Beacon

3

The next day after dropping off Oliver, I headed over to work at my great Aunt's bakery. I drove into the parking lot, looking up at the peeling sign reading "Fleur et Farine". Little specks of pastel pink and blue still remained, but it was mostly falling apart and faded. Most of the bakery has since Mother's death.

A bell jingled as I walked in the door. "Elisabeth so good to see you!"

"You see me everyday Aunt Kathy." I smiled and shook my head.

Kathy is forgetful and pretty eccentric to be quite honest, but she is an amazing woman. She started this bakery when she was only 20, and she set up her art studio in the loft upstairs. She paints flowers, flowers on and in just about anything. She's also written 10 novels that no one would ever publish and claims she's fluent in at least 10 languages. All I know for sure is she can speak English and French very well and she cusses like a sailor in German. She also spent a lot of her time down at the shooting range, which I never quite understood the fun in. Despite just being interesting she loved my mother, and she has been the only person I've got to talk about her with since her death beside Oliver. Father wouldn't dare talk to me for more than a few minutes let alone talk about mother.

"Oh that's right, still good to see you dear!"

I went to the back and started a batch of sugar cookies to prepare for the lunch rush. For some reason that was the customer favorite, the MnM chip cookies are the best in my opinion but hey these are easy to make. I loved watching mother bake back here as a kid. Everything she did was so delicate, it was like she was working magic. My clumsy motions and sloppy measurements don't even compare to her. It was like she was making each cookie for someone she loved. Which is true, she loved everybody.

"So it's friday you have a big party to go to?"

I rolled my eyes,"No I have a brother to care for and a book to read."

"Drop him off here! I can teach him how to paint. You never go out and have any fun! Go drink! Go kiss some boys and some girls! Go smoke a blu-"

"Kathy! You know those aren't options or me."

"I just want you to have some fun sweetiel. You're so young you should enjoy it."

I went back to my cookies in silence. Was I really wasting my youth? I've never really thought about it all that much, taking care of Oliver has just always been something I've done ever since he was born. I've never even been kissed, and I'm 20 years old. I don't even know if I'd rather it be a boy or a girl, or neither, or both. I've never really had much time to worry about myself I guess.

"Not very customers today, none actually."

Kathy could never stand the silence.

"Just a slow day I guess."

It was pretty strange though. It was 2 o'clock already we usually have at least 20 customers by this time, even when it is a slow day. What could be going on? Probably nothing.

About two hours later I heard the front door jingle, but it was just Kathy going out for a cigarette. Then I heard Kathy scream. God she's so dramatic I bet she saw another big spider out there.

The screams got louder.

"Elisabeth help! Anyone! Help please!"

This was followed by the most blood curdling scream I have ever heard. My heart felt like it was suspended mid air. I flung my apron off and ran into the front to go find Kathy. She was nowhere to be found. Did she run away? That was no noise anyone would make when they saw a spider, no matter how big it was.

I opened the door and looked around on the porch where customers sit and drink their coffee and eat their stupid sugar cookies. Where did she go? I heard movement to my left and turned quickly. What I saw made my blood run cold, that image would stay in my mind forever.

Vote and comment if you enjoyed (: