Height of Fear (3rd Place)

1500


The tick of the second hand on the face clock seemed loud in the quiet of the store. The long hand edged past the nine while the short hand tickled the beginning of the twelve. Eight hours my ass. This shift has gone on an eternity! Ruby slammed the cash drawer shut sending shockwaves through her aching head. Her fingers slipped up and over her eyes. Owww. Shouldn’t have done that.

She stretched her hands upward, but her shoulder muscles protested from shelving two crates of Progresso soup. Thoughts of her Dalmatian puppy at home drifted through her mind and she longed to feel his short-bristled fur through her finger. The back room door squeaky hinge broke her from her brief daydream. Charlie wandered in. A plume of smoke followed him. His cocked name badge displayed his dubious title of “Assistant Manager”.

“Can I go home now?” the teen shifted from one foot to the other while twiddling with the corner of the last remaining newspaper in the rack.

“I swear Charlie. You ask me every Monday night. You need to get a life, or a work ethic!”

Charlie stared at her – his eyes vacant. “So, can I go?”

Ruby exhaled. “Fine. We’ve had one customer in the last two hours. Go ahead. But know this, if this attitude…”

“Ok,” Charlie interrupted, “see you later.” Charlie slid his timecard from the stand, punched it into the machine and tossed it on the counter.

Ruby’s face tinged pink and her eyes squinted. Pathetic. She shoved it back into the stand.

Charlie hustled out the door and the jangle of bells fell silent.

“I better clean the counter. At least it’s something to do.” An echo from the empty store walls seemed to taunt her. She glanced at the clock. Seriously? Ten more minutes? Ugh!

Headlights danced across the far wall and she peered into the parking lot. The store's Seven-Eleven sign yielded a moniker of light, but enough for her to see the glint of “Land Rover” plastered on the shiny black vehicle’s hood.

The driver opened his door and tumbled to the ground while maniacal laughter ensued from the other three occupants. Ruby chuckled at the driver’s attempt at sliding his credit card through the pay slot. Five attempts later the tallest man emerged and spied her through the front window. His eyes blazed in the streetlight’s soft illumination. Her head seemed to throb at the off-glance, and a buzzing voice crackled inside her brain – “I will have you.” The other three started pushing and shoving each other -- oblivious.

Ruby jerked away and dropped down under the counter. What the…? It’s just your imagination.

She heard their radio turn up and blast “All my Ex-es Live in Texas”. The bass knifed through her and she held her face in her palms. Oh, God. I do not need this.

The jangle of bells startled her. Damn. They came in.

“Wooooohooo! Let’s get some grub!”

All four men rattled through the door as the music increased in volume with its opening. “That’s why I hang my hat in Tennesseeeeeeeeeee…..”

She popped to her feet and glared at the four young men. The stench of alcohol caused her to place her hand over her nose.

“Looky what we have here.” The only redhead of the group blared. “I think my friends will have a cup of joe, and I’ll have me a C cup.” He extended a bear-like hand toward her breasts and she stepped back.

The others howled at the gesture, but they seemed intent on loading their pockets with various chips, candy bars, and a few bags of gummy bears.

“Hey, Steve. Grab us a few brews,” the redhead shouted.

“Sure thing,” came the reply.

“How about a little smooch for the customer, sweetheart?” the redhead stated and puckered up.

Ruby’s face scrunched in disgust.

“Guess the peasantry don’t like good old-fashioned customer service.”

A row of laughter burst forth. “She’s not worth it anyway. All our trust funds wouldn’t buy this little chickadee.”

A chill ripped through Ruby as the redhead licked his lips. Sam, where the hell are you? These guys are creeping me out. The clock chimed midnight.

The tallest man approached the counter. “What do we owe you?” he mumbled -- his eyes downcast.

“I… I… don’t know I haven’t…rung up…”

“What the hell? Don’t you know the prices of all this shit?” He raised his face up and leaned forward. His eyes blazed again. Ruby’s head pounded in rhythm with her heart. Pain shot through her head and her eyes flew wide open. Her hands trembled as an image of dripping blood from a swinging gate appeared in her mind. The scene panned out to show a body – her body – laying across an old tire. Her throat ripped out like some animal mauling. The tall man stood over her and grinned.

She swallowed hard and her skin turned pale. The image faded from her mind.

“How much, bitch!”

“Forty dollars,” she blurted, “Forty ought to cover it.” Her eyes darted from man to man.

“Fine." He flipped open his wallet and tossed two twenties on the counter.

“Let’s roll,” the redhead shouted.

“I’ve got some more business,” the tall man said. His eyes fixated on Ruby’s.

“C’mon man. We’ve got to make it to West Lexington. Mack is waiting on us.”

“Just chill. This little filly and me…”

“Dude.” He stared at the tall guy.

“Fine. I can… wait.” The last word slithered from his mouth.

The word drove through Ruby’s soul. He’s really going to kill me.

Sam opened the door as the four young men slipped by him. He threw a weary glance toward them and he sniffed a few times.

The door closed and Ruby burst into tears.

