CHAPTER 6 - THE SHOP THAT WATCHES BACK
2848 Words
The street leading to Mr. Cole’s shop felt unusually quiet that day.
Not empty… just wrong in a way I couldn’t explain.
Even the air felt heavier, like it was pressing against my skin.
Mike walked beside me, still talking nonstop about the series we had just finished.
“Bro, I swear that ending was illegal,” he complained dramatically. “How do they just stop the story there? Those writers deserve prison.”
I nodded absentmindedly, barely listening to him.
Something had been bothering me since morning.
A strange pressure in my head.
Not painful… not exactly.
Just there.
Persistent.
Like something invisible was scratching softly at the back of my mind, waiting for me to notice it.
“You’re not even listening to me, are you?” Mike asked, snapping his fingers in front of my face.
“Huh?”
“I knew it.” He shook his head. “Ever since that blackout thing, you’ve been acting weird.”
“I’m fine.”
“That’s exactly what people say before horror movies start.”
I rolled my eyes. “You watch too many movies.”
“And you almost fainted in your kitchen.”
I sighed. “Can we not talk about that?”
Mike studied me for a second before raising both hands. “Alright, alright. Relax.”
The two of us continued down the street.
The closer we got to Mr. Cole’s shop, the stranger the atmosphere became.
The road was almost empty despite the fact that it was still early evening. Usually, this part of town buzzed with life—music from nearby stores, random arguments from street vendors, cars honking.
But today…
Nothing.
Even the wind felt absent.
A cold shiver crawled slowly down my spine.
Mike finally noticed the silence too.
“Okay… now this is creepy,” he muttered.
We stopped in front of the shop.
The old signboard above the entrance creaked gently.
COLE’S MEDIA STORE.
The faded letters flickered under the weak bulb hanging above the door.
Mike pushed the door open first.
The tiny bell above it rang softly.
The moment we stepped inside, the atmosphere changed instantly.
The shop looked exactly the same as always—dusty shelves packed with DVDs, old movie posters hanging crookedly on the walls, dim flickering lights overhead.
But today… it felt alive somehow.
Like the entire place was quietly watching us.
Mr. Cole sat behind the counter reading an old newspaper.
The moment he saw us, a slow smile spread across his wrinkled face.
“Oh… my favorite customers,” he greeted warmly.
“Mr. Cole, don’t start,” Mike replied casually.
“We need something new to watch,” I added.
Mr. Cole folded the newspaper slowly.
“You boys always come when something is unfinished.”
His words made me pause.
Something about the way he said it felt wrong.
Mike, however, didn’t notice.
He leaned against the counter immediately.
“Do you have Season 2 of Mystery Family?”
At that exact moment, the air inside the shop shifted.
Mr. Cole froze.
His smile disappeared instantly.
“…Mystery Family,” he repeated quietly.
Then he stood up slowly from his chair.
“You boys are not supposed to watch that series too deeply.”
Mike laughed awkwardly. “What does that even mean?”
But I wasn’t laughing.
Because something strange had just happened.
Mr. Cole’s eyes changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it clearly.
They locked directly onto me.
Not Mike.
Me.
Like he was seeing something hidden inside me.
Something I didn’t know existed.
A heavy silence filled the shop.
Even the ceiling fan stopped spinning for a brief second.
The lights flickered once.
Suddenly the pressure inside my head returned violently.
My chest tightened.
I grabbed the edge of the counter immediately to steady myself.
Mike noticed at once.
“Yo… you good?”
“I’m fine,” I answered quickly.
But I wasn’t.
Not even close.
Mr. Cole kept staring at me without blinking.
Then slowly… he smiled again.
A strange smile this time.
Not friendly.
Knowing.
“I don’t have Season 2,” he said quietly.
He paused.
“…but I have something better.”
Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the back of the shop.
The silence stretched uncomfortably.
Mike leaned closer to me.
“This guy is seriously weird,” he whispered.
I didn’t respond.
My eyes stayed fixed on the dark hallway Mr. Cole had disappeared into.
For some reason, my instincts screamed at me to leave.
But another feeling… stronger… kept me rooted there.
Like something inside that shop wanted me to stay.
After what felt like forever, Mr. Cole returned holding a small black DVD case.
No label.
No title.
Only a strange symbol carved into the surface.
The moment I saw it, pain shot through my chest again.
Sharp and sudden.
I inhaled deeply.
Mike frowned. “What’s that supposed to be?”
Mr. Cole carefully placed the case on the counter.
“This is not a movie,” he said softly.
Mike blinked. “Then what is it?”
Mr. Cole ignored him completely.
His eyes remained fixed on me.
“It shows people things they are not ready to understand.”
A chill spread through my body instantly.
Mike forced a laugh. “Okay, that sounded creepy as hell.”
Still, Mr. Cole said nothing else.
The shop suddenly felt colder.
I stared at the strange symbol carved into the black case.
And for some reason…
It felt familiar.
Like I had seen it before.
But where?
My fingers twitched unconsciously.
Almost like my body wanted to touch it on its own.
