Chapter 2
I couldn't stay here any longer. I figured I might as well use this chance to slip out.
When I glanced down, I spotted a hint of black poking out from the edge of my bag. I didn't hesitate. I got up fast and covered it with my other hand.
As I passed by her, I noticed a little smear of cream on the woman's back.
But I didn't give it much thought.
If I hang around any longer, she's bound to notice something's off.
"What? The door's locked?" I just stared at the lock, speechless.
Outside, the cashier who'd just come back looked apologetic. "Sorry, ma'am. I was in such a rush to use the bathroom and locked the door just in case. I'll open it right now."
The cashier patted himself down, then smacked his forehead.
"Oh crap, I think I left the keys in the bathroom!" he groaned.
He looked troubled. "Let me go get them right now."
With that, he dashed off before anyone could say another word.
[Is this cashier a walking disaster or what? Who the heck locks customers inside the store?]
[Man, the side character's got the worst luck. She could've made a clean getaway before the killer even caught on.]
[Everything was going way too smoothly before. Figures, when things seem too good to be true, there's always something fishy going on.]
[That scared the crap out of me. Why did the killer just pop up out of nowhere? That scene switch was insane.]
My whole body tensed up.
As I glanced up, my gaze met someone's eyes through the glass door—someone standing right behind me.
Instinctively, I reached up to adjust my glasses, trying to cover up how uneasy I felt.
But my fingers just brushed the bridge of my glasses when a low, whispery voice drifted over, chilling me to the bone like a devil's whisper.
"Adjusting your glasses, are you?" came a chilling, sinister whisper from behind.
My hand froze mid-air.
[Seriously, what kind of side character tries to adjust her glasses at a time like this?]
[Uh-oh, she totally forgot she's not even wearing them. Now the killer's definitely gonna notice.]
I uneasily caught my own reflection in the glass door, anxiety written all over my face.
She was staring right back at me, her gentle look slipping away. In my peripheral vision, I caught what looked like the flash of a blade hidden inside her sleeve.
The cashier was long gone, which meant, at this moment, it was just me and the killer, no one else around.
I closed my eyes, pretending to pinch the spot where my glasses would be, my lashes quivering.
I did my best to keep my voice steady. "Why would I adjust my glasses? I don't even wear them."
Her gaze slithered over me like a snake, sticky and unsettling, making my skin crawl.
After a moment, she finally said slowly, "Guess I was mistaken."
She said that, but I could tell she still didn't buy it.
The bathroom was pretty far from the store, so it'd take a while for the cashier to get back. Not wanting to spend another second near the killer, I tried to quietly edge away, putting as much space between us as I could.
Suddenly, before I knew it, the woman behind me grabbed my bag and yanked hard.
I tried to hold on, but she was way too strong. I didn't even have time to kick before I hit the floor, and all my stuff spilled out everywhere.
The black coat was lying there for all to see, and my glasses had flown straight to her feet.
The killer let out a creepy, sinister cackle.
He dropped the act, bent down to grab my glasses, and his real voice came out, cold and menacing.
His slightly effeminate voice was full of venom and rage. "You really made me work for this."
He whipped out a knife, aiming it right at me. "I was planning to trick you into coming home so I could finish you off, but now I've changed my mind. You crazy bitch, I've been chasing after you like an idiot!"
The door was locked. Panic surged through me. I snatched up the bag and flung it straight at his face, then scrambled, half-crawling, half-stumbling, to the shelves.
Seeing the barrage of comments explode in my mind, I frantically grabbed whatever snacks I could and pelted them at his head.
[Here it comes! This is so intense!]
[Ahh, I'm freaking out! Mom, save me. There's old blood crusted on that knife.]
[Hold up! Isn't there a staff room behind the food section?]
Staff room?
There was a little staff room back in the food section. I can hide in there.
I shoved over the drinks on my right, sending bottles flying and scattering all over the floor. They tripped up the killer just enough to buy me a few precious seconds to bolt.
I let out a breath I didn't even realize I'd been holding.
Finally, I made it to the staff room and slammed the door shut behind me.
At least the staff room door wasn't locked—small mercies.
'Call the cops, call the cops!' I told myself, my mind racing.
"Hello? 911? Someone... someone's trying to kill me. I'm at..." I stammered, my voice shaking.
I clamped my hand over my mouth, hiding under the only table big enough for a person, cold sweat soaking me.
It hit me then that the staff room door lock was busted.
It was so quiet, every footstep coming closer sounded heavier and heavier, echoing through the silence.
And right then, my phone screen lit up in my hand; the light was painfully bright in the pitch-black room.
I slapped my hand over it, desperate to hide the glow.
I prayed that he wouldn't find me, heart hammering in my chest.
Then, a pair of sneakers came to a stop right in front of my hiding spot, and my breath caught in my throat.
After what felt like forever, he finally moved away, and then there was nothing. Not a single sound.
I was just about to let out a sigh of relief.
Suddenly, a face lunged right into my view, so close I nearly screamed.
"Got you," he growled, voice low and menacing.
At the same moment, something icy grazed the side of my neck.
The bloody knife traced a chilling line across my skin. I tried to jerk away, but the sharp edge pressed down. Pain shot through my throat.
"Don't move," he growled, his voice icy and menacing.