how did this happen. . ?

05 - old computer

The days slipped by, and October finally settled over campus in a crisp blanket of cool air and falling leaves. Thankfully, your cold had run its course by the weekend, and it was time to return to class and work.

"Where were you last week?" Sally's small voice broke the quiet hum of crayons scratching paper.

You glanced down at the little girl seated beside you, her head bent over a coloring book. "I was sick. Just a cold," you replied, voice light. "I forgot to buy medicine when I moved here, so it kind of got worse than it should have."

Sally frowned slightly, still coloring. "Jack and I came by every night. You weren't here."

Guilt nudged at you. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you." You offered her a smile. "Thankfully, a friend brought me medicine and soup, so I'm feeling better now."

"A friend?" she asked, lifting her head.

You chuckled. "Yeah. He sits next to me in class."

"He?" Her tone was playful now, a smirk creeping into her voice.

Rolling your eyes, you gently turned her face back toward her coloring page. "His name's Tim. And he's just a classmate."

But you missed the subtle narrowing of Sally's eyes at the mention of the name. She said nothing at first, her crayon scratching silently over paper.

"What does your friend look like?" she finally asked. "Is he cute?"

You laughed. "Well, sure. But again, just a classmate. He's got dark hair, dark eyes... kinda messy sideburns." You shrugged. "I've only ever seen him in class, so it's hard to say more than that."

Sally went quiet again, then stood to gather her things. "Gotta go. Jack's waiting." She handed you her crayons and coloring book with a grin. "Bye, Miss Y/N! See you tomorrow!"

You waved her off and watched her dart across the street, reuniting with the hooded figure waiting beyond the bushes. Jack. The two vanished into the tree line like shadows.

The store had gone still, the quiet settling in like a blanket. It was almost midnight—well past the last rush. No one needed snacks or beer this late on a weekday, and honestly, thank God for that.

You shivered as the air conditioning buzzed to life. Pulling on your favorite hoodie, the one your parents gave you for graduating high school, you sank into its warmth. The familiar weight made you feel a little more grounded.

The next hour dragged. You alternated between tidying up, organizing shelves, and trying to focus on homework. It was painfully dull, but you were close to closing up. Manager's orders: if it was slow, lock up at 1:30 instead of 2.

Grabbing the mop, you started early, eager to finish and crawl into bed. Despite all the sleep you'd gotten while sick, you still felt drained.

The doorbell chimed.

You didn't even try to hide your groan until you saw who it was.

"Jeff," you greeted with mock enthusiasm.

The tall man in the stained white hoodie gave you a wide, unnerving grin, the dark blotches of red smeared across his chest making your stomach twist. Keep it cool, you reminded yourself. Be smart.

"Got company tonight?" you asked, noticing the guy behind him.

The new one was... odd. Blonde, draped in green, his eyes unnervingly black with red pupils. Blood streamed from them like tears. What the actual hell?

"This is BEN," Jeff announced, hopping up onto the counter like it was his living room couch.

BEN gave you a quick nod, leaning against the counter casually.