Chapter Text
Maybe the signs had all been there, in all honesty. Maybe no one just bothered to pay attention to the way random objects would fall from shelves or how the automatic doors opened when no one was there. They were rather small, excusable, things. An item could fall off the shelf due to someone bumping it on accident or the shelf being too full. The door could be excused by faulty technology. Freezer doors would randomly open and slam shut with no evidence of a customer.
Sure all that was weird when they were actually preparing the store before it opened, but Dream noticed it got weirder.
Any circular shaped produce would randomly roll down aisles no matter how far away they were. The automatic doors would open and close quickly out of no where. Objects would move when you reached for them. For some reason random songs would repeat over the intercom or randomly start playing backwards.
It really started to get very annoying when Dream called repairmen to fix the doors and intercom, only for them to say nothing was wrong with either.
Maybe it was coincidence, but everything stopped after that.
And in all honesty, Dream forgot all about it.
Today had started off odd.
Dream woke up ten minutes late, and stubbed his toe getting out of the shower. Patches had taken one of his socks and ran we he ran after her, traffic was a nightmare and the blond wasted another five minutes in the car looking for his mask, only for it to be in his pocket.
So yeah, Dream was frustrated.
With a muttered curse, the blond slammed his car door shut, clicking the lock button on his keys. With a swift pace, he walked into his store, thankful Tommy had opened up before he got there. Noise immediately washed over him as he entered. The high pitched tones of the scanners were louder than the voices of customers and other employees.
Dream pushed down a groan as a pain already begins forming in his head. Instead, he enters customer service mode and clocks in before making his way to an empty cash register. Despite being the technical owner, he was ready to help wherever. Especially with the morning crowd.
“I’m open on seven!” He shouted, customers already walking to him. So, with an already forming headache, he slipped into the draining work of customer service.
It slowed down around noon, thankfully.
Dream wondered around the store, silently taking note of things that needed restocking before the next wave of people came. A few still wondered around, making their way through the store for their items. Thankfully, the quieter volume eased the pressure in his head. Walking down the juice aisle, Dream hummed along to one of Wilbur’s songs playing over the intercom.
Suddenly, the temperature seemed to drop. Dream shivered at around the same time, one of the lights above him flickered. For a moment, the song playing began playing backwards. A jug of juice dropped directly off the shelf and the male found himself completely still. The intercom was now blaring static and the light was flickering more, and the fallen jug of juice rolled slowly towards his foot-
“Excuse me, sir?”
And all of a sudden, it stopped. Dream flinched and turned around, barely saving himself from tripping over the still rolling container of juice. Standing in front of him was a very pale teen, brown hair flooped over one of his eyes. The visible eye was an almost vibrant green. Half of his face was covered by a black and white mask. He wore a white sweater that was stained a light pink in some places. His jeans were stained on the ankles by mud, and his shoes seemed to be caked with it.
Oddly, Dream found himself thinking about how it hasn’t rained in awhile. Where’d the mud come from?
“Sir?”
“O-oh sorry. How may I help you?”
Despite the teen being a bit taller than him, the kid lowers his gaze and fidgets with his- gloved?- hands.
“I-I need some help finding some stuff.” The younger digs around in his sweater pocket for something. Dream finds himself smiling under his mask, patiently waiting for the teen to get his list. If he would’ve paid more attention, he would have noticed the blue blush of embarrassment starting at the younger’s ears.
Finally, he took out the list and held it out to Dream. With a thanks, Dream reads the list.
glass cleaner
eggs
tea
onions
udon
tomato
Dream looks at the list twice before looking up. The udon was closest, maybe one or two aisles away. “Alright, follow me.” The owner began walking without looking back at the boy, hoping he’d follow.
By now, Dream was used to the silences that hung around when leading a customer somewhere. It was usual at this point, for the person not to talk much. Out of the corner of his eye, Dream could see the boy fidgeting with his gloves again.
Eventually, the two made it to the appropriate aisle. An older lady was halfway down the aisle, a service dog holding its own leash beside her. Dream brushes it off and begins scanning the shelves for the correct noodles.
As soon as he and the teen enter the aisle, the dog begins growling. Dream finds himself looking over at the dog and the lady, only for the dog to begin barking. The fur on the dog’s back stands up as it growls, standing between Dream and the lady.
Confusion hits the older man. Cautiously, he turns to look for the teen, only to find him completely gone. Dream finds himself looking up and down the aisle, finding only him the lady and her dog. The barking grows louder as the intercom overhead screeches and the lights begin flickering. Dream covers his ears, the high pitched noise only getting higher and making his ears ring.
Then, as if it couldn’t get worse, the familar sound of the electricity going out interrupts the commotion.
Despite the ringing in his ears, Dream finds himself grateful for the peace. Of course, until all of the shelves in the aisle collapse, sending items tumbling to the floor.
After that, all is still. Dream finds himself with a peice of crinkled paper.
glass cleaner
eggs
tea
onions
udon
tomato