UNLEASHED

Chapter 2

I groaned as my stomach gnawed at itself. Rolling on my side, I glanced at my clock. 10:19 PM. I pulled my papers and notebooks into a pile and set it on my desk before going down stairs to the kitchen. After searching the cabinets and the fridge, I sighed pulling on my dark hair. I ran up stairs to grab my wallet and a jacket. I walked back down and locked the front door on my way outside. I looked at the blue stripes on my truck before shaking my head and crossing the street and walking down the sidewalk of Maydale Street. ‘I have to save gas.’

The air was crisp and chilly as I past the houses of the neighborhood. The silence of the autumn season in a small town left an eerie feeling in my bones. I pulled out my earbuds and tisked at the knot. I pulled at the cables in silence until the knot became a long strand, connecting the aux and putting the buds in my ears, I played a song that thumped in my ears drowning out the silence. Soon the dim, infrequent street lamps because dense and the gas station came into view.

I paused the music and walked inside. I waved at the cashier as I passed by him. He had dark hair, tall and thin, but pale. ‘Not that I can judge.’ I grabbed some chips, a few candy bars, some gummy worms. I walked through the aisles several times. ‘What do I want?’ My eyes grazed over a machine before stopping on it. I nodded to myself as I walked over and made my ‘dinner’. Grabbing a spoon and some napkins, I took my things to the counter. He started scanning my items. “Can I get some of the egg rolls and a corn dog?” He nodded, walking to the case. 

As he typed into the machine, he coughed lightly. Sweat coated his pale skin as he coughed again. I glanced at his name tag, it read Cameron. He looked at me and froze. His eyes widened then squinted closed as his eyebrows scrunched together. Cameron glanced up again, his whole face pale and confused. He coughed harshly. “Your total is $23.64.” Cameron rasped, before coughing again.

I pulled out $25 and handed it to him. “Keep the change.” I muttered. ‘I don’t think he’s okay.’ He coughed loudly into his hand and I cringed. It sounded so wet, I almost wanted to give him a napkin. He started a coughing fit, coughing repeatedly for a few seconds until he made a choking sound and pulled his hand away from his mouth. In his hand was a puddle of blood. I gasped with a shiver, grabbing my bag and nachos, leaving the building. I jogged across the street until I couldn’t see the gas station. 

I put in my earbuds before munching on my nachos that were slightly soggy from the hot cheese. I checked the time on my phone as I walked along the curb, the dark forest looming not far from it. 11:10PM. 16%. I need to get home; my phone is going to die and I have school tomorrow. I continued walking until I finished my nachos, I looked around for a trash can and saw Mr. Lorrian’s sitting by the curb of his driveway. I toss it inside and continued walking. Pulling out an egg roll, I switched the songs and glanced up to see a path through the woods, one I knew would take me straight to my neighborhood. I swallowed, staring at the dark path. ‘Do I take it? It’s really dark out.’ A cold wind blew through me, dragging piles of dried leaves with it. ‘I wanna get home faster. And this is faster.’ I sighed, pulling out the corn dog and taking an angry bite, ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this. Nothing’s going to happen. Let’s be honest, Cat, you’re freaking out about nothing.’ I nodded to myself as I started down the path.