Gum on the Sidewalk

Chapter Five: The Store

We walked swiftly across the street in silence.  I didn't know if the small shop was open, but there was a light on.  Though maybe I shouldn't go in, after the last encounter with a store.  I shuddered at the thought, at least they didn't pursue me any further.  I hadn't seen any cops in a few days.

"Maybe we shouldn't go in, it's getting dark.  Besides, who knows who could be in there?" Samantha said impishly, the last few words fading into a whisper.

"You can go home, no one's making you stay," I offered.

"Good, because my mother wants me home for supper soon, and I'm hungry," she cried.

I walked slowly inside, sneaking looks at her to see if she was still standing there.  Every time, she would make as if she was either going to go home or come into the store with me.  I wished to myself that she'd make up her mind, and when she finally did, I sighed in relief.  She left, backwards into the alley.

I went into the store whistling and happy, but I held onto the door, letting it slowly slip through my fingers.  Suddenly, I heard some growling.  What I had thought was going to happen was finally happening.  I heard a scream, some banging, a few clops, and then the rush of her coming up behind me.  The bell jingled as she pulled it from my grasp and let it slam shut.

"On the other hand, I might need to pick up some new shoes," she panted.

"'Course you do," I laughed.  She nodded and pushed me forward, away from the door, as if the canines would walk right in and grab her by the shirt tail.  I looked around, in the back of the store, behind the counter, the usual places.  Then I heard a grunt and saw a figure, appearing to be made of a stack of cardboard boxes, pop up from behind the service desk.  While Samantha perused around, I walked up to the figure and took the top two boxes from its grasp.  Smiling, I tapped the woman on the shoulder, trying to catch her attention.  She smiled, then cocked her head to the side as she studied my hair.  I turned, hearing someone approach and saw Samantha standing behind me.

"Samantha, I want you to meet Glenda," I began, then craned my neck to see the other woman coming out of the back room.  "And her sister, Lucinda."

Samantha smiled and nodded at the women before turning back to me.

"Hey there, Glenda?  Do you want to tell me why I never noticed that alley there before?" I asked, pointing out the front window.

""Oh, of course, dear, you never noticed it before because it wasn't there before," she started, causing me to frown in confusion, "There used to be a little house there and they've torn it down."  Her smile faded at the last words.

"Who lived in the house, if you don't mind my asking?" I asked.

"Oh, let's see here.  I believe it was the Johnson family, wasn't it, Lucy?" she looked to her sister for rescuing.

"Yes, I believe it was, Sister," Lucinda replied.

"When did they move out?" I questioned.

"They didn't dear," Lucinda stated kindly.  I was ready to fall over from shock, the city couldn't just tear down a house without evicting the residents, it was against the law.

"What do you mean, they didn't move out?" Samantha asked, just as horrified as I was.

"They were killed, in their own house, still in their dinner things they were," Glenda said calmly, as if the most horrible thing about it was that their dinner clothes were ruined.

"Yes, and they weren't taken out until they tore the house down," Lucinda stated, seeming to suddenly remember something.

"But I didn't hear anything on the news," I said.