The Ooze

Day 3 of The Coffin Hop Web Tour and more on my ongoing story. I have to post this from my phone so no spell check...sorry, and I can't do links but I think you will like the story.

The Oozeby Lisa McCourt Hollar

Wayne Finch wasn't having a good day. His boss had chewed him up one side and down another for leaving the store unlocked when he'd gone home last night. Wayne hadn't been the one to leave the door unlocked, that had been Frank, the other cashier slash stockboy slash night manager at the Frank & Stein Halloween shop. At least that was the name of the store this month. Once Halloween was over, it would become the Santa & Son's Winter Workshop. The owner of the holiday themed party shop thought it was creative. Wayne just thought it was a pain in the ass having to change the stores name every few months or so.

Wayne had skipped out of work last night, talking Frank into covering for him. He didn't think it would bode well for him to inform Mr. Sullivan that he hadn't been there at closing. He was sure as mad as his boss was to come into work and discover the front door unlocked, he would be even angrier to find out his employee had skipped out a few hours early.

It didn't help that Frank had left the store a mess. Wayne was amazed that he still had a job. The register still had all the money from the night before in it, when it should have been put in the safe. The t.v in the break room was blaring, with a porno playing in the dvd player. And the moron had spilled oil or something on the floor in the bathroom.

"I hope the fucker has a headache," Wayne said, grabbing the mop. Quickly filling a bucket with water and cleaning solution, Wayne shoved the mop into the water and using the wooden handle, he pushed the bucket towards the bathroom. He could hear Mr. Sullivan in there, still ranting about how he ought to fire Wayne. Wayne knew he wouldn't. If he were going to fire him, it would have been when he first stepped foot in the store. No, he wouldn't fire him, but he would gripe at him all day about it and maybe dock his check. If that happened, Wayne would be sure to make Frank pay him back. He wasn't going to let that asshole off.

Mr. Sullivan was in the middle of telling Wayne how irresponsible kids were these days, when Wayne heard him say, "What the hell...Wayne, come look at this!" Then the old man had let out a startled yell...and then Wayne heard a thud that sounded like something heavy hitting the floor.

"Mr. Sullivan?" Wayne dropped the mop handle and ran for the bathroom. His boss was laying on the floor in the middle of the bathroom. The black grease, or whatever it was, oozed out from under the man, seeming to spread across the floor. Then it did something that almost made Wayne piss his pants. It rose up off the floor and covered Mr. Sullivan, completely enveloping his body.

"What the hell is that shit?" Wayne took a few steps towards the mass that had formed a coccoon around the old man. Curious, he leaned forward to get a better look. He could see the man's chest rising up and down, so he was still breathing. Wayne wondered how that was possible, since the thick liquid appeared to permeate Mr. Sullivan's nose and mouth.

"Mr. Sullivan? Do you...do you need me to help you up?"

Wayne knew he should do something, but he didn't want to touch the substance covering his boss.

"Just hold on. I...I'm going to call 911."

Wayne fumbled in his pocket for his cell phone. His fingers shook as he dialed the three numbers, and he nearly dropped the phone. Then something happened. The black ooze moved, slithering across the floor towards his feet. Shuffeling backwards to escape the substance, Wayne dropped his phone. It landed with an ominous splash in the middle of the puddle, which was still moving towards Wayne.

It seemed to be moving purposely in his direction, as though whatever the liquid was, was sentient and capable of rational thought. There was nothing rational though about the whole situation. Abandoning his phone to the goo, Wayne turned and ran for the front door.

Running out of the store and into the parking lot, Wayne was relieved to be away from whatever the hell that thing was. Even better, his girlfriend was pulling into the parking lot, blaring her horn.

"Am I glad to see you," Wayne said, pulling the driver's door open. "You won't believe what just happened." Wayne barely got those words out of his mouth before the pain registered in his arm. Looking down he saw the knife in Melinda's hand. She had cut him.

"What the hell!" Wayne pulled his arm to his chest, covering the gash with his hand. Had the entire world gone insane? "What the hell," he said again, looking at Melinda and noticing the terrified look in her eyes. He also saw for the first time her brother in the back seat and a little girl next to her. They were all staring at his arm.

"Let me see it," Melinda screamed. "Let me see what color your blood is or I'll cut you again!"

That is it until tomorrow. Leave a comment and be entered to win a copy of Bugs! And Other Creepy Crawlers. Be sure to check out the rest of the blogs in The Coffin Hop Web Tour and check out my posts from the last 2 days. Leave comments on The Fake Mommy and Flight and be entered to win more free stuff.