Emerging from the kitchen with a pale face, groceries and brownies in hand. Eugene saw that the store was now empty besides Paulie. He wiped a trail of cold sweat dripping down his forehead and walked up to Paulie who was cleaning up ribbon and plastic wrap trimmings off the counter.
"H-here's the box you asked for. I gotta go, I still have to uhh...pick up stuff for my mom." His throat bobbed up and down, with his trembling voice.
Paulie eyed him quietly and raised a brow. Curious, he placed a hand on Eugene's shoulder and gently stroked it while receiving the box of brownies.
"Thank you, I would grab it myself but you saw how packed it was earlier. The customer who ordered it should be here soon...are you alright? You look pale, like you've seen a ghost or something."
Eugene stiffened at the question as his thoughts recalled what happened just moments ago in the kitchen.
---
Knelt behind one of the kitchen stations was Eugene who was petting the cat. Brushing his fingers through its fur. He felt a soft and silky sensation brush back against his fingertips. Closing its eyes, the cat nuzzled his hand before staring quietly up at him once more.
It's eyes were a greyish blue color, with deep dark pupils that narrowed as it stared at the boy petting it's head, like a predator in a standoff with its prey.
Not giving it any thought. Eugene continued to stroke it's head and fur.
"I should ask Paulie if they got a store pet or something...what if you got in while he was busy? We don't want you messing with the pastries now do we?"
Reaching out with both hands, he picked up the cat and held it up as he marveled at the softness of it's fur. Surprised by the strain in his arms, Eugene opted to hug the cat close to his chest not expecting it to weight so much
"You're probably a stray, but how're you so heavy then? It's hard to get fat on a stray cat's diet..."
As Eugene held the cat, his hands brushed against it's neck and a hard leathery texture of an object wrapping around its neck. Dangling from it and connected by chain is a small golden bell, with the word 'Faust' written on it.
Noticing the bell, Eugene gestured to touch it but was surprised when the cat suddenly bit his finger.
"Argh! Hey-What was that for?"
The cats fangs dug in and cut deep enough to draw blood from his already injured hand. But oddly enough, the cut did not continue bleed.
Licking it's lips, the cat hopped out of his arms, and turned around to once again stare at him. This time with a little bit more to it's gaze. It's eyes began to suffuse with a golden shimmering glow.
Suddenly the sound of bell chimes began to echo in not only the kitchen, sounds were coming from every direction.
Eugene now panicking, heart in his throat, took a step back from the cat.
One by one, the shelves in the kitchen began to shake and shudder. The kitchen stations began to vibrate, the utensils on top of them rattling, as though the earth was trembling from the very core.
Losing his balance, he fell back and the grey cat Faust, slowly rose from the ground floating weightlessly. Here and there motes of white light began to revolve and encircle the cat in a spherical glow. The sound of rushing wind assaulted his ears as it kicked up while the sphere around the cat slowly manifested itself.
What is going on??? Am I dreaming this??? This cat!-—Eugene's thoughts seemed to short circuit as he witnessed this unfold. He crawled back very slowly trying to distance himself from the ball of white light.
As the radiant sphere continuously grew into an enormous size, the cat Faust in the middle of it, the entire room seemed to shake with an intensity that could collapse the entire building.
When the ball of light finally completed itself, a blinding flash of white radiance lit up the room bathing every corner of it.
Blinded and disoriented, Eugene held his palm up to his eyes covering them.
When he opened them once more, the kitchen was empty. No cat, no white sphere of light and the shelves, the stations and the unfinished pastry products were undisturbed. As though the earlier experience was simply his imagination run wild.
Sitting there in a daze, Eugene stared at empty spot where the cat had been floating just moments ago.
---
*Ching Ching*
The sound of the front door shook Eugene out of his reverie, and he glanced towards the door.
Standing at the entrance of the store was a woman.
The first thing that Eugene noticed, was the color of her hair. It was a deep dark shade of black—jet black, with purple highlights here and there, framing her face in a sharp bob-cut that ended at her jawline.
