Late Night Munch

1

The faint noise of the slushy machine buzzing and the loud rattling of the broken light above him was as calming as his night got. He lazily browsed through the comic book he got from the stand near the front window while he patiently waited for another customer.

It wasn't rare for customers to show up to the gas station at 2 in the morning, but the flow of people was slower. He could go for hours before he saw another face come in to buy something. Sometimes people didn't even bother to come inside as they opted to pay for their gas at the pump. Debit cards sure made his job easier, but it also made him bored as hell.

His raised feet were resting on the counter while he reclined on a stool. His back was pressed against the wall and he constantly shifted in the uncomfortable seat as if it would make a difference. He sighed as he read the comic book, it covered more than half his face and all customers could see before he quickly tossed it into a drawer were his furrowed eyebrows. Tucker had always had a fascination with the details that went into creating a comic book and his concentration was often confused for hostility.

He heard the familiar bell chime, notifying him that a new customer had walked in, and he immediately straighten up his appearance. His finger nearly getting caught in the drawer as he slammed it shut. He couldn't help but study the young girl that walked in. She looked like she was around his age, but it baffled him to see that she was all alone. Usually girls came in groups because they were either having a movie night or coming from the club desperate for some cheap food to quench their hunger. While she roamed around the gas station he constantly looked at the door waiting for her boyfriend to walk in, but he never did. She was truly alone.

The girl eventually found what she was looking for and made her way to the counter. She dumped an armful of cheez-it bags and he tried not to judge her as he rang her up. His curiosity got the best of him and he studied her while he scanned her items. She had severe bags under her eyes, her hair was a beautiful honey color that was held up in a bun, but it looked unkempt and dry. Her face had faint freckles and there was a light red hue that marred her face that was probably caused by reoccurring acne break outs.

Despite not knowing her, he could tell the monotone look on her face didn't belong there. It didn't match the impatient drum of her finger tips on the counter nor the hyperactive way her leg jiggled.

"Your total is $17.65." He said, handing her a plastic bag with her items.

She gave him a twenty and didn't even bother with her change. She was eager to leave and he couldn't understand why a few more seconds was an impossible feat. He shrugged and tossed the remaining $2.35 into a jar next to the cash register. It wasn't his problem what people did with their money.

He sat back on the stool and pulled out his comic book trying not to think about the girl that disappeared into the dead of night.