Jen
I never liked coming to this Exxon gas station at night. The lights always flicker and the music cuts off every once and a while then turns back on. Unfortunately, it’s the only station that has Hostess Crunch Donettes for another 20 miles.
I walked across the parking lot to the Timewise convenience store and tried the door. "Huh?" The doors have never been locked before since James usually worked at this time at night. I leaned my head back, frustrated, I really need to use the bathroom. “Come on James! The one time I actually need you to be here."
Although James always greeted me with a wide smile and a creepy, intense stare, he’s really nice. My thoughts were interrupted when I saw a large, black figure dart behind me in the reflection of the store's window. Quickly turning around, I didn’t see anything, so I assumed that it might have been a coyote or some other animal. Feeling a little more relieved, I hurried back to my car and as I took the pump out, I sensed an unsettling presence behind me. Like someone was there. I peeked at the car window out of the side of my eye and saw a tall man towering over me. I whipped my head around but he was gone. Shaking my head out of disbelief, I jumped into the driver’s seat. “It’s okay, Jen, you're fine. You're exhausted, hallucinating." Talking to myself didn’t work as well as I thought it would. I grabbed my phone from the cup holder and called Michael. As the phone rang and I started the engine, headlights illuminated my car from behind, a man stepped out, strutted over to my window, smiled, and waved. It’s James. I roll down the window, "Hey James!"
“Hey Jennifer,” His dark eyes looked behind me as if he was searching my car and then fell back on me, “sorry I’m late, forgot my keys to the store. Didn’t even realize until I was half way here so I had to turn back. You okay?”
“Yeah yeah yeah, just a little startled. Do you mind letting me in? I gotta use the bathroom.” I removed the phone from my ear, “ugh, why won't he pick up?” The phone beeped and I left a voicemail. “I’ll be there soon, just filling up the car and grabbing those donuts you like so much.”
“Who was that?”
“Michael.” I responded with a sigh. “He just finished his shift at Home Depot.”
“Oh.” His face shifted, it was barely even noticeable, like he was irritated. He stepped back so I could open the door and get out of the car. He resembled the figure I’d seen earlier in the reflection of my car window, but it couldn’t be him. Right? He’d been on his way here. That’s what he said. Was that a cover up? Was he lying to me? I felt unsure, unsafe, like walking into the station with James was a bad idea. I’d been here with him alone dozens of times and nothing ever happened, I’m just paranoid from earlier.
“Jen. Jen. Jennifer.” James’ voice became clearer each time he repeated my name.
“What? Sorry. Zoned out.”
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I chuckled, a very frightened chuckle, “Somethin’ like that.” I gave him a weary smile as I walked through the door and moved past him to the back of the building. I tried Michael again, but he didn’t answer. I left another message, “Michael, call me.” I looked to the left and James was staring at me, bothered. I think he’s always had something against Michael but I’m not sure.
I slipped my phone into my back pocket and stepped into the bathroom. Outside wasn’t the only place where the lights flickered. Dead bugs lined the corners of the room, the toilet was turning green and black (probably hasn’t been cleaned before), and the mirror was shattered in several places. Where all of the cracks met, there were spots of dried up blood. “I’ll just wait ‘till I get home.” That’s when I heard the faint sound of something jingling on the other side of the door. I turned to open it but it wouldn’t budge. I even pulled with my foot on the wall, the extra momentum didn’t help. I banged my palm on the door, “James! Are you out there? The door won’t open… Did you just lock it? James?” I hit the door harder. I hate these types of doors. They open inward instead of out. “JAMES!” I was getting impatient and anxious and worried. I paced around the bathroom, hands on my head, and grabbing my hair. “JAMES!” My hand met the door again, from palm to full on fist. I kept hitting harder until my hand hurt and the side of my knuckle started to bleed. “Okay, Jen, he might just be outside, smoking, for sure. Yeah,” I paused, reassuring myself didn’t help. Again. “Yeah these doors are old, ancient, Jen, ancient. He couldn’t have locked me in here. He wouldn’t do that.” As I raised my other hand to continue my cry for help, James opened the door. “Thank God.” My hand on my chest. “Where were you? Did you lock the door? I screamed and yelled and banged on the door.” I paused. There was blood dripping from his fingers and a bloodied knife in the other hand. He looked at his hands too.
“Drop the knife James.” I said, trying my hardest to hide the fear in my voice.
“Don’t you want to know what I did?” He was eager, he really wanted to tell me. I had to keep him calm, “It’s okay James, just drop the knife.”
“I freed you.” He held out his bloody hand towards me, like I was supposed to hold it.
“What do you mean ‘freed me’?” Now I was the eager one, curious to find out what he was talking about.
“Jennifer Green, I killed Michael for you, for us, so we could finally be together.” He smiled so wide, the happiness illuminated his face, but that just made me feel even more sick. I dropped to the floor, I didn’t even care that it was dirty. I couldn’t even say anything. It felt like I couldn’t breathe. I stared back up at him, got up, and snatched the knife out of his hand. Next thing I knew, James was lying on the floor in a puddle of his own blood with a knife in his chest.
Who’s the killer now Jen?
The phone rang…
It was Michael.
