Beyond the Surface
Chapter Three
Ashley had left for the night, leaving Philip by himself until graveyard showed up. He was just finishing cleaning the hot dog grill, when he noticed a customer loitering nearby.
"Can I help you?" Philip asked heading back behind the counter, but stopped when he noticed the girl was wearing a partial work uniform.
"Umm I'm Star," she stammered. "I'm here for graveyard training." Philip looked at her quizzically. "Claire said I would be working with Ruth for tonight and tomorrow,” she quickly added.
"I didn't hear anything. Let me call our manager just to make sure." Philip gestured for Star to wait. Star nodded and fiddled with her cell phone.
He quickly called Claire and confirmed that Star was a new hire for a different store and needed training. Claire also asked if Philip could find her a spare shirt and a nametag.
"Well you're early. Claire said you can clock in. Just make sure to leave early so you don’t get overtime." Philip took out a time-sheet and handed it to Star. "Since you’re new, you don't have a number to clock in, so fill this out and it will be sent in later."
"Thanks," Star murmured. She started to fill it out but stopped. "I didn't have a uniform so..." she gestured to her clothes.
"That’s fine. We normally wear black pants and shoes so you’re good there." He quickly looked her over. Oddly enough she was close to his size maybe a little taller but not by much. She even had the same skin complexion. Her hair was even the same jet black and short. "I won't be surprised if people mistake us for family. We're kind of similar."
She giggled. "I noticed that to, but I don't have freckles and different colored eyes." Philip chuckled and quickly retrieved one of his spare shirts and name tag.
"It's clean. I promise. I like to be prepared, is all." Star took the shirt and disappeared to the back room. Philip helped a few customers before she reappeared, looking like his twin.
"Is that my hat?" Philip asked surprised.
"It was folded into the shirt." She reached to take it off. “I thought I was supposed to wear it,” she rambled.
"It's cool. You don’t have to wear it. I’m just surprised it was there. I’ve been looking for it.” Star fiddled with the rim but in the end left it on.
"So what should I do," Star asked. Philip proceeded to show her how the register worked. She rang up a few customers while he hovered by to help.
Philip was impressed she really knew what she was doing. "Graveyard will be here soon. I am just going to finish cleaning the grill real fast. If you need me, just holler." He glanced at the parking lot. A few people were pumping, but no one was coming in yet. He felt safe leaving her by herself for a little bit.
"You don't have to worry; I worked at Target before here. I think I’ll be fine." Philip nodded his head and gathered up the pieces of the grill to be washed. A few customers came in and she was right. She knew enough to figure out how to do things.
"Ruth should be here in a few minutes. I just need to wash these. I will be in the backroom." Philip quickly turned the water on to fill the sinks. He did a quick check through the door. Star was trying to identifying the cigarettes and their locations with her back to the counter.
Philp went back to cleaning. There was no warning, when the loud sound rang through the building. Philip instinctively jumped away as if trying to dodge something. It sounded like a firecracker and made his blood run still. He knew the sound, but only from a distance. It was a gun shot.
Philip crept around the corner and peeked out. Doug and his friend were there. Star was on the ground on her stomach with a hole through her head.
"That will teach him," Doug smiled jumping over the counter, trying to get into the register. His friend slowly lowered his gun with a sick smile on his face. Doug suddenly stilled and dropped to his knees.
"This isn’t him," Doug said in shock. Philip quickly ducked behind the backroom door and hid under the three compartment sink. "Greg this isn’t him! It's a girl!" Philip could hear Doug shout in panic.
"Forget her. Let’s get out of here." Philip strained to her more. "Doug did you hear me let’s get out of here!" Philip heard scuffling of feet. The front door banged open and silence followed.
Philip waited a beat and got up. He could hear his heart pounding in his ear. He crept out and saw Star. He did a quick scan of the store and lot. There was no one. He rushed forward.
Star's head was titled to the right. From behind she could’ve been mistaken for Philip. Philip dropped to his knees when he saw her chest wasn't moving. He checked her pulse. Nothing. He flipped her over to start CPR, but abruptly stopped and looked away. The bullet had exploded out between her eyes.
Philip locked the store and called 911. He processed to call his manager when Ruth showed up. From there it was a blur.
Office Gale showed up and questioned him and Ruth. It wasn’t twenty minutes later that one of the Officers on scene got a call. They found Greg and Doug at another gas station heading out of town. Doug was arrested, but Greg fled.
Philip was like a zombie as Officer Gale drove him home. "Phil it wasn't your fault. People these days fly off the handle for nothing." Philip could only stare ahead. He disagreed. He was to blame. He knew they were going to do something, just he thought he had more time. If he would've just let Claire know sooner, maybe Star would’ve been alive.
