Waking up.
Prompt: what if mike was in the convenience store visiting his cousin ( store manager) when El , Kali and the gang were there?
Mike's POV
It was a cold blustery November afternoon, and I was in Chicago visiting my cousin Nate.
My mom wanted me to, spend more time with my cousins, since I rarely saw them since they were much older than me. My mom had paid for me to come out here for the next two days just to see the place my cousin worked. I wasn't too thrilled, being that there was a campaign this weekend and now it had to be rescheduled. Today was my first full day in Chicago. Yesterday I had rode in on a train from Hawkins , and didn't get in till late.
Today I was helping Nate at the store, for no pay. Yes I wasn't a employee of his BUT im his cousin, so that counts for something right? . well it didn't, cause I was working a full day , but getting paid nothing. I had to sweep and even do the bathroom, like how gross is that. However it did have its perks, being a wheeler. Nate let me eat whatever snacks I wanted from the store no charge. I also was allowed to take snacks back to Hawkins for free. SO I guess that was the only perk.
" Hey Mike, would you mind watching the cash register? , I have to go do some sorting in the back for a bit. " Nate said as he handed me the instructions. I nodded and he went back into the sorting room. It felt weird, being in a whole convenience store and being in charge for a bit. There was a little anxiety inside of me but mostly excitement. I was going to get the experience I needed, if I wanted to ever own a store. The first lady I check out has a little boy with her. She is buying some snacks for her son's birthday party. He looks up at me with the widest smile I had ever seen. I grab a lollipop from behind the counter and hand it to him.
" Here you go buddy!, I hope you have a amazing birthday" I say smiling at him and his mom. They soon leave but not without a huge thank you. After them, a few other people came in, some nice and some in a mood. It had only been 30 minutes into the hour, but it felt like I had seen 20+ people. I was just about to finish a crossword puzzle in the newspaper, when 5 people walked in. They all looked punk rock, and I said hello , but no reply. They went in fast and through the isles slowly. I saw them each pick out food that they wanted to take to eat. One girl who had slicked back hair, went for eggos. The way she had grabbed 4 boxes in the matter of seconds made me think she was being starved.
Flashback
" got you breakfast" I said while handing the girl a eggo.
She hesitantly took a bite. The look on her face looked like she tolerated it.
" So listen this is going to sound a little weird, but I just need you to go out there, then go to the front door and ring the doorbell. My mom will answer and you'll tell her your lost and that you need help, BUT whatever you do you cant tell her about last night or that you know me, understand" I say with reassurance . I told her that we would just pretend to meet again and things would be okay. The girl who I can't think of the name nodded and said " No" while taking another bite of her eggo.
flashback over
Something about that girl with the slicked back hair, seemed slightly familiar, but I couldn't think of what it was.
Meanwhile the girl with a half shaved head and black long hair saw me staring. " Hey look kid, we don't want no trouble, but we just need a few things" she said while talking in a mysterious tone. She had in her hands two apples. Slowly I saw her grab a gun from the back of her pocket out of the corner of my eye. She slowly starts to bring it up to me.
"hey listen mam, I don't want any problems either. Please lower your guns and put away anything you aren't going to pay for" I say in a serious tone.
The girl soon asked" who are you anyway, isn't Nate the owner of this store, you are kind of making this escape too easy" she says laughing.
" I am Mike , Mike Wheeler, and I want to help you , just let me pay for a few of your things at least. " I say in a desperate tone.
EL's POV
" I want to help you" , I looked over at the boy behind the counter while holding my eggos in one arm. In that moment my mind sensed something , something familiar about this young man.
Flashback
" what were we supposed to do leave her in the rain Lucas?" I hear the boy say as he has his arm around me. I see bikes being parked and being in Indiana.
" uh yes, we went out to find will not, a girl, look at her she looks extremely sketchy" one of the other boys says.
" does not, she looks afraid and lost, I want to help her , I will help her" the first boy says while his arm is around me, opening the basement door before going inside.
Flashback over
I wonder why I just thought of those boys, who I barely remember because this boy had nothing to do with that situation.
" You let us go without telling Nate and we spare your life, sound like a deal?" Kali says as she raises the gun to his chest. She is still standing a bit away from him but, slowly moves closer.
" Please let me help you, there must be someone you can contact to help you pay for these " he pleads as he slowly faces the fact that in seconds he could be dead. Then I see him turn to me. His brown eyes meet mine. " Please, how about you?, please can you let me pay for the eggos ,I just want to help you" he says slowly reaching out his hand hoping for mine in return. I then look down and slowly walk past him and over to Kali. As much as this boy seemed to have good intentions, I didn't know him and he didn't know me.
Then Kali whispers in my hear" Good Job Jane, good job" and I just shrug , hoping I made the right choice for me, for once I hoped I made a good choice. Once I was by her side the rest of the gang members came over. They stood behind us. Kali now held the gun up to Mike, just a tad lower then his chest.
" any last words Mike?, " Kali says only seconds before pulling the trigger.
He doesn't even get to say anything before the bullet goes straight for his lower abdomen. He falls , blood pouring is unable to get up, and his face shows that he is in a horrible pain.
Kali then signals for us to move now with our food. Though I am frozen in fear. My legs won't move. Tears pricking my eyes as I look at him, my eyes finally meeting his. I stare into them. I than slowly go into his mind. He is thinking about his family and his friends. They all seemed so kind. But then this girl popped into his mind. She also had brown eyes and a shaved head. She looked a lot like herself, but she knew it couldn't be her.
I soon got out of his mind and decided I couldn't just leave him. I would regret it if I left him here to die. I drop all my eggos and go to his side.
Kali,called for me, but i said no multiple times and then they left me with him.
I sat by Mike, moving his head onto my legs I then take off my arm bandanas and put them around his wound.
"it's going to be okay, I will call the police and get help. " I tell him before getting the phone with one simple levitation . I slowly tell them what happened, that the cashier Mike had been hurt and how a gang had gotten away. i then notice tears forming in my eyes.
" I just um, wanted to say I'm sorry, for not taking the help you offered" I say looking at him.
" it is just that , I've always fended for myself, I mean at first I liked being with the gang , I didn't feel alone, but today it's over. I know I am better off alone than with horrible people who kill for fun" I say tears now rushing down my face.
Before we knew it the ambulance arrived. I was still holding onto his hand. He gave me a squeeze. " Thank you and I'm so sorry you felt alone , you sound like a very strong and capable girl, that deserves better friends." he tells me, while giving me a small smile.
I gave him a smile back. In all my years, maybe I had gotten the meaning of friend wrong. I just assumed that a friend was someone who you did everything with, including killing. In the past, few months I had killed a bunch. A lot of the victims were probably good people as well. But Kali convinced me to, because I had been abused so much in my earlier years.
But hearing Mike say those words to me, made me realize that a friend shouldn't manipulate you. They should be there for you and listen to you and your feelings. That he was right, I was better than this and that I needed a clean start.
" Hey Mike, um I don't actually now have anywhere to go, do you know of a shelter or just somewhere safe where I could lay low for a bit." I asked, not wanting to ask for much.
" oh and by the way, my name is Jane, Jane Ives." I say to him while the paramedics take him onto a stretcher. I then slowly released my hand form his, when he grabbed it right back. " come with me, you're the only one who knows what happened" he says. I then look at the paramedics and they say I can go, since they assume i was his "friend". I slowly go in and sit on the small bench next to him as they close the door.
I slowly take back his hand in mine. While looking down at Mike who is now sleeping. I ask myself the following questions. Why do I suddenly feel like he needs MY help?. And more importantly, why does he seem so familiar.
TBC….