PROLOGUE ▷ START
The sun peers up over the horizon. As the light ascends the skyline, the vast stretch woodlands in one direction and city buildings on the other come apart from their gloomy backdrop. These touches of the light bring increasing definition to the path laid before you, twinkling on the hoods of cars left abandoned on the roadside. You duck down out of view beside one.
As darkness fell the night before, you had emerged from a long widing country backroad to find a corner store perched at a desolate intersection. It carries some promise, you suppose. It is something at the very least. You only had time to survey the exterior. Darkness was closing in and the last thing you'd want is to be trapped, unable to see your hands in front of your face with something or someone that can sense you better than you can sense it. Instead, you'd retired to your hiding spot and spent another restless night assigning a scenario to each bump in the night, decrying every single one the moment it crossed your mind and feverishly attempted to distract yourself with what could be gained by waiting patiently till the first light of dawn.
If the odds are in your favour, you may find the goods you're looking for if you look carefully. You suspect that while it is very likely long picked clean, you might just find even one overlooked necesity untouched in the shadows. Then, you can mark this day down as a glowing success.
You straighten up and glance over your shoulder. You see movement.
Theres a man staring back at you in the car window.
You steel yourself, your hand goes for your weapon but,-
It's just you. It's your reflection. Once you dislodge your heart from your throat, you feel the urge to laugh it off, but thankfully you remember that it's best held in. Remain silent. Even if you think you're alone, you know better than to trust that you are.
You are regardless, a welcome sight. You find some comfort in meeting your own eyes, of seeing yourself…just as long as you ignore the way your hair has taken a likeness to a bird's nest and the frantic energy that never seems to leave your eyes.
You rarely see yourself these days; even now you can barely make yourself out in the low light and murky surface. Yet, when confronted with such an expectant expression, you've just got to tell him what he wants to hear. You'll think it to yourself, at least.
"You're doing great out here today, Cheap. You're on schedule, you're sticking to to the plan... just keep it up and this will all turn out fine!"
Self-assured, you release a deep breath and keep your chin up, your head on the swivel and wind between the shadows that remain, drawing close enough to survey your destination and make your next move.
Beyond the shattered and cracked front panes, the darkness of the convenience store is opressive. The light of dawn has only brushed the exterior, but you need only wait for more to be revealed as the inkyness recedes. You listen for footsteps, shuffling feet, skittering, laboured breathing, and all manner of things you'd rather not hear... But all you can make out are the fluttering of flyers on the lamp posts and the sign up front creaking as the wind catches on it. The coast is clear.
You made your choice the night before. You have a distinct plan of entry. Though you may not know what awaits beyond those walls, you have what you deem to be reasonable expectations for what you may find…and what you won't.
You enter the abandoned convenience store through the...
Front entrance
Back door