100 Theme Challenge #23

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23. Magic

Steve worked at a small convenience store in the small town he grew up. He was a simple guy so this job was all right for him before he'd have enough money to go to college. You see, his parents were dead, and his foster ones had let him fly from his own wings as soon as he had been old enough.

He never had any hold-ups at his store, he never met any celebrities. It was small town, as mentioned previously, and no one but its citizens cared to come in.

Last thin interesting that happened in the last six months had been Mister Clark forgetting his keys in his car. So of course, Steve came at work that night thinking it'd be another calm night, where he could listen to his music without incident.

He was in the middle of cleaning the bathroom when he heard the buzz of the door. He let his mop there and rushed to open it for the client. Usually nobody was coming at this hour. Stranger thing is that he didn't recognize the man. His hair was unruly, his clothes crumpled as if he'd slept in them a few nights in a row.

"Hello," Steve greeted him, and he simply nodded in his direction. Exhaustion was obvious on his pale face.

"Do you have any hair products?"

"Um, yes, in that alley."

He watched with a puzzled expression the customer come back with hairspray. He didn't pry though and made him pay. He was giving him back his cash when the man, quite handsome from up close if it wouldn't be for that tired expression, tensed and looked outside.

"Fuck- get down!"

"What, wh-…" The window of the front exploded, and something inhuman roared. Steve only had time to crouch to avoid the glass. When he glanced above the counter, he saw the guy didn't even have a scratch. Then he looked on the left, and he saw the… thing. It looked like those gargoyles statues he once saw in a documentary.

"What the fuck…?" Then it got even weirder, because the dude produced fire in his hand, but he didn't have anything to light it, and he used the hairspray with in the monster's direction. It screeched as a flame licked its face. An horrible burnt flesh odor worked Steve out of his stupor, but he didn't have more of a clue about what was going on, watching the creature take a leap and fly away, disappearing into the night. He looked at the man, who seemed almost sheepish now.

"What was that? And how did you make fire?"

That made him sigh. "I could lie to you or make you forget, but I don't have the ability to repair windows. I'll stand with it's complicated."

Steve began to shake, sweating buckets. He sat down on his stool and breathed deeply. A moment later, the man appeared at his side, tending him a chocolate bar. He looked harmless enough, except for his big, blue eyes.

"You're going into shock. Eat this, it'll help. Then I'll explain to you why that fucker is after me."

(What is 100TC?)