Night at the Wiggly Mart

839 words

Jed worked the night shift at the Wiggly Mart, and it was generally uneventful. He liked to nap in the back room and would wake up when the jingle bells on the front door would sound. The convenience store manager never came into the store after nine o’clock, anyway, so he felt safe in his routine. Tonight was just like any other night.

Jed was taking his nightly snooze when the bells chimed. He grunted and looked at the clock, groggily swiping his hand through his red hair. “Three-fifteen? Who could be here at this hour?” he grumbled. “Waste of a good dream, too. That college girl was gonna kiss me and who knows what else.”

He peered out into the store and saw a pimpled face under greasy dark blond hair attached to a skinny teenaged boy. This late-night caller was rifling through the beef jerky display as Jed slouched out of the back room.

He looked up at Jed. “Oh, hey, got any of them hickory things?” he asked, then put his hands in his pockets and waited for Jed to reply.

Jed rolled his eyes, pointed, and said, “Over by the chips, dude.”

“Thanks.”

The customer wandered over and dug through the shelves and finally got what he wanted. Then he wandered around the store some more. Jed, awake now and bored, leaned against the counter facing the back of the store.

He was roused from his stupor by the sound of a creaking board. The store was old and still had a wooden floor instead of concrete like all the newfangled ones have. Jed knew the only board that creaked was by the front door. “That creep’s gonna try and sneak out.” he thought as he turned toward the door. He was surprised when he saw a woman standing by the door. She was petite and pretty, but looked older. Her hair was in a long braid down her back and she wore a leather jacket and laced boots. Jed wondered how she got the door open without making noise.

She smiled a half-smile at Jed and looked back at the bells as if she knew what he was thinking. She looked back at him and he felt odd when she smiled at him this time. Not like he was attracted to her, more like she knew things and she'd tell him about them if he was just patient. She walked over to him and reached out her hand. Jed flinched at her touch and backed away.

He shook his head to clear it, then asked, “Can I help you?”

She said “I hope so. I was heading to Haleysville. Do you know how I can get back to the interstate? I got a little sidetracked.” She smiled that smile again and Jed began to feel lost again.

Suddenly, a crash came from the back of the store. Jed jumped and the woman whipped around looking for the source. She glared at the pimply boy and strode over to him. She reached out her hand and clutched his neck, pulling him to her. She dragged his head down and sunk her teeth into the boy’s throat. He jerked and she let him drop to the floor. A small rivulet of blood seeped into the worn wood.

Jed stared in horror as the woman wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and turned back to him. She said, “Sorry, I haven’t eaten in a while.” She reached over the body to the wall rack behind it and pulled down two latex gloves and set them on the counter. She took out a twenty and laid it on the counter and looked at Jed. She raised her eyebrows.

“I need to check my bike’s oil.” She said and smiled at Jed. "The interstate?" she asked.

Mechanically he worked the register, mumbled "Two miles." waving vaguely south. He kept looking warily up every few seconds. He gave her change, and backed away.

She said, “Thanks. See you around.” And walked out the front door jingling the bells loudly.

“Jed! Jed! Where are you? Jed!” a voice called.

Jed, startled, jumped up from the chair in the back room and looked around fearfully. His heart was beating quickly and he was breathing hard.

“Jed!” the voice came again.

Jed looked around the doorframe at the convenience store manager. He sagged in relief. It was just a dream.

The manager said, “Were you asleep, again?”

Jed said, “I sure hope so.” Then he looked past the door and saw a petite woman on a motorcycle pull up in the front lot and start to walk up. His eyes widened.

“Uh, I need to go, now, can you cover the rest of my shift? “

“What? No. Wait, Jed.”

“Whatever. I quit, man. I gotta go.” He skidded around the counter and reached the door just as the woman started to open it. “Excuse me, Ma’am.” He said and nodded as he squeezed by her. She smiled and gave a little laugh as she entered the store.