{NOTE: Hey otaku.com, I'm back. Here is the first part of chapter one for you all. Sorry about the delays.}

"Two hours left." Katie Clark leaned back against her register and brushed her straight blonde hair back behind her ear. It fell to the middle of her back but she was never really pleased with it. The texture just made it flat or frizzy depending on the humidity. "Just two more hours."
She pulled her drawer out and began sorting through credit card slips and foreign money. Doing her final count. Her smokey blue eyes were focused, so she didn't have another incident of Euro's mixing in the the Yen. Sometimes it happened.
Because she was bent over, her white dress shirt riding higher on her slightly overweight figure, Katie never seen what flew by her so much as felt it. Like a chill down her spine. She stood back up with a jolt. "Who's there?"
There was no one. The aisles were clear of both customers and employess. Everyone was in the back area punching out to head home before the "health agent" was dropped in town. She laughed at herself. Her best friend usually described her bouts of overreaction as a part of her manic personality. In truth Katie liked to goof around. Known for her sense of humor, she had a streak of steal that she didn't feel inclined to reveal often. And she was thinking about herself way to hard. "I need to get moving. I want to go home."
"Ahh, of course you do." Jessica Moore, best friend in the flesh, breezed around the corner. Already clocked out and back in her regular clothes. Where Katie enjoyed good blue jeans and brightly colored tanks. {Preferably one's with bawdy sayings} Her best friend was night to her day. If the night was punting the sun out of it's way.
Jessica was short, chubby and usually overly sarcastic. She wasn't known for her ability to make people smile. She was more serious than humerous. At least, that's what most people got from her. She was extremly creative, smart and the truest friend one could have. Her hair was cut to just above her shoulders in a sharp straight flourescent blue. Jessica lined her hazel eyes with thick black eyeliner. "Work is over. Everyone's punched about but a few stragglers"
The look on Jessica's face said she obviously could see Katie was one of them. "Time to go. Must be home before the town is contaminated."
Jessica didn't consider her attitude snarky. It was more of a defense than anything. Her town wasn't very kind to her. Goth's were evil after all. Or it was a "weird clothing fad". Jessica was twenty-two. It wasn't a fad but a lifestyle she both loved and endured.
She moved around to the side of the register and leaned down on it. Her Tripp pants clinked against the metel side and settled. "Why are you and mom always so slow." Not a question. More annoyed statement.
Katie just inclined her head slighty. "I'm finishing my drawer right now." She'd known Jessica it seemed for almost ever, been adopted into her family two years ago and shared a room with her now. Jessica was punctual or way to early for everything she was set to do. Katie and Cindy {Jessica's mother} not so much so, more like fifteen minutes late for everything. It grated on Jessica's nerves. And since Katie knew it, just grinned and returned to the task at hand.
Sighing, Jessica turned to watch the clock. Less than two hours now and then the town would play it's little role in this expeiriment. She just cheerfully read some of her Naruto manga to pass the boring evening. And tomorrow, she'd enjoy her day off.
Katie took her drawer and placed it over the security counter. Their little grocery store might not have been the highlight of shopping and retail. But it was very secure. As far as the money went. Not for anything else. Not a camera or motion detector throughout the whole place. There was an alarm but you'd have to be breaking in through the windows to set it off.
"Alright, I'm finished." Katie turned to face her friend.
Jessica shook her head back at her. "Really, I hadn't noticed."
"Jackass." Katie kicked her lightly in the shin. Jessica didn't take it badly. In a fight, Jessica possesed nice skill. She'd taken three years of kickboxing and martial arts but Katie had a truly hard skull and determination. They'd never really fought each other, they'd saved it for others.
"Who's the jackass?" Jessica sneered. "The day you actually beat my ass is the day the world goes dark forever."
It was a funny statement. Or would have been, if the lights hadn't blanked out before she'd finished the full sentence. The two of them stood alone in the dark. Screams and shouts erupted from the back of the store. More employees caught off guard.
"Okay." Jessica began, taking a slow breathe. "That was unexpected."
"This is the point where I kick your ass right?" Katie went to kick her friend again but she'd moved so her foot connected with a metal side. "Damn it."
"Serves you right trying to kick people in the dark." Jessica backed slowly down the register line, emergency lights would kick in soon and she'd be able to see again.
"When the lights come back on, I'm going to kick you for real." Katie snarled. Rubbing her sore foot.
Jessica smirked to herself. Edging farther down the aisle. Until, someone brushed by her, lightly running fingers across the back of her neck. "Katie, cut it out. Hentai."
"What are you talking about?" Katie said. "I'm not doing anything."
It didn't sound like she'd moved. So which worker was trying to scare Jessica. "Someone's being an ass."
"What do you mean?" Katie's voice was curious.
Jessica didn't reply. Her skin was crawling. She could feel eyes on the back of her head. Hands came down on her shoulders, gripping painfully in the dark. She cried out just before being lifted off of her feet and thrown into the office wall.
"Jessica, Jessica are you okay." Katie didn't move for fear of crashing into somthing. She coulnd't see in the dark at all. She needed glasses to see in the light.
"I'm not sure if okay is a word I'd use." Jessica returned to her feet just as two hands slammed into the wall on either side of her head. "Katie, some help."
Then the lights flashed on, blinding them both and revealing the attacker. It was....... TO BE CONTINUTED.