Misfit

Chapter 1: Blackpool

Winters in Blackpool are always harsh. It's very cold from start to finish. The snow comes at night, leaving 3 inches of snow on the ground during the day. Everyone in my town usually hates the winter, but I enjoy it. I've always enjoyed it. Something about the cold makes me feel... different. Free in a way.

I've lived in Blackpool my entire life. After I graduated high school, I told my parents I was going to travel the world. Well... that didn't go quite as planned. I traveled to two states, Nebraska and South Dakota, then ran out of money and came back home. I stayed with my parents while I got my associates degree. Moved out shortly after I started working as store manager of Pilgrim Groceries. I've never liked the name of that store. And now that it's 2019, a few people from town think it's time to change the name. There's a petition going around to get it changed. This is an old town and at one point I guess the name was acceptable. But the town has become more diverse since then and some things just need to change.

I live a pretty ordinary life. I work all week and have weekends off. I usually spend the weekends in my apartment with my pet turtle. I binge watch shows on Netflix and read books. Occasionally, a coworker of mine, Anne Jackson, texts me and invites me out for drinks. Other than that, I don't do anything too exciting or even dangerous. I guess I've gotten use to just living simple.

Today would've been one of those binge watching days, but I got a call from the store about a complaint I need to take care of. Now, I wouldn't normally care, but I started watching Flash and it was getting really good. Plus, my employees know how to handle complaints- they've all been trained in that department- so I'm not understanding why I've been called up there. But anyway, I got in my 2006 Nissan Altima and headed down the road to Pilgrims groceries. It's not that far from my apartment and during the week I walk to work even in the snow, but because this is a complaint on a Saturday, I'm driving.

I drive down the quiet street, not a person in sight, Must be too cold, I think. I turn right into the store's parking lot and look in disbelief. Every car in town is parked in the parking lot, even the local news van. I look closer and notice the news van from the next town over! "What the fuck...?"

I pull up front and park. No way I'm parking in the back in this weather. I get out and go inside, there's a huge crowd looking towards the bathrooms in the back. I politely make my way through the crowd, searching for an employee of mine. I spot Zach, the one who made the call.

"Zach!" He turns and looks at me. "Oh my God, Rachael, come here!" He pulls me to the side and starts explaining the situation, but way too fast. "Zach, calm down, what's going on?" He takes a breath and says, "We kept getting complaints about a terrible stench coming from the male restroom, and me being me, I thought it was just shit clogged up, and sense we got over five complaints about the same thing, we're trained to call you, the store manager. Anyway, after I call you, I send the custodian in there to just clean it up. Dave comes out screaming! Like screaming his ass off! He's yelling 'he's dead! He's dead!' Blood all over him. Customers start screaming and I run towards him, but he can't talk anymore, he's just pointing towards the bathroom."

I look towards the bathroom as he continues, "I rush in there and my god, Rachael, there was blood all over the floor, I could see where Dave fell in the blood because it's smeared everywhere. I open the stall that it's coming from and I puked right there on the spot. Rachael... it wasn't a he. It was Anne. Anne Jackson. She was split open, her insides where everywhere in that stall and a grin was cut into her face. I'll never get that image out of my head... When I came back out, people were pouring in and cops were running towards me."

I can't believe my ears. Anne, my friend Anne, murdered? I slowly walk towards the bathroom, gently pushing my way through. I see yellow police tape and the local cops standing guard trying to get the people to back up. I look down right outside the men's restroom, bloody shoe prints. Suddenly, a loud male voice yells, "What the hell is this? This isn't a fucking circus, get these people out of here!"

A man in a black suit made his way up front and the group of men he was with started pushing the crowd out. The local cops start to help them. I slip by one of the registers and stayed in while everyone else was pushed out. As the cops pass by, I start walking towards the male restroom. My curiosity won't let me leave. I don't know why, but I want to see her. I want to see what happened to her. I reach my hand out as I get closer to the door. I can almost feel the cold steel door on my hand.

My fingertips push on it and it slightly opens. The first thing I notice is the pool of blood. The dark red color hypnotizes me. Must...see...more... I go to take a step inside, but a strong firm hand grabs me tightly by the arm and pulls be back roughly.

"Ow! Shit!" I look up at the culprit and it was the guy yelling the orders earlier. He looks me straight in the eyes and ask "Who the hell are you?" I stutter, "M-my name is Rachael... I-I work here... S-store manager."

He studies my face hard, then finally says, "Officer Jones, escort Miss Rachael out of here now! And search the store for anymore strays."

Did he just call me a stray?