For Scott and Vahid, Part 2

Elise could not figure out how to carry nine slurpies.

For one, they were leaking. For two, they were very, very cold. For three, the ratio of fingers to slurpies was a little too close to one-to-one.

"Gah!" she exhaled as a Banana-Berry Cooler tipped again and dribbled on her jumper. Exasperated, she decided to solve that problem later. She set all nine down on the counter, awkwardly pulled her jumper up a little so she could get to the pockets of the plaid pajama pants, and pulled out a crumpled fist of bills.

The register dude took the now sticky bills from her and started counting them out.

"Where's the drunk?" he asked.

"What?" she glanced behind her, startled.

"No, I'm asking you. The drunk guy that usually gets all these. What happened to him?"

"Uhh, I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean."

"Weird. He has shoes like you."

Elise glanced over her shoulder again. She wished she could see the ghosts from where she was. Maybe she could wave one over to help her carry. Ben Franklin would have helped. Or the magician. She guessed anyway.

"Listen, do you need some help carrying these?"

She looked back up at the register dude. She was kind of creeped out, but then she had all the ghosts on her side. And the ratio of fingers-to-slurpies would be much better for carrying.

"Um, I guess. I'm just walking them this way."

"Right. Okay, I can help. You're sure you don't know the guy I'm talking about? He had shoes JUST LIKE you."

She pushed the door open with the back of her arm and the bells jingled. When she realized they were leaving the store unattended she got even more creeped out. Just make it to the ghosts. Make it to the ghosts she chanted in her mind.

Embarrassed by her shoes, she tried to walk behind him, but as she was the one leading the way, it made things difficult and a little bit awkward. Plus, she was still covered in slurpie goo.

They turned the corner and she maneuvered her way behind him again.

"Ummm..." He backed up straight into her not having noticed that she was now behind him or even that he had hit her.

"Why are you giving ghost vampires slurpies?"

She didn't have a response.

"Ghost vampires love slurpies. You know why?"

She still didn't have a response.

"It cleanses their palate. You know, between courses. Of blood."