The heebie-jeebies

The bells on the front door jingled as I entered the seemingly empty store.  An oldie rock radio station was crackling over the intercom.  I couldn’t help but think to myself that this could be the perfect setting for a horror movie scene.  You know, the one where the unsuspecting young woman all by herself gets attacked by some axe wielding psychopath?  I did a double check over my shoulder just to be safe. I wonder what would happen if someone actually did try to attack me. 

Ever since I watched Miss Congeniality as a kid I remembered to “S.I.N.G”.  Solar-plexus, instep, nose, groin.  Although I have a feeling that I would end up dead from hesitating too long.  I have never had the opportunity to defend myself but sometimes at night I dream this dream where I am faced with two options, find my inner beast and fight for my life, or give up and surrender to the unknown death.  It could be some deep psychological battle with psyche.  Maybe the beast represents my fear of being alone?  Either way, I wake up before knowing whether I became beast or eternally banished.How anticlimactic I think to myself while rolling my eyes.

“Anything I can help you with, Ma’am?” A wrinkled old man asked from the next aisle over.

“Shit!” I shrieked as I jumped out of my own skin.  “Sorry – I didn’t see you there. Uh, no I am okay thank you.  Just stocking up one some food and camping supplies for a weekend away” I replied while subtly double checking his hands were axe-free.

“Which way are yaheadin’?  Got good tires on that unit?”  The man asked while gesturing to my new 2015 Jeep Cherokee.  A sense of pride swelled within my chest at this opportunity to talk about my most recent achievement.

“Oh yes sir, she’s great on these roads.  I have my winter tires on and she’s got 4x4” I replied while trying to act like a seasoned back woods driver.  Damn I should have thrown on my plaid button down jacket I thought while looking down at my navy blue Banana Republic Pea Coat.  He can probably smell the city from a mile away.

“You must be from the city, huh?” Busted.

“How could you tell?”  I jokingly ask while gesturing to my outfit.

“We don’t get a whole ‘lotta new folk in these parts of the woods in the winter.  Not many people brave enough to head on out there.  Or dumb enough” He wheezes out a dry laugh.

“Oh I am just out for the weekend staying in a friend’s trailer; I am meeting a large group out there.  I will be plenty safe” I say with my most convincing smile.

“Suit yourself miss!  You’re definitely gonna want one of these” He limped over to the shelf along the back wall to retrieve a package of some sort.  As he hobbled his way back to me I saw that it was a safety kit.  Fully equipped with all the bells and whistles.  Literally there were bear bells and whistles in it.  “Oh and you will definitely not want to take any chances” He said with a serious tone as he handed me a large hunting knife tucked into a leather case.

“Nope, of course not” I said growing more and more uneasy.  There was something in his eyes. Like a secret that was begging to come out.  Must be this creepy little town giving me the heebie-jeebies. I reasoned with myself briefly then decided to wrap up my shopping and get back out on the road.

Dark approached rapidly as I set out on our final leg of the journey.  I quickly pushed aside my hesitation of arriving at dark when I remembered why I was going in the first place.....

To be continued next week!!

xx

MM