THE LOST ONES - Short Stories

The Art of Justice

Caroline picked up the delicate glass sculpture, wrapped it in several layers of newspapers, and gingerly placed it in the plastic bag. She handed the bag to the customer while he gave her his credit card, and she promptly slid it through the machine.

"You have so many wonderful pieces here, Ms. Carver," the man mentioned. He looked around the shop while Caroline dealt with getting the payment through.

"Thank you," she replied with a smile. She handed the card back and prepared the receipt.

The bell above the shop entrance chimed, and a hooded individual slipped inside. The chilling wind howled outside before the doors slammed shut behind the woman who entered. Caroline tried to focus on the customer in front of her, but she could not help but sneak a glance as the girl in the ash-gray sweatshirt picked up one of her handmade snow globes. The girl shook it, then admired the gentle white flakes.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you. I'll tell my friends about your shop," the customer told her, which brought her attention back to him.

"You're so kind. Thank you," Caroline said, then waved as he left the shop. She turned to look at the girl in the hooded sweatshirt, who placed the snow globe down and walked over to the checkout counter.

"Busy day?" she spoke up with a grin. Her olive skin glistened as she flicked her hood off, and her russet eyes shimmered against the light. She had tied her dark brown hair back, and her blue-dyed bangs drooped to the left side of her face.

"Not as busy as yours, Althea," Caroline replied.

Althea leaned against the counter. "Any plans to get more business here?"

"I don't know," Caroline sighed with a frown and looked away. She twirled a strand of her short blond hair. "At least I've got a packed schedule full of custom orders."

"Sweet!" Althea jumped up and clapped her hands together. "I could already tell this will be the best Christmas yet."

Caroline smirked and rolled her eyes as Althea made her way to the backroom. Optimistic and enthusiastic as always. Even with all that optimism Althea brought into the shop, Caroline could not help but still feel anxious. She had over a dozen custom orders to fill by Christmas Eve while simultaneously serving the clients that shopped throughout the day. She also worried she would fail to make enough money to pay off the bills. As Caroline slowly fell into debt, she desperately needed to find a way to promote her business after the holidays.

Yet despite all these problems, one problem in particular stood out the most; the one that made her feel the sickest to her stomach. It was Althea, of course, that was the problem.

Caroline stood at the counter as Althea opened the backroom door to a kitchenette. She beckoned Caroline over, and Caroline joined her partner as she grabbed the tea kettle and poured water into it.

"I need something to warm me up," Althea mentioned after setting the kettle on the stove.

"Yeah, yeah...Uh, so, I need to get something off my chest," Caroline mumbled, then closed the door. "I'm worried."

"Hey, I'm sure the business will be fine," Althea assured her. She leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms.

Caroline grimaced. That was what Althea wanted to believe, but she was not the one running the shop. Instead, she was barely around for most of the day as she spray-painted and vandalized the city. Her free-spirited personality and rebellious attitude were not problems for Caroline, though. It was the trouble she kept bringing back. Every so often, Althea would get a fine from the police that she could not pay, and that would all go back to bite Caroline. She could not have her only profits going toward these fees anymore. Caroline and her shop were skating on thin ice right now, and the only way to avoid foreclosure was if Althea stopped these habits.