I Work at a Half Priced Voodoo Shop - Chap 5

You know the more I work here at Ol’ King Creole’s Half Priced Voodoo Shop, the more I start to question how the hell I never noticed it before. Now I’m ready to admit I’m no Einstein when it comes to this town. Sure I’ve lived here my whole life, but even then I’m still discovering new places. I didn’t even know we had a Denny’s near us until last week! But the fact that so many of our customers are High School kids makes me wonder how come I never heard of this place before. Then I look back at my track record of socializing in school and remember, oh yeah. That’s why I never learned of this place.

I think the reason I have to clean up so many messes here is that a majority of our customers are indeed stupid High School kids. They barge in here thinking they got a way around King Creole’s game. And every single time I’m the poor idiot that has to clean up their stupid mess. It’s to the point where anytime I see a teenager come into the shop, I instinctively reach behind the counter for some rubber gloves. Because I know I’ll have to wipe what’s left of them off the floor and walls.

I think the worst case of this was when a group of four kids walked in. They were seniors and I’m pretty sure they were about to graduate. They came into the shop while I was busy actually getting to stock something for once! We had just had someone come in and buy a decent amount of voodoo dolls, so I was finally allowed to stock them! Using my old stool, I managed to just put them all in place, when the bell rang and this group of kids came in.

It was three girls and a guy, who had his arm around the blonde girl. A couple I assumed. The other two girls seemed to have just tagged along for this ill-fated journey to my place of employment. The guy looked over to me and shot me that head movement all us guys make to each other. You know the one.

“Hey, guys.” I said, getting off my stool and heading to the counter. Sitting on my rocking chair and making sure all my cleaning supplies were in view. “What can I do ya for?” I asked, realizing I was picking up on some of Creole’s fancy southern talk.

“We heard there were wishes here. And since we’re about to graduate we figure why not try them out.” The guy said letting his girlfriend go and going over to the shelf of voodoo dolls. Getting in real close and looking at them all. The girls meanwhile didn’t wander too far from him, since they no doubt were afraid of all the cobwebs around. Fair enough.

“Yup. Do all of you want one?” I asked, dreading the answer I expected. The guy and his girlfriend nodded while only one of the other girls, a black-haired girl in a blouse responded as well with a nod. The last girl in her hoodie though just shook her head. Figured she just got dragged here.

“Travis! My dear boy, seems you’ve brought in quite the bit of customers!” Creole hummed. Walking over to me from seemingly nowhere, he does that a lot and smiling at the group of students. All of whom instantly backed up a couple of feet in shock at my boss’s appearance.

“Wow. Freaky costume man.” The guy said chuckling. Trying to keep up a brave face in front of his girl. But I could tell he was seconds from pissing himself. All the girls had the same expression.

“What can I do ya for, Jacob?” The boss man asked, looking at me. I was wondering why, until I realized my rocking chair was taking up space he needed to get to the counter. So I just easily backed up a bit and let him do his thing. Pulling out my phone, which had a dead battery. Instead, I decided to watch the inevitable horror that was about to come my way.

“Man, you’re freaky as fuck.” Jacob chuckled nervously, clearing his throat and coming forward with as much moxy as he could muster. “Okay. I wish to get into my dream college. Full ride! So I don’t have to pay for anything.” He declared, confidently crossing his arms at King Creole. Had to hand it to him, that was a pretty airtight wish. I couldn’t think of really any way for Creole to mess with that wish. Well until his girlfriend spoke up.

“What the fuck, Jacob?!” The girlfriend shouted, coming over to Jacob and pounding him with her fists over and over again. “You’re trying to find a way to leave me aren’t you?!” She shouted, grabbing him and thrashing him around. She seemed the clingy type.

“No you crazy bitch! I’m trying to secure my future!” He shouted shoving her away and rolling his eyes as if this had been an ongoing issue. Me and Creole looked at each other and just shrugged. Wasn’t our business to give these two couples therapy.

Suddenly the girl pushed past her boyfriend and up to the counter, slamming her fists down on the dusty countertop and staring up with wild eyes to King Creole. “I wish that Jacob will never leave my side!” She shouted. Causing Jacob to come over and grab her, pulling her away from us.

“Well.” The King began, bringing a hand up and starting to rub his chin. “My momma taught me that ladies should go first.” He smiled, shrugging, and snapping his fingers. Causing Jacob to stop in his tracks as he stopped thrashing around with his girlfriend. He looked at her with a new look in his eyes and started to kiss her.

