Androphobia

iii. eyes like ice

Colors - Halsey

THEA'S POV:

"Thea, can you see how many history books we can fit up there?" gestured Andrea to the shelf just above me.

"About... one big book and two really thin books if we have any," I said, examining the shelf to see if I'd calculated correctly.

"Great," she said while carrying a wobbly stack of puzzle boxes out onto the shop floor. "Can you find some at the back and put the price stickers on? You remember the prices, right?"

"Yup," I smiled and squeezed past her. I paced hastily to the backroom where we kept all the books, discs, bric-à-brac, and the other miscellaneous pieces. I grabbed the footstool and stepped up on it but embarrassingly enough, I still wasn't tall enough to get a good view of the books.

As I scoured the shelves above me, a nightmarish image suddenly flashed through my mind: two men towering over me, sinister grins creeping across their cruel, twisted mouths, their hands reaching towards me.

I shook my head at the thought and clamped down on my lip. I needed to forget about that night. It had been a few days since then but it seemed that I couldn't escape them in the daytime nor in the night, for they'd creep into my dreams like centipedes. But at the end of those nightmares, a figure would always appear from the dark - my saviour - and speak to me with that unforgettable voice that made me want to sit there and listen to him all day.

"Come on, Thea," I said with a shake of my head. "Stop getting distracted."

I knitted my brows and looked up and around until I found the history section like I was supposed to. Reaching up on my tiptoes, I grasped the few that I could. Curiously, I examined the covers as I paced back to the storeroom where I ended up pricing and labelling them. I held the three books to my chest and stepped onto the shop floor, shifting my way around the customers standing in my way.

"Excuse me," I muttered softly, having to angle myself in strange shapes to get through.

"Thea!"

I turned my head to find Judith working at the till. She was gesturing with her hand for me to come over.

Judith was a tall, old woman with short white hair framing her face and a slight hunch to her back. From my very first day, Judith and I had been working together, swapping places at the counter and chatting about the most menial of things to pass time. In fact, she was one of the main reasons for why I loved volunteering here.

"What are you doing back there?" she asked as I came up to the till.

"Andrea told me to put some books out," I said and nodded to the ones in my arms.

"Don't listen to her," she grumbled, swatting her hand in the air. I giggled quietly at her as she began to go on and on about Andrea. Their relationship was one of rude jokes, sarcastic comments and the rolling of eyes, but I could tell they enjoyed each other's company very much. "Here, you come on the till. I need a little sit-down."

"Are you sure- oh, okay," I laughed, watching as she stepped out from behind the till to make way for me to fit. I thanked her and squeezed inside with her sitting down on the chair next to me.

Before I could utter another word, a man was approaching the counter and I stiffened.

His face seemed to morph for a second.

Familiar features took form like something out of a horror film, melting and twisting into the face that had hovered over me so menacingly in the dark. How was he here? How was it possible? I thought the stranger had dealt with them. I thought my saviour had protected me. How was-