" Al! I'm sorry to barge in on you like this. The weirdest thing just happend. "
And so began, the story of my weirdest birthday so far. I told Al, the store owner, all about the man laying in the street and the dog following me.
" Just your luck eh Connor? Now hurry your butt up I've gotta get home to me kids. "
I nod. Me and Al have an understanding that I can't even describe. He knows about me, my mom, and doesn't really care to show he does. But I like that about him. The grocery store is very quiet for only six thirty on a Friday night. I start my usual journey in the store by grabbing a cart and heading straight for my favourite aisle. The candy aisle. Sometimes I like being able to spend money on whatever I can. I grab half a cart full of miscellaneous candies and head to the next aisle. Al's Grocery store isn't very special. Ten aisles of the common foods and wares every store has. I never bring or make a list when I come, so I just pick up the usual. Bread, milk, cereal, lunch supplies, and whatever looks good. Today is different though, I came for cake! As I make my way towards the freezers in the back, the little bell above the entrance rings. That's weird, there must be someone else in the store too.
" Aye man, what happend to you? " said Al. I peer my head around the corner and see Al white as a ghost. What the hell? Nothing scared Al! Whatever he seen, must be terrifying. It isn't easy scaring a two hundred pound built full grown man. I lean farther around the corner and see a man. He is the oddest looking man I have seen. Tall. Tall as in maybe seven feet tall. And he is skinny. Not super skinny, but not strong looking. The man has a massive head. A big bald round one. Behind his thick round glasses are green, bloodshot eyes. He is wearing the typical lumberjack outfit. Red and black plaid shirt, blue jeans, overalls, a tuque. Whoever this man is, he's got style.
" Are ye deaf man? I said what happend to you! "
The small giant of a man slowly turns toward Al.
" Is this store empty? "
" What do you... "
Bang. A loud smashing noise rings from the distance. Sounds almost as if something running into glass. Well now I have to fully lean over and look what had happend. I quickly glance over the end of the aisle and see the dog, sitting, starring into the window of the entrance doors. Both Al and the giant are turned, glancing towards the dog. What a stupid dog. You can obviously see the dirty streak marks on the windows. Then something really strange happens. The power goes out.
" I swear I just paid my bills! "
Al sounds furious. I can hear someone shuffling and the ding sounds from the doors opening and closing. I am still staring at the door. My eyes are swimming with little grey specks. By the time my eyes adjust, I can see some sort of white outline of the small giant man with style outside, passing through the dog as if it was never there. Okay, I'm definitely losing it. How the hell? Click. The buzzing of the old electrical lights comes on and blinds me.
" Get your stuff and get outta here son. I've got some phone calls to make. "
I don't even have time to register what happend. I turn around, grab a random cake and head towards the checkout. That dam dog is still there. It looks almost as if it's smiling at me. But the dog isn't meeting my eyes. It's looking past my shoulder to the right. I turn, and ironically I am passing the dog treat part of the aisle. I grab the biggest looking bone, and a box of large dog cookies and go. Al doesn't say a word to me as he rings my things through. That's weird, he always has a great long story to tell me. I swipe my holy card and load up my arms with bags of my goodies.
