It was no coincidence they put the 7-eleven right across from the motel, the only convenience store in the alley. The bulbs from the first E and the L were burned out. Whenever I took to my third shift duties as the front desk clerk handing out keys to those people who participated in the night life, I would stare blankly at the sign. “EVEN”. The 7 had become a blur to me.
Everything tends to happen for a reason, I folded my arms and rested them next to the toothpick dispenser that my manager insisted be placed on the counter. I wasn’t sure why, these people didn’t care what particles were embedded in their teeth. I rested my head on my hands, pressing my glasses up towards my forehead. The broken metal frame pinched my skin.
“EVEN.” I thought out loud. “EVEN if I had a more promising job, I wouldn’t be better off. EVEN if I moved away, part of me would still be here. EVEN….” I stopped mid-sentence as the front door swung open. A man entered, his coal black hair and leather coat made me quickly straighten my stance. “Do you need a room?”
I realized there was a blank name tag attached to his attire. He worked at the 7-ELEVEN. He smiled, his mouth leading way to many enamel swords covered in decay. “EVEN if I did, it wouldn’t help your circumstances any. Haven’t you heard, people such as myself feed off other’s insecurities?”
I looked around for help but there was none. The EVEN was now a crimson EVIL flashing to the beat of his rapid chest movements. He snapped my neck to the side and before he depleted me physically, he whispered “Self-love keeps you from being sustenance for the sanctimonious.” I imagined this piece of advice was always heeded a bit too late.
Leesa Writes 