When Winter Came

Chapter three

           

Riing riiiinnngggggggg

Dom woke with a start from his dream, letting out a groan as he recognised the sound of his ringtone. Reluctantly creaking up he turned on his light. Grabbing his phone to shut the blaring ringtone, apprehensive of what the neighbours thought. He squinted as he saw the time, letting out a dragged out sigh.

3:03am

Arron: TOMMORROW MOoUSE ABANDONED CHUCKIE CHEESE

Accepting his fate of being awake he crossed his legs, settling in for the conversation.

Dom: Why are you awake?

Arron: Just hanging out with the gang. Its pretty rad.

Dom: Never write the word rad again

Arron: RAD

He had to look up from his phone. Questioning his choice to have a conversation with this kid at 3am. It happens. So he turned his phone off (to his neighbours delight) and went back to sleep. When he finally woke up to the morning, he got back into his work routine. Going on autopilot to the small convenience store. Picking up a drink from the 7/11 along the way. Savouring the microwaved meal for the morning, eating it slowly as he wandered to work. Enjoying the music he had on his phone for years from indie musicians that visit throughout the years as well as some electronic from events in the ski village. He chucked the rubbish in the bin and walked inside work. Unlocking the door, he took check of stock. Adding more cheap snacks at eye level, fixing up the deals on the walls giving the store a menial brush. Getting rid of the dust and snow. Pushing it outside.

He went behind the counter, beginning his shift comfortably. He imagined it would be a reasonable day today. Skiier season meant the occasional customers wanting a cheap deal. Still feeling the cold through his thermals .He put on the heater, shivering slightly as he sat down behind the counter. He took his earphones out, turning on his data and wifi to see a small wave of texts. Arron, Tamara, Ellie, Kevin (owner of the store he worked in) and a missed call from an unknown. He gave all of them a once over.

Arron was hungover and requesting a cooked breakfast after a line of 60 drunk texts that Dom had just grown used to.

Tamara was planning a retro movie night.

Ellie wanted the group to all meet up at the beach over the weekend. He imagined she would bring her Polaroid and a notebook to take notes for her rom-com stories and her usual 6 pack of cider.

He smiled seeing how active his friend all were, choosing to encourage both Tamara and Ellie's plans while just sighing deeply at Arron. How does he function? Dom made a mental note to check up on him later today, he knows Arron's a light drinker and doesn't cope well with being hungover.

Finally he saw Kevin's message. He read it happily, scanning it.

Kevin: We're holding the annual Christmas Party in the museum this year on the 23rd. It'll start the usual time, come after your shift. Be sure to get ready for it. Your mate, Kev

Christmas...Shit, what day is it. Probably close. He shook his head before returning back to his shift. It was a quiet day with the occasional locals and skiiers coming in for cheap snacks. With a lock up of the store he began to wander home, the afternoon greeting him as well as him phone.

Arron: help me... need food...feel shit...

Dom: Should I go over?

Arron: pls

With a deep sigh he wandered to his friends house, moving to an old set of apartments in the middle of the shopping strip. He walked inside and up the stairs to the familiar room number 74.