" Have a nice weekend Al "
Al grunts. Really? A grunt? I notice over the register the clock says seven o'clock. It's almost my bedtime! Yes I know, I'm weird. I'm a sixteen year old who lives basically alone, has tons of money, and has a bed time. I better quick jerking around and get home before... Just then, as I turn and head out, the dog isn't there. Nowhere to be seen. Man oh man, i must be losing it. I have no time to worry about the dog because Al is getting impatient with me. I need to bring a backpack or something next time because
these bags of groceries are heavy as hell. Well, atleast I don't have time to worry about the dam dog. Ding, the bell above the door sounds as i exit the store. I manage to make it down to Pine Way fairly quickly. And no signs of dog. Okay, what was up with that man? It looked almost as if he turned transparent and just left. If he could walk through the dog, how did he open the door? My eyes would have picked up the freaky glow coming off him if he turned into his ghost like state immediately after the lights went out. I'm not very sure to be honest, I'm not very sure. I'll just pretend nothing happend like the man with the dog and keep living life normally. Speaking of the man, I wonder if he's still there. Ironically I'm just passing a large spot of blood on the road. Well, considering the fact there are tire tracks and no body, I'd say he's fine. I'm almost home! The sweet victory of passing the finish line is almost within grasp of my grocery filled self. I swear, I'm carrying at least three hundred pounds of groceries. Nothing can ruin the moment a man comes home to a nice quiet home, arm full of groceries, except of course, the dog. Why, on Earth does stupid things like this happen to me? The dog is laying on the old outdoor couch beside my front door. As I slowly creep up the creaky steps, the dog awakes and lifts it's ears at me. Oh god please don't eat me. Without even thinking, I reach into my grocery bags and dig out the bone. Oddly enough, the dog doesn't show any signs of aggression. I can finally have a good look at the dog. This dog, with its lamp like yellow eyes is just calmly staring at me. My inner child wants to reach over and pet it, but I know better. This dog has no collar. And looks to be around a hundred pounds. Jeez, what is it with abnormally sized things today? The jet black coat of the dog gives it a mysterious, yet sleek look to it. The dog is just laying there. Looking at me, then back to the bag, then back to the bone in my hand. I drop the bone. The dog doesn't move. Then I kick the bone over and it thumps against the leg of the couch. Somehow the dog manages to reach down and pick up the bone. This scary looking dog, with its large yellow spot light eyes starts to wag its tale. Thump, thump thump. As the dog is happily chewing away on the bone, I slip inside. How the hell did I manage to do that? This dog took down a grown man with little to no effort and is distracted by a bone? Ha! I must really be going crazy. The house still smells, and feels the same. Cold, damp, dark, and musty. I feel somewhat more safe that I'm inside and the dog is outside. My arms must not be attached to my body anymore, because I can't feel them. With the flick of the lights, i enter the kitchen bearing gifts for the lonely cupboards. After stuffing the cupboards full, I throw the cake in the fridge. Well not actually throw, but I put the cake into the fridge. The old silver refrigerator that barely keeps things cold somehow is still running. It looks to be older than the house it is in. I completely forgot to check what the cake I took looks like. With a whirring tug, I open the fridge to see a marvellous looking cake. This cake, literally looks like the leftover icing cake. What I mean by that is the cake is covered in any colour possible icing. I wish I could have gotten a nicer looking one. This looks like someone let their kid decorate the cake. Al and I are going to have a stern talking to. Click. Click. Click. Okay, now what? I turn my head around the room looking for this clicking noise that randomly sounds. Click. Click. Click. Then suddenly, I hear a blood curdling scream. What the actual hell. Why, how, what, just seriously? The sound of the scream made the hair all over my body stand up. I run to my moms room. She is sound asleep in her bed. Thank god. I don't know what I'd do without her. The piercing scream stopped when I entered her room. I leave and all I can hear is the clicking noise now. Slowly, I stroll into the living room and peer out the front window. By no surprise, the dog has a girl in its grasp on the front porch. Okay, either this dog is attacking random strangers, or random strangers are attacking this dog. I look away. Something inside me feels like a dead weight bearing on the inside of me. Something bringing me down. That poor girl. I hear something scrambling outside. Oh god, the dog must be finishing her off. I look outside and the weirdest thing happens. The girl turns the transparent white like the lumberjack at the store. She slowly gets up through the dog, as if nothing is there. The dog looks dumbfounded as it sniffs the air. The girl turns around and meets my eyes. Creepy eh? I can't make out any sort of features to her, but she has a very calm straight face. She is standing there, transparent and no emotion face. Then poof, she disappears. I don't even know what or how to react. Good ol' LakeTown. I'm standing, with my face pressed right up to the glass. The dog turns to me, smiles at me and jumps up on the couch with its bone and starts to happily chew away. Okay, it's time for bed. The dog just smiled at me. Once again, good ol' LakeTown. Cycling through my pockets, I dig out my cell phone and turn it off. Something strange is happening. And just like that, I am asleep in my bed. Letting the events of today wash over.
