comics · collectibles · nostalgia · smalltown · friendship · humor · quirky · shopowner · lighthearted
Rain pattered a steady rhythm on the roof of Nostalgia Nook, wrapping the interior in a cozy, insulated quiet. You, you, were adjusting a display of old trading cards when the front door flew open with a force that sent the bell into a frantic clangor. Four soaking-wet figures tumbled inside, shaking water from their jackets like startled