Chapter Text
Susie walked down the street from her house, humming a familiar tune.
“What an eerie spooky night, to get scared, hm hm hmm, Creepy Crawlies come from down, Be afraid and- Aha!”
Here we are. The Corner store. You could tell it was one because it was a store and it was in a corner.
Susie walked up to the store and opened the door. A bell chimed at her entry and She was greeted to a small store full of groceries and common household goods.
There were only a few customers there, and only one employee. Which was strange, but not too strange for a corner store.
This Employee was Rick. Who was practically famous for quitting every job he’s been given. It probably won’t be long until he quits this job too.
————————————
Rick watched as the new customer made her way over to the frozen foods isle and sighed.
He was tired of this, although that wasn’t saying much as he was tired of a lot of things.
for example he was tired of seeing the same group of kids walk into the store just to shoplift some snacks or candy. Usually it was the leader of the group doing the shoplifting while the other two tried to talk him out of it. He’d watch the kid stuff the stolen goods into his pockets or under his sweater, and then speed walk out of the store as his friends followed behind him.
A normal employee would have immediately told them to leave or chase after them. but like he said before he was too tired and didn’t care enough to stop them.
Bzzt. Bzzt.
Rick’s phone started to ring. He grabbed it out of his pant’s pocket and looked at the number. Oh. It’s Radford. His old Co-Worker and possibly friend? He doesn’t actually know Radford that well now that he thought about it.
He answers the phone and gives an unenthusiastic;
”Hello.”
Radford happily greets Rick.
”Hey Dude! Are you free tonight? Kevin & I were thinking of going out drinking. He gave Streber a call too, says he’s thinking about it.”
Rick considered this for a moment.
“Sure, I’m free tonight. Do you need me to keep sober so I can drive you all home again?”
Rick recalled a night when Radford, Kevin, and Streber all got very drunk after a particularly hard week. They all ran on stage and started to sing to the bars karaoke for almost two hours.
Rick had only few drinks, and since he wasn’t as lightweight as the other three he was able to drive them all home.
He remembered having some difficulty finding Streber’s house because that had been the first night they’d ever met him.
Streber kept slurring his speech the entire ride making it impossible to understand his directions, but eventually they did find the right house.
After that they all kept in touch and eventually became drinking buddies.
“No, You don’t need to drive us,” Radford responded. “Kevin & I will walk home and Streber says he’ll probably have someone pick him up if he goes.”
hm. He’ll most likely walk home too. His house isn’t far from the usual bar they visit.
”Okay. I’ll go.”
You could practically hear Radford’s excitement over the phone.
“Great! We’ll see you there. Bye Dude.”
”Bye.”
Radford hung up the phone, leaving Rick to once again keep an eye on customers. Right, he had a job to avoid doing.
……..
huh. What a coincidence. The same group of hatted kids he was thinking about just walked into the store. Now looks like the perfect time to take his break.
Rick silently stood up from behind the counter, and slipped into the back.
————————————
Roy snickered as he watched the lone employee in the store today walk into the back. Ohoho, that idiot. Taking a break right now? He just left the perfect opening for them to steal some candy!
He strolled over to the candy isle whistling innocently and started looking over the goods.
“Let’s see here. We’ve got Bocadon, Nutzag, Lollipops, Candy Corn, Jaw Crackers, so many options to choose from.”
Roy smirks as he looks over to his friends.
“Got anything you guys want?”
Robert looked unsure.
“I don’t know man, should we really be stealing from here again?”
Ross crossed his arms. He was less than pleased with this decision.
“Last time we almost got in trouble.”
Roy rolled his eyes.
”Jeez I already said I was sorry about that. Besides, who are we going to get in trouble with? Nobody’s looking!”
He made a gesture to look around the store. They both did so, noticing that Roy was right. Nobody seemed to be around.
”..Well, I guess a few pieces of candy couldn’t hurt? As long as we do it quickly before the cashier comes back.” Robert sheepishly replied.
”Ha! See Robert gets it.” Roy looked over at Ross.
