An Artists Epilogue

Seven: More Paint

 

Working at McClendon's was like swimming through a volcano at the bottom of the sea. The volcano is not dormant.

The truth is that I only got to work at McClendons for three days before other complications interrupted. It was actually really fun. I mean, I was just the cleaning crew but I got to know the other employees and Kevin. He was a cashier as I didn’t really get to talk while we were on duty because apparently McClendon’s is a very busy place.    

Alas, it was all fun until I apparently graffitied the capitol building.

On my first day of work they mostly just showed me how to work things and how things worked. They also told me that I would have to flip my hair over so that not much of the lavender showed underneath.

I was kind of mad about that. I went home after work was over and painted on my walls until I realized that I didn’t really own the house anymore. At some point somebody was going to come and inspect then resell it. Then I remembered my brother.

Oh no. My brother must get the house. My brother actually owned something important.

My brother got to live. He was still flesh and blood. And me? What the heck was I? Anything I ate just came back up without being digested and I was never even hungry and water just made me feel weird and squishy until it came back up. I was also as pale as pale can get without turning white. I would be surprised if I wasn’t already see through.

And my eyes? Lilac. Just like the monster in my dream. The boy.

Those were what my thoughts were when I was off work. At work they were mostly like:

This food looks so disgusting I could probably puke it up.

And then like:

Oh wait, Thats the only thing I could do.

I tried to just do my job to pay back for the mirror and not get distracted with what else was going on in my life. Plus, I didn’t want my fellow employees to ask questions. That didn’t stop Kevin, though. He didn’t necessarily ask them to my face but he often asked if I was okay and I caught him staring a lot.  He did his best to try to hide it but hence the word “try”.

On my second and part of the third day I wiped off tables and emptied trash cans and tried not to look people in the eye. I once accidentally looked this one really super hot guy in the eyes and he jumped back a little and then started laughing. After he got his food we got to talking and he seemed somewhat interested in my, which kind of creeped me out but, what the heck? He was hot.

His phone went off and he got it out and checked it. I turned to leave but he said. “Oh wait, hold up.”

He looked up at me oddly before he read the text.

“Uh oh, um, could you clear this up for me? I gotta run.” I smiled and nodded. He thanked me and took off in a hurry. I cleared up the table and took his tray to the trashcan. Right before I threw it away I noticed a small paper in the middle of the burger wrapper. I picked it off and realized it was his phone number.

“Oi” I said, outloud but to myself.

“What?” Kathy, a cashier, asked.

“Oh, um, nothing.” I said as I awkwardly shoved it in my apron.

The manager came out and told everyone that it was almost closing time. I checked my watch and concluded that there was only 30 minutes left in my third day of work at McClendon’s. The manager turned to look at something and sighed. I looked up.

“Oh God, another one? How could someone not get caught doing that? Especially there.” He said quite loudly. I followed his gaze to the TV in the corner of the building and dropped the tray.

“Flow! What are you doing?” He asked.

“Uh...sorry, sir.” I was staring at the TV showing the local news. I didn’t move.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Clean that up!” He commanded. Kathy shuffled into the back for some unknown reason.  Kevin was still standing at his cashier.

“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.” I said as I saluted. He mumbled something very nice and walked into the back. Such an understanding manager.

I slowly bent down, still looking at the TV, and crammed everything on the tray and dumped it in the trash quickly but when I looked back the story had already ended. It showed one last picture.

The entire front side of the state capitol dome was graffitied. Lavender and Lilac with the splatters curving and dripping down the front columns.

I looked down at my pale fingers for traces of paint or grit but they were clean. My hair fell back into place as I ran them through it. I cursed and turned around to find Kevin watching me closely while everyone else packed up. I walked around the counter without looking at him and did the same as them.

I busted out of the stuffy McClendon’s into the crisp open air. I breathed it in and started to walk back home. I started down the sidewalk quickly because I didn't want to hear Kevin ask questions. He caught up to me as I was waiting for the light to turn.

“So someone was clumsy today.” He said as he stood next to me. The top of his unnatural blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail. It had been dyed black I would have thought he looked like a samurai.

“Yeah, you kept dropping peoples change all over the floor.” I replied. The light changed and I was about to cross when he said:

“I have a car. I can drive you home.” I paused and turned to walk back to the sidewalk.

“Of course you do.” I breathed in. I followed him through the parking lot to his car.

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Short chapter sorry! I had to split this one and the next one up because I realized they don't really go together so yey. but I think the next one is where things start to "get going" if ya know what I mean ha ha... ha okay I'm done.

hope you liked it! Vote please ^u^