“Now that’s more like it.” She giggled, wrapping her arms around him and making out in the shop. I rolled my eyes at this. Yes, I am horribly single, leave me alone. Although what happened next kinda helps me feel better about being single. She suddenly shouted in pain, trying to shove him off of her. For good reason, since he had gotten a thread and needle and was starting to stick it into both of their skins.

“I need to be closer to you!” He shouted in a crazed tone. Starting to pick up speed as she screamed louder, trying to get away from him. Well, that went about as well as I expected it to go. He managed to pin her to the floor as he started to sew the two of them together. The two other girls were screaming and cowering together as they watched the scene.

“Since Jacob appears to be preoccupied,” Creole said with a chuckle, turning his attention to the two remaining girls. “Would you ladies like to try your luck?” He said with a smile, his fingers drumming on the counter as he waited.

The black-haired girl quickly looked at the hoodie girl and shoved her away, backing up from everything and looking back at the door. “I wish that I could live the rest of my life never seeing you again!” She shouted, backing up and getting to the door.

Creole shrugged and nodded to her. “If that’s what you wish for.” He said, looking back at her and motioning for her to shoo with his hands. The girl nodded and turned, opening the door and running out at full speeds. Shame she didn’t see that car that hit her seconds afterward. I flinched at just how sudden it happened. Like she was out of the shop and dead in a good ten seconds.

The last girl remaining was screaming her head off as she saw the girl hit by the car. And let’s just say that Jacob and his girlfriend were closer than they were ever going to be. He and she were sewn together nice and tight. And bleeding everywhere.

“P-please don’t kill me.” The girl mumbled, collapsing to the floor and shivering. Shaking her head and pulling her hoodie down. Revealing some nice long red hair. Looking over at her I did feel pretty bad. She seemed like the one who had been dragged here unwillingly by her friends.

“Is that a wish, darlin?” My boss asked, stepping away from the counter and over to the sewn up bodies wriggling on the floor. Looking over at her she answered with a fast shake of her head, “Then what’s your wish?” He asked, poking at the sewn together couple with his finger. Showing some amusement from it.

“I don’t want anything.” She mumbled, curling up into the fetal position. Shaking violently and looking at me like I was going to come in and save her. Well, I get paid by this man. So I can’t really offer much help.

“Shame. If that’s the case then please leave my shop. I don’t take kindly to loiterers.” He tsked, the front door swinging open. The girl looked up quickly and then to the two of us. Cautiously standing up and walking out of the shop. Making sure to keep on the sidewalk as she started running away.

“Want me to clean up, sir?” I asked Creole after an awkward silence. Looking over to me he smiled and chuckled.

“If you wouldn’t mind, son.” He answered. Looking at the sewn couple and then over to the basement door. I could tell from his face he was trying to figure out a way of getting them down there. I meanwhile was already getting the mop ready.

“Need help moving them?” I asked him, as I sat the bucket down and started filling it with bleach and soap. A decent enough way to hide the blood but if the cops ever shine that stuff that shows hidden blood splatters this place would look like a cheap motel room.

“Hm, I might.” He tsked, looking back over to the basement with a sneer. “Alright, help me move them to the door and leave them there. I’ll head down there and he can just roll them down it when I say it’s alright.” He nodded at me.

Not having much of a choice since I offered to help, I helped him pick them up and carry them close to the door. The girl gurgling something incoherent at me, since hers and Jacob’s mouths had been sewn together. I assume it was a plea for help. Once they were down at the foot of the door, Creole unlocked it and opened it. I peeked from behind his shoulder to see if I could get a look. But nothing but blackness stared back at me.

“Alright, looks like we can just kick them down there.” Creole hummed, placing his dress shoe on the wriggling mass and shoving it down the stairs. The wet smacking and rolling were heard for a good solid thirty seconds. We waited, the door still open. Then we heard rapid crawling coming towards us. Before I could see the mysterious basement creature, Creole slammed the door closed and locked it tight.

“Well,” I said after a decent amount of silence. “I’ll start cleaning,” I said, backing away from Creole and heading back to my mop and bucket. Starting to wipe away all the evidence of our latest crime. When I looked back at the basement, King Creole was still standing there. He was looking at the basement with his usual anger. Before wordlessly just walking back over to his office.

I let him go, continuing to do the part of the job I hated most. While I was busy mopping, contemplating if I really should’ve gone into college, the door opened up and I heard the familiar words of. “Hands in the air!”

I raised my hands up quickly, my mop hitting the floor and I turned to look at who was holding me up this time. Turned out, it was a cop. Fuck. My arms straightened up quicker when I saw it was a cop this time and not some idiot trying to rob us. Those thoughts of college were really starting to seem much more appealing.

