me. My god, every time both of them do that it still caught me off guard.

I took the money from his hands. "Thanks, Clark, Kath. I'll go ahead now, see you guys tomorrow!" I said and went to the employee's room, taking off my uniform and grabbing my backpack.

After I left for work, I went to a nearby bookstore to buy a pocketbook. I'd always buy a book on March 21 so I could entertain myself during the event. There's no internet or a live channel during this so I always get a book and I collected 4 pocketbooks now.

I'm already at the apartment and was about to enter the elevator when someone grabbed my wrist and pinned me to the walls. "Jake, let me go you asshole," I said in my deep voice. He chuckled and placed his dirty fingers through my hair. "Eleanor, Eleanor. I want you," he whispered through my ear. My jaw clenched—disgusted—and whispered to him, "Well, I don't." I then used my knee to hit his crotch, letting him groan and fall to the ground.

I immediately went into the elevator and punch the button.

He gets up while glaring at me. "I'll have you soon, Elle," he said then smirked. I rolled my eyes as the elevator closed. Jerk.

-------

"When will the purge stop, sis?" My brother, Matthew said. I grabbed the wood plank from his hand and continue to cover the windows with it. "When the founding fathers are gone, Mat," I said, jokingly. They're the reason why this event exists.

I saw him nod in my peripheral vision.

I sighed in relief because I'm done with the last task of making the room secure, hopefully.

I did this every time the event happened, and I've never experienced being in a dangerous situation.

I look at Matthew who's on the couch sitting and watching his favorite show. I sat beside him and closed my eyes. It was six in the evening after I checked the wall clock—that is on top of our TV. "Let's go eat now, Mat," I said then stood from the couch. He nodded and followed me to the kitchen.

We eat dinner and after that, I went back to the couch and read my pocketbook. "That's the 4th time you bought a book, sis," said Mat as he placed his sleeping bag below near the couch I'm sitting on. I chuckled and nodded in response. "It's for my entertainment during the event, Mat. Go to sleep now."

"Yeah, sure but don't tell me what to do, I'm 13 now," he said. I smiled but it didn't last long when the TV turned on and a message flashed on our screen.

"Warning, warning. This is not a test. This is your Emergency Broadcast System. Announcing the commencement of the annual purge sanctioned by the U.S Government. Weapons of class four and lower have now been authorized for use during the purge. All other weapons are restricted. Commencing at the siren, any crime (including murder) will be legal for 12 continuous hours. Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical services will be unavailable until tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. when the purge concludes. Blessed be our new founding fathers and America... A nation reborn. May God be with you all." After that, we heard a loud siren.

The 12 Hours of Purge begins now.