*to buy*

"Eddie!" I heard my mom's distinctive voice yell for me, from the downstairs. I felt all too comfortable in my bed to leave, reading my comic, but I knew I'd just get into trouble if I didn't.

The springs in my bed loosened and the door to my blacked out bedroom, let in the ugly bright light of the Saturday morning.

"What mom?!" I leaned on the railings and yelled back, so I didn't have to go downstairs, but of course she hadn't answered.

"Ughh." I ran down the steps and went straight to the kitchen, where I assumed the source had come from. "Mom?" I asked now quiet, but she wasn't there.

"Oh there you are sweetheart." Her head carried with perfect blond curls, popped out from behind the door to the garage, that connected with our kitchen.

"You called?" I asked, with a full mouth, since I bit into the tempting yellow apples stacked in a basket.

"Would you be a dear and go to the store to buy a few things for me?" I really didn't want to, I'd rather do anything else, but I doubt I had a say in it.

"Yeah, sure." I said without a hint of annoyance.

"Wonderful." And she disappeared into the garage again. "Can I have the keys to the car?" I stepped towards the door, apple still in hand.

"NO!

Now her whole figure pillared in front of me.

"Don't go in the garage, I spilled something. Wouldn't want you to slip."

She smiled with a full mouth of pearly whites. "Besides, your sister took the car."

She wiped her hands off her white apron and then smoothed down her dress.

"But then how am I supposed to go to the store?" I knew the answer to this but somehow I hoped I was wrong.

"Just take your bike." And just like that, she turned on her heal and left.

"Ughhh. Fine." I took one look threw the window at the outside, blinding as ever, already I felt sweaty.

"Wait. What am I supposed to get?!"

"I left you the shopping list on the counter!" It was true, there was a piece of paper with jagged edges, that had been torn from a notebook, titled *grocery list*.

I swiped it and crumpled it in the pocket of my jacket. After taking two steps, I felt something stuck to my sock. I picked up my foot and found a sticky note attached, twice underlined *to buy*.

"Another one?" I sighed, and then stuffed it in the same pocket.

The outside was as unbearable as imagined it to be, I was met by the blazing ball of fire hung on the sky, and my bike propped on the wall.

No sense whining now. I hopped on, and rode through the streets with pastel suburban houses, circled by their abnormally green yards, flower beds and perfectly trimmed bushes. I paddled until my feet burned, so I didn't have to interact with any of my plastic neighbours hosing their gardens.

Just around the corner I could see the sign of the only store for miles, its sliding doors snapping open and shut, constantly letting people in and out. I dropped my bike wherever, knowing very well no one steals anything in this neighbourhood. Nothing, happens in this neighbourhood.

"Hey, Tony." The dude behind the counter with gum exploding out his mouth, only murmurs something under his breath, and doesn't skip a beat from starring at his phone screen. His name is Tony and I know him from bio class, where he always sits in the last row, but every time I come in here, he squints at me, like he can't exactly pin point why I look so familiar.

I pass him without taking it personal and submerge into the aisles. The people who shop here are consistent with the clichés I find every visit. Women blabbering in some corner, probably here just so they could hear the latest gossip. The elderly, nit-picking through the fruits and vegetables, since they have all the time in the world. And of course there had to be a man in a suit, pushing a full cart, bored out of existence while his wife stacks up even more boxes, cans, bottles and everything and anything standing in her path.

I grab a cart and already get irritated by its squeaky wheel. "Alright. Let's get this over with." I rummage through my pocket and take out the crumpled ball of paper. I smoothed it out and read through with a quick scan.

Milk

Eggs

Cheese

Cereal

Lettuce

Jam

Okay, so all I need to get, is everything. Great.

In the corner of my eye, I see the wall of cereal boxes stacked up in a pyramid. I pick one up and toss it in, banging against the metal bars.

Cereal

Closest by, were the jars of honey, jams and jelly, tagged with fruits and prices. "I prefer strawberry so..."

