Anodyne
Thursday, September 16, 2004
 

WARNING
DO NOT OPEN DOOR AFTER DUSK

Sign on the heavily-alarmed fire exit door beside the men's room, ground floor, Chapters bookstore, Robson & Howe, downtown Vancouver.

I know this warning is meant to stop junkies wandering in in the evening, but the once-upon-a-time horror writer in me promptly imagined...something else.

Barista blocks the door open, levers a big cellophane bag of coffee grounds and empty paper cups through it, and thunks the bag down on the loading dock. Fog eddies in off the lane. The barista picks the bag back up, goes to heave it off the end of the dock into the trash compactor, and feels his foot snag on something. Glances down. A grey hand has come up over the lip of the dock and caught him by the ankle. Dull white bone protrudes through skin the color of boiled liver.

Shuffling footsteps draw near on all sides... Posted by Hello
- posted by cjb @ 9:46 AM


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