It Haunts the Mind: and Other Stories by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: author, dark, fiction, fantasy, horror, literary, paranormal, writer, occult, lovecraftian, cosmic
Publisher: Crystal Lake Publishing
Published: 2023-06-16T04:00:00+00:00

Three more nights on the river, and it was Saturday. Gene looked beyond the rear of the pawn shop at the bank across the street; specifically, the digital sign in the parking lot. The time was 7:59 PM. Gene stared at the back entrance with a focus he hadn’t had in years.

It had been three days since his last sip of alcohol. Today was the first morning of his homelessness that he didn’t experience the shakes. He had spent what would’ve been his morning beer money on a pack of bubble gum. He was currently chomping three pieces with all the subtlety of a cow chewing a piece of cud.

The back door of the pawn shop swung open and clanged against the brick to which it was attached. A kid in his early twenties stepped out with a small garbage bag. Gene hopped to attention as he watched the kid chuck the bag into the dumpster and turn around to head back into the shop.

Gene darted across the alley to catch the door before it shut. The kid disappeared back into the shop. The door was slowly closing. Gene nearly lost his footing in loose gravel and ruined the plan before it started but kept his balance. The door was two inches from shutting when he pulled the wad of gum from his mouth, extended his arm, and pressed it in the door latch. The door came to a squishy stop but was not locked.

Perfect, Gene thought as he quickly turned around to head back to the bushes. Phase 1 of the plan is done.

It had gotten darker and quieter in the last two hours. The bank sign now displayed 9:59 PM.

Gene watched two pairs of bright headlights pull into the front of the pawn shop: one, a black BMW; the other, a white Altima. He listened as doors opened and shut, and indistinguishable words were spoken in the darkness. The quiet greetings stopped, and Gene saw that they were now in the shop.

Go time, he thought as he once again scampered out of the bushes. He ran up to the old black sports car parked near the dumpster. This was to be his dummy police car that Kurt had supplied. It was no doubt a vehicle that was pawned at one of Kurt’s shops and never picked up.

It’s definitely going to get some usage tonight.

Gene went to the gas tank to retrieve the car keys. He popped open the metal door, but the only thing inside was a gas cap. He grabbed the handle and tried to open the car.

Locked.

He looked inside the window and saw that the prop lights weren’t even in there. The entire plan hinged on this ruse. His heart started beating faster.

“Stay calm, motherfucker,” a muffled voice instructed from behind him.

Startled, he whirled around to see someone wearing a black mask pointing an AK-47 machine gun at his face.

Gene felt his bowels loosen.

“Keep quiet or you’re dead,” the gunman whispered.

Gene, wide-eyed, nodded his head.

“We’re going to walk in that door you gummed up,” he instructed.

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