C A R N A L

Erratic

*TRIGGER WARNING*
(there is a scene in this chapter that may be triggering for victims of rape or assault.)

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"What the hell?" Phil muttered as he paused in the doorway, the chime snapping me out of the daze I was in. I turned back to look at the man who was once directly in front of me now back behind the counter looking completely unconcerned.

"Why haven't you bought the food yet?" Phil grunted as he grabbed his puffs and the change still on the counter, making his way out.

My mouth was open but I couldn't finds words to push out of it. The man gazed at me through inky black curls as a look of regret flashed through quickly only to be followed by a deep hunger, hollowing out his grey depths until they looked as infinite as an overcast sky.

Hesitantly, I dragged my gaze to the window where I could see my 'family' pile into the truck. Phil rolled down the window and banged on the outside of the truck to get my attention.

I cleared my throat before whispering a meek thank you and walking towards the door.

I grabbed the handle and pulled but the door wouldn't budge so I pulled again but still no luck.

"You have to push it," the man behind the counter murmured. I turned and gave a small smile of gratitude before pushing the door, still with no luck. I figured that maybe I'd just need to jiggle the door some so that's what I did.

Still no luck.

I officially became frustrated and tried to shove the door with my shoulder but to no avail.

It was then I became aware that I had several witnesses to my struggle and that Phil was getting frustrated with me. I could see him lighting a cigar once more and glaring at me impatiently.

I could feel my face heating with frustration and decided to turn and ask the counter guy why the door wasn't opening but when I turned around he wasn't there.

I looked around the store but didn't see him anywhere. Assuming he was in the back of the store I called out to him but there was no response. I huffed and slouched against the door for a moment, then pulled out my candy and took a piece. Chewing Twizzlers has always helped me think. Though it hadn't done much this time around.

I figured I'd try pushing the door once more but with more force than before. Stepping back  I gave a cry of relief as the door sounded a shrill creak before swinging open the rest of the way and walked forward , only to be blocked by the same man from before.

"I... I opened it from the outside." He looked down at me from his monstrous height and avoided eye contact.

"Oh, thank you...-"

"Jace,"

"Jace." I repeated

I blushed and smiled at him, my heart beating erratically in my chest.  Whatever intensity was in his gaze softened and he backed away, allowing me to go to the van.

"Dammit Sophie we don't got all day!" cried Phil, his face was red and splotchy and his yelling had woken Devin who immediately started wailing.

I sighed and looked at Jace once more before heading to the car, only to fall on my ass again as Phil wasn't in the mood to be civil.

I huffed and entered the car. As soon as I'd settled into the seat, Devin quieted down and proceeded to pull at my curls, gurgling along the way. He was only a few months old but somehow he knew how to push all of my buttons.

I pulled out another one of my Twizzlers to distract myself from the headache blooming in my head and sighed, one more hour left til' we get there according the the GPS.