The Amnesiac Shopper | #ONC2024

Chapter two

Theo could feel the cold wind biting at the bare skin of his ass just as it started to rain. Then he heard the blaring sirens of a fire engine. His Sunday could not get any worse and it was still only morning.

Having had her fun, Stacey at least had the decency to pull the lad's trousers back up and retreat to wave over the fire brigade.

'Well, well, well, what do we have here? Your door not work, buddy?'

'I got locked out.'

'It's alright,' replied the fire officer, all business now. 'Happens to the best of us.'

The fire officer carrying a tool bag coughed. 'Here's the sawzall.'

'We're not going to need it. This glass might as well be made from tin foil. Definitely not up to code.'

Theo winced when he felt the bottom part of the window frame loosen, but soon after, he found himself being lifted down like a princess.

'Next time, try knocking louder big guy.'

Too embarrassed, the lad forced a smile and waved as he hobbled off to the front door to let his girlfriend inside.

She too had waved farewell to the fire brigade before shaking her head at Theo. 'Where did you end up last night? When I left for work, you, Kal and Eddie were still more or less sober in the Brutus bar.'

The lad quickly scooped up his shears hoping that he'd not have to explain why he had them, but Stacey was already pointing at the mechanical bull, her face a question mark.

'Don't ask me,' said Theo. 'I don't have a clue where that thing came from, never mind the damned cones.'

Stacey rubbed her eyes. 'I told you, you couldn't handle your drink.'

'I- You're not wrong.'

'We still set to go to the cinema later?'

Theo was about to answer when a strange cloud of darkness burst from his parcel, tracking from one side of the apartment corridor to the other. The way it moved reminded the lad of a rapid river. Then it vanished. 'Tell me you saw that?'

'Yeah,' Stacey dashed to check the wall where the darkness had hit and began picking at the loose plaster with her finger. 'It burned straight through.'

The lad carefully put down the parcel and backed away. Whatever he'd bought, it couldn't have been sheep shears that were for sure.

'We can't leave it here!'

Theo shook his head. 'I don't want it, but I know who will.'

A look of fear turned to mischief as the lad grabbed the parcel once more and shoved the mechanical bull aside to head upstairs.

He pressed his finger to his lips and held out his hand to stop Stacey from following. Then he tiptoed, halting any time the wooden steps creaked.

Before he knew it, he was outside Kay's apartment door. He set the parcel down carefully, knocked and sprinted downstairs.

'Hurry, get inside!'

Theo and Stacey hugged the other side of the lad's apartment door, anxiously waiting for whatever happened next.

Five minutes passed. Ten minutes, then half an hour had passed and there was still no word from his horrible neighbour.

'She probably didn't answer the door. She's not exactly friendly.'

Theo shrugged and walked towards his living room. The cones were still there, as were several open beer bottles, a half-eaten pot of noodles and a pizza.

Theo contemplated leaving right away but swiftly decided to switch on the television and sit down. 'I think I've earned a break.'

Stacey went to the kitchen, a mere ten feet away to place some popcorn in the microwave. Between its electric humming and the constant crackling, she couldn't tell whether her boyfriend was calling to her or if it was the television.

Then the power went out. The air suddenly turned cold, and her breath began to fog.

'Theo? Did you mess with your thermostat?'

The lad was about to answer when he heard scratching along the ceiling. Something seemed determined to claw its way through.

'Tell me Kay has a cat or even a dog.'

'I wouldn't trust her with this television remote, never mind a pet.'

'Then what the hell is that?!'

As if it'd overheard Stacey, the scratching abruptly stopped. Then came clouds of black, burning through the ceiling to strike the kitchen table and floor.

Next, Kay's screams seemed to echo around the apartment, but she sounded different. Her voice had grown deeper, and after each scream, there was a strange hiss like that of a snake.

Then there was one knock at his door. Unsure whether to answer, Theo edged back towards the living room.

Stacey wasn't having any of it and opened the apartment door without care, only to find the same parcel, its cardboard packaging dripping red.

Theo didn't want his girlfriend to think he was a coward, so he hurriedly rummaged through the now soggy box only to find sheep shears. Kay must have seen him place the box and didn't want anything to do with it.

'Anyone there?'

A distant moan settled into another obnoxious scream, and then Kay stepped out from around the corner with her arms crossed and her brow furrowed. 'Don't try to prank me, you little shit. I was born for this.'

Kay looked ready to leap for Theo's throat as if a bag of flour hadn't been enough. Then she showed him a photograph of something he didn't expect.

'Why is Eddie riding that mechanical bull down the stairs?'

Kay hissed again, her teeth clenched and her jaw, jutting. 'You lot break into my home, steal my bull and have the nerve to post this photo under my door. Do you think I'm stupid?'

Theo felt awkward, now realising that a flower bag to the face had been the least he'd deserved. But if the lady was willing to do that to him, there would be no telling what she'd done to his friends.

Current total word count = 2081