One Night In A Supermarket

When The Power Happens To Go Out...

Chapter Two... When The Power Happens To Go Out...

Nathan's POV

I could have gone on a murdering spree when I glanced around the dairy/freezer section of our store and saw the amount of holes, out of place stock and spilled milk there was. Some idiot that we work with had annoyingly left the milk to dry on the floor... must have been Ian, the dopey new kid. He was like, fifteen or something. I had a lot of work ahead of me, and Lily would be close by.

That girl was hot. But on top of that, she had the sweetest personality. If she would date a guy like me, I would ask her out.

But she was a high school cheerleader... and I was a college artist. Not exactly the ideal combination.

I looked around in the produce section, but I couldn't see Lily. She must be out the back. I had to go out there to find a mop, given that the milk wouldn't clean itself up. I strolled out onto the back dock to see Lisa, the young deli girl, arguing with Brian, our night manager.

"If the morons that worked in that deli would actually clean up, I wouldn't have to do their bloody work for them!" Lisa shouted.

"It's been a busy day, Lis," Brian said calmly. "Aaron, the guy who worked in the deli last year, had to clean out the entire case and replace the stock. You have it easy... you only have to fill it."

"I don't care!" Lisa hissed. "I'm sacrificing spending time with my little boy so that I can make Hannah's life easier tomorrow. I shouldn't have to do her cleaning duties as well!"

"Look," Brian began, looking a bit distressed. "Every year there's always someone who wants to complain about the way the staff before them left their department. But you just have to work through it. Nobody ever wants to be here overnight. But you usually get asked to do it once."

"I offered!" I said proudly.

"You only offered because you found out Lily was working, Nath," Lisa chuckled.

"Some idiot left milk all over the damn floor!" I groaned. "So I've got it bad, too."

"Anna tells everyone in the store on this day to just drop everything and go home," Brian sighed. "Quit your complaining. I'm gonna go see how Lil's doing."

Brian turned and walked away. Lisa stood on the spot, looking angry.

"You okay, Lis?" I asked.

"Yeah..." Lisa said slowly with a sigh. "I just... I miss my little boy when I'm here."

"Think of the money," James grinned as he walked past.

"I'd be more concerned with getting out of here alive," Ella said wearily from behind me.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, frowning.

"I have a bad feeling about being here tonight," Ella gasped.

"Oh, you're so miss doom and gloom!" Lisa laughed. "We're in a friggen supermarket. As if anything bad could happen here."

"I think it's very possible that something could go wrong," Cameron whispered from the other side of Ella.

"Man up, dude!" I said, turning to walk away.

"Don't be such an ass, Nath!" Lisa groaned.

"I have work to do!" I shouted, heading for the dairy coolroom.

I remembered I needed a mop, so I turned around to see Ella standing there. I let out a startled scream, and I had to catch my breath.

"Don't... do... that!" I spat, panting.

"You think I'm an idiot for being afraid of being here, don't you?" she said quickly but clearly.

"Uh... you sound crazy, El," I admitted. "Don't be afraid. And if anything goes wrong, well there's that many of us that nobody could hurt us."

"I... that doesn't make me feel any more comfortable," she sighed.

I rolled my eyes and walked past her to get the mop.

Brian's POV

Why was I still putting myself into this shift every year?! There's always someone who wants to complain! Lisa was on my mind, whining that there were about fifty oven racks soaking in the sink, the oven was dirty and they didn't sweep the floor. Nathan was carrying on like... well, Nathan. Ella had become an annoying worry-wart. James was being dangerous, as I'd just caught him using knives as darts!

And now I was walking into the fresh produce room, searching for Lily McKinley. I walked in to see her loading up her trolleys ready to fill.

Glad to see that someone was at least working!

"Hey, Lil," I smiled at her. "Working hard?"

"Always, B," she grinned back. "Hovering around in here a bit, though. Ella's freaking me out. And Nathan's out there."

"You don't like Nath?" I questioned.

"Well... yeah, I do," she admitted shyly. "But... he's cute. Definitely. But he's always watching me. I feel like I'm being stalked."

"That's just Nathan," I said truthfully. "I'd play matchmaker, but that's not really my thing."

"Well, when 6am comes, I'll be happy," Lily sighed. "Glad I don't have school tomorrow, but I do have to start work at lunchtime tomorrow. Pulling another long day."

"You're a top worker, Lil," I grinned. "I'm not even working after 6am!"

"Go me!" she said in a small voice, smiling.

Lily had always been one of my favourite young workers. From the day she started two years ago, I'd always seen her as being one of the managers one day. Confident and she learnt quick. She fit the profile perfectly. And she could be bossy, too.

I left Lily alone then, walking back onto the back dock. I found Vincent, Ella and Cameron all standing around, talking.

"You all have work to do!" I bellowed. "What are you doing out here?!"

"Crap!" I heard Ella whisper.

"Cameron's cut himself on a carton cutter," Vincent explained. "I brought him out here looking for you. El followed us."

"El, go back to work, please," I said softly. "You too, Vinnie. Cam... come with me."

I took Cameron into the office and assessed that his cut wasn't too bad. I placed a bandaid onto the cut, and sent him back to work. I'd never met a kid that was more nervous than Cameron, but he was different tonight, talking away like I'd never seen before.

He said he found confidence being here tonight, and that made me happy. At least I had two that wanted to work...

Sarah's POV

I had scattered paperwork all over the service counter. Boxes of cigarettes were stacked in the corner near the register. Technology these days... the touch screens on the checkouts were all not working, which had made the day difficult. But there was someone coming to fix them all at 5am... and I would still be here then.

I picked up a stack of paperwork, and then suddenly everything went totally dark.

"Crap!" I heard Nathan shout from nearby.

"Nath?!" I called out.

"Sar?" he shouted back.

"Why hasn't the generator kicked in?!" I heard Lily cry from the produce section that wasn't too far away.

"Give it a minute!" I called to her.

"Nath?" Lily yelled, and I rolled my eyes. I knew he liked her, but did she like him too?

We all stood in the darkness, waiting for the generator to give us light.