Ross sighed.
“Fine.”
Roy smiled wider once both his friends agreed.
”Good choice.”
He began shoveling candy into his pockets. Robert took a few moments to pick out his favorites while Ross just took one lollipop for himself.
After they had all grabbed what they wanted, they began making their way out of the store. Nothing could stop them now!
”What are you three doing?”
The Hatzgang froze. Shoot! Was the Cashier already back?
No. This wasn’t the cashier. He didn’t care if they stole or not why would that change now? Besides, this voice was higher pitched and younger sounding.
Roy slowly turned around.
Standing behind them was some random girl with a carton of eggs.
wait. Maybe not so random. He knew this girl from somewhere.
”You’re not stealing are you?” The Girl eyed them all suspiciously and tapped her foot.
”Uhhh. No?” Robert replied. Sounding super suspicious.
Nice going man.
”What’s it to you. Do you even work here?” Roy replied harshly to her.
”No, but I’m not going to let you guys shoplift while nobody’s around.”
Tch. Self Righteous prick.
Ross tilted his head.
”Aren’t you That kid with the Pumpkin mask’s Older Sister? Susie?”
Oh!! That’s right! That Loser had an older sister. He’d seen them walking together to the post office or to school.
She looked surprised, but nodded.
”You know my name?”
“Unfortunately.” Roy mumbled as he crossed his arms.
Susie crossed her arms aswell, now glaring at Roy.
“You know what. It doesn’t matter. I still won’t let you walk off with that stolen candy.”
”Oh yeah? What’s your proof we even stole anything?”
She raised her eyebrow.
“I can see the candy sticking out of all your pockets.”
They checked their pockets.
………
Damn it.
”Run for it!” Roy shouted.
The Hatzgang all sprinted towards the door.
”Hey! Get Back here!” Susie placed the eggs on the counter, she’d come back and pay for them later.
She ran out of the store after the Hatzgang, who were now running down the street.
”Oh Man, She’s still chasing us!!” Robert looked nervously behind himself.
“I know! I know!” Roy quickly turned a corner, motioning for Ross & Robert to follow.
“We shouldn’t have stolen anything.” Ross mumbled.
”Yeah well it’s too late now! Just Keep running, she’ll give up eventually!” Roy knocked over a trashcan trying to slow Susie down.
Susie stopped before running around the trashcan.
“Return the stuff you stole you brats!”
”Never!!” The Hatzgang kept running, and Susie kept chasing them.
The ran past the Candy Club and The Movie Theater, past the Police Station and The Hospital, they even past all of their houses.
————————————
Eventually they were back where they started, but instead of just entering the store again they continued to sprint down the street.
”is…is the candy even worth it?” One of the kids with a backwards facing cap asked.
”Yes.” The kid with the front facing cap decided. “Yes it is.”
The group turned down an alley, only to find themselves cornered with the only way out being to climb a ladder up into the apartments.
”Aw shi-“
”Hah! Nowhere to run now.” Susie took a moment to catch her breath before pointing to them.
“Return the candy you stole and let’s call it a day. Okay?”
The kid with the front facing cap glared at her.
”Ugh! Why are so set on making us return the candy! It’s not even your problem!”
Susie was about to respond, but took a moment to think about it. Why was she so determined to catch these kids?
Was it because she didn’t like stealing, was it because she just wanted to feel like a hero, or was it Because she once witnessed these kids picking on her brother?
…….
It didn’t matter. What they were doing was still wrong. Susie raised her voice silently as she addressed them again.
“Listen I won’t repeat myself again jerks. Just give the candy back to-“
She paused, The kids all suddenly looked startled and were shivering. Had she really scared them that much?
No. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
Clang.
Something metallic hit the ground.
Susie whipped her head around. They weren’t alone anymore.
There were now two people standing in the Alleyway. They were both wearing bright red cloaks that masked their appearances.
Susie narrowed her eyes. Who were these weirdos, and why did she feel like she’s seen them around before?
