The Bitter Taste

Chapter 5

Benji began his way to school. He tried his hardest not to look back at the shop as he passed by the bakery empty of customers. He paused, finding this strange.

Normally sweet scents of freshly baked bread roamed throughout the streets, but today, he did not smell them.

Shaking his head, he continued, thinking nothing of the strange occurrence. He instead found himself thinking of that awful smile. The Dream-Maker, as the man called himself, left a creepy widened grin etched into the back of Benji's mind. The more he thought about it, the more he was certain he would have nightmares.

He rounded the corner, letting the shop hang in the back, away from him and his thoughts. He wanted to forget about everything, and he had already begun to.

The dream was fading away.

As were the flavors dancing on his tongue.

He sighed in disappointment, kicking a rock. The small grey pebble landed on the side of the sidewalk, near a storm drain.

When he looked up, he froze, unsure of what he was seeing was real. He blinked wildly, staring at the image. In a gasp, he realized, the creature from his nightmare was standing right there.

Hidden behind the bus stop waiting, it stalked him. Through the blue-stained glass, he could see its silhouette perfectly, leaned over with a hunch, baring its horrible, clawed hands.

Benji's teeth chattered and his heart stopped. Fear coursed through him as he thought of what he should do. Should he run? He hesitated until a notion came over him.

Am I dreaming?

Is the shop a dream?

To be sure, he pressed his hand to his forearm and pinched the tender flesh. When he felt a small pain, he knew...

He was not asleep.

The creature moved violently, pressing a greyed scaly hand to the glass. It clawed down, causing a shrill screech to echo, burdening Benji's small ears. He covered them, shook his head, and closed his eyes.

Thinking the same thing over and over.

It is only your imagination.

When Benji opened his eyes again, the creature had vanished. He turned around, surveying the area, to make sure the monster was not behind him, like The Dream-Maker when he first met him.

At first, Benji saw nothing out of the ordinary. Until he was met with an unexpected face when he turned back around.

Grinning, and standing there, wearing all white, was the owner of the bakery situated on the other side of the candy shop.

"Benjamin, what are you doing out here?" she asked, saying his name like they were old-time friends, though Benji visited the shop only a handful of times, he never recalled giving his name to the owner. Before he could reply, she added, "Aren't you supposed to be in school at this hour?"

She leaned down, holding a yellow paper between her hands and knees, letting a blank page face him as she searched his scrappy face.

"I was on my way," Benji explained curtly, shuffling away from the strange woman.

She narrowed her eyes, losing the brightness in her green irises. The grin remained, despite Benji's disrespectful tone, sending chills throughout his body.

Her movements were frantic as she transitioned upright, tucking her arms to her side. The wild blonde locks were erratic, moving in a frenzy as she straightened.