Subject Zero: Mirrors (Book 2)

Chapter 12: Cat and Mouse

[ warning: awkward as shit 😍]

Tuesday, May 21, 1985
11:40a.m.
Mike's General Store

Third Person's POV
The store was open, and LeAnna was strolling down an aisle as a few people walked past her. She was looking in the bread aisle, still slightly surprised at the fact that bread has its own large aisle, especially in a general store. I mean, it's bread, she thought. But it wasn't very important.

As LeAnna was just browsing, she heard a familiar voice behind her that startled her.

     "LeAnna?" asked the familiar male voice.

She turned around, seeing the new guy in town, Yuda, standing behind her. "Oh! Yuda... You startled me for a second."

He awkwardly chuckled. "Ah, sorry... So, uh, what're you doing here? Other than shopping... I mean, sorry, that's a dumb question, 'cause what else would anyone be doing at a store?"

LeAnna chuckled. "Heh... Yeah, um, I'm just getting... well, food," she said, standing by the filled shopping cart she was using.

     "And a lot of it, too," Yuda commented. "I didn't want that to come off as rude, I just don't see a whole lot of people with that much food."

     "Well, I've got two kids to feed at home, so..." LeAnna awkwardly stated.

     "Oh, that makes more sense."

The two of them stood in silence for a second.

     "So, Yuda, not so be that one person, but why aren't you at work?" LeAnna asks the man in front of her.

Yuda looks at her and answers, "Oh, I'm just here because I need to pick up a few things. I didn't have much to do at the station... I got lost twice trying to find this place, too."

     "Ah, all right." She then kindly offers, "Hey, uh, if you don't have anything to do later, I could show you around town, so you don't get lost again. Or if you do, at least you'll hopefully recognize where you are and know where to go from there."

"Oh, that'd actually be great. I don't wanna get lost again. Just a minute ago, I saw some creepy looking guy giving just a normal Jack-in-the-box to a kid. Nothing bad happened, he just seemed really off."

LeAnna realized who he was talking about. "Oh, that's just the toymaker. He's fine, you don't need to worry about him. He's usually only in town for business around Christmas and Halloween since those holidays are the most busiest times of the year. Sometimes around Valentine's day, too, if he's getting enough requests."

The redheaded man in front of her had a curious look on his face. "So I wonder why he's making toys right now? It's not either of those holidays..."

     "Perhaps it's someone's birthday."

They both stood in silence for a moment before LeAnna spoke: "So, how about we meetup at the station at, let's say, 4:15?"

"Sure! And thank you."

"Of course."

Yuda began stepping back. "See you then," he softly smiled and waved before leaving the aisle.