AN: This scene does contain minor hints of stalking and SA, even if it is not explicit or portrayed 'on-screen' or towards the POV character, please be advised and skip this chapter for now if that is a problem. I sincerely hope you enjoy the story otherwise and continue to read, there's many more (less upsetting) chapters on the way :) Now that we have that out of the way, on with the show!

...

C'mon feel the noise!

Dollface slammed the napkin dispenser shut and dragged the next one across the counter for refilling while having a conversation over the phone with Izzy. The world outside sat idle, almost rumbling with the air conditioning and Florescant bulbs.

Girls rock your boys!

Dollface worked her small, tapering fingers under the lid and unlatched it all while wedging the phone between her jaw and shoulder.

We'll get wild, wild, wild!

"Ugh, I hate gettin' all these late shifts!" She complained to Izzy, the buzz of cicadas and the quietly playing sound system filling the air around her, Michael listening in on them.

Wild, wild, wild!

The town's only good streetlight flickered outside, the only indicator of life outside the restaurant.

"Seriously, yer grunkle sucks major ass fer doin' this t'ya. Ya have t'work in th'mornin'!"

"Izzy!" Dollface gasped, not used to her use of dirty language.

So ya think I got an evil mind?

"Sorry!" Dollface could hear the blushing in Izzy's voice, "I've been tryin' t'help Ben stop doin' that. We even have a jar fer it now!"

I'll tell you honey, I don't know why!

She grabbed a wad of napkins and stuffed it in, "How's yer trips t'th'gym been?"

"It's great! I love havin' a workout buddy!" Izzy started, "Afterwards, we like t'get-"

"Wait." Dollface cut Izzy off, a third handful of paper napkins dropped on the scuffed counter.

So ya think my singin's outta time? It makes me money!

Her head rose, pencil shoved into the messy hair clip sliding against her head.

Her hair was too slippery for it to stay in place.

It fell and clattered on the tiled floor, accompanying the buzzing Florescants overhead.

And I don't know why!

"Dude, what's wrong?"

Dollface shifted her gaze to the darkened kitchen.

I don't know why, anymore, oh no-no!

"I think I heard something."

"What"

"Dunno." Dollface said. She squinted.

"Aren't ya'll alone?"

So c'mon, feel the noise!

"Yeah, cook went out fer a smoke, an' the other cashier went t'get somethin' from th'gas station. Neither came back yet."

"Have ya heard th'rumors? Jeremy an'yer other cashier?" Izzy got excited, "They've been disappearing' fer hours at a time! Ma said she saw him get into 'er trailer!"

Girls, rock yer boys!

Dollface jumped, startled by what sounded like a dumpster slamming, then clicking.

We'll get wild, wild, wild!

"Izzy?"

"Yeah?

Dollface nervously glanced back at the darkened, empty front lobby full of silent, white tables, letting Michael place the words in her drying mouth, "I don't think I'm alone."

"It's probably just th'cook." Izzy said, nervousness rising in her voice, "P-probably back, from uh, from her break."

"Could be." Dollface sniffed, "Look. I gotta go."

"Dollface? Dollfa-"

C'mon, feel the noise!

Dollface glanced one more time at the phone and gulped.

Michael assured her that he'd keep her safe.

Girls, rock yer boys!

As a few more quiet noises leaked from the open kitchen, Dollface tip-toed, hunching into a wrestler's crouch like her grandfather had taught her.

She licked her lips as she entered the darkened room.

We'll get wild, wild, wild!

"Dollface, what th'hell'r ya doin'?" The light switch by the open screen door snapped on, sloppy fry cook Laynie glaring at her.

"Sorry, thought I heard someone." Dollface said, standing upright.

"Yeah, me."

Oh yeah-ah!

Dollface released a breath as she followed Laynie to the front counter.

Laynie, a heavy set woman with three kids from a nearby backwoods trailer park, glared at the radio and yawned, "I still have t'help get everythin' counted."

So ya think I gotta funny face? I got no worries!

Laynie stumbled over to the radio and changed stations, cutting off Dollface's favorite Quiet Riot song.

She knew better than to complain. Laynie was the adult and had final say.

-In the Twilight Zone and, I always feel like, somebody's watchin' meeeeeee!

"Eugh!" Laynie shut it off, "No wonder yer creeped out, they play this kinda shit on th'pop station!"

Dollface let out an awkward half-smile.

"I have t'count th'money t'night, an'I don't think that slut's comin' back anytime soon." Laynie said, "I don't want'cha 'round Sidney, ya hear me?"

Dollface nodded, not sure of what else t'say as Laynie continued, "Sidney need's t'wait until after her shift so I don't have t'clean up after her."

Dollface leaned against the counter as Laynie grabbed a handful of tips from the tip jar the employees would hide from cheapass grunkle Barney whenever he'd visit. She set a handful of bills and coins on the worn down counter, quickly counting it out.

"Y'all need a ride home?" Laynie said, "I'm pretty sure I caught a whiff'a Jason out there, and I don't want him t'snatch ya."

"No, I think I'm fine." Dollface said as Laynie grabbed a few more coins to even out the piles of change she'd set out.

"Ya sure?" Laynie asked, "Ya look spooked."

"Nah, it's just this buildin'." Dollface said as something creaked and settled.

"Sure is creepy." Laynie agreed, "Here's yers fer th'night, guess I'll have t'count the register totals without Sidney."

"Bitchin'." Dollface said, happily pocketing her share without counting it.

"Let me know if ya changed yer mind yet."

"Alright!" Dollface said, glad to be getting home and away from her grunkle's creepy ice cream store.

As she skipped out the door and home, she passed the dumpster at the end of the parking lot, completely unaware of passing William.

William watched and waited until Dollface was well out of view before he grunted to his feet, eyes bleary.

He cracked his neck, not someone who'd aged well.

William hoisted the lip of the large dumpster over his head and smiled down at tonight's toy.

Below him was Sidney the cashier, a ratty blonde with adult acne and permanently covered in scabs, pantsless and choking on a greasy gag.

"Now, now dear, we don't want too much of a fuss!" William said as he watched Sidney's restrained and broken body squirm against the same pile of trash she'd been hauling in a little wheelbarrow before he'd encountered her.

He scratched his balding head, thinking about how much he'd initially wanted to get rid of Foxx and Duke, two boys initially hired by Friendly's.

After a brief moment of consideration, he realized that going after two very popular teenage boys on a local wrestling team who'd been handling livestock since they were in diapers was a bad idea.

A simple firing was all he needed anyway, as they hadn't been too close to Dollface or the other girls.

William was growing concerned for how close his son was getting, however, and that just wouldn't do.

"Darling, I usually wouldn't do it this way, but you just wouldn't cooperate. Besides, you aren't worth your own suit, you'd just attract bugs." William grinned down into Sidney's cradle as she fought, hands bound with zip ties and electrical tape, "Either way, I'll find a use for you, even if it is just for tonight."

William stepped onto the overturned wheelbarrow and climbed back into the dumpster, closing the lid overhead to the chorus of muffled screaming.