Tainted

Chapter 2

The sun had been coated with clouds since it had first appeared this morning so when it had finally gone down and the moon appeared there wasn't much of a shock difference in the sky. It was still dark, and the air kept its usual crisp that surmised that it would rain soon. Which it probably would since it was always raining here.

It was hard to rely solely on the sun patterns to tell time when there was no sun. Instead I just continually checked at the phone in my back pocket. So far I had pulled it out 3 times in the last 5 minutes. I wasn't necessarily a patient person especially when it came to the end of things, and I had 5 minutes left.

I groaned as the bell chimed alerting us of a new customer. "They'd better make it quick" I grumbled banging my head against the side of the window.

Jasmine, my co-worker glanced up at me and gave me an encouraging look before digging her nose back into her book, so far in that I wasn't sure if she was actually reading the words or sniffing them.

"Mouse your gonna make yourself go cross-eyed one day," I spoke concerned for the sake of her eyes. She shrugged not wavering her gaze from the book.

Jasmine or Mouse as I had come to call her due to her abnormally small stature and mousy brown hair made the list of people I didn't feel like stabbing in the eye. It was a prestigious list, one that was only as long as one of my hands. I could tolerate her solely because she didn't talk. We could sit in this convenience store for hours without so much as a word passed between us.

And I liked that. She wasn't quiet out of fear or disdain of me, she was quiet because she wanted to be, thats just who she was.

I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my phone for the umpteenth time "10:27." 3 more minutes left you can do it.

The door chimed again and Zoey walked in, "hey guys," she murmured less than enthused without actually looking at either of us. I gave her a blank stare back in response, I knew she didn't want to say anything to us, it was just 'friendly and polite' and everyone in Dewsburg is as friendly as can be!

I didn't understand why she ever bothered with polite greetings, I've heard the dumb shit her friends and her have said about people and she is anything but nice and friendly.

I tore my glaring eyes from her figure, and peered around the quaint store trying to find something to distract myself with so that the time would pass faster.

I was met back with twitching light bulbs and short sickly green shelves. I'd never understand their logic for the color scheme that they elected as fit for this place. The floors were dusty cream color that no matter how hard and how many times you scrubbed would still remain to look dirty.

Even the counters we rested on had the ugliest shade of 'red'. It looked more like rust with the orange-brown hues that accompanied it.

And don't even get me started on the faded salmon colored sign out front that resembled a flavorless fish.

Yet since it was  "Last Resort Inc. the only convenience store in town, people have to come!" Yes the name was literally Last Resort Inc. and yes that was our real slogan. It's better than what it used be "Pump your gas with us or good luck walking!"

"Time" Mouse muttered behind me. I turned giving her a confused stare but could see her closing her book and dusting at her thighs with her palms. Oh our shifts over. I grinned fist pumping the air.

Our manager came out, pink faced like a pimple and I had a feeling he was about to pop. "Where the hell is Tara, she's always fucking late!" He grumbled speaking more to himself than us I think. He walked towards the counter muttering more incoherent ramblings under his breath.