I'm Not a Hero Anymore

Chapter 1 Life... Encounter. Cont. 7

"Lets see…"

He had his left hand across his chest holding on to his right elbow and the right hand to his chin.

"… Like you I suppose. Your dad wasn't a chick magnet—and still isn't. But unlike you he was never a wuss. He was a man! He's risked everything to see whatever a girl 'offers'. Considering how he was back in school, he hasn't changed one bit."

"I see… He's still as he was."

"Well, except for the fact he's only extremely perverted towards your mother, now."

"Don't forget Orino…" I whisper to myself.

"What was that?"

He couldn't have possibly heard that, could he?

"Nothing, I was just wondering. Why was acts that way…?"

"Well, cos he's a man!"

He said with a vigorous smile…

"It's still a shock how he got to bag a hot chick like your mother."

"You and everyone else." I return to my work.

…

A couple of hours later the Eye Candy was about closing. I'm working on the last thing, mopping the place after I swept it again.

...ki-kling...

Kofu opens the door and the last customers exits the shop then turns the sign to 'close' before closing the door. Then he turns to me.

"Let's head to the back. We can't have you wait any longer since it's already dark."

Finally, going into the back! Exciting! I quickly finish up with the cleaning and park the cart back into the store, hang the apron and returned to the shopping area.

I follow Kofu in, parting the curtain to the side. The interior hasn't changed over the years. My eyes meet the rows of DVDs and Blu-rays of you-know-what and other videos with different types of genres rated 18+.

"Take your pick…"

So many to choose from… I've got a fraction of them down but there are a whole new batch. I don't know which to take. It's not as if I can take the whole shelf. I wish I could though!

"Any suggestions?"

I asked Kofu. Since he is the owner and manager of this place, besides being the second ranked pervert I know. He'd probably have a favourite among this pile. Hopefully he'd suggest one he'd think is good.

"Not really." So much for getting my hopes up. "Lately the new releases are all great so anyone you take should be great."

Is it? That's awesome, so anyone should be great. Now that makes the pick even harder… Guess I'll just take any, like he said. I could just return for a new set later when I'm done with these ones.

After glancing through a few minutes I see three which catch my eye. They'll do till I return for a new batch. But I sure hope they won't be a waste of time.

"I guess I'll take these three."

I pick them off the shelf.

"Great… Okay let's do this since you help me out today I'll give you a discount for the rental, pay up on return… and here…"

He hands me a small envelope whiles handing me my bag as well.

"… As thanks… It isn't much but it's for a good work done."

"Thanks but I'm glad to help either way the perks are better than getting money if you know what I mean!"

I said with a glint in my eyes—how do I know? Because I can totally feel it—and he in return cracks a cocky smile giving me a thumbs up.

"You're right on the money."

I place the envelope and the DVDs in my bag.

"You should get a move on now before it gets any late."

"Right! Goodbye then. See you in couple of days."

I bid goodbye and dash out of the room.

"Sure… I'll be waiting for your answer, as well."

I catch him wave at me as the curtain closes and I head out the shop hearing the doorbell rings one last time.

The night sky looks beautiful. The cityscape and it's lights doesn't affect it much and it's just astounding.

It's only a few past 8PM and for some reason the streets barely have anyone on them. It's not as if a curfew is in effect. So why is it deserted? It's not that late and it's not like I'm somewhere which doesn't have people even at this time. Oh right, the new reports! People are just getting paranoid… well, it not their fault, wouldn't anyone be if they wanted to stay alive.

Speaking of which, if I also want to stay alive I'd also have to hurry up. That's me being sarcastic.

Seriously though, It's not as if I don't believe in what they said in the news but I don't want to take any chances. If it was a psychopath I doubt I'd survive. I'm pretty weak to boot, the wild animal is less of a survival chance since I don't have much speed to outrun it. The worst case scenario is the monster they believe to be the culprit, though I highly doubt it.

Which makes me think why the hell did I stay over at Kofu that long? I thought people would still be out so it would have been safe. But the solitude so far has an eeriness to it. It feels like every alley, every dark space is looking at me… feels like I'm being watch. I feel a chill running up my spin and goosebumps over my skin. Why am I feeling this dread?

I constantly, cautiously and conspicuously look around to me to make sure I'm not been followed and also take note of my environment as I walk.

It's only been about five minutes since I left the Eye Candy but it seems like an eternity had already passed. I'm sweating buckets. So hot right now that any more my dress would be as if I got drenched in a river.

I pick up the pace… When I came here after school I cut corner through the alleys so I could reach here faster. I think I should do the same to get home faster. I know this is pretty much a gray area for a horrorflix, it happens like so in movies. A lone person walking through an alley and that's where they see something they shouldn't have or meet a psycho which puts them in a serious predicament. They end up being the center of the movie as their lives are turned upside down or pretty much end up dead even before the movie finally kicks off. But that only happens in the movies… right?

All I got to do is just muster all the courage I can and move through, this dark, s-s-scary alley…

[Come on get a grip on yourself. It's just a dark scary place—where crazy things happen—no biggie.]

If I was sweating buckets before now it's like a storm. Going in the is a bad Idea I know that but taking the long way would take close to 45 minutes and I don't see any bus.. And I don't want to stay on the street any longer.

[Come on suck it up…]

I suck in the fear close my eyes and dash into the dark trench of an alley and without stopping, run like hell.

10 minutes later I was already in my neighborhood.

~~Whew~~

I was so scared to death that I thought I'd piss my pants. My day was already not good and now returning home late and with the whole murder mysteries… I don't know how much stress a person can take!

I don't find it hard to believe the truth about what's happening. Thing is the 8 bodies where found pretty close to my neighborhood. So even if I had been able to get through the alleys to get here the tension is still here and my house is still about 20 minutes away, 10-15 if I run or jog.

So as you probably guessed I'm jogging on my neighborhood streets. It's quiet and empty with only the streetlights and exterior house light to keep me company. I can hear a few cars in the distance but the sounds closets to me are that of the chirping crickets.

This clearly reminds me of a movie I watched where the character was walking alone and they heard a clutter in alley which the lights didn't get to between two houses… As I was jogging clearly lost in thoughts yet still on keeping a keen eye on my surrender that's when I hear it…

[Don't think about it. It's as if you want it to happen to you.]

—CLUTTER—

What was that? I had just passed by an alley by a couple of steps when I heard it. The clutter I hear was some sort of a can kicked, not with force though. It says that the curiosity of a person lands them in through.

As much as I was drowning in fear, my curiosity got the best of me and I stopped and slowly returned. Sure this would be a good ringer for the horror trope where you get jumped.

[It's as if I'm just blindly following the trope.]