A low, mournful call rose like mist among graves. It shattered the droll of crackling 80’s tunes, split the depths of Walgreens’ seasonal aisle like a broken heart. Everything in me warned…Don’t turn around. I turned anyway. And slumped against a rack of Kit-Kats we’ve had since July was…
Kevin.
“Whyyyyyyyyy ” Kevin whined around a mouthful of taffy. “Whyyyyyyyy did you convince me to work on Halloween, Josh? How could you?!”
I stifled a sigh. “For the hundredth time, you convinced me to take Ryan’s shift so you wouldn’t have to work Halloween alone, Kevin.”
For a moment, Kevin stalled his chewing, deep in thought. “Oh yeah. But still! I bet CVS wouldn’t make their employees work on Halloween!”
“And would you really rather work there with Randy Dodsen?” I tossed back.
Kevin shuddered. “Fair enough. But shouldn’t Halloween be more exciting than stacking candy? Where are the shivers up your spine? The only shivers I get here, Josh, are from the crazy AC! Aren’t you even a little cold?”
I love Kevin, but most of his tirade passed straight through my ears–except for the last part. I paused. Glanced my arms. Somehow, they’d found a fresh coat of snowy goosebumps.
“Okay, probably just the AC acting up again…”
“Or maybe it’s something else! You know what they say about this store…”
And that’s when the lights cut out.
A shriek rose from where Kevin used to be, and then he was gripping my arm, pulling us through the darkness and to the manager’s office with a speed I never knew Kevin had. “Haunted! What did I tell you?!” He kicked the chipped door for emphasis as we tumbled up the stairs.
“It’s an old store Kevin—faulty lights! See? The security cameras are still…”
But my words were dew dying in daylight. In the cramped nook of Roxane’s office, the constant Walgreens feed cast a sickly, blue glow. Empty isles, deserted parking lot…and one cloaked figure drifting to register two like a living shadow
to ring the bell.
One smoking, skeletal finger peeking from tattered sleeves.
One crystal chime…
One lost heartbeat, rattling down my ribs like dropped change. And Kevin flailed, and the lights came back on, and laughter filled the room as suddenly, from the darkest corner of Walgreens storage space rose…
Randy Dodsen.
Kevin shrieked again.
“What the heck, man?!” I demanded, trying to sound like an official sales associate—and failing miserably.
“You should have seen the look on your faces!” Randy crowed. “Just figured I’d come pay ya’ both a visit. Who knew all it took was some cold air and flashing lights to scare you guys!”
In any other moment, Randy’s smug smile would have sent my blood boiling. But somehow, all I could do was laugh.
“I’ll give it to you, Randy. Just this once. Who’s the guy in the cloak? Jeff Thompson?”
Randy’s smile faltered. “What guy?”
The ring came again.
And the lights flickered away.