"Try not to sleep and forget to close the doors this time, ok Roxy?"

"Ok ok..."

I said while almost falling asleep.

"ROXY!"

"HUH?! Ah! Sorry Mrs. Jackson, seems like I didn't get enough sleep last night hahaha..."

"Hm... Don't disappoint me, ok dear?"

"Yes ma'am"

She's such a sweet old lady.

She gave me this job after countless other failed interviews, I don't know how to repay her.

If it wasn't for her I would probably be homeless right now.

Technically I kinda am if you think about it.

Anyway, let's do a flashback.

---

Coming back from another interview, I found my way to a corner store to buy cigarettes and a candy or two.

I didn't have that much money but at least I had enough for keeping this terrible addiction alive that I got from my stepfather.

At least I inherited something from that old wet fart.

It was raining and looking at my reflection and noticing everybody's stares, I probably looked like a beat-up lost puppy.

I was just so done with everything so my expression and the rain combined into that aesthetic.

Anyway, I got a cheap pack and a cheap chocolate bar and moved my dead body to the counter.

The old lady looked at me with such a pitiful expression that I almost ran away and got my life in order.

I hope she doesn't say anything to me.

I don't want to make small talk.

"Are you ok dear?"

Fuck.

"I guess"

She got my things at the slowest speed possible.

I don't know if it was to continue the conversation or if she was that slow.

"Do you want to talk about it? You look like you need someone to listen to you right now"

Am I that easy to read or does she have wisdom and slash or black magic?

"It's just that..."

*Sigh*

"I can't find a job and I need one, I don't even have any place to call home and I just end up sleeping in the park nowadays."

"Hm... What a coincidence"

"What is?"

"I was just thinking about hiring someone to help me, the years are getting to me, you know"

"Really?! I mean, you don't have to do this for me, ma'am, we don't even know each other"

"I'm not pitying you, it just so happened that I need a cashier and it just so happened that you need a job"

"Are you sure? We didn't even have an interview or something"

"Let's have one then, what's your name and age?"

"Roxanne Summers, 20."

"You're hired, welcome to my humble store Roxy"

She smiled and shook my hand.

"Thank you? Um, can I get my cigarettes now ma'am?"

"No"

---

That's when I got hired and stopped smoking for a while.

Sometimes I smoke a little when she's not looking but she always finds out somehow.

"I'm going home, Roxy. Take care dear"

"Bye Mrs. Jackson"

I waved a little and waited a while after she left.

*Sigh*

I got one of my prized possessions.

An used DVD portable player!

The experience you get at home, now in the palm of your hands!

Well it doesn't fit in the palm of my hand, it's a little big and clunky.

Too bad the technology isn't there yet for me to watch movies and TV shows on my phone.

On my Nokia phone.

Ok, what I'm gonna watch today?

I know, The Passion of the Christ!

Just kidding, it's the fourth season of The Simpsons again.

It's a pirated copy though.

If it works it works what can I say?

"What about us braindead slobs? You be given cushy jobs!"

Classic.

I would say this episode is one of my top 10 maybe top 5.

*Ding ding*

Someone just entered the shop.

But I don't care right now.

The majority of customers this time of the night are tired white collars who don't give a rat's ass about what I'm doing.

I could be watching porn and they wouldn't care because they want to get out of here quick as possible to feed their kids or something.

I wouldn't know.

"I'd say this vessel could do at least Warp 5!"

Said the guest of the episode, Leonard Nimoy of Dreamcast's Seaman fame, and other things.

"And let me say may the Force be with you!"

Said Mayor Quimby.

"Do you even know who I am?"

"I think I do, aren't you one of The Little Rascals?"

*Chuckles*

I love this show.

Too bad they'll fuck it up in the future.

I miss you, Conan O'Brien.

...

*Ding ding*

I hear another customer enter the shop.

*SLAM*

"GIVE ME ALL YOUR MONEY!"

Screamed a bald muscular guy filled with scars.

I almost pissed myself again.

"O-ok, relax"

I began to open the cash register.

I got scared by the noise, he's not that scary.

At least not scarier than that ghost.

"Hurry up!"

Why didn't he wear a mask or something?

Well, it's not like we have cameras here anyway.

As I ponder and get the money, I saw a strange monster coming out of his back.

"What the fuck?!"

It's a scarecrow with a creepy smile and worms coming out of his eyeholes, mouth, and ears.

Now I pissed myself for real.

"Oh? So you can see it? There are not many people who can see him"

What the fuck does he mean?

"You probably have one as well, show me and maybe I'll recommend you to the boss"

"I-I don't have anything like that, sir..."

"Hehe, maybe I'll get it out for you"

Time slows down and I hear a BANG and the bullet coming for me.

What the fuck is he talking about?

Do I have some kinda monster inside of me like him?

There's no fucking way but I hope I have so I don't die from this crazy guy's shot.

"GAHH!"

I don't have one.

It hit me right on my left shoulder.

Fuck.

"What a disappointment, I was excited to see another one"

Fuck...

"Well let me explain what mine does.

You see, he gets stronger as my target gets more scared and desperate.

And his main ability is controlling my target when they hit a certain level of fear hahaha!"

My hands started moving alone and I gave all the money to him.

"Hahaha! So you're really scared, aren't you? This was so easy"

Fuck fuck fuck...

Mrs. Jackson is going to be so disappointed.

"Hey!"

"Huh?"

I looked to my right and saw him.

That ghost from last month.

Is he the guy who killed him?

This is getting more and more scary.

And stupid.

I wish I was sleeping right now.

"There are more people like you?"

"Heh, so you have one as well?"

"Answer my question"

"Hahahaha! Show me, show me! Maybe yours is interesting!"

He points the gun at the ghost and shoots.

A wooden puppet comes out of him and quickly grabs the bullet mid-air.

Am I hallucinating?

What the fuck is going on here.

"Hou? What does it do?"

"It kills pieces of shit like you"

The puppet threw the bullet back at the man and hit him right between his eyebrows.

"Gah!"

That was kinda cool.

He grabbed the gun from the now-dead man and threw it far away.

"Are you ok?"

"Huh?"

"You're losing a lot of blood, I'm going to call for an ambulance"

"Wait! I don't have money for that, I can get treated here, just help me get some... some..."

I'm losing consciousness...

"It's ok, I'll pay it"

"You don't have to..."

I depend on everyone to keep living.

I'm not independent even now.

"Tell Mrs. Jackson that I'm sorry"

"You're going to tell her yourself"

The wooden puppet came closer to me.

"What are you doing?"

"Helping you"

I felt what seemed like a quick punch from a little kid.

But before I passed out, I heard him saying:

"So it's true, Stand users attract other Stand users..."

"Wha-"

Then everything cut to black.