• The cold, hard—newly waxed—linoleum floor was blinding under the florescent lights that hung high over the secluded aisle that I found myself sitting in. And yet despite the floor’s luminous qualities, I was playing connect the dots with the multicolored speckles that were part of the design. Needless to say… I found nothing. However, this mindless distraction proved to be just the thing to put my overworked brain into a pleasant state of nothingness as I stared at the seemingly seizure induced patterns on the floor.

    Pausing my staring contest with the floor, I took a sip from my faithful energy drink that sat next to me and sighed. I then roll my head back and my gaze is greeted by a bright yellow smiling face advertising low prices. Always. An elderly greeter spots me and pauses for a moment before smiling and waving at me. Returning the gesture with my own pathetic attempt of enthusiasm, I can’t help but wonder if the man realizes that it was me he greeted two hours ago. Given the man’s advanced age and the almost blissful expression on his face I came to the conclusion that he had no idea who I was. Something tells me that being senile is the only thing that keeps him sane at this job, the only thing keeping that smile on his face and the strength in his arm.

    “What the hell are you doing here?” A voice from the opposite end of the aisle interrupts the quiet of the surrounding atmosphere and I flinch slightly at the noise. I know that tone… a little too well. Reluctantly I turn my gaze to meet the one of the very person who put this chain of events in motion. Alexander Parker was the last person I wanted to see.