Shadow in the Dark

Jericho

Jericho, the town in Vermont. The town that sits adjacent to the one and only Nevermore Academy. Nevermore, not so normal. I was gonna say Jericho was normal, but thinking about it, not really. With a town so close to a school filled with outcasts, how could it? My family lived in this town for centuries. All dating back to around the 1700s.

I lived with my mom, Janet, pretty much my entire life. My dad hasn't been present in my life. Yeah, I can cry about it. But I don't. Because it's not a big fucking deal. Wether he is dead or not, Neither my mom and I are sure. But again, not a big deal. We got this far without him, right. Sucks to suck, Jeremy. We are popping off as the Gilmore girls.

Anyway, my mom and I lived in this house that has been past down for generations. My mom said it was a gift from her mother-in-law that we haven't seen since we got the house. After my father randomly disappeared, my mom bought it. It was a two bedroom house. It was small but comfortable.

The house was a light sage victorian home with the original ornate staircase, redone bathroom and light blue kitchen. The house was filled with my moms favorite plants. All of the upstairs was mostly mine with a couch and piano. It was similar to a loft, but there was a door that led to what was my bedroom.

My mom and I had a cat, Caesar. It died from being hit by a car. So we replaced him with another cat, Desery. That one died too. He had intestinal issues. Then we got a third cat, Buffy. And when that cat died from being eaten by a wolf, I insisted on just being done with cats, and get a dog instead. My mother refused and got another cat. I told her "once this cat dies, we are not getting anymore animals". So far Snooky has made it to its third year with no problems what so ever. But I am honestly waiting for it's day to croak because quite frankly, having this cat for almost three years I have come to the realization that I hate cats. Snooky is lucky that I am not psychotic and haven't taken anything into my own hands.

I go to a regular public school, Jericho High, because I am normal, or as the Nevermore kids would call it, "Normie". No, I don't have fangs, or claws, or scales. I am not a witch or psychic, despite the fact I own a black cat and own weird plants. I would like to keep it this way. The outcasts in this town are known for their weirdness, and I would like to be avoided from being "known". However, slowly my fate had different ideas.

I was a barista at the Weathervane Cafe. Probably the most popular hangout in Jericho. My mistake because everyone and there mother goes here and it's really awkward when some from school orders something and you have to write their name on the cup. I never know what to say "What's your name? Marisa right?" I ended up just going for the classic "Who's it for?" They leave me lost when they say "you know who." Sons of bitches.

"Hot or cold?"

"Hot please."

"Cream and sugar?"

"Just sugar."

"And you said you wanted Pumpkin in it, right?"

"Yes, Please. And can I get a vanilla scone with that please."

I wrote the orders onto the paper cup for the lady's coffee that she ordered and began typing in her order into the computer.

"Vanilla scone," I called out to my coworkers to get it for the lady. "That will be $6.59."

The lady pulled out a five dollar bill and two ones
and handed it to me. As I was putting in how much she gave me into the system, she was still searching through where waller.

"Here, I actually have some change!" She cheerfully grinned and handed me her spare change.

My mind went blank. I had already put in the numbers in the register and she is just now giving me 67 cents. I have no idea what to give back now. I sat there for a few seconds trying to think. I cannot go back on the computer, I already clicked cash. I was getting dizzy. This was way too much math.