Love at McDonald's: A HALLOWEEN TALE

4

"You gon learn today."Chris said, making everybody laugh."I'm trying young man!" Mr.Soloman maintained. "You gotta flip it with passion, not like a robot!" Chris protested, taking the spatula out of his hand and showing him. "If you don't flip it with passion it's gonna taste like nothing. You need to have seasoning in your wrist now, sir." Chris laughed. Grace got down from the counter and walked away. "Where are you going?" Michael asked her.

"I'm just picking up my bag." She said softly, as she distanced herself. The music faded the closee she came to the table in the corner of the diner. She smiled to herself as she picked it up. Contempt, she looked out of the window. But as soon as she layed her eyes on the dark street, she felt her heart stop. "Somebody's there!" she screamed so terrified she hurried back without her purse.

"What?" Michael got up, catching her as she almost crashed into him, shook by fear. "What happened Grace?" he looked down at her, grabbing her by her shoulders. "There was somebody by the window!" she mumbled into his shirt. Chris and Mr.Soloman quit fooling around at the grill, with confused looks on their faces. "What's wrong?" Soloman asked.

"She said she saw somebody by the window..." he told him, rubbing her back to calm her. Chris turned down the music. "She saw somebody?" he raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?" Soloman asked. "Grace, are you sure?"

She nodded agitatedly.

"Where are the keys of this place?" Eric asked, distraught, "I need them."

"I have them." Michael reached into his pocket and handed them to him. "Thanks," Soloman eyed them in his hand. "One of you must immediately close the window of the drive by. I'm gonna lock the front now. And make sure every window is closed. Understand?"

The boys nodded.

"Grace...are you very certain that you saw someone? Are you sure you didn't imagine things-"No!" she protested "I know what I saw. They disappeared as soon as I saw them. I'm not lying!"-"I believe you! It's alright." Michael assured her. He turned to face Soloman, "I'll stay with her."

"Alright." he nodded, "while you're at it, call the police." he commanded as he jogged to the front door, pulling the doors in and turning the key, locking it with a loud, metallic click.

"I'll check the back.." Chris whispered as he disappeared into the back. He pulled her into a tight embrace, rubbing her back to comfort her. When he felt she had stopped shaking under his touch, he gently separated her from him. "Are you alright?" he looked into her watery eyes. "I'll be ok," she sniffed, wiping away the tear with the back of her hand. He smiled down on her. "Whoever it was got you good, didn't they?" she chuckled quietly, "I guess so."

"Nothing." Soloman came back. "No windows are open, the back door seems to be locked too." Michael sighed in relief. "See?" he reassured her "We're safe."

"Have you called the police yet?" he asked, handing him back the keys. "Not yet," Michael regretted. "I'll do it then," Soloman snickered, as he went to dial 911 himself, "You take care of your little lady here." Michael eyes widened with embarrassment and his mouth opened, stuttering, making his fangs shake ridiculously. "I-" the words got stuck in his throat as he felt his cheeks flush with warmth.

Soloman smiled, fully aware of the discomfort the just caused. He looked over his shoulder, throwing Michael a wide, guilty smile. His hand was only inches away from the phone when its horrid, shrill ringing made all the smiles drop like dead flies. Soloman took a step back as he watched in horror as the shrill tone tore the silence reigning in the diner apart. "What is that-" Chris appeared from the back, gasping as he realized what was happening.