Jam

"Milk. Hmmm. Where was it?" I tap a finger on my chin, spinning like an idiot before I remember the cartons were on the other isle. My memory had served me right, but a girl who was texting obnoxiously loud stood in my path. I reached over her, and she looked up only to shoot me a dirty look of disgust. Because of course I'm the one interrupting her.

Milk

I passed the cardboard boxes filled with eggs. Just in case I opened them up to check for cracks, which I've learned from past mistakes.

Eggs

Going through the field of lettuce, I find one in perfect bloom and no yellowed leaves.

Lettuce

And my favourite ingredient for a sandwich, cheese. I pick up a block and balance it on top the milk.

Cheese

"Done." I proudly roll the cart over to where Tony had just finished giving back change to a customer. Now, only a bike ride from my bed.

I spill out everything on the counter and hear the familiar beep. The cash in my left pocket covers more than enough, so with every scan I pile the items one by one in a plastic bag and put the change in my pocket.

Oh. No.

I think to myself, as I hear paper rustling. I pull out the small yellow sticky note with *to buy* scribbled on. "Wait. I forgot a few things." I let down the bag and turn back.

"Whatever man."

Tony takes out his phone again.

*to buy* I read on, with every listed item, my eyebrows lift higher and higher until they reached my hairline. I starred at the isles, then back at the sticky note.

"This has to be a joke."

I almost even laughed.

"I'll be, right back."

And I bolt out of the store. My phone fumbles out of my pocket, and I dial the number to my house.

"Mom?"

"Yes honey?" I hear her delicate voice on the other side.

"Are you joking with me or are you, do you actually want me to buy-"

"Eddie darling you sound distraught."

She stops me before I could go on further.

"But I'm on a tight schedule. And yes I desperately need you to buy all the items."

"But-"

"Byee."

She hung up. And so I walk back in. Tony looks up at me and a pink bubble bursts from his mouth.

"What?"

"Umm... Do you have..." I scratch my head and look back down at the note. ...sponges?"

Tony cocks his head, now looking at me like I'm dumb.

"Duh."

"Right. ...And.. gloves?"

"Yup." His phone slides into his jeans back pocket, and his arms cross.

"What about bleach?" He thinks for another moment, in genuine wonder. "Yeah."

"And black trash bags?"

My voice is shaky, seeing as I can't believe what I'm asking.

Tony focuses back onto me and slowly nods. "Duct tape?"

"Man you for real?"

"Yeah I think so."

Tony had a quizzical look, he couldn't quite decide if I was pranking him or not.

"Yeah we got some."

"What about rope?" I gulp down, hoping I won't get thrown out.

"I'll check in the back."

As Tony left from behind his counter, I watched him disappear behind a door for several minutes.

The other costumers, who were standing close by and overheard, observed me with caution.

"Here."

Tony came back hoarding everything I had asked for.

Duct tape

Bleach

Rope

Black trash bags

Sponges

Gloves

"Thanks." He beeped them out, watching me vigilantly, and so did the women in line behind me, who whispered in distressed excitement.

After that incident I ride back to my house with the speed of light, unsure how my pedals hadn't gone off flying.

"Mom!" "Mom!" I scream from the porch where I fling my bike aside and take in the grocery bags. Out of breath I steer straight into the kitchen.

"Mom!"

"Yes?" She walks out, nonchalantly taking out the milk and storing it in the refrigerator.

I however could not find a question worth asking to clarify my confusion.

The only thing that came out was...

"Is that blood... on your dress?" She looks down and smiles at the red spill over her.

"Of course not. It's just... paint."

Her voice does not quiver nor does she shake.

"Right."

I mumble, not convinced. She glanced at the other bag, and curiously approached it. I wait for her to jerk back from looking in at the ominous items, or any other sign of confirmation that she had no knowledge of this, but instead...

"I see you found my other list."

"Was I not supposed to?" It's not too late for me to be wrong. To be anything but what I'm thinking of.

"No dear, you just saved from a lot of trouble."

She rummages through, until finding the gloves and snapping them on her hands.

The few steps she makes towards me, takes all the strength in me not to run away. With a yellow rubber glove she pinches my cheek and then cups my face.

"Just don't forget.

Don't - Go - In - The garage."