Chapter 3
Man or Monster
The day seemed to go by slower than usual that day, but when two-thirty P.M hit it was time for them to go. Her shift was over and whoever was suppose to take her place would be arriving shortly. Not only that but she was starving. Ever since ten her stomach had been growling so loud that it sounded like some kind of beast. Well the good thing was that she had plenty of places to choose from, from McDonald's food court to Tai Wang's Sushi bar they had in the back. Tai Wangs was probably the most expensive though so in the end she had to go with McDonalds, even though she knew she would have to work off the food.
Having to put up DVDs and CDs in the respected places may have sounded easy but it was actually quite difficult when it came to her energy. Having to run up and down the different isles to put them in the right spots definitely took some out of her but until she could graduate from college it was all she had to make her own money. If there was one thing she didn't want to do it was borrow money from her father, after all he worked harder than she did to get his earnings.
Once she had her order, just a normal cheese burger, some fries, and a drink she sat down to enjoy her meal when she heard a familiar voice come up behind her.
"Oh ho what's up Julie?"
When she turned around she saw the new guy walking into the establishment. Over the past few hours she had been observing just how efficient he could do his job and from what she saw he seemed pretty good at it. His legs weren't buckling from standing all that time and he still had on his face that smile he had when they first met.
"Mind if I sit with you today?" he asked as he grabbed his trey.
All she did was shake her head as she took a bite of her burger. He seemed to be in a pretty cheery mood. Perhaps something was happening when he got home. Whatever it was it sure kept that smile on his face. As he unwrapped his burger she noticed that he began picking out the onions from the sandwich with his napkin.
"What are you going to do with those?" she asked as she sat down her own meal.
"Well I am allergic to onions. They just don't fit right in my stomach you know? If I even so much as touch them with my bare hands they swell up." he said as he tossed them aside.
"You swell up when you touch an onion? Never heard of that."
"Oh yeah my hand becomes like a balloon if I even touch one."
In all her years she had never heard of anyone who was allergic to onions, but there was a first time for everything right?
"So do you go to school around here?" she asked.
"Not really. I've been home schooled for most of my life and since I'm almost done with high school I figure why not stick it out. I might go to college though, I heard the parties can get pretty wild." he replied as he took a sip of his soda.
"Heh you do know that college is meant for learning right?"
"Yep, but who says that you can't have a bit of fun am I right?"
Their conversation seemed to have been going well when they heard someone yelling not too far away. When they looked through the glass they saw someone running towards the exit with a hoodie to cover his face and a backpack in one hand and behind him were two out of shape security guards.
"Stop come back here!" one yelled.
As he closed in on their location she saw Darren get up from his seat before he looked around the corner like he was waiting to strike. Oh no, he wasn't planning what she thought he was planning was he? If so he could be in a world of trouble with that guy.
"Are you insane? What if he's armed?"
"No problem, just watch and learn."
She wanted to pull him back but at the same time she didn't want to get involved. She might have not known him for that long but she didn't want to see one of her fellow employees get hurt or worse killed. The look on his face though was kind of weird, he looked determined to stop this guy. If the guy was armed could he really disarm him?
"Come on dumbass...time to get what you deserve."
Just as he passed the entrance he simply stuck his foot out and watched as the guy tripped over his foot, the backpack filled with merchandise began sliding across the floor as did the man. He wasn't done yet though, before he could get up he ran over to the backpack and grabbed it.
"Hah I win you lose!" he gloated.
When the man got up he half expected him to pull out a knife or a gun but all he did was look up at him before he ran out the door. It looked as if he was too much of a pansy to deal with the security guards who had just arrived to retrieve the stuff that had been stolen.
"Here ya go, everything should still be in there." he said as he tossed the bag over to them
Just to make sure they looked through the bag just to make sure the punk hadn't taken anything out of it before his little fall.
"Alright looks like everything is here. Good work son." the larger man said as he patted his back.
"All within a days work." he replied as he gave them a respectful bow.
As they walked away Julie came running over to make sure he hadn't gotten hurt. The number one rule was to always watch out for each other and if someone was hurt to do whatever it would take to help them. He looked fine though, no scratches or cuts just a slightly dusty shirt.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"I think so. Do I look fine?" he asked.
All she did was roll her eyes and punch his arm for being a dummy. Since they were both going home at the same time they decided to walk together until they had to part ways. Once he dusted his shirt off and she grabbed her purse from her locker they were all set to go.
"So where do you live if you don't mind me asking?"
"Right there almost at the intersection of Birch and Palo."
"Huh so you're not too far away from me I guess." she replied as she adjusted her purse strap.
As they walked he began to notice something attached to her purse. It looked like an old NES controller keychain.
"Your a gamer eh?"
"What, oh this? Yeah I guess you could say I'm one. I do go to the arcade once in a while when I'm not too busy."
"Get out so do I!"
"Really at what times?"
"Between one and four. Wave Race."
"Wave Race, what's your high score?"
"Two hundred thousand points."
"How do you get that much?!" he asked.
She couldn't believe that very same morning they were strangers and now they were talking about video games and high scores like two nerds. Just as they rounded the corner though he was grabbed and pulled into an alley where the very same boy in the hood pushed him against a wall before he took out his knife.
"Oh hey jackass. Did you miss me?"
"Quite! You cost me some money and now your going to go back and get it for me."
She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Quickly she opened up her purse to find her phone so she could call the police. She searched and searched but couldn't find it. When she finally got it she hid behind the corner and dialed for the police station.
"Yes please my friend is in trouble. He's being held up at knife point and..."
Just before she could finish she heard a loud thump against the ground.
"Damn punk." she heard.
Quickly she looked around the corner to find a horrific sight. The boy she had just met had a knife stuck right in the center of his chest as blood ran over the ground. Her hand trembled as she drooped her phone. She could only watch as his body was kicked over and over again before the boy began walking towards the sidewalk.
"What am I going to do?" she thought to herself.
If he saw her then he would know that she saw him and if it was any indication she would end up like Darren. Just when it seemed hopeless that she would be caught she heard a voice that she thought was impossible. When she looked back around the corner she saw her once dead from up on his feet with the knife still in his chest.
"W-What the fuck man! You should be dead!" the boy said as he backed up.
All he did was grab the knife and pull it out before the wound in his chest sealed itself up.
"You know blood from humans taste so much better than our own blood. It's much more...refreshing." he said as he licked the blood from the knife.
Those eyes, those were the same eyes she had seen two years ago. Both were glowing red as he took a deep breathe. When he opened his mouth she could see two sharp fangs as well. It couldn't be could it?
"Back the fuck up man or I'll shoot!" the boy said as he grabbed his gun.
"Go ahead, use that weapon on me and see what happens." Darren said as he grinned at him.
With one finger he pulled the trigger and let look three bullets that hit him in the forehead. Blood went everywhere but he still stood there as the bullets dissolved before the holes closed up. His body began to tremble as he dropped his gun. His legs, he couldn't move them!
"Now what I would do to you would reflect poorly on me after all I am a very reasonable guy..."
As he moved closer his body began to freeze up. Just looking into those eyes struck him with fear. His body jumped when he was grabbed and shoved against the wall.
"I hope you're ready for your punishment."
As that mouth opened those fangs shined in the daylight. With one breathe of air he let out the most terrifying sound he had ever heard, a roar that echoed through the alleyway. The closer he was pulled him him the faster his fear began to raise before it finally got the better of him. He couldn't take it anymore and so he passed out.
"Sleep tight..."
He got what he deserved. As soon as he threw him to the ground the smell of sweet blood began to fill his nostrils. Before she could be caught though she took off down the street. What had she just witnessed?
