Cassiopeia ||Featured

Cassiopeia

Of all the weirdest scenarios Evan had been into—such as when a 40 year old man wearing a child's Barbie swimsuit that's tight in all the wrong places, tried to swim in the dirty bathroom floor or perhaps that one time when some random dude bursted into the convenience store with a horse and proceeded to make out with said horse right in front of him—A girl buying practically every bottle and gallon of Pepsi the store had at 2AM seemed pretty normal enough.

The convenience store was mostly empty during this time of night. No weirdos or managers to boss him around. He stood behind the cash register with a bored expression and slumped on the counter with a weary sigh. "Do it for the pay-check....do it for the pay check," He muttered to himself in times of doubt and whenever he felt the need to blow up the goddamn store.

Exhausted and heavy-eyed, his eyes started to droop and close. The empty aisles in front of him reminded him of the ones in horror films, eerie and silent. Like something could pop out any moment. The flickering dim fluorescent light and the constant buzz like hum of the air-conditioner above him did not help.

Then amongst the silence, the glass doors suddenly sprang open with a loud chime that echoed in the small quiet store signalling that someone has entered. The sound nearly startled him to death as he rubbed his sleepy eyes and immediately ran a hand through his chocolate disheveled hair to make him look presentable.

Through the doors, a girl with hair as black as night came into view. She rushed towards the aisles, fumbling her way around as her eyes searched around the store frantically, finally her sight landed on the freezer at the back. Without a second to waste, the girl sprinted towards the freezer in lightning speed, Evan thought she might trip and fall.

More or less, Evan considered her a normal customer out for a midnight snack or a very early breakfast. After five minutes of rummaging through the freezer, the girl shuffled towards the counter, her arms and hands carrying an abundance of Pepsi bottles and cans. She leaned back a bit as she walked slowly, careful not to drop the sodas then plopped them on the counter. "Would that be all?" Evan asked.....well he was supposed to ask, but before he can open his mouth, the girl ran back towards the freezer.

Another five minutes of waiting, the girl returned with once again her arms and hands filled with large litres of Pepsi bottles. She struggled a bit as she tried to carry the weight, but nevertheless she made it to the counter and placed it with the others.

"Damn, that's a lot of Pepsi." Evan commented, his eyes widening in somewhat awe as he started to scan them. She probably took every last one from the freezer, He thought, staring down at his Pepsi filled counter. "Is this for a party or something?"

Taking out her wallet to pay—a cat shaped purse, he noticed—The girl shook her head. "Nah, just for me."

"Alright." Evan replied as he handed two large plastics bags filled with the sodas. Although he was perplexed as to why she'd need such an amount of sugary drinks at this time, he decided not ask.

Thinking the girl would leave immediately after her purchase, instead Evans gaze followed her as she plopped down her things—a laptop, a bunch of papers and the bags of sodas—at one of the small round tables at the left corner of the store which is right next to the vending machine. A place where teens usually hangout after school.

The next minute is followed by a loud clink and then a hiss as the girl opened a can of soda and began to drink it in a span of 30 seconds. The faint clicks and clacks on her keyboard as she typed furiously, filled the silent store. Without a moment to waste, the next can is opened. another hiss of the fizz from the soda fills the air as she once again drank the whole can.