ethereal | park jimin | ✓

chapter 12 the spooky parking lot

Hoseok's shift at McDonald's was rough, to say the least. Granted, every day as a fast-food employee was difficult, but today was especially tough.

Saturday night attracts the strangest of people. All of them are either stoned, high off their asses, or have a personal vendetta against anybody working behind a cash register. He was used to these types of customers, but this shift brought in a different type of chaos.

Around seven o'clock, riding on the ass of the rush hour, they received multiple complaints about a wild hybrid wandering in the parking lot. They described him as "unstable" and "dangerous" because he was without a guardian.

The police showed up moments after, despite the manager's request not to call them. The police started questioning everybody present about the "wild" hybrid. The police were already on edge due to a hybrid incident on Wednesday and started to suspect that "illegal activity" was taking place in the restaurant. They thought one of the employees was part of a hybrid smuggling ring.

This, of course, was not true but that did nothing to convince the police.

It was chaos having to deal with overreacting customers, the hyper-attentive police officers who somehow lost the unstable hybrid in the parking lot, and two large buses of hungry teenagers who showed up without warning. Usually, buses will call ahead to warn of their arrival, but they forgot.

Hoseok's feet ache so much that the pain shot up his legs every time he took a step. He wishes for nothing more than to collapse onto his bed when he returns to his apartment.

He stands in the glass doorway of McDonald's, still dressed in his black polo shirt and slacks, smelling of fryer grease and Sprite. His black hair is still slick with sweat and sticks up in odd angles. He shivers as a blast of icy wind passes over his exposed arms and he immediately regrets forgetting his jacket at home. He hopes his roommate, Yoongi, will bring it when he picks him up tonight.

Yoongi and Hoseok share a car since they can't afford two cars. Their work schedules usually align so they can pick each other up but there is always a couple of minutes of delay due to traffic.

Hoseok stands close to the snow-covered brick wall to avoid the wind. He feels so exhausted he could fall asleep standing up. He rubs his goosebumped arms and glances anxiously around the empty parking lot.

Above the lot, the neon glow of the McDonald's sign shines above the glaze-like road of invisible ice and packed snow. Tiny snowflakes whisk through the air like small knives, it's as if they were sharp enough to cut through his skin as they pass by. He breathes heavily as his body soaks up the cold like a sponge. His breath turns into trembling puffs of white in the air.

The lights inside the restaurant are dark, aside from the ominous glow of the soda machine in the far corner. Everybody has already left. The haunting effect of the shadows and fluorescent lights inside the building makes Hoseok uncomfortable.

He checks his phone once more and makes sure that Yoongi at least reads his text. He should be on his way now.

A flash of movement causes Hoseok's head to snap up. He scans the parking lot once more, worried the wild hybrid is still on the loose. That the hybrid is still prowling between the streetlights, waiting to jump out at him. A tremor of fear crosses his mind causing his body to tense like a coiled spring.

He hates to admit it, but he's an easy scare.

His gaze lands on the remaining car in the parking lot. A figure moves around the car slowly.

Hoseok's stomach flips; he feels sick with fear at the sight of the shadowed person.

It must be the hybrid, he thinks to himself.