Tamara

Tamara stuffed the keys in her handbag after she closed the coffee shop.

Doing inventory sucks! I should've made Zeina do it. After all, she is better than me in handling anything with numbers.

It must be midnight or past that by the pitch blackness that has descended upon the slumbering citizens of Haven town.

Tamara headed toward the supermarket at the end of the road but hesitated.

It's so dark and there is no one here but me.

She should really be home by now. But then again, she intended to shop for food today since her fridge is practically empty, she didn't know that time would pass by in a blur.

She was supposed to have closed the shop by 10, shopped for her food, and arrived home maximum by 11. However, she didn't expect her mind to go blank at the sight of numbers. It must be the stress and exhaustion getting to her brain making her take hours on simple calculations.

I should go shop, what's the worse that could happen?!

Haven town has been a quiet, small-town ever since she and Zeina arrived a year ago. The crime rating is very low; they haven't heard nor witnessed any crime of any degree and the only drawback the town has is its nosy citizens, hardly something to be afraid of. Granted, you may rarely find a soul wandering outside at this hour, but nothing has ever happened in Haven town before, she was confident nothing will happen now.

Why would they take an interest in me now? I am nothing special and everyone in this blasted town knows it!

Not that she is a self-pitying kinda girl or someone with deep insecurities that she thinks she is utterly insignificant and useless - ok, she is not totally an outgoing girl, a little insecure and shy but not so much that it has caused her major issues before. No, what she means is that she has nothing to offer any criminal but the clothes on her back. She is an employee who barely gets enough money to pay the rent - even though it's not that expensive, one of the town's advantages - so this means she doesn't have a  flooded bank account or some savings stacked somewhere.

Unless...they were after something she is not willing to give.

Good luck getting that without my consent. They will know then that I can scream louder than a banshee and this ghost town will turn into a bustling city!

After her long contemplation, she squared her tiny shoulders and set off toward the supermarket.

****

Satisfied with her goodies, Tamara adjusted her grip on the paper bag full of her most needed supplies. She can't afford to spend money on luxury products.

Oh, what would I give for some scented oils or a well-known brand of make-up product or a spa treatment?

She knows of course that not all of the products she wished for can be found at the supermarket, but seeing all those different lines of products, flavors and brands made her mind wander toward things she never had the luxury to try.

Like a spa treatment! She sighed wistfully.

She kept walking trying to settle the paper bag on her arm so it won't hurt her later on. The breeze was heavenly, so she decided to let it caress her hair and cool her head. With uncomfortable movements and a lot of awkward twisting, she managed to untie her hair from the tight bun on her head, releasing the rich mass of brown, while holding her supplies tight as not to drop any. Thank goodness no one was in sight and saw her awkward dance!

She walked a few more steps and her toes started to protest.

God, I would give my right arm to get myself a car? Why do those blasted metal cans have to be so expensive?!

She cursed her luck, she is more dreamy today. Wishing for things she knows she could never have.

Then she remembered Zeina's words about being ungrateful and having the forces of nature after her ass, so she directly put an end to those dreams and thoughts.

Ok! Ok! No car! who the hell need those anyway, right? She mentally laughed uneasily as if her laugh would dispel karma's vengeance and convince it of the truthfulness of her words.

She sighed audibly, looked behind her shoulder to check if there is a supernatural force that came to kidnap her and dump her ass on scorching fire or turn her brain to mush so she can be plagued by eternal stupidness or rearrange her limbs in some way that would make others laugh at the sight of her.

I guess being alone and in the dark at this hour isn't a good idea after all! Turn my brain to mush? Fry my ass? What the hell am I thinking?

Just then, a small shadow emerged from the darkness like lightning, with swift hands it grabbed her goodies and took off to the sanctuary of the shadows, making Tamara stumble from the encounter.

She blinked.

Once.

Twice.

And then her mind registered what happened and she let out a startled scream. I am going to get my ass fried and my brain turns to soup!!

Her scream would've probably woken the entire town and the next, but then she shut up immediately as if sense finally awakened and came barreling through the thick fog of fear.

You are an idiot! There is no supernatural creature after your ass or brain. There are much more interesting and appealing things for them to hunt than your peanut sized brain and your backside! It's probably a thief!
Her common-sense scolded.

A thief?

She gasped and then screamed and went after where the shadow darted. "Thief! Stop, thief!"

She pumped her legs as hard as she could to boost her steps, but darkness hindered her sight. So she turned on the flashlight on her phone and went on.

The thief was making his way through alleys, away from open sight or cars, not that there is any at this hour. He wasn't that far away from her, she could make out a silhouette that is moving in the still darkness, she flashed the light on her phone to get a glimpse just before he darted to a corner and went out of sight.

I thought this fucking town was crime-free?! She mentally screamed frustrated.

Panting from exerting her body beyond its limit, she kept on even though she was ready to tumble to the floor and take a rest. Her lack of exercise made her body weak and her endurance pretty non existing.

No way! These are my goodies! Mine!

She growled like a caged lion. The determination she showed in this situation would've probably won her a medal. If people saw her charging like a bull toward her target they would've thought that someone snatched her baby kid...not a sack of grocery bag!

But it is my sack of grocery bag!

With the last push she tackled her prey with a victorious cry and they both tumbled to the floor in an awkward dance of limbs.

I will skin you alive! She thought with a gleeful, evil laugh, you shall rue the day you crossed Tamara Crawfield!

Watch out for the crazy woman on the loose! Tamara halt you stupid adult brat XD groceries are not worth that much determination :/

Zeina warned us about Tamara's innocence and childishness but she didn't say she was cray cray?!

What do you think about Tamara's reaction?

Who is this mysterious feline?

Your inputs on this chapter?

What do you think will happen next?

Vote and comment. Your support is highly appreciated.

Love,

Eva