She had sharp almond shaped eyes, her irises a cool shade of grey that seemed to scan Eugene from head to toe as she slowly walked up to the counter. Her eyes had an unnatural glint to them that made Eugene feel as though she were peeling back the layers of his skin to gaze into his very soul.
Her eyes swept its focus across his body before settling on his hands, which were still partially bloody, prompting Eugene to hide his knuckles in the sleeves of his jacket.
A chill found itself crawling up his spine and he reflexively turned to look at Paulie who had been calling out to him.
"Kid? Hello? What's going on with you?"
"N-nothing...It's fine, I'm fine—Hey listen, did Uncle Jun get a cat for the store? Like...a pet to keep the pest out? I sa—I think I saw a cat in the kitchen earlier when I was in there, you should probably check" Pausing between sentences, Eugene quickly corrected himself after catching Paulie's surprised expression at the mention of a cat.
"There's a cat in the kitchen?? Goodness! Did they forget to close the backdoor again?!? Those idiots! I swear I'll—" Just as Paulie was about to rush into the kitchen, Eugene quickly held him back.
"N—no, I might be mistaken. I haven't slept properly, maybe I just mistook a container for a cat or something. The backdoor wasn't open, trust me I saw it closed."
Once again correcting himself Eugene held back Paulie from entering the kitchen. He didn't want to bother the busy employee as he knew that whether or not the cat was real it had already vanished.
If he goes into the kitchen, just to find nothing it would just waste his time. There's also the customer that he needs to accommodate.
"Is that so. Huh, you really should take better care of yourself young man...you're looking so thin nowadays, I know how important your education is, but not at the cost of your health. Now run along, your mother's probably waiting already" Visibly relieved, Paulie turned to Eugene once more and gently pat his shoulder. Turning to the customer who had just, entered moments ago he then smiled ang greeted the woman with a smile.
"I'm so sorry ma'am, I had to settle some things. Are you here to pick up your order? I have it right here..." Paulie said as he placed the box of brownies on top of the counter, while standing in front of the cashier.
Making his way around the counter, towards the exit. Eugene picked up the bag of groceries and looked back at the customer who came to pick up her order. To his surprise, the pair of sharp grey eyes were quietly staring at him once more. The light reflecting off her irises had a subtle glow of amethysts hues.
Looking away, he called over his shoulder as he said his good byes.
"Thanks Paulie! See you around!" Eugene shouted as he exited the bakeshop. Thankful that Paulie knew not to mention his bloody hands in mixed company.
---
As the door to the bakeshop closed, ringing the bell chimes that hung atop the doorway. A pair of keen grey eyes turned away from the figure that just left. Looking at the kind storekeeper, the woman pulled out a single bill from her wallet and placed it on the counter.
"Thank you. I hope you didn't have too much trouble making it. I just don't know of any other stores that take custom orders like yours does."
Laughing out loud, Paulie waved his hands in denial.
"Not at all miss, It wasn't troublesome to make at all. In fact the guys had a lot of fun making the brownies. It's been a while since they could be creative in the kitchen. The Boss Jun usually hates getting hefty custom orders, but you don't really order in bulk so there weren't any complaints."
Smiling gently, the woman nodded and gave a polite bow that made the loosely tuck strands of hair behind her ear flutter down. Reaching up to tuck them back, she carefully received the bag containing the brownies before thanking Paulie once more and turning to leave.
"Might I ask? Who was the person earlier? He looked very pale...was he alright? I'm worried that he might be ill. A lot of people have been getting sick recently in the neighbourhood." Pausing mid-turn, her brows scrunched up slightly as she inquired.
Paulie who had turned around to rearrange the displayed sweets behind the glass case, stiffened.
Raising an eyebrow, the woman smiled a bit as she shook her head. "I'm sorry, It's none of my business...please forget that I asked." Bowing, the woman gracefully turned and exited with the sound of bell chimes. Seeing this Paulie struck his palm with his fist and snickered to himself.
"Heh! Looks like Eugene's got himself a secret admirer! What a lucky kid!!"
Outside the store, the woman reached into her coat and took out a small notepad writing something in it using a silver pen.
Mumbling to herself as the pen slid across the paper. The name 'Eugene Gideon Reyes' was written and encircled.