Grimes Fanfic - EXPRESS

Halloween Express

"Pussy"

"Shut up"

Claire and her friend Boucher had snuck out of their houses on the night of October 1st in order to, in the words of Boucher, "go early trick-or-treatin'". Claire wasn't exactly sure what Boucher meant by that, but she was down for an adventure (even if she didn't trust his judgment 100%).

After a bit of walking, the two arrived on Main Street of their town. "Why are we in town? I don't want to get mugged or something" Claire questioned. "You'll see". Boucher answered with an evil smirk on his face.

A volt of worry charged through Claire's body. She knew that smirk. They weren't going ordinary "trick or treating".

"C'mon. Follow me."

In a flash, Boucher bolted down the sidewalk. Claire sighed as she had no choice but to follow him.

Boucher finally screeched to a halt in front of a Halloween Express pop-up shop. There were a lot of these stores that sprung up around this time of year. But of all the places in town, why come here?

Claire had to ask. "Why are we here?"

"I told you we were going trick or treating".

Claire was confused. "I'm pretty sure this place isn't giving out free candy just yet" she said with a tinge of sarcasm. "We aren't getting candy" Boucher responded as he pushed open the door. Claire followed, unwillingly and betrudgingly.

"Okay, you scope out the store while I take care of the cashier. Don't look suspicious and be wary of other customers. Got it? Good. Meet me back here in 5." Boucher dashed toward the check out lane so quickly that it left Claire in a daze. What was he planning on accomplishing??

Claire watched as he conversed with the clerk. She recognized him as a fellow student at her school. Claire didn't know the boy personally, but he seemed chill.

"I SAID GIVE ME ALL YOUR MONEY"

"The safe is locked! I don't know the code. Only the manager can open it"

"Then get him to open it"

"Do you know what time it is? He's asleep at this hour"

"Well, I guess that's just too bad, now isn't it?" Boucher grinned as he brandished a pistol and aimed it at the boy's face. Claire gaped in horror as she realized what was happening. Boucher was committing armed robbery! What would happen to her if she was arrested? She would go to prison! "I don't belong in prison" Claire thought to herself as she started to tear up. She wanted to stop Boucher, but she was far too weak to even attempt to wrestle the weapon from his grip. Her only option was to watch.

"Please don't shoot me! I'm sorry! I'll do anything!!"

"It's too late for that."

Claire couldn't really remember what happened next. She heard a gunshot as Boucher pulled the trigger. In a second, the boy was lying on the ground. Boucher had shot him point blank.

"Now that that's over with, we can get to the fun part" Boucher stormed the nearest aisle and grabbed as much as he could carry. He struggled, but was able to heave himself over to the nearest abandoned shopping cart.

"What the FUCK Boucher??" Claire shrieked. "I can't believe you! You just murdered an innocent person, and now you expect me to help you shoplift? I'm going to the police station to turn you in."

Claire turned and started to walk towards the emergency exit but stopped when she heard a gun reload.

"Not if I have anything to do with it."

She could only stare at him in shock and awe. Boucher had a fiery glare in his eyes.

Normally, in a situation like this, Claire would have screamed, or cried, or passed out. But she could only stay frozen once she eyed a shadowy vortex swirling behind Boucher. It wasn't hard to see the murkiness forming under the fluorescent lights of the store.

The cloud of nightshade tornadoed for about a minute, slowly materializing into a human figure. Once it finally stopped, Claire became wide-eyed and silent. It was the clerk Boucher had shot! But something about him seemed off. He appeared to be human, but something unholy was lurking behind his eyes.

"What the fuck are you staring at?" Boucher said diminutively. As he turned to look behind him, the boy pulled out a hatchet and in one swift, clean motion, sliced Boucher's head straight off of his body. His head rolled to a far corner of the store and disappeared in a puff of smoke. And just as quickly, the spirit was whisked away by the same vortex  it had been brought in.

Claire piled an abandoned shopping cart with as much merchandise as she could carry.