Why Dont You Just Drop Dead?

1

I scroll down the wiki page, my fingers clutching onto the mouse. Its cold and late, I should be getting valuable sleep.

I pull my duvet cover over me, securing in warmth. My fingers hover over the keyboard as I type in another variation of my favourite phrase of the night; are vampires real?

The same websites come up, no valid information catching my eye. I turn to my clock, 3am, I have to get up in 2 hours. I sigh, closing my laptop and putting it on my side table, I need sleep, this can continue tomorrow.

I work in a small coffee shop downtown. Well, not really downtown, its closer to the dangerous areas where the gangs are. When Im not situated in the crappy coffee shop "downtown", Im researching paranormal happenings, it keeps me up late at night.

I havent actually found anything yet, but I bet Im close to finding something. I sound a bit pathetic, dont I? An empty coffee shop and the belief in something that probably doesnt exist.

I pour someone a cup of coffee, handing it to them carefully. I take their change and they are gone, barely a few minutes interaction. I lean back on the counter and inspect my nails, my nail polish is old, chipped, black. The bells on top of the door rings. It must be a record, more than one person in ten minutes!

"Hello," I look up to see who Im serving, "sir. What would you like today?"

The man has a lot of tattoos, mid chin-shoulder length hair, an almost beard... A chin piercing.

"Sorry?" I missed his order.

"Two coffees, can you put this in one of them?" He hands me a bottle that looks like nail polish.

"Sure? How much of it?"

He twists the piercing, "just a few drops."

"Do you want to name them or... The shop is empty and theres no point?"

He ruffles his hair, "Andy and Pete. Pete is the one with that... liquid in it."

I hover for a moment before completing his order and taking the change. "See you again, Andy."

He smiles before taking the coffees and turning to leave. I cant help but notice the stake in his back pocket. Im sure thats what you use to kill vampires.

"Andy." I stop him before I can help myself.

He spins on his heels, "yup."

The pop in his "p" almost covers the nervous tone.

"Do you... Believe in vampires?" I say, leaning on the counter.

His eyes switch between mine, "No."

With one swift move he is gone.

I notice that he left the nail polish bottle on the table.