part 2?

so i'll talk turkey tomorrow. lol i have alot to tell you. but first.. here is the next installment of the story of alice.. and her lack of freakin book title. ;p

Alice walked down the back stairs and into the small storage room of the shop. “Report.” She said watching her young clerk practically jump out of his skin.

“Do you have to be as quiet as the dead when you move?”

“I like keeping you on your toes. At least you’ve stopped leaking all over my floor.” She allowed the wry grin spread across her face, ignoring the tug of her skin from the scar at her hairline.

“Shut up. You’re never going to let that go, are you?” He leaned against the counter and blushed with embarrassment.

“Of course not. It’s the only way you’ll learn to never show up to work, drunk, again. But I have more pressing things to speak to you about.” Alice said as she spread out across a lovely baby blue settee.

“Uh oh. I’ve been here over a year and a half. You can’t fire me now. I’m the only one who knows your inventory.”

She smiled genuinely. “Donnie, you’ve been a good kid staying here and working for me. I remember the day I caught you trying to steal from me. Instead of calling the cops, I took you in, fed you, cleaned you up and offered you this job. I did it because I know what it feels like to be out on the streets. But when I was there, it was a much uglier time.”

“Yeah, yeah. I”ve heard your speech before.”

“So that’s why I’m going to give you the store. Well, most of it that is. What do you think about being my partner? You run the store, you live in my flat upstairs, and be free. Be your own man.” She kew she would be crying if her tear ducts were still connected to the emotion receptors in her brain. But they weren’t. She sureenly watching her assistant’s face as he realized the offer that had been placed before him.

“Don’t screw with me, Alice.”

“I’m not. Its all you. You get half the profits, not just your pittance of a paycheck. You live in my home. You run my business. You report back to me with everything that happens and we make decisions together. And I get to run.”

“So you noticed?” Donnie stopped and turned away, facing the display window where the view showed only half of the strange man in black.

“What do you know about it!?” She Flew up from the settee fast as any wild animal.

Suddenly Donnie’s face was plastered to the wall as she pressed her switchblade into the side of his throat. He gurgled and whimpered as she twisted his arm in an unnatural direction. “What. Exactly. Do. You. Know?” He shivered as she whispered into his ear.

“Nothing. Nothing at all. I swear.” He choked the words out as a tear trickled down his cheek.

She backed up slowly, letting him go.

“Jesus.” He coughed and cleared his throat. “I knew something was different about you. I knew you had secrets but seriously Alice!”

“Tell me what you think you don’t know.” Alice leaned back against the counter, fingering the sharp edge of her blade.

“I already told you! Nothing! I just noticed that I’ve seen him hanging around South Street for days now and no one ever hangs around that long. Plus he’s totally creepy.”

She stood and stared at his posture, face and finally into his eyes. “Yeah, I guess I can trust you.” She said. He fidgeted, but never showed any signs of being a liar. He was just a kid with an ugly past, caught in a world she knew would come back to haunt her one day.

“You going to tell me, then?”

“Sure. Tonight after you close up shop, come upstairs. I’ll make dinner. I guess its time I trust someone.” She started to walk upstairs but turned back. “Sorry about the scratch. Watch him out of the corner of your eye. Don’t make any eye contact with him and if he comes in, hit the silent alarm. I’ll come running for ya.” Her face went cold and he shivered as she stared at him. “And Donnie? If you ever double cross me, I’ll kill you. You’ll just disappear. Got it?” Donnie gulped in air as his heart pounded and he nodded his head in between shakes. Alice only hoped he’d sit down before he passed out.