“Crispo?” Mike called carefully.
I snapped out of my thoughts immediately.
“Huh?”
“You’ve been staring at that thing for like thirty seconds.”
“Oh.” I looked away quickly. “Yeah.”
Mr. Cole slowly pushed the case toward me.
“You should take it.”
Mike looked confused. “For free?”
“Yes.”
Mike’s eyes widened instantly. “No way. Mr. Cole never gives anything for free.”
Mr. Cole smiled faintly. “Some things are not meant to be sold.”
The pressure inside my head returned again.
This time accompanied by a strange whisper.
Faint.
Almost impossible to hear.
I froze completely.
“…Crispo…”
I looked around sharply.
Mike frowned. “What?”
“Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
That whisper again.
Closer this time.
“…open it…”
My heartbeat increased instantly.
The voice sounded distant and distorted… like someone speaking underwater.
“Yo, seriously, are you okay?” Mike asked again.
I nodded quickly even though fear was beginning to rise inside me.
Mr. Cole suddenly spoke.
“You should not open it tonight.”
Mike and I both turned toward him.
“What?” Mike asked.
Mr. Cole leaned forward slightly.
“Whatever happens… do not watch it after midnight.”
The shop went silent again.
Mike laughed nervously. “Okay, now you’re definitely trying too hard to scare us.”
But I noticed something.
Mr. Cole wasn’t joking.
Not even slightly.
His expression remained completely serious.
I swallowed slowly. “What’s on it?”
Mr. Cole stared at me for a long moment before answering.
“The truth.”
A cold chill rushed through my body instantly.
Mike groaned loudly. “Bro, why does everything he says sound like a movie trailer?”
Mr. Cole ignored him.
Then suddenly his expression changed again.
His eyes narrowed slightly toward the shop window.
Like he had noticed something outside.
For the first time since we arrived… he looked nervous.
Very nervous.
Without warning, he lowered his voice.
“You boys should leave now.”
Mike blinked. “Uh… okay?”
“No delays,” Mr. Cole continued quickly. “Go home directly. Don’t stop anywhere.”
I exchanged a confused glance with Mike.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Mr. Cole looked back at me.
For a brief second, I saw genuine fear in his eyes.
“They’ve started looking for you.”
My stomach dropped instantly.
“Who?”
But before he could answer—
The lights in the shop suddenly went out completely.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Mike cursed loudly beside me.
“What the hell?!”
A loud crash echoed somewhere in the back of the shop.
Then silence.
Complete silence.
My breathing became uneven immediately.
I could barely see anything around me.
Then suddenly—
A shadow moved near the shelves.
Fast.
Too fast.
I stepped backward instantly.
“Mr. Cole?” I called out carefully.
No answer.
Another movement.
Closer this time.
Mike grabbed my arm tightly. “Bro… tell me you saw that.”
Before I could answer, the lights flickered back on.
The shop looked normal again.
Too normal.
The shelves were untouched.
The fan spun slowly overhead.
And Mr. Cole stood behind the counter exactly where he was before.
Smiling calmly.
Like nothing had happened.
Mike stared at him in disbelief. “Okay nah… I’m leaving.”
Mr. Cole slid the black DVD case toward me one last time.
“Take it,” he said quietly.
My hand hesitated above it.
Every instinct told me not to touch that thing.
But another force… stronger… pulled me toward it.
Slowly, I grabbed the case.
The moment my fingers touched it—
A violent flash exploded inside my head.
I saw darkness.
Fire.
Screaming.
A pair of glowing eyes staring directly at me from somewhere far away.
Then a voice echoed inside my skull.
“He has awakened.”
I gasped sharply and stumbled backward.
Mike caught me before I hit the floor.
“Crispo!”
The vision disappeared instantly.
My breathing became heavy.
Sweat covered my face.
Mr. Cole looked at me carefully.
And for the first time…
He looked disappointed.
“It’s earlier than I thought,” he whispered to himself.
“What the hell is happening to me?” I demanded angrily.
Mr. Cole remained silent.
That silence scared me more than any answer could have.
Mike looked between both of us nervously. “Okay, nope. We’re done here. We’re leaving.”
Honestly… I agreed with him.
We quickly headed for the door.
But just before stepping outside, Mr. Cole spoke again.
“Crispo.”
I stopped.
“Whatever you do…”
His voice became unusually serious.
“…do not let them know you’ve seen the symbol.”
A cold feeling settled deep inside my chest.
I slowly looked down at the black case still in my hand.
That strange symbol stared back at me silently.
Watching.
Waiting.
And somehow…
I knew my life was about to change forever.
MINERVA’S POV
The evening breeze moved gently through the balcony curtains as I stood quietly beside the large glass window of my room, staring at the city lights outside.
Everything here still felt new.
New school.
New people.
New environment.
Yet somehow… something already felt wrong.
I folded my arms slowly across my chest as the image of Crispo flashed through my mind again.
His eyes.
There was something unusual about them.
Not ordinary.
Not normal.
And definitely not weak.
A soft knock came from my door before it opened gently.