"Can I help you?" Philip asked heading back behind the counter, but stopped when he noticed the girl was wearing a partial work uniform.
"Umm I'm Star," she stammered. "I'm here for graveyard training." Philip looked at her quizzically. "Claire said I would be working with Ruth for tonight and tomorrow,” she quickly added.
"I didn't hear anything. Let me call our manager just to make sure." Philip gestured for Star to wait. Star nodded and fiddled with her cell phone.
He quickly called Claire and confirmed that Star was a new hire for a different store and needed training. Claire also asked if Philip could find her a spare shirt and a nametag.
"Well you're early. Claire said you can clock in. Just make sure to leave early so you don’t get overtime." Philip took out a time-sheet and handed it to Star. "Since you’re new, you don't have a number to clock in, so fill this out and it will be sent in later."
"Thanks," Star murmured. She started to fill it out but stopped. "I didn't have a uniform so..." she gestured to her clothes.
"That’s fine. We normally wear black pants and shoes so you’re good there." He quickly looked her over. Oddly enough she was close to his size maybe a little taller but not by much. She even had the same skin complexion. Her hair was even the same jet black and short. "I won't be surprised if people mistake us for family. We're kind of similar."
She giggled. "I noticed that to, but I don't have freckles and different colored eyes." Philip chuckled and quickly retrieved one of his spare shirts and name tag.
"It's clean. I promise. I like to be prepared, is all." Star took the shirt and disappeared to the back room. Philip helped a few customers before she reappeared, looking like his twin.
"Is that my hat?" Philip asked surprised.
"It was folded into the shirt." She reached to take it off. “I thought I was supposed to wear it,” she rambled.
"It's cool. You don’t have to wear it. I’m just surprised it was there. I’ve been looking for it.” Star fiddled with the rim but in the end left it on.
"So what should I do," Star asked. Philip proceeded to show her how the register worked. She rang up a few customers while he hovered by to help.
Philip was impressed she really knew what she was doing. "Graveyard will be here soon. I am just going to finish cleaning the grill real fast. If you need me, just holler." He glanced at the parking lot. A few people were pumping, but no one was coming in yet. He felt safe leaving her by herself for a little bit.
"You don't have to worry; I worked at Target before here. I think I’ll be fine." Philip nodded his head and gathered up the pieces of the grill to be washed. A few customers came in and she was right. She knew enough to figure out how to do things.
"Ruth should be here in a few minutes. I just need to wash these. I will be in the backroom." Philip quickly turned the water on to fill the sinks. He did a quick check through the door. Star was trying to identifying the cigarettes and their locations with her back to the counter.
Philp went back to cleaning. There was no warning, when the loud sound rang through the building. Philip instinctively jumped away as if trying to dodge something. It sounded like a firecracker and made his blood run still. He knew the sound, but only from a distance. It was a gun shot.
Philip crept around the corner and peeked out. Doug and his friend were there. Star was on the ground on her stomach with a hole through her head.
"That will teach him," Doug smiled jumping over the counter, trying to get into the register. His friend slowly lowered his gun with a sick smile on his face. Doug suddenly stilled and dropped to his knees.
"This isn’t him," Doug said in shock. Philip quickly ducked behind the backroom door and hid under the three compartment sink. "Greg this isn’t him! It's a girl!" Philip could hear Doug shout in panic.
"Forget her. Let’s get out of here." Philip strained to her more. "Doug did you hear me let’s get out of here!" Philip heard scuffling of feet. The front door banged open and silence followed.
Philip waited a beat and got up. He could hear his heart pounding in his ear. He crept out and saw Star. He did a quick scan of the store and lot. There was no one. He rushed forward.
Star's head was titled to the right. From behind she could’ve been mistaken for Philip. Philip dropped to his knees when he saw her chest wasn't moving. He checked her pulse. Nothing. He flipped her over to start CPR, but abruptly stopped and looked away. The bullet had exploded out between her eyes.
Philip locked the store and called 911. He processed to call his manager when Ruth showed up. From there it was a blur.
Office Gale showed up and questioned him and Ruth. It wasn’t twenty minutes later that one of the Officers on scene got a call. They found Greg and Doug at another gas station heading out of town. Doug was arrested, but Greg fled.
Philip was like a zombie as Officer Gale drove him home. "Phil it wasn't your fault. People these days fly off the handle for nothing." Philip could only stare ahead. He disagreed. He was to blame. He knew they were going to do something, just he thought he had more time. If he would've just let Claire know sooner, maybe Star would’ve been alive.