“Turn around and step away from the mop and bucket.” He ordered me. I did as I was told, heading over to the back wall. The cop closed the distance and slammed me against the wall. Slapping some cuffs on me and throwing me to the ground. Putting his gun in my back. “Where’s your boss?” He asked me, grabbing my head up so I could answer him.

“O-office. Over there.” I motioned towards his office. With that, the officer let my head go, which slammed down into the wooden floor. Giving me a good size bruise on my forehead. I rolled over to see what was going to happen. This was the first time I ever had a run-in with the cops in this place.

“You! In there! Come out with your hands out!” The officer shouted, gun trained on the door and waiting for anyone to comply with that order. I meanwhile strained to try and see what was going to happen. When suddenly my arms went limp and I was suddenly free of my cuffs. Pulling my hands out I looked down to see the voodoo doll template holding the cuffs. Turns out that thing doesn’t hate me that much after all.

Opening the door, Creole stared at the gun in his face and then over to the officer. His stitched mouth in a smile as he looked at the man. “Rookie? Your sergeant should’ve told you that you’re not allowed in here.” He sighed, looking past him to look at me on the floor. “And assaulting my employee? Shame on you.” The voodoo man sighed, suddenly getting grabbed by the officer and tossed onto the floor quickly.

“Keep your mouth shut you fucker! What did you do with the body?” He shouted, putting his foot on Creole’s back. I felt afraid for the officer. Handling King Creole like that in his own shop would not end well. And end well it did not.

The second his foot was put on King Creole’s back, every single voodoo doll on the wall came to life. Staring at the officer and jumping off their place on the wall. Hissing and screeching at him as they all rushed towards him. The officer looked at the sound of the noise and let out a shout as he tried shooting them. He got two shots off before they swarmed him. The best way I can describe what they did to him, was piranhas eating a cow in the Amazon. They swarmed over him and ripped chunks of his flesh off his body.

“I never can stand, rude idiots.” Creole hissed, angrily standing up and dusting himself off. Walking over the rapidly disintegrating cop body and coming over to me. Offering me a hand and pulling me back up. “Sorry, you had to see that.” He sighed dusting me off. His attention then turned towards the squad car waiting outside. His button eyes staring at the car and he made his way over to the door. Stepping outside the shop for the first time since I started working here.

I looked over at what was left of the officer. A bloody uniform and nothing else. In the split second I wasn’t paying attention all the voodoo dolls had returned to the wall and now had some accessories with them. Some bones and skin pieces. My little template friend was back on the counter, still giving me the stink eye for probably not cleaning up. I was going to until a girl’s scream caught my attention.

Creole was dragging that redhead back into the shop. She was trying with all her might to keep from being dragged away. Her nails clawing at the wooden floor and spreading blood everywhere once her nails had been broken and destroyed. She cried and begged not to be hurt as she was dragged towards the basement door.

“This will show you not to misplace my good graces!” Creole shouted, grabbing her by the hair when she caught the side of the counter and gripped it with all her might. Dragging her by the hair he got to the basement door. Opening it and dragging the redhead down into the depths. Creole didn’t need to tell me to shut the door behind him.

I went back to cleaning the bloody mess that was left behind. Stuffing the officer’s uniform into a trash bag and set that aside as I mopped up every piece of blood I could see. I’ve gotten surprisingly good at this. Something about that girl’s demise though didn’t sit right with me. Out of everything he’s done to people, hers was the one that rubbed me the wrong way the most.

Not like I can do anything about it. Cops are clearly out of the question, Looking over to the basement door I sighed as I sat back at my rocking chair when all the cleaning was done. My eyes closing in exhaustion. I didn’t get much time to rest, for Creole returned after nearly an hour and a half. Blood on his suit and pale face. I swallowed hard as he came over to me, staring at me with those blood-spattered button eyes.

“Travis, my boy. You’ve been so very helpful these past few months that I think a raise is in order.” He smiled, his yellow teeth back to being sharp fangs. “How about $30 an hour?” He hummed, tilting his head at me. I looked back at him with a bewildered look. Quickly nodding without thinking. He smiled and rustled my messy brown hair and pulled out my pay for the week. “Take tomorrow off.” He ordered when I took my pay. I looked up at him and nodded quickly. No way in hell I was going to question him.

Packing up I unstuck my pin and took the officer’s uniform in the trash bag and threw it away. Making my way home as I sighed hard. Rubbing my face as I thought about that poor girl.

Being dragged into whatever hell awaited her down in that basement.