“Still awake?” my father asked as he stepped into the room dressed in his military uniform trousers and a plain black shirt.
“Yeah,” I answered calmly.
He walked closer and stood beside me near the window.
“How was school?”
“Fine.”
“That’s not a real answer.”
I sighed softly.
“It was okay. I made a few friends.”
“And?”
I hesitated for a brief second.
“There’s this boy…”
Dad immediately turned toward me with narrowed eyes.
“A boy?”
“Oh please,” I muttered. “Not like that.”
He relaxed slightly.
“What about him?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “There’s just something strange about him.”
Dad became silent.
“What’s his name?”
“Crispo.”
The moment I mentioned the name, his expression changed slightly.
Only for a second.
But I noticed.
“Crispo?” he repeated carefully.
“Yeah.”
Dad slowly walked away from the window.
“Stay away from him.”
My brows furrowed instantly.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
I frowned immediately. “That makes no sense.”
“There are things you don’t understand yet, Minerva.”
“That’s exactly what everybody keeps saying.”
He remained silent for a moment before speaking again.
“Some people attract trouble without realizing it.”
“And you think he’s one of them?”
Dad looked directly into my eyes.
“I know he is.”
A strange feeling settled in my chest instantly.
Not fear.
Curiosity.
Because the way my father said those words…
It sounded like he already knew Crispo.
And somehow…
That bothered me more than it should have.
¶ ¶ ¶ ¶
MR. KIM’S POV
The black car moved quietly through the empty road as rain droplets tapped softly against the windows.
Mr. Kim sat silently in the backseat with his fingers resting against his chin thoughtfully.
His guard sat in front beside the driver.
“Sir,” the guard suddenly spoke. “Do you think Doctor Lee told anyone before his death?”
Mr. Kim’s expression remained calm.
“No.”
“And if he did?”
“Then we remove whoever he spoke to.”
Silence filled the car again.
Mr. Kim slowly looked out through the rain-covered window.
Everything was becoming messy.
Too messy.
First the hospital incident.
Then the strange energy report from the Haven.
And now…
That boy.
Crispo.
Mr. Kim’s eyes darkened slightly.
The description matched too perfectly.
Young.
American.
Unstable power signature.
And recently awakened.
It couldn’t be coincidence.
“Sir,” the guard spoke again carefully. “Do you really believe he could be connected to them?”
Mr. Kim finally answered.
“I don’t believe in coincidences anymore.”
The guard became quiet immediately.
Mr. Kim slowly adjusted his sleeve.
“Keep monitoring the school.”
“Yes sir.”
“And the girl?”
“The Minerva girl?”
“Yes.”
“She arrived four days ago exactly as planned.”
Mr. Kim nodded slowly.
“Good.”
The guard hesitated before asking another question.
“Does her father know?”
Mr. Kim’s lips curved faintly into a cold smile.
“Oh… he knows far more than he pretends to.”
Lightning flashed across the sky outside.
For a brief moment, the inside of the car lit up brightly.
And in that short flash—
Mr. Kim’s eyes looked terrifyingly cold.
“The game is finally beginning,” he whispered softly.
¶ ¶ ¶ ¶
BACK TO CRISPO’S POV
Mike and I stepped out of Mr. Cole’s shop with the strange black DVD case still in my hand.
The cold evening air hit my skin immediately.
But somehow…
I still felt trapped inside that shop.
Mike shoved both hands into his pockets as we walked down the street.
“Bro, tell me we’re not actually watching that thing tonight.”
I looked down at the case silently.
The strange symbol carved into it almost seemed darker now.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” Mike repeated. “After all that creepy nonsense inside there?”
I sighed deeply.
“Didn’t you feel something strange in that shop?”
Mike paused briefly.
Then he laughed awkwardly.
“Okay… maybe a little.”
“A little?”
“Fine,” he admitted quietly. “That place was creepy as hell today.”
I nodded slowly.
Because I knew I wasn’t imagining things anymore.
Something was happening.
And somehow…
Everything seemed connected.
The visions.
The headaches.
Mr. Cole.
This strange DVD.
Even Minerva.
For some reason, my instincts kept telling me she wasn’t ordinary either.
Mike suddenly elbowed me lightly.
“You’re thinking about her again, aren’t you?”
“What?”
“Minerva.”
I rolled my eyes instantly.
“You’re obsessed.”
“No,” Mike corrected dramatically. “You are.”
I smirked slightly despite everything.
“You talk too much.”
“And you stare too much.”
Before I could respond, my phone vibrated inside my pocket.
I pulled it out immediately.
Unknown Number.
Mike noticed.
“Who’s that?”
“No idea.”
I answered the call slowly.
“Hello?”
For a few seconds…
Nothing.
Just silence.
Then suddenly—
“Do not watch the DVD.”
The voice was distorted.
Cold.
Almost robotic.
My body froze instantly.
“Who is this?”
The line went dead immediately.
I slowly lowered the phone from my ear.
Mike stared at me.
“What happened?”
I swallowed hard before answering quietly.
“…I think we’re already in trouble.”
- Writer
