LAMIA

It was raining cats and dogs as he collected trollies from the car park, he was chilled to the bone and the waterproof the company supplied was only really shower proof, it might as well have been made of towels. He cursed the skies blue as he headed in for his break, tbh if you’d been there you would have expected the skies to turn blue and the sun come out. As he entered the canteen dripping puddles as he walked he saw her Janis, he rolled his eyes as he hug his coat, this would be fun (not), he made a coffee and sat down next to the radiator hoping to dry out.

“Oh! You poor lamb, you are soaked through”

Janis sat down opposite him and proceeded to talk the hind legs from the donkey. He pretended to listen, in truth he just studied his coffee with the intensity of the gods.

15 helish minuetes later his break and his coffee were done with. He rose from the table aiming a strained smile at Janis. He pulled on his coat it was cold wet and heavy, he shivered as he stepped back into the elements. The next and last two hours of his shift in the car park were no diffierant, in fact the rain didn’t let up until he slid his key into the lock of his front door at 6pm. He felt so much better after a good long hot bath and some fresh clothes. He went out for a meal, returning home he felt refreshed watched a little tv then went to bed.

His shift the next day went some what better as it did not rain, there were clouds but it had stayed dry. About 5 minuetes from the end of his shift he saw Dan (store manager, and cretin) coming his way, he considered hiding but Dan called out his name.

HEY DAN

“ hey I’m glad i caught you, Janis hasn’t come in today.. can you stay on till 8 just to cover?”

Dan grinned 2 hours we’ll pay time and a half !

OK SURE

Dan said thanks over his shoulder as he disappeared back the way he’d came.

The extra two hours were ok, on tills in the air conditioned building, best part it had not been to busy. He went straight from work to have a meal, he stopped at the Indian quater at the edge of town, such good flavours. A week had passed and still no Janis, it made for quieter breaks and a few more hours cover picked up. When he went in on the following Monday the mood was quiet sullen, he asked what was wrong?

“ oh my, haven’t you heard” Bell

“ police found a women’s body up on the heath all mutilated they reckon” Shaun

Dan came in at that moment, his eyes looked a little red, he cleared his throat, well I’m sure by now you’ve heard the news about the poor women on the news, I’m sorry to say she has been identified as Janis.! A gasp rang round the staff before Dan carried on. We are shutting the store for the rest of the day out of respect, um the police are here and would like to speak to you all in turn, once you’ve been interviewed you are free to go home, no need to clock out, the company no I thank you for your patients in this matter and sorry for bearing such bad news.

The interviews were simple just a few basic questions : What was Janis like, did you work together, was anything troubling her, did you socialise, when did you last see her?.

Everyone went home quiet after about 2 hrs, this was not such a great day.

He still went out for a meal as was the norm, he was lucky this night as he found a young mid teenage girl walking alone, she never saw him coming as he dragged her into the shadows and sank his teeth into her neck….

She was such sweet wine, James slept well that night.