Death Watchers

A Name

Ever since seeing that guy, I've been on edge. The blatant knowing look he had given me sent shivers down my spine. And what was up with those purple eyes? Were they contacts, or did he actually have purple eyes?

Clayton was home when I walked through the door.

"Where'd you go?" he demanded.

"Like you care. What are you doing home from school so early?"

He lifted his chin in pride. "It was a half day, Jocie. It's not like I skipped."

"Whatever." I ignored his combative tone. Throughout high school, I had skipped more classes that I could count, barely passing enough to get my diploma. Dad had threatened me about that but there wasn't anything he could really do. Seeing all those students who had died over the years, walking through the halls again and again, had made me sicker more times than not.

I went downstairs and got ready for work. When I came back up, I told Clay to tell Dad not to worry about supper for me tonight because I would find something and headed out. I rode in silence the whole way, being extra careful not to look too long at people on the sidewalk, checking their status: dead or alive.

Pam greeted me with a hug when I walked in the small bookstore. She was a bigger woman with thinning dark hair, sharp brown eyes, and a pouting mouth. When she realized it was me, she smiled. "Jocelynn, sweetheart! It has been too long." She paused. "You look terrible."

I choked out a laugh. It had only been a couple days, and yet, Pam was the only one who actually ever noticed when I was having a bad day—well, worse than normal. "It's good to see you too, Pam. How's Hector been doing?"

Her husband had been placed in the ICU after experiencing a cardiac arrest. It had knocked him out. It had also happened a good three weeks ago.

Her face was grim. "Not too well, if I'm to be honest. The docs say he only has a week tops left, and I'm worried, Joc. I don't want to lose him. He's the only one who has been there for me ever since my parents passed."

I felt my face fall in pity though I knew she hated being pitied. I patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry. The docs are most always wrong. Think about all those cases where they said the baby would be lucky to live a year, and then ended up living a whole seventy. Hector will be fine. I'm sure of it."

She tried to laugh, wiping at her eyes. "Oh, Joc, you always know what to say to make me feel better."

The bell above the door rang.

"Oh! Silly me, I've kept you from starting your shift!" Pam exclaimed, giving me a little push. "Quick, quick, go help the customer!"

I heaved a sigh but took off toward the door. My stomach dropped to the floor as I recognized the long dark hair, falling to cover everything down to the middle of his neck, even when he was bending down to look at a book. I swallowed the lump in my throat and approached him, ignoring the screaming in my gut to get out of there.

"Good afternoon, sir," I said with feigned politeness. "Might I help you find anything?"

He straightened, holding a book up, his purple eyes locking with mine as his mouth twisted into a weird smile. "Already found it, thanks."

I took a couple steps back, closer to the register. "Will you be checking out now?" My voice sounded too hopeful.

He chuckled and the flight response picked up. "Ouch. Don't even want my name before you kick me out?"

I couldn't believe it. This guy was teasing me. He absolutely gave me the creeps and he was teasing me. I forced down the shudder, refusing to let it surface. "I don't need your name to check you out, sir."

He arched a brow, the smile turned snarky. "Now you're checking me out?" He gestured to himself suggestively. "Yeah, I guess I'm nice to look at."

I exhaled in frustration, his snarky smile turning into a grin at my agitation. "Did you find what you needed? The books aren't free, you know."

Pam came over. "Joc, is everything all right over here?" She turned to the man. "Oh, hello, Cole. Glad to see you here, today. I haven't seen you in a while. How's your mother been?"

He shrugged, casting me a sly glance at my shocked expression. "She's well, Pam. Healing despite the doctors saying she wasn't going to make it. Honestly, I think they live to tell the worst news in hopes of making people cry."

Pam pressed her hand to her heart. "That is so good to hear. I feel bad for not visiting her more often, but after what happened to Hector..."

Cole nodded. "It's understandable, Pam. No need to feel sorry. It isn't like she'll know if you visited or not, being in a coma and all."

She gestured to the book. "Are you done?"

He looked at it before flashing his eyes to me, his smile radiant for once. "I suppose so." When they walked back to the counter, he whispered, "You know, Pam, you're going to have to whip that new girl into shape. She's been staring at me the whole time and sputtering. Unless she can't talk."

Pam laughed, looking back at me. "Oh no, Joc can definitely talk. She just must be intimidated because she's never seen a man this close to her age. All the boys in high school were too immature."

I gasped in frustration. The nerve those two had! If I knew Pam hadn't been worrying about my love life—or lack thereof—I would've been angrier, but I just smiled it off, laughing to myself quietly. I heard Cole and Pam talking a while longer before he started walking my way. I hastily made it look like I was doing something by grabbing the duster and dusting the shelves.

His footsteps stopped. "So, Joc, huh? Is that short for anything or is that seriously your name?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"I would, actually. That's why I'm asking. But, if your name is Joc, that's a pretty weird name. Cool, but weird." His voice was deeper than most men's and it sent a type of vibration through me, as if he was speaking against my soul.

"Oh, and you're one to talk," I replied, whirling around. "What kind of name is 'Cole,' anyway?"

He grinned and tipped an imaginary hat. "Nice meeting you, Joc." I watched him step outside, stand there a bit, and then head off down the street, swinging the bag back and forth like some kid would with a new stuffed animal. What was a guy like him doing coming into a bookstore and buying books? Cole looked more like the type of guy to hang around cemeteries at night just to scare those brave enough to enter after hours.

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