This week's post: 11/15/09

Thump. Tremble. Thump. My heart sends its own distress signal throughout my body. My hands shake like a washing machine gone hay-wire. My eyes dart left then right trying to find the source of my fear. What I can see is black. Blacker than the sky. Blacker than my pupils. Someone grabs me tight around my wrist. Unexpectedly, I am turned around, like a puppet on its string. I have no control. Thump. Tremble. Thump. Boom. Boom. Boom. My hearts is frantic now, desperate for someone to hear its cry. This someone pulls me closer. I shut my eyes, hoping that if I close the curtains the show will be over. The nightmare will end. I reopen my eyes to find the nightmare must go on. Boom. Boom.Boom. Help.


It is the night of the highly anticipated premiere of the movie Twilight. The premiere was like Christmas Day for me. I couldn’t sleep the night before, sitting in my bed wondering how the movie was going to play out.
I knew that we had to get there early for any chance of a good seat, so I told my friends that I wanted to leave an hour early.
“That’s stupid. Why would you want to do that?” Kim said accusingly, obviously not a Twilight fan.
However, Whitney and Soarcha agreed to go with me and I waited impatiently in my car in front of their building. I stared at the clock like it was the New Years countdown.
I drove, spinning through traffic not caring if I got a ticket. I had to get there. When we finally did, it was a mad house. We had to park so far away that I could barely make out the theatre lights in the far away distance.
“Lets go!” I flew out of the car, trying to get my friends moving.
We were half way across the football sized parking lot when disaster struck.
“Man, I left my wallet in the car.” Soracha said, already walking like a snail back to my car.
I looked longingly to the theatre and then back to my car. Unwilling to actually waste any more time.
“We won’t get a good seat” I said, my voice going up an whole octave like I was in the bouts of puberty.
I still hadn’t made a move to my car. Why did this have to happen? Whitney, seeing my distress, came to my rescue.
“Why don’t you just go ahead and save us some seats.” Whitney said as she put her hand on my shoulder.
With this comment came a sigh from Soracha. “I cannot believe you are so obsessed with this. We will get a seat.”
I didn’t care that I was coming off as a major lunatic. I flung my keys to whitney like I was throwing a touchdown and quickly started walking towards the thing I had most looked forward to. Yes, almost there.



I don’t trust you.
The bright lighting signs into the front windows of Pier 1 so that I can see my ghost-like reflection in the window. It’s 8:15 pm. Only 45 minutes until I can finally lock the doors.
No customers walking the aisles, the only sound that I hear is the random popping that the ceiling makes in different places.
My manager is in the stockroom behind me, Bev is counting today’s money, hoping that by doing so we can get out early.
I’m alone.
Quickly, so that my heart beats a protesting jolt in my chest, a big burly man walks into the store. He isn’t like our usual costumers. He has yellow and green stains on the front of his shirt, as if he used it as a napkin. He has all gold teeth in the front of his rather large mouth and baseball cap on; making his features seem unrecognizable.
“Where can I find some rugs?” He says harshly, I can only see his mouth moving, I cannot see his eyes.
“They are in the back right hand corner. Let me know if you need anything.” I said, hoping he would leave.
Usually if a customer needs a specific item, I will go with them and point out some interesting merchandise that we carry. However, my gut twisted at the thought of being alone with him in the corner. No. Don’t go; came the warnings from my stomach.
I didn’t hear a sound as he was back in the corner. Thoughts went through my head like an assembly line. Wonder if he has a gun? Wonder if he takes something? I don’t like being the only one up here.
I frantically dialed 10, the number to the manager’s office.
“Bev, there is a weird guy in here and he’s freaking me out.” I said as a plea for her to come save me.
“Ok, well go check on him. I will be there in a minute.” Bev said happily, not realizing my fear.
I slowly walk towards the corner, walking like I’m walking to my death.
I see him looking at the blood red rug lying on the middle shelf.
“Sir, are you finding everything ok?” I said hoping that I could move fast enough if he lunged at me.
“Well, I would do better if I had found you.”
I had no idea what he meant by that all I knew is that I had to get out.
“Hahahahaha” I laughed loudly and hesitantly.
I turned and ran like someone was chasing me to the manager’s office.
“Bev, I’m staying here. You can deal with him.”
I sat down my eyes still darting to the sales floor.