Chapter Two
Dani distracted herself at work for the rest of the night the way that she always did when she was upset—with her favorite films. It was so easy for her to pop a beloved VHS tape into a machine and allow herself to be transported to another world for ninety minutes.
Things were always better in the movies; the people were prettier, wealthier, happier.
In films she could go on amazing adventures, discover exciting things, fall in love again and again.
Reality paled in comparison to the hundreds of videocassette worlds that were right at her fingertips.
That night, when Casablanca was finished, Dani plucked The Wizard of Oz clamshell case off the shelves and inserted the tape into the VHS player.
If anything could cheer her up, it would be her favorite childhood musical.
Instead, as the whimsical story played out on the screen, Dorothy’s feelings of rejection, loneliness, and longing for home only stabbed at her heart.
Most of the time, getting lost in a movie helped to ease Dani’s mind, but her encounter that night with Matt Vickers left her shaken.
Her usual dissociation coping mechanism wasn’t working against a real life, six-foot-tall hulking threat.
Even though her parents had raised her with stranger danger talks, she wasn’t prepared to deal with the attention of someone so intense.
She’d had boys at school come on to her before, but never like this.
Matt Vickers wasn’t a teenage boy—he was a man, and a big one at that.
Intimidating. Dangerous. How do you make someone go away when they don’t take no for an answer?
“The Wizard of Oz? Interesting choice.”
Kyle joined Dani behind the counter, snapping her out of her Matt-Vickers-induced anxiety spiral. Kyle pulled his backpack out from under the counter as Elmira Gulch threatened to kidnap Dorothy’s dog.
“Another black and white movie?” Kyle teased.
“This is sepia tone, not black and white,” Dani said. “Don’t worry, it’ll switch to color soon.”
“I know, I’ve seen it before,” he said. “You usually pick out more mature films. I was just surprised that you chose a kids movie. That’s all.”
“It’s one of my comfort movies,” she explained. “Watching it usually helps me feel better.”
“Is it helping?”
Dani snorted. “Not really.”
“Still kinda rattled, huh?” Kyle asked.
“Yeah,” she said. “Vickers creeps me out. Big time.”
“Sorry about that guy. I wish our manager would do something about dudes like him.”
Dani frowned. “Me too.”
Kyle passed her a half-eaten box of chocolate covered raisins. “Want some?”
Dani shook her head. “No, thanks.”
“Come on, if this is your last night working here, you gotta at least take advantage of some free candy.”
“Good point.” Dani reached around to the front of the counter, instinctively knowing where her favorite candy was stocked. Her hand closed around a package of crinkly sour gummy worms. She opened the bag, popped one in her mouth, and let out a sigh.
“So, what is it about this particular movie that’s so great?” Kyle asked. “I mean, I know it’s a classic. I guess I just don’t get it.”
“I dunno. It was so magical to watch when I was a kid,” she said. “Movies like this always made me feel safe. You know?”
Kyle scrunched his forehead. “Whaddaya mean?”
“Like, I didn’t grow up with a lot of friends. My parents were always anxious about me playing outside. I was left alone a lot, so I always had the TV on in the background.”
“Oh, right,” Kyle nodded. “My grandma does that with daytime TV. She says it keeps her company.”
“Exactly!”
“Well, I’m all done with my work for the night,” Kyle said. “I can keep you company until our shift is over. You know, so you don’t have to feel alone.”
“You don’t even like The Wizard of Oz.” Dani rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, but I like you.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks. “Kyle …”
“I know, I know,” he said. “You have a boyfriend.”
“Right.”
“Doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.” Kyle gave her a gentle nudge with his elbow. “Don’t worry, if that Vickers guy shows his face again, I’ll kick his ass.”
“If he shows his face again, I’m calling the cops,” Dani said. “Thanks, though. I wouldn’t mind some company.”
“Yeah, dude,” Kyle said. “That’s what friends are for.”
Dani popped a sour gummy worm in her mouth and turned her attention to the TV, hoping that she wasn’t blushing too hard.
She liked Kyle. He was a good guy, and even though he clearly liked her as more than just a friend, he never crossed her boundaries.
She didn’t like the idea that she might be leading him on, but what else could she do?
Historically, platonic relationships with the opposite sex never went over well for her, but she had to admit it was nice to not feel so alone. It was nice to have a friend.
As they munched candy and stared at the Technicolor film, Dani mulled over what Kyle had said.
This was probably the first time she fully understood the reason why she chose to work at a video store instead of at the mall or a grocery store.
She was never good at being alone, and the hum and flicker of a television set gave her the illusion that a cherished friend was always nearby.
Up until Matt Vickers became a regularly occurring fixture at the store, Cool Flix had felt like a haven to her.
Now, as she stared out the tinted windows onto the darkened boardwalk, she didn’t feel safe at all.
She felt trapped. Watched. Like a caged animal on display, with a predator right outside.
Kyle kept to his word and stayed by her side throughout the rest of the film.
