What Is Love?

Chapter Seven

The Slender Man

I walked into the little grocery store that looked out over the ocean. It was a dingy little place with the grocery on the right side of the three little check out lanes and a small section with touristy type items on the other. The fact they supplied tourist trinkets amused me; there weren't many vacationers in this area, and those products couldn't be much of a profit.

I looked around the store, searching for the human female, and heard her sharp intake of breath over at the first cash register. Instantly my eyes snapped to her face. What she had gasped for, I had no idea. Tasting the atmosphere around her, I realized she was nervous...but why?

"Um, can I help you?" she asked. She spoke softly, sounding unsure of herself, and I was extremely curious as to what was bothering her. However, I held my tongue and didn't ask - no need to blow my cover so soon.

I approached her and made up some lie about a business dinner, then followed her as she went to show me were the ingredients were. I could care less about human food - t was edible at best, but not to my tastes. Regardless, I followed, pretending to be interested.

Why had I come here? I wasn't quite sure anymore... It had seemed like a good idea this morning, but I couldn't remember why. I was wasting my time, I realized with an inward sigh. My normal stalking methods were better than this - showing up at her work place and pretending to be a human - this was childish. I was about to make some excuse for leaving when she turned around to look to make sure I was following. I froze... Those eyes stopped all thought of leaving.

Curse those damn eyes.

Her gaze flitted over me. What was that look for? These humans and their motives baffled me even after all these centuries.

"You're not from around here, are you?" she asked.

I stopped in surprise and cocked my head to this side. This little human obviously knew something was off about me, and I wondered in amusement how far her imagination would take her - humans could be such creative little creatures at the worst of times. "What makes you say that?" I asked, interested in spite of myself.

She shrugged. "It was just a guess." The girl was so tiny, standing there before me with those bright green eyes shifting nervously. Why was she nervous? Then it occurred to me - I was the one making her nervous.

More out of pity than anything else I asked her, "Are you from here originally?" I hoped my attempt at carrying on a conversation with her might put her more at ease.

"Well, I was born in California, but my parents moved to Pensacola when I was two. I moved around quite a lot after I turned twelve, but I always stayed within the state. After I moved out I bought a place here," she explain, shifting her weight uncomfortably.

I nodded. I already knew this of course from my research, but I had asked that question for her benefit, not mine. The answer hadn't mattered. "Why here?" I asked, only a slight bit more interested in this answer than the first. After all, her records simply showed what she had done, not her reasoning for it.

"I like the ocean, but I like the forest too. And there's not a lot of tourism here, so its quiet. It's very... Peaceful," she replied.

I raised my eyebrow. "You like the forest?" I asked amused.

"Um, yeah?"

"Me too." So she liked the forest did she? I repressed a smile. She'd never been in my neck of the woods then if she found the forest peaceful. I imagined her on one moonless night, my tentacles wrapped around her thin waist and her mouth shaped in a perfect little 'O' as she screamed her terror and waited for death to come... She wouldn't find the woods nearly so peaceful then.

"Why do you like it?" she asked, pulling me out of my dark daydream.

I repressed another smile; if only this little one knew. "It reminds me of good times," I responded cryptically.

"Oh. Okay," she said, sounding a little awkward.

'Wasn't the answer you were expecting human?' I thought with amusement.

"So, would you like me to show you were the salmon is?" she asked hesitantly.

I nodded. Enough talking for now. "Lead the way..." I paused - I had almost called her Danielle, but caught myself just in time. She didn't know I knew her name of course. I glanced down at her employee name tag as part of the act. I noticed with a bit of interest that it didn't say Danielle after all. "Danny," I read aloud as I turned my gaze back to her own.

The blood rushed to her cheeks, warming them and turning them a pretty color of pink. She had been blushing frequently since I'd arrived, I observed.

"Right this way sir," she said quickly and turned again towards the back of the store.

I followed Danielle around the store, picking up the items she indicated and feigning interest. I didn't speak again - I didn't really feel the need to. The girl did all the talking. She went in depth in describing how to prepare the meal and even went behind the register to get some paper to write the recipe on for me. This female was at least thorough with her job, I'll give her that.

I paid for the items and after a quick, bored thanks and farewell, left the store. I tossed the groceries in the back seat. The proxies would be thankful for the food I was sure. I doubted I would eat any - much less actually cook it. Besides, I preferred my meat raw.

And human.