For Emma.
This is the story of a hero. A hero you may have heard of. His name is Shrek.
Starbucks is Closed
Shrek flew high in the sky, his body drifting through the clouds. The land underneath him was mostly fields of dirt and corn. The clouds were puffy and white, and the sun was sparkling. It was a warm afternoon, and as Shrek flew through the sky he desperately wanted to swim in something cool.
As he flew further, he came over a city. Tall skyscrapers reached up and touched the sky, and Shrek had to fly around a few. He decided to drift down towards the streets, flashing with lights. He slowly descended between the buildings, looking down at the people walking on the sidewalk.
Shrek wondered if there was a Starbucks around here suddenly. He loved Starbucks. It was his favorite coffee shop around. He wanted an iced coffee, so he slowly landed on the sidewalk. He received curious glances, but people at once rushed over to take a look.
Shrek smiled as people asked for his autograph and asked if he was real.
"Yes. I am the real Shrek." He said when one woman asked.
He signed autographs left and right, often signing on pictures, notebooks and even checks. Everyone seemed to want Shrek's autograph. He still wanted Starbucks, so he smiled and waved his hand.
"I'm sorry everyone. I must go. I have things to do." Shrek said, pretending to act sad.
"No! Don't leave Shrek!" A little boy in the crowd shouted. Many others shouted their protests.
Shrek groaned. "I have to go. I'm sorry." Then he began to float up.
People rushed forward and tried to grab his feet. Luckily, he made it out in time and soared into the sky, looking down on his fans. He searched the streets for a Starbucks and when he saw one he gasped. The little building had a sign out front, and it seemed so majestic in the middle of the city. Shrek smiled and began to descend towards the shop. He hovered above the sidewalk first, checking for fans. Then he drifted down and began to walk towards the glass door.
The inside of the shop had an orange floor and neon green walls. A strange shop, no doubt, but Shrek didn't care. He reached out and grabbed the cold metal handle and pulled gently on the door. It didn't open. Shrek frowned.
It was locked.
Shrek cursed under his breath and glanced at the sign on the door. It said the hours. Shrek scratched his chin. What day was it? Then he remembered. He looked at the hours for Friday and it said 10am-2pm. He checked his wrist. 2:20.
"WHAT?!" Shrek shouted angrily. "I JUST MISSED IT!"
He could feel strength come to his hands and he grabbed the handle of the door, pulling as hard as he could. The door popped off with a metallic clank.
Shrek stormed into Starbucks, glancing around. He snorted and lumbered over to the counter. He climbed over easily and began to search. He looked everywhere, but he could not find any coffee. He checked the backroom, and all the cupboards, but still nothing. He felt furious.
Shrek smashed his fists against the counter, leaving a fist shaped mark on the neon green top. He moved around the counter and grabbed the chairs, throwing them one by one across the room. When he felt he had destroyed the room enough, he moved out onto the sidewalk, feeling satisfied.
He looked around and didn't expect to see a huge building with a poster that read: GET COOLED OFF HERE! It had a arrow pointing to a doorway. Shrek smiled and raised into the air, his legs just barely over the ground. He drifted to the door as fast as he could and landed. A man stood at the entrance.
His eyes widened. "Shrek?" He asked.
"Yes. I am Shrek." Shrek replied.
"Are you the real Shrek?" The man asked excitedly.
"Yes." Shrek nodded.
The man grinned. "Can I have your autograph?"
Shrek smiled and pulled out his pen. "Of course."
The man pulled a picture of Shrek from his bag and held it out. Shrek signed the picture and then moved into the building. He was greeted by a huge indoor play place. There was a ball pit right by the door and a huge bouncy castle behind it. The rug was navy blue and the walls were red. A huge inflatable slide was also behind the ball pit. Shrek saw an arcade and a food court, and more bounce houses.
He smiled and walked toward the food court, wanting to get something to eat. The floor was navy blue and white and tiled. The counter was red. Shrek placed his hands on the counter. The worker gave him a fake smile.
"Do you have any coffee?" Shrek asked.
The worker turned to look at the menu. "Yes. We do. We have iced and decaf."
Shrek sighed in relief and handed the workers 5 dollars. "Give me as many as this will pay for. Iced."
The worker nodded and took the money behind the counter, returning a moment later with 3 coffees. Shrek took them gratefully and drank all 3 in a few sips. He sighed.
"Thanks." He then turned and looked around the place. That's when he saw him.
