Death Bite (Peterick)

Part 2: What Human Would Be Dumb Enough?

Patrick's POV

 My mind was groggy, but I was more than certain I heard a bang. Once my vision had cleared I saw a figure knocking on the glass door. It was completely dark inside the store except for the flickering street lights illuminating the window display. How long had I been out? My face lit up with my phone's screen as I checked the time.

 9:30. Technically, we were still open, and my parents would bag on me if they knew I locked up when a customer wanted to buy something.
"Sorry 'bout that," I apologized to the stranger as I opened the door for them.
I switched on the lights and took a seat on my stool.
"Hey, Patrick," William had a malicious smile plastered across his almost colorless face.

"Oh hi. Did you want to exchange your book or something?"
His pupils were extremely dilated and covered most of his iris while his nails looked ten times as long as they were earlier.
"You okay?" I inquired.
Surely, he needed to go to hospital considering the way he looked.
"I'm starving," he inched closer, fingers curling at his sides.

"Oh well I was planning on ordering take-out. If you have some extra cash I would be glad to get you something."
He chuckled to himself, "I'm not interested in take-out."
"I don't know what else to offer you, man. I mean I have some stuff in my fridge but..."

I got up and started going up the stairs.

 William growled and stayed behind.
"What are you doing? Aren't you going to follow me?" I asked, looking back at him.
"Is that an invite to come inside your home?"
I thought for a moment and realized it would be weird to have a guy I barely knew inside my apartment. "On second thought you should stay there. I haven't coordinated my living space."

I kicked off my shoes and slipped on my bunny slippers. I thought that I might as well get comfortable since it was late. My fridge was completely empty of food, and I wondered how I didn't notice it earlier. There was nothing in there except a few stray bottles, and even those didn't contain anything.
"Well shit," I muttered.

Going to the supermarket wasn't a regular thing I did because I always had something better to do and usually that "something" was sleeping.
"Sorry, William. I don't have any food. I must've-" I stopped half way down the stairs.
The lights were off again and my music had been replaced with the static of the boombox.
"William?"

I saw someone outside by the newspaper stand. Maybe that was him. What would he be doing outside, though? Despite that question I made my way to the front and opened the door. The downpour had cause the air to be colder than normal, and the chilly breeze made goosebumps spring up across my exposed arms.
"William, why are my lights off?"

The person back away and with the dumb streetlight being broken I couldn't make out if it was actually him.
"Get away from him, kid," they warned.
"What?"
"He's hungry. Get out of the store and let me deal with him."

"Excuse you but I happen to work here. I can't just leave a customer alone with the merchandise."
Obviously, this wasn't William. Where was he then, and who was this hot shot?
"Listen, you're just some innocent bystander. He prays on the innocent. Now move before he find out you're talking to me," the weirdo said more urgently.

All of a sudden, I felt a blow to my side, and I was knocked to the wet pavement. Loud growling ensued whilst I struggled to regain my composure.
"Leave him the fuck alone, William!"
"This is none of your business. When was the last time you cared about saving lives around here?"
"Because you can't keep going around murdering civilians. Frankly, it's gotten out of hand."

Wait. Did he say William was killing people? A cold hand touched my face, and William's claw pierced into my skin. My heart thrummed about as similarly as the pelting rain from earlier. I held my breath probably because I thought it would distract me from the stinging sensation, which it obviously didn't. It actually made a tad light-headed.