“Oh, my God, Sam. Those guys … I mean that tall guy. He’s going to…”

“Whoa, whoa, whoaaaaa…. Slow down. Did those guys do something?”

“Well, they came in here and I…. I mean. That one. The tall one…” she stuttered.

“Did he grab you? What did he do?”

Ruby clutched Sam’s arm and squeezed. “I just need to go home.”

“Ok. I’ll take it from here.”

“Thanks, Sam.” She snatched two strips of beef jerky and threw two dollars on the counter. “I need a hot bath and some sleep.”

“Still can’t kick the jerky habit, eh?” Sam shuddered, "I hate that stuff."

“Nope. Your loss.”

Ruby reached behind the counter, grabbed her timecard, and fed it into the machine. The familiar clang reverberated. She stuck it back into the stand.

“Night.”

“Night, Ruby.”

Ruby unwrapped one of the jerkies, took a bite savoring the smokey flavor, and slipped out the door.

Her hands shook with every step as she turned down Cravers Lane. Three empty lots lay to her right and a trashcan lay in the middle of the sidewalk. The bushes moved and Ruby froze. A brown mutt sauntered out and sat in front of her. He wagged his tail and eyed the jerky in her hand.

“You scared me, puppy! You want some? Here.” She extended the last bit to him.

He ate it and licked her hand twice.

Ruby gazed down the street where headlights from a side street flipped on. The engine revved and “Born to be wild” pierced the stillness. Ruby laid her hand over her heart. The dog growled. The vehicle eased around the corner and the brightness blinded her. The mutt barked and backed away.

The engine revved again and the SUV lurched forward. Tires screeched and the foul scent of rubber filled the air. The dog scurried down the middle of the street. The SUV gained speed -- The dog fully in its path. I’ve got to do something!

Ruby grabbed the trashcan and flung it with all her might. The trashcan rolled and crinkled upon impact with the SUV. The vehicle swerved and fishtailed to a stop. Headlight glass scattered over the asphalt.

Ruby’s heart pounded. Hairs prickled on her arms. Rage welled within her. The passenger door shot open and the tall man from the store stepped out.

“You!” he yelled.

Her mind raced with escape. Run! Get away! ... No! Stand up to him. Ruby stood her ground.

The man’s eyes blazed and Ruby’s head responded in pain. An image of the man’s hands around her throat flashed in her mind. The same buzzing voice menaced “You’ll pay for this!”

Ruby’s knees weakened. I’ve got to… Wait! That’s it!

Ruby took a deep breath. The man, arms extended, bared down upon her, a mere five feet away. Ruby belted out a soprano high G. The man clutched his ears and writhed in agony. Four windows in the SUV shattered. Ruby’s breath held as the words of her music instructor came to her – “There! Hold it! HOLD IT!!”

The man crawled toward the Rover. Ruby’s voice boomed over him. His ears bled and he curled into a ball and fell into unconsciousness.





Written for Show, Don't Tell contest -- 3rd Place 09/21/2012
Limit of 1500 words

Must have contain the required 15 elements:


1. Ruby is impatient for her 4PM-midnight shift at the Seven-Eleven to end. She's tired, has a headache, and she wants to go home.

2. Her assistant asks if he can leave early. She's annoyed, but also tired of his attitude bringing her down. Besides, it's a slow night, so she lets him clock out, leaving her alone in the store waiting for her relief.

3. She starts to clean the store when a late-model, expensive SUV pulls into the parking lot. The car's stereo is playing loud Country-Western music.

4. Four young men from the SUV enter her store. They seem to be spoiled, rich kids who are loud, obnoxious, and drunk. They gather up purchases of beer, candy bars and snack food while making demeaning comments about Ruby.

5. One of the young men glances at Ruby and her headache pulses. He seems to speak inside her brain, uttering a violent threat. No one else notices, and Ruby decides she probably imagined it.

6. It's past time for Ruby's relief to show up, and she's worried about being alone in the store with these customers.

7. The group checks out. The young man who glanced at her earlier is rude while he pays for his beer.

8. Her headache pulses again, and she sees a dream-like image of him standing over a bloody female body--her body. The image vanishes, but now she's scared.

9. The threatening young man stares at her and she knows he wants to hurt her. But his friends are impatient to leave, and he departs with them.

10. Ruby's relief manager arrives. She pays for some beef jerky before walking home.

11. The street on the way home is dark and empty except for trash cans and a friendly stray dog who approaches Ruby. She feeds him some of the jerky, and he's appreciative.

12. The black SUV from earlier turns a corner and drives down the street. The loud music and bright headlights scare the dog, who runs away down the middle of the street.

13. The SUV speeds up and aims toward the dog.

14. Ruby's angry and fearful for the dog; she knows it's up to her to save the animal. She rolls a large trash can into the street, in the way of the SUV. The SUV brakes and swerves; it strikes the trash can instead of the dog. The collision breaks a headlight.

15. The threatening young man jumps out of the SUV. He's really angry. Ruby's head pulses again, and a compelling and scary image forms in her mind of the man strangling her. She knows it's time to use her special talent.