No other customers bothered them for the rest of the evening as they leaned against the counter, elbows grazing and eyes locked on the screen.
By the time the credits rolled, all of their candy had been consumed and the clock on the wall showed it was closing time.
Kyle slung his backpack over his shoulder and gave her a long, sad sigh.
“I’m gonna lock up. Need anything?”
“I’m good,” she said. “Just gonna put the cash box in the safe and then I’ll be ready to go.”
He stepped out from behind the register, avoiding her gaze. “Ok. I’ll wait for you out back.”
“Kyle.”
He stopped and turned on his heels. She knew this would probably be the last time she’d ever see her friend for a long time.
Maybe they would run into each other when she came home for the holidays if she was lucky.
He would probably still be working at Cool Flix, spending his days skateboarding by the pier and rewinding tapes at night. In a way, she envied him.
“Yeah?” Kyle answered.
“I really am gonna miss you.”
He smirked and brushed the hair from his eyes. “Yeah. I know.”
Dani smiled and turned her attention to the register as he walked toward the front door with his set of keys jangling.
It had been hours now since Matt made his unwanted appearance, and she had spent that entire time battling the rock in the pit of her stomach, anxious to finish out her final shift.
Kyle had made it easier by keeping her company, but she wasn’t out of the woods yet.
Thankfully, Tommy was waiting for her in the parking lot.
Once she was cocooned in the safety of his passenger seat, she would never have to worry about unwanted attention from Matt Vickers or anyone else at the store again.
Kyle turned over the CLOSED sign, locked the front door, and killed the overhead lights, leaving the video store bathed in the soft glow of neon light.
Dani continued her closing time duties for what she knew would be the very last time, grabbed the till full of cash, and headed toward the back office.
Knowing that her boyfriend was waiting for her shifted her anxiety to anticipation.
She was going to miss Cool Flix and Santana Beach, but she was going to miss Tommy even more.
No more boardwalk pizza dates.
No more romantic sunset walks on the beach.
No more steamy reenactments of Titanic in the back seat of his car.
If Dani let herself think about all of the changes that were headed her way, her throat closed and her eyes grew misty with tears.
She needed to suck it up. She had made her decision to leave home and Santana Beach and everything she knew and loved for college, and she had to stick with it.
Leaving everything she loved was what she knew she needed and wanted. So why did it have to hurt so bad?
The familiar squeaky hinges of the back receiving door echoed through the quiet of the video store as Dani locked the till in the safe.
She pulled her boyfriend’s borrowed hoodie over her head, grabbed her messenger bag, and headed toward the back door.
Warm, salty summer air kicked in from the open door as she made her way down the hall to where Kyle was supposed to be waiting for her.
“Kyle?” She called out. “Do you think I should leave my work badge with you, or …”
THUNK.
The plastic crunch of a VHS tape avalanche caused Dani’s head to whip around.
Her ears perked, and the fine hairs on her forearms stood on end.
A muffled groan came from deep within the darkened bowels of the video store.
Adrenaline buzzed through her legs in static waves as she turned and stepped in a puddle of something sticky and slick all at once.
Dani lifted her foot to inspect her shoes and discovered that her brand new sneakers were splashed with something that definitely wasn’t spilled soda or coffee. Something viscous and awful and red.
Oh, no.
Kyle.
Her chest tightened and her breath came in fast and shallow bursts as she glanced around the darkened hallway for a weapon.
She had gotten a canister of mace to keep in her purse for college, but now Dani cursed herself for leaving it at home.
She grabbed a wooden-handled mop propped against the back door and pushed herself forward.
Every worst case scenario played on a loop in her mind as she wrapped her trembling hands around the makeshift weapon.
Maybe they were being robbed, or maybe Kyle had cut himself on a box cutter or something and was bleeding out.
If they were being robbed, she needed to get to the phone in the break room and call the police.
But her gut instincts and the puddle of blood on the floor indicated that her coworker was already in far more danger than she could possibly imagine.
Dani tiptoed down the back hall and peered around the corner, her eyes still struggling to adjust to the low light.
A pile of returned plastic VHS clamshell cases lay scattered at the base of the front desk.
As she crept nearer, Dani could clearly make out the distinct shink sound of a blade followed by a soft thud and ragged, wet breathing.
She gripped the mop handle and forced her fear-deadened legs to move forward, terrified of what she would see.
A flash of metal.
A spray of red.
Headphones smashed to pieces.
White teeth against tan skin.
Kyle lay sprawled on the floor behind the front counter, his eyes bugged open and his mouth frozen in a wide “O”. A wet gurgle escaped from his throat as she met his vacant gaze. His once light blue Cool Flix work shirt was stained nearly black with blood, his head cocked at an unnatural angle.
A shriek ripped from Dani’s chest as she registered what was happening to her friend. Someone was straddling Kyle’s waist, wielding a bloody hunting knife high over their head. Someone with empty, soulless eyes and perfect, glowing teeth.