She backed away from them, now standing just a few steps away from the other kids.
”Hey. Are you guys lost or something?” She asked them, ignoring the fear that threatened to show itself.
The cloaked figures didn’t answer, they just continued to stand there. Watching them.
”What the hell?” One of the kids spoke up.
The figures didn’t respond to that either, but instead they began approaching them all.
”Stay away from us!” Susie yelled at them.
They continued to walk forward.
She began to panic. This was not how she pictured her morning going.
Thinking quickly she picked up a random bottle, smashed it, and pointed it at them.
”I’m warning you, don’t get any closer!”
The figures stopped, and for a moment Susie thought she had actually managed to scare them off. However that was not the case as the figures both took a step to the side. Revealing even more Cloaked figures behind them.
There were now six figures approaching them.
Susie began to shake in fear with the other kids.
——————————
”What should we do?” Robert turned to his friends for answers. Surely they had some sort of plan.
”I don’t know.” Ross replied, his voice shaky with fear. “I don’t know what to do.”
Roy didn’t respond at all, just staring wide eyed at the approaching strangers.
Robert looked at Susie, but she was just as frozen in fear as the rest of them.
With how things were going, it seemed like they were all going to get caught.
……
But he refused to let that happen.
With a sense of Bravery he didn’t know he had, Robert picked up a trashcan lid and rushed at the red cloaked strangers.
”Robert No!” He heard Ross call out.
He braced himself as he slammed into two of the figures.
“Get out of here! I’ll stall them!”
Susie shook her head, snapping out of whatever daze she was in.
”Are you kidding! We’re not going to leave you here?”
Ross nodded. Roy continued to stare.
”There isn’t time to argue! Climb the ladder and get out of here!”
Susie bit her lip. Seemingly trying to think of a plan.
She closed her eyes and sighed.
”Not like this.”
She rushed over to Robert, and swung the broken bottle at one of the members trying to grab at him.
Robert jumped in surprise.
”woah!”
He heard metallic clang. He turned to his right to see Ross with another Trashcan lid pushing the strangers back with him.
”Ross?”
Ross looked over at him.
”Did you really think we’d leave you?”
Susie nodded.
”I may not know you guys very well, but I’d be such a jerk if I left you here to deal with this on your own.”
Robert stared at them both, before his face shifted to reveal just how scared he really was.
”Thank you, I didn’t actually want to be alone.”
”I thought not.” Ross replied.
The two continued to push back against the potential kidnappers, while Susie attacked any stray arms that tried to grab at them.
But this wouldn’t be enough.
These were just Three kids against Six adults.
After awhile they began making progress again, pushing the three back.
”There’s too many of them!” Susie cried.
”Ack!- We need someone else to push them back on the left!” Robert desperately looked back at Roy.
Roy was still frozen in place, watching this all happen and doing nothing.
”Roy! Come on!”
Roy didn’t move.
“Roy, Please! We need you!”
Roy watched as one of the cloaked figures grabbed Susie and tried to drag her away from Robert & Ross.
”Come on Kid! Don’t just stand there!”
Roy shook as he tried to will his legs to move. He tried to force his mouth to cry out for his friends.
“Roy!!”
Roy watched as Ross was grabbed by another cult member and Robert had to drop his Trashcan lid to grab onto Ross’s hand and stop him from being pulled away. Susie was already gone.
“ROY!!! PLEASE!!” Robert cried desperately for his friends help.
Roy didn’t move an inch as both his friends were both dragged out of sight. Consumed by this ocean of red figures.
One split off from the group and walked towards him.
Roy finally managed to stumble back, only to be met with a brick wall between him and an escape. He should have gone for the ladder.
He realized his mistake too late as the figure carelessly grabbed the ladder and pushed it out of reach.
The two stood directly in front of each other. The world was quiet.
After what felt like hours of just silence, Roy slowly asked the figure;
”What do you want with us…?”
The figure looked back at the other members, and then back to Roy.
Before he could even blink the figure took out a brown bag.
Then everything went dark.