This is the fifth section of an ongoing story. Go check them out! They are...
In which we meet the guy what is planning on the murdering.
In which we find out the guy what is plannin' on murder is meeting a lady also plannin' on murder.
In which they go into the bathroom together! SPICY!
In which they get into a bit of a scrap in said bathroom, if you know what I mean. If you don't, I mean that they fight.
Now, the story continues!
Craig’s name tag said, “Hello, I’m too tired to smile today”. That wasn’t his name though. It was just a joke.
Classic Craig.
“Kratie! Kratie! Kr..Kratie?” Where did that lady go? Damn it. She’d seemed the touchy sort. He’d taken too long. She’d probably just left. Third double half-caff macchiato light whip this month coming out of his salary. Why do the most unreliable people buy the most ridiculous drinks?
No, hold it, there she is, going into…
Craig heard the unmistakable roar of a Ford Fiesta from outside. “Hey buddy!” A portly bald guy with horn-rimmed glasses was trying to get his attention. Some American asshole.
Wait, is that the men’s bathroom?
“Yo, Tootired! Your valet didn’t give me a ticket.” For a moment Craig stood, confused. Finally what the man had said clicked.
“We...sir, I’m sorry we don’t have valet parking today. Regular guy's sick.” She’d definitely gone in the wrong bathroom. Craig hurried to the bathroom. brushing past the annoying American as he blustered. “Ma’am? Kratie? Your coffee…that’s the wrong...”
Sounds of muffled struggle came through the door. Without another thought, Craig pushed it open, blundering into the room. Kratie was on the ground with some meathead looking dude leaping towards her, hands out as if to strangle her...or...wait...no? Craig blushed. “Err...sorry. I just. Kratie, I got your macchiato. Umm...light whip.”
The meathead looked up just long enough for Kratie to get her knee between his legs. He crumpled to the ground with a sustained groan. Craig sympathetically winced. Standing, Kratie scrambled to a knife lying on the ground then stood and took her coffee from Craig. “It’s Katie.”
Craig shifted uncomfortably. “Oh, err...sorry. Katie. You...uh….you ok?” Kra...Katie nodded. Craig exhaled in relief. “Should I call the cops? This guy was clearly…” The meathead was gone.
Katie immediately crouched down, brandishing the knife and calling softly to the meathead. “Vinnie..hey...whatcha say we catch a movie after this? House with the clock or whatever? Howsabout Crazy Rich Asians? Maybe a bit on the nose but I’ve heard good stuff about...” Craig backed up slowly, intending to flee through the doorway but froze as he heard a hissing sound from above. He looked up just in time to see the Meathead clambering across the ceiling, his head somehow turned toward the ground. He shrieked at them, a sound from out of nightmares, rows of fangs protruding from his mouth in a grotesque tableau.
“...Predator.” Katie threw her knife and coffee, rolling out of the way just as the meathead...Vinnie apparently...came crashing down from the ceiling. Craig was terrified, frozen in place, his back against the door.
The thing that had been Vinnie laughed as his head swiveled back around, staring down at Craig. It was not a heartening sound. Like broken glass shifting in a plastic bag. “You have been a surprise, Kratie. Typically I hate to get my hands dirty like this, but I must admit this has been enjoyable. A perfect day for a murder indeed. Let me dispose of this insect quickly and then I will see to you.” Pulling the small knife out of his chest and wiping coffee from his shirt, his jaw began to unhinge. The jumble of teeth aligned into a whirling vortex of obliteration. Craig dropped down to huddle on the floor, closing his eyes and hoping it would be over quickly.
There was a crunch of bone and the sickening squish of flesh twisting. Still, Craig felt nothing. The sounds continued, a low primal scream crescendoing as it intertwined with the snapping of tendons. Craig finally opened his eyes.
Vinne was turned away. The scream had resolved into a piercing howl. A creature uncoiled itself from the fetal position in the far corner of the room. It wore the shredded remains of a cardigan. Katie’s. Vinnie hissed and leapt at her, slashing with his hands, his fingers raking across her flesh and tearing into it as if they were claws. Shrugging off the wounds, Katie effortlessly plucked Vinnie off the ground. Roaring, her vicious teeth glimmered in the fluorescent light. She whipped him about the room into the walls and the sinks, smashing the stalls and the toilets themselves in the process. Water exploded from multiple directions, soaking the room. Vinnie faded, bursting apart into a rolling fog, filling the room. Katie slashed at the air with her claws in frustration. The fog coalesced back into Vinne, now on Katie’s back, trying hard to get a grip on her neck to twist. They stumbled around the room, slamming into the walls.
At last Craig came to his senses, pulling himself up to his feet and running out of the bathroom. A crowd had assembled just outside the door. He pushed his way through the crowd. There was a crunch of masonry from the bathroom and screams from the kitchens. They’d broken through. “Get out of here, everyone!” Craig screamed as he ran for the door. His voice seemed to rouse them, and a few even followed him into the street before the entire store erupted in flames. They'd hit a gas main. As he was tossed to the ground the facade crumpled on top of them.
Vinnie howled in pain as his body knitted itself back together. He howled in rage as he thought about what she had done. He was exposed. He would have to go back underground, resurface somewhere far away, re-establish himself. He’d liked his life here. He still could have had so many happy years here, just killing for fun on the side. Not having to even do it himself! But that was over now. He was going to make her pay, wherever she was.
He could smell her trail easily in this form. She could not hide from him. Wait. Had he gotten a ticket from the valet?
A charred name tag floated by in the wind as he screamed in rage
Sorry boss, had a plan for the pizza but ran out of space.