The Fear in Your Eyes

Petulantly, she stared at the rusted shop sign hovering over the run-down convenience store. This was the tenth time she'd come to pick her wages up. It would be no surprise if she was told to 'come back later'. Tapping her ankle boots against the concrete pavement, she carefully debated her approach. She was done being nice to these people. Peering her head through the open door, the store seemed empty. This was a good sign.

Sighing irritably, she stomped in and stood in front of the wide-eyed cashier, awaiting the excuse. He was barely a man, with a frayed hoodie than hung loosely off his gaunt shoulders and a face covered in acne and pimples. She'd met him before several times - he was her replacement. Without an awkward introduction, she wrapped her thin jacket around her waist and gazed wearily at him. He glanced at her with clear discomfort.

"What's the excuse going to be this time?" She sighed.

He cleared his throat and wet his lips, bony arms trembling at her angry presence. "Malik...Malik told me not to give you the money. When you left, the shop lost a lot of money while he was re-hiring. He told he he'd already texted you about it."

She stared at him in disbelief. "I received no such thing! This is ridiculous, Damien. I worked here for 6 months - and you know that's impressive for this store." She sauntered up the counter, placing her finger tips next to his and leant into him. "Are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way?" Her kohl-rimmed eyes pierced his, dark irises absorbing the surrounding light.

His cheeks flushed, and he swallowed before responding. "There's nothing I can do Elena. I do what Malik tells me. You're not my boss." He glanced at the cash register. "I can't give you the money." He summarised.

Her gaze lingered on him for a few moments, before flicking her auburn hair and strutting to the wine aisle. She wrapped her delicate fingers around a bottle, raised it above her head and dropped it to the floor. The bottle smashed, dark liquid seeping across the floor. His eyes widened but remained silent. She repeated the same with a spirit, raising it above her and allowing it to slip through her fingers.

"We don't have CCVT in here. How will you prove that was me?" She breathed heavily. She wiped a splash of vodka from her denim pant leg and stared at him pointedly. He wavered, uncertain on how to respond to this display of aggression.

His looked down, fingers toying with the cuffs of his sleeves. "Go, Elena." He mumbled.

Sighing in disgust, she stomped to the door. "I'm getting my money, one way or another. You can tell Malik the same." She tied her coat together at the front, the thin fabric pressing against her small frame. "And Damien? Grow a spine."

She left the store, the familiar chime sounding as she stepped through the barrier. Damien groaned, rubbing his eyes in frustration. He understood why she was angry, but what did she expect him to do? Malik oversaw the money, not him. He hadn't felt so powerless in years. The familiar feeling of helplessness and shame filled his lanky frame. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed his phone from his pocket and messaged her.

"You'll get your money back, alright." He smirked.

Another day had passed. Elena walked up to the store, feeling smug. Her act of defiance yesterday seemed to work on him. Despite her dainty stature, had a fiery personality which she wasn't afraid to inflict on others to defend her corner. Dressed in a similar outfit to the day before, the autumn chill coated the air, sending a shiver down her spine. She stepped through the door and made her way to the till, where she met an anxious-looking Damien.

"Shut the door and flip the lock." He stated. Her eyebrows raised slightly but did as he asked, closing the door gently. She glanced back at him, waiting for his next move.

He stepped towards her, his tall stature towering over her own. "The money's in the back. Malik doesn't know." His short, assured sentences were out of character. In other circumstances, Elena would've questioned this change but right now she just wanted to take her wages and leave.

She shrugged her shoulders and marched to the back of the store. He unlocked the door and gestured for her to walk in. Her suspicion grew as they stepped into the cramped room together. He closed the door behind him and wandered to a metal box, fiddling with the latch on the front. She sighed and pulled her phone out, checking the time. The room was dank and covered in dust, mould growing across the ceiling. She hated this room, especially when she worked here alone. He didn't appear to share her distaste apparently, fiddling with the lock and whistling a tune. His energy permeated the room, and her discomfort grew. There was a weird vibe coming from him, especially with the way he was jogging on the spot.

He shoved an object into his pocket, followed by a wad of cash. Turning to face her, his eyes caused Elena to gasp sharply. They were insanely wide, his pupils dilated and feverish. He stepped over to her in a single stride and handed her the money. She took it from him tentatively, shoving it into her pocket. She turned to leave but his voice stopped her.

"Wait - there's one more thing I need to give you." She turned to face him and he stepped towards her quickly, pressing her lips to hers. She squealed in indignation, attempting to shove him off her. In this moment, he quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled the metal object from the pocket, latching it to her wrist. She screamed and tried yanked herself away - he pulled her back and latched the other cuff to her, immobilising her arms.

"Have you lost your mind?" She shouted, kicking him in the shin. He growled in pain and pressed a large palm against her mouth, effectively muting her.

Her dilated pupils met her own as he pressed his face close to hers. "You told me to grow a spine, Elena. Is this courageous enough for you?" He wrapped a piece of duct tape across her mouth. She squealed from behind the table, her eyes staring at him furiously. Wrapping a hand through her long hair, he pulled her head back to face up at him. "You can stay here until I'm ready to let you out. If you're a good girl, I'll make your stay a little more...comfortable. If not, then I'll have to punish you." He pressed his lips to her ear. "By whatever means necessary." He muttered dangerously.