Chapter 10 4: PART ONE

[4] : PART ONE

"All three of our friends want a pack of mint gums," Jimmy read through the list each of them wrote on at his house before, "Dry snacks, breads, and condoms."

"Condoms?" Nate snatched the paper away from Jimmy hand, "Who wrote it?"

He snickered, massaging his eyes with his index finger and thumb, "Definitely your brother."

"There's no doubt about it," Nate shook his head, looking mildly embarrassed by his brother's antics despite experiencing them daily already.

They entered a dimmed convenience store near their neighborhood, a ten minutes walk to get there. Jimmy held the door open, wiping his hand on his shirt at the smell of metal around his hand.

He looked at Nate, who held the door handle carefully, as it was rusty and damaged. He walked around first, finding his head feeling like it was hit by a hammer, leaving him a bloodied mess because of the mixed smells between dust, metal, and foods inside.

"Smells pretty bad here," Jimmy exclaimed when Nate strutted beside him, smelling his own hand, "Wonder why they don't clean it."

Nate turned his head, he frowned, "Guess they still sell those cool metals and things behind the staff doors. Things get this business going than the actual packed snacks and beers."

"It's no wonder the business here is bad," Jimmy mumbled, covering his nose in disgust, "Bad lightning, bad odor and ventilation. Overall, this shop looks shady. I'd avoid it if it wasn't for the limited amount of money we have."

He dragged his shoe down the clean part of the floors, cleaning it from a disgusting wet material he accidentally stepped as he walked.

"Don't exaggerate. This store is pretty good, Jim," Nate gave a pat to his back two times, continuing his way, looking at the list on his hand, "Potato chips, chocolate bars, huh, all are reasonable except for the condoms."

"That's your brother for you," Jimmy lowly whistled, raising one of his eyebrows, "Gotta keep the orgy going on between us. All hot and those nasty stuffs."

"Can't hear you, buddy," Nate politely nodded at a stranger who passed by them, he stood in front of the drink sections , "What do you think we should buy?"

"Something cheap," Jimmy answered, "We got plenty of money, but it has to stay for another day. Can't spend it recklessly."

"How about water then?" Nate rolled his eyes, pushing his shoulder when he got too close, "Move over, I can't see."

"There are bottles of water on my table and under my bed," Jimmy muttered, he squinted at the brands in front of him and picked a blueberry flavored yoghurt, "No need to buy anything if you want water."

"Put that back," Nate commanded, he pushed Jimmy's hand near the shelf where he picked it up, "It'd make you sick, your mama would worry lots."

"Fine," Jimmy put it back, "We should buy Jerome a drink. He couldn't drink water too much."

"A box of orange juice, then?" Nate questioned, "Or milk?"

"Orange juice, have that in our refrigerator."

"No need to buy drinks then. We're just wasting time here."

Jimmy walked near the aisle of bathroom cleaning tools, circling it when he saw products and brands he usually used there. He opened his own wallet, finding enough to buy floor cleaner and sanitiser.

He lost his balance the moment he felt a crushing sensation on his chest. He squeezed his chest using his left hand fingers, balancing his body with his right hand. His surrounding became blurry, a dark shadow passed his vision, momentarily blinding him. He closed his eyes, trying to breathe normally again. When he wasn't able to, he coughed out the lump in his throat.

Two headless dead rats skewed over a sweeper on the section near where he was. He saw red and smell putrid by the time he knelt down on the floor, feeling dizziness mixed with hit akin to being hammered.

Jimmy blinked rapidly, the rats weren't going anywhere soon. They were almost identical to what he saw at the bathroom, except there was no head this time. Only lump of meat and leftover of dark grey fur.

He stood up, feeling disgusted at the fresh meat of dead rats. He rubbed his eyes, knowing he was being played with. He coughed the lump inside him once again, turning his attention away.

He sighed, hands were clammy with sweat. He bought a medium sized floor cleaner and a small blue sanitizer along in his hold. He then walked away to search for Nate.

He found his friend crouched down on the dry snack section, seemingly deep in thought.

"You found something?" He asked, joining Nate.

"Yeah, found everything," Nate said without looking up, "I probably would buy these sexy-ass chocolate bars, though. Seems groomed enough, heard this on those hyperbolic advertisements. Not very promising, but the milk seems good."

"Buy it then," He said, Jimmy couldn't care less.

"Yeah, will do," Nate put a few under his armpit, "Would you mind putting this into the cart?"

"Not really," He forcefully removed the chocolate bars from Nate's armpit, closing his mouth, "Disgusting, Nate. Don't put it under your sweaty armpit."

His friend shrugged, "What's the problem? I'm gonna buy it anyway."

"Vile."

On their way out, Jimmy almost fell due to the dizziness and pain inside his chest. Nate kept looking at him as they walked.

"Got something to say?" He accidentally dropped three bags of dry snacks out of the plastic bag he was holding, "Oh shit! Help me put that back in."

Nate leaned down, picking up the knocked down snacks while mumbling under his breath.

"Jim, are you okay?" Nate asked in concern.

"Good," He scratched his finger, "Kind of dizzy, though. Saw these dead rats at the back aisle, near the staffs doors. Smell putrid, disgusting and dirty. Heads were chopped off, fresh meats. Bright red drips of blood."

"Should we go back inside and tell the manager?" Nate pointed inside, his thumb quivering under the coldness temperature of the night. Jimmy glanced inside for a second, he then shook his head indicating they shouldn't.

"We should just go back," He handed one of the two bags to Nate, "They must've been waiting impatiently."

- END OF CHAPTER FOUR PART ONE -