Janie Moss and the Other Point-oh-Two
Melissa Stevens
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 Melissa Stevens
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Ninety nine point nine-eight percent of paranormal phenomenon can be explained by everyday occurrences happening at odd times. That other point-oh-two? Well, that's usually the real deal. Ghost hunting has become the latest and greatest hobby with expensive toys. When I first started, ghost hunting was nothing more than a simple dare to stand in front of the spookiest house on the block.
My name is Janie Moss. I'm nothing special to look at- thick, frizzy, mouse brown hair that does what it wants, five-six in stilettos, and a chest that, well, let's just say there's plenty left to be desired. I love to wear t-shirts and jeans with sneakers, and when I dress up I usually just attempt to fix my hair. My big splurge is colored contacts. I'm a sucker for those things, and love getting the really bright eye colors, just to see if anyone notices.
I work as a cashier at a grocery store called Sonny's. It's painted a nightmarish yellow and orange on the outside with the 'o' in the sign a sun, but the prices are fair and the coworkers are honest. Falon, my best friend, also works at Sonny's, but she's the bookkeeper. I think Mo, the store manager, is actually afraid of her so he just gives her whatever she wants. Falon doesn't have a last name, or at least not one that I've found. She's six feet tall with legs longer than me, and curves everywhere they should be. She covers her fantastic figure in skin tight black leggings and her latest favorite band shirts, with black fishnet elbow length gloves. She has more piercings than my mother and I put together, with one in her right eyebrow, one in her nose and three in each ear. Her makeup is thick and dark, and her hair is currently blonde with red chunky streaks, and dyed black underneath. Falon is one mean mofo when she needs to be, but every night she goes to sleep with her childhood stuffed unicorn, Candy.
We are complete opposites, but we get along very well.
Unity, Tennessee is a tiny little town an hour past Knoxville, as the crow flies. It's tucked so far away from anything that if a person were claustrophobic they'd have to move. I grew up there, work there, and currently reside there, and will probably never leave.
"Falon!" I yelled across the store. "There's no one left, let's lock up and go home!" It was five minutes to closing time, and I was ready to leave. My new tennis shoes were killing my feet after standing an eight hour shift.
Falon poked her head out of the office door, and stared down the bread aisle. "Janie!" she hissed. "There's a woman right there! Keep your voice down. And check the aisles a little better!" She disappeared back into the office.
I was certain no one was in the store, so I trudged over to the aisle and checked myself. Then I double checked the two aisles closest to it, and wearily dragged my feet back to the office, yanking the door open. "There's no one here. You're nuts. I want to go home and get these shoes off."
Falon turned with a frown. "I saw her. Dress, curly blonde hair and a scarf. She was checking out the bread."
"I just checked the aisles. No one's in here. Like I said before. Let's go."
The lights dimmed from a timer, signaling nine o'clock. "Look, closing time. I'll go lock up."
"I'm gonna hunt for that woman."
I shrugged. "Suit yourself."
Sonny's was a small store. With a total of eight aisles, it carried all the essentials. The closest Wal-Mart was thirty minutes away, so it was easier on everyone if the store was stocked with everything from milk to flip flops. Falon was standing at the end of the HBA aisle when I came back from locking the doors. I slid my key into my pocket as I tried to get her attention. "Hey, did you find her-"
She waved a hand at me, never looking away from the aisle. I hurried beside her, surprised at what I saw.
The woman was halfway down the aisle, and facing away from us. Her dress was red and white polka dotted, with a few extra petticoats giving it body. One blood red high heel tapped on the linoleum as she hesitantly stared at the shelves. A white lace scarf tied around her chin pulled her curly blonde hair down as it wisped around her head. She reached towards the hairnet section, then at the last second pulled her hand, complete with fire-engine red nails, back to her side.
"Wonder where she found that costume?" I whispered.
"I don't know, but it looks pretty cool. Go tell her we're closing up." I had a better disposition towards people than Falon did, so I always got to tell people we were closed. Falon would just shove them out the door.