24 Hours of Anarchy | Jamaican Purge

- Chapter 1 -

"Thank you for shopping with Bettie's Pharmacy,"

I said the usual send off to the customer, as I hand her a bag with a Panadol Multi-symptom and a DPH. I added the money to the cash register. 

I glanced at the clock above me to see it was one minute to six o'clock. I walked briskly to the door and flipped the 'open' sign to closed.

Some a dem customer yah love wait till a closing time fi run come buy things. And when people wan gaw dem yard, dem cya lef. Mi nuh ina it today.

Especially since I have a date tonight.

"Time to close up now," Miss Bettie said, walking from her office to the front of the pharmacy.

"Yup," I answered, popping the P. "It's six o'clock on the dot."

"Alright, well just check off and go home. I dont't want you too late on the road. Especially wid dat thing coming up,"

"What thing?" I questioned, moving to the register. 

I began counting all the money in the register to see how much was made today.

"The Purge,"

I hissed my teeth and chuckled.

"Miss Bettie, nuh tell me seh you actually believe that?"

"How yuh mean?" she clamoured.

She walked over to the counter and perched her glasses on her nose.

"Dem say on the fourteenth of this month. Today is the twelfth,"

"Miss Bettie, that's not gonna happen. That's just a rumour people make up. Somebody probably started it on Facebook and spread it everywhere."

"Well, tomorrow night I'm going over to my son's house," she continued. "People just wan see a likkle old woman fi tek advantage of."

I wrapped the cash with a rubbed band and wrote the total amount on a  piece of paper. Sixty-five thousand. I added the paper underneath the band and put the money in a plastic bag.

"Sure," I answered, putting the bag in a safe and locking it.

"And you need fi make sure you safe. Worse how yuh young and pretty,"

I took up my purse.

"I will,"

"Okay dear, see you tomorrow,"

"Bye,"

I exited the pharmacy and took my phone out.

Danny said to meet him at the Tastees that was two minutes away from here. I'm so glad I can get a chance to relax at this dinner with him and my mom and brother. I was beginning to feel burned out already and it's only Tuesday.

Outside was cool with the night air. I loved how it felt whipping across my face. Music was blaring from a few street sellers on the side of the road; paired with the yelling of people laughing, chatting and some playing dominos.

I spotted Danny's white Corolla. I slowly jogged up to it. Once he spotted me, a smile spread across his face.

"Mine yuh drop," he laughed.

I made it to him and enveloped him in a big warm hug. He wrapped his arms around my neck and rested his chin ontop of my head.

I could smell his usual woodsy perfume on his shirt. That one smell that made me know he was somewhere near.

I pulled away and he held my hands and squeezed them gently.

"Yuh hungry?"

"Of course," I responded.