On a count down

Arrival

I stepped out of my car, brushing down my pants silently as I walked up to the stores front. The cold air sent a shiver down my spine as I felt at ease under the small covering.

I pulled out my phone, checking the time but instead noticed a text I had received.

Joshua: Hey man, I'm inside the shop now. Waiting for you. - 7 minutes ago.

I nodded my head slightly, turning to shove the metal door open. The whole shop had a oddly sketchy feel to it and I had been here many times before.

The atmosphere just seemed rather dull, as if someone had done something horridly bad.

Letting out a cool breath I walked into the shop, the warmth of the store blocking out the chilliness I had brought with me.

"Aha! Sage, over here man." Joshua called out, raising his hand that held a apple cider tightly.

I walked over to him, standing beside him as he browsed the shelf of alcohol. I scrunched my nose up in disgust, looking over the room again.

"Some kids prank called me before." I stated, walking over to another shelf and lifting a beer.

"I get it all the time. Just block the number, Sage." He shrugged, looking over at the bottle in my hand. I shook my head at him and put the bottle down.

"They knew my name though, said they needed my help?" I pressed on. "It sounded like a girl as well."

He knitted his eyebrows together, clicking his tongue for a moment. "Eh, send them a text maybe? Could always be that money whore ex of yours."

I frowned, scowling slightly. "I suppose. I just know the voice from somewhere... I can't quite put my finger on it." I sighed rolling back on my heels to lift a carton of Bundaberg Rum.

"Well, we've got a party to worry about. Just forget about it and relax, no biggy." He smiled cheesily at me, elbowing my side. "Might be able to catch the lucky lady there, eh?"

I grimaced at what he had suggested, moving away from him awkwardly. "Aha... Yea.."

We approached the woman at the counter with his selection of drinks along with my own, I paid the large bill in cash and she almost seemed to be in disbelief.

Cautiously she double checked each note before finally accepting my payment, handing us the bagged bottles as I carried the cartons.

"Right, we'll set this all up and get the DJ in. The hall was pretty beaten up so we can do a bit of cleaning as well."  Joshua stated, lifting the boot to my car. I nodded and heaved the carton into the back, securing it shut again.

"For sure, but I thought it wasn't your party." I cocked an eyebrow, walking around to the front seat.

"Well it isn't but it is, One of my mates recently got involved in this massive job scandal and he's won a fair amount in court cause of it. Throwing a party cause he was falsely accused cause of the job." He shrugged, seating himself in the passengers side.

"Ah, and what was he accused of?" I asked as I started the vehicle, reversing from the car park.

"Murder."

The word sent a chill down my spine and I nodded coolly in his direction. "That would've been a long case."

He chuckled, causing me to glare over at him as I started to speed up down the road. "It was, somehow they had witnesses and all! It was crazy considering it was all a set up, no one had even died."

I took a breath in before tightening my grip on the steering wheel. "Sounds sketchy. Was it in the news?"

"Nah man. It means there was a flaw in the courts systems, why would they even bother to promote a mistake that bad?" He waved his hand at me, as if to call me stupid. I snorted in agreement.

"Our messed up politics and all it wouldn't stand out to much."

I turned the corner and stopped at a set of lights, the only noise being the irritating old folks music playing from the radio.

I looked out the window and noticed a little girl with her mother, being pushed along the side of the road on her bicycle.

Something about the small scene made my head throb, a feeling of unease washing over me again.

"I think I'm catching my mothers cold." I whispered at the window, bringing my eyes back to the road.

"What?"

I looked over at Joshua and waved my hand at him, "Ah, nothing. Just thinking aloud."

He nodded, giving me a look of uncertainty before resuming his phone time.