Chapter 69: Work

The extra powers did a good job patching up my insides. I woke the next morning to aches and pains, but none were life-threatening. I wadded up the bloodied blankets and threw them in the hamper. I'd get to that later. The room was neat and clean. I was able to part with a lot of the things Kira held on to. I just didn't need those things anymore. I wasn't trying to fill a hole in my life like she had. I finally felt like my whole self. I did feel lonely. I missed Remi and Angie, but I knew that, so I didn't hold on to unnecessary items from the past.
I showered the dried blood off. When I stepped out of the shower, I wiped the mirror down with a towel. My freckled face looked back through grey eyes. They were officially blue, but it was like all the color had leaked from them, leaving only the grey. My dark blonde hair looked ashy brown from the shower. I combed long, straight locks out with a brush. I braided it back and headed out with no makeup on. I dressed in my store smock with a black long-sleeved shirt underneath the pale yellow to cover up the swirled lines on my arms, then wore a pair of black dress pants.
The hornet started up with only a little protest. I slammed a bit of power into it with my fist on the dashboard. Even with that bit of jump start, it still only coughed to life. The five-minute drive lengthened to fifteen with the traffic. Lunchtime was, apparently, the worst time to drive. As I stood waiting for the red light to turn, the people on the street passed me. They were unusually tall and unusually short creatures mixed into the regular human crowd. Some had red eyes, some purple. There were all shades of different colored skin include greens and blues. Every one of the stranger creatures dressed in something normal, like jeans, or a trench coat, to hide themselves. I figured that made it easier for the Veil to rewrite the human's memories.
I pulled up to Grocer Outlet. The sign still wasn't fixed. It had lost even more of its lights, so only the "O" was lit. I shook my head. The store always had people in it. It should be making enough money to fix a sign. And even then, with a fixed sign, more people might decide to stop by instead of thinking it was just a rundown grocery store. I mean it was, but they may not think that while driving by in the car on the street. At least let them get a foot in the door before they decide to run away screaming.
The engine on the hornet stalled out as I made the turn into the parking lot. I coasted into a spot before I put the e-break on. I grabbed my new-ish shoulder bag. It was black leather, a good mix between Kira and Lanie. I pulled it over my shoulder then headed in.
The manager met me at my locker. I could feel him breathing down my neck before I turned around. He felt like something creepy. Angie was right. He did have a weird black aura about him.
"Kira, how have you been?" Mr. Kline asked.
"Fine."
"I am hosting an employee party at my house tomorrow. Everyone should come." He smiled beneath his bushy beard.
"I have plans," I said as I closed the locker door. I didn't like being forced into work outings.
"Everyone will be there," he said.
I was reading this as, "you'd better come."
"Then, who will run the store?" I asked.
"It's a holiday, Veteran's Day. We're closed."
I couldn't swear in the store, so I swore in my head. "Fine." I didn't even bother putting on the fake smile Kira used to walk around with. I didn't care about this job. I didn't need it. I could easily find something else. I just hadn't had the time yet.
I pushed past him into the main store.
"You've changed," he called after me.
I kept walking. I didn't have time or energy to waste on that creep. The time of being the nice quiet Kira had passed. Fuck that guy.
I took my place as the check stand counter. The relief mat under my feet was flat and worn, no longer adding any relief that I would desperately require in a few hours. I really needed to figure out what to do with my life. Kira was too smart, and Lanie was too driven to just be wasting our lives away at this dead-end job. Hell, even the library would be better, but they rejected my applications. I, apparently, needed a degree in library skills to work there. Who knew you needed a degree to search for stuff? No wonder I couldn't find matching socks.
Many people and creatures passed. After seeing them for months, I barely noticed. I just treated them all the same. They were like faceless entities now, just going about their daily lives. I wasn't even a spec on their radar. All I had to do was spout the mindless, "Good afternoon, did you find everything okay?" over and over. Otherwise, my mind was free to roam over my next move.
I overheard many conversations that day. Six people had won the state lottery from this town, three people had won new cars in a sweepstake, and ten people had won money from a national radio station. It seemed Karma had been working hard to get my attention. At the end of my shift, Mr. Kline followed me into the breakroom.
"I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night at my party," he said.
I struggled against the Kira part of me. I wanted to put on a fake smile, nod, and then run away as fast as I could. The Lanie part of me wanted to deck him in the face. I fought between the two and ended up ignoring him. He followed me out to the parking lot.
"So, you will be there, right?" He asked.
I stopped abruptly. My fingers clenched. Why couldn't this guy just get the idea that I didn't want to go to his stupid party?
"Kira?"
I spun around to face him. I plastered on a smile. "Fine," I said through gritted teeth.
I turned back to my car then jumped inside. I closed the door as he approached. My fingers wrapped around the key.
"God, in Juno's name, please start." I twisted the key. The car rumbled to life. I jerked the car into reverse and slammed the accelerator. I ran away from that creep as fast as I could. He stood in the parking lot, watching me go. I think he was even waving, but I didn't dare look back.