Normal people only feel uncomfortable whenever they are in shit or can't find their way out of one. When they feel threatened or intimidated.
I'm not a normal person. I feel uncomfortable at every tick of the clock. My brain works every part of the day, my muscles twitching, itching for violence. To feel some pain and release some of the tension beneath my skin- to feel alive.
I am not normal. I relish in the smell of blood. I want to find my knuckles bursted- to feel pain- that strange sense of calm that engulfs me after- the high. You know the type of high you can never find with drugs. Although I mingle with people that do, I don't do drugs. I practically stay away from anything that dulls the mind.
I twist my necking, desperate to release some of the tension. My eyes raked around the shelves if liquor and I finally settled for beverages. But I picked few cigarettes and an antibiotic. I clicked my tongue and the sound echoed through the mini_mart.
I shook my head. Located at the darker and lonely end of the street, the mart is usually deserted by this time of the night. I was about to leave when I heard the door burst open, followed by a few groggy steps.
A sudden smell of cigarette filled the space. I closed my eyes. One, two, three, four. Four people. One of them slammed the door shot, and the sales boy deranged up from his seat at the loud bang. I smirked, finally some entertainment.
I rest my back against a tiny pole as I watched from the corner. One of them went deeper into the mart and a bulky one with tinted hair stopped before the boy. His silver chain shinning in the dim_lighted room.
"Hey yourself!", he bellowed in a gruff voice as another one picked a bowl of popcorn and tear it open. The boy stared at him in shock, fear evident in his eyes
"Hey, sir?", he called. "You pay first", he told him and the drunk guy ran his fist into his jaw. The boy gasped. Unconcerned, the bulky guy tapped the table.
"Yo!" he nodded towards the drawer. "Open it"
The boy's eyes widened. As if he just realised how deep he was into the shit. He stared at the bulky boss.
"Open what?", he asked and a slap landed on his face.
"Open the fucking register!", the boss yelled, his accent thick as he waved his knife before the boy.
With shaky hands, the boy drew out the drawer. In a rush, the slim one dipped his hand into the drawer and took all the money, dropping them into his black purse. The cashier boy took a frightful step aback.
The boss stared into the purse and shook his head disappointedly. He faced the boy again. "Where's all the money?"
"Um..um.. the boy was saying when a fist met with his jaw.
"Answer him, you fucking punk_ass!" the slim guy shouted.
"Everybody, um.. people, they.. Nobody has cash. They pay with cards.", he cried, shaking vigorously. I almost laughed out loud then. The expression on his face was something I would like to always remember. He stared at the cheap gang as if he was seeing death.
"Hey yo!", the boss spoke again. "The safe in the back."
The boy stole a glance at the black mini safe behind him.
"W..what?!", he exclaimed and the boss took a harsh grip of his hair.
The boy groaned, his forehead glistening with sweat as tears rolled down his face.
"The safe in the back.", the boss repeated to his face.
"S.s.safe??"
"The safe in the back, dammit! What's in the safe!", he yelled and the boy bursted into tears.
"I swear I don't know anything. I just started. I only work part time."
I stared at my wristwatch and decided to stop watching. I'm five minutes late to get to the casino. I stepped closer to the cashier.
"Excuse me!", I spoke from behind the guy and dropped my things on the counter. "I wanna pay for these." I told the boy and I watched as his eyes dropped to my hand, his gaze fixed on the dark tattoo peeking from my sleeve.
He lifted his eyes to meet mine under the hood. His eyes widened and I saw a different type of fear in his eyes. Anywhere I go, it was as if the word Mafia was glued to my forehead.
"I would like to pay for these.", I repeated, this time with a firm edge to my voice.
"P..pay f.for it?", he continued to stutter and I ignored him, pulling out the bunch of notes in my pants pocket. I picked out a few and dropped it in his hand.
" Do I get change?", I asked and I heard the boss guy scoffed beside me.
"ch_change?", the boy stuttered like a fool, rubbing his head nervously. "I_ I.. uhh. I don't know_ uh", he looked down at the empty drawer but I didn't have the time.
"Don't worry. I'll grab one from here." Lightening my cigarette, I turned to the lanky guy and dipped my hand into his purse, taking my change. He can keep the rest.
I turned to leave but froze when I felt the sharp edge of the knife to my neck. Is this a fucking prank?
"Yo man." I heard the boss' gruff voice by my ear. "You stupid?"
In the blink of an eye, I grabbed his wrist and twisted, making him to drop the knife as a groan fell from his lips. He stretched his hand to throw me a fist but I caught his hand and flip him to his back.
"What the actual hell?", the lanky boy cursed as he threw me a can that hit my forehead. I hissed. Oh boy! you've tampered with the wrong fella I waited for him as he ran towards me, weaving his blow as mine collided with his stomach. "Bitch!", he cried and threw his leg towards my face. I didn't think twice, I twisted the joint and the crinkling noise made the cashier gag. From the corner of my eyes, I saw another silver knife and I quickly bent, the small knife going over my head. I threw my legs out, taking the asshole off his feet. He cried as his skull met the hard floor and I chuckled at his cheesy behaviour. The boss rose again, coming at me from the back and his knife slain my hood, barely touching my face.
I removed the hood and revealed my face to him. I watched as recognition took over his face but I couldn't care less. I gripped his nape and slammed his head against the wall. I dropped his heavy weight to a side and the others ran out of the market.
Re_arranging my hair,bi stepped over to the boy who looked like he might pee in his pants.
"I'd like to pay for this also."
Shakily, he took the money from me and I began to walk away. I was by the door when I heard him speak.
"Who are you?"
I turned to him.
"Me?", I cocked my head and he nodded.
I chuckled softly. "I'm just a passerby.", I told him.
ALOURA P.O.V
It was late evening of a Saturday and I had the whole day to myself. I have nothing else to do. I will just take my bath and retire for the night. I took off my clothes has wrapped the towel around my chest. I was about to enter the bathroom when I heard my phone ring.
Startled, I went back to the living room. Who could be calling me by this time? I just ended the call with Diya.
The phone was still ringing when I entered the room. I picked it up from the cushion, staring at the unknown caller. I hesitated for a second before I swiped the screen to receive the call.
"Hello" a deep manly voice spoke and I became frozen. That voice, I would recognise it anywhere, at anytime. It was the same one that has hunted me for weeks. Sweat began to form on my forehead and I clamped my shaking lips together, holding tightly to my phone.
"Not fucking answering me again?" I remained silent and I heard him scoff.
"You have time for friends but not for me?" There was a short pause.
"If your friends knew who you really were, would they still hang out with you.", he told me and my heart skipped a beat, jamming loudly in my chest.
"Are you scared?", he taunt and my eyes burn with tears. "Little bitch.", he chuckled, the sound vibrating through my chest.
"You're mine.", he whispered. "Never forget that" That was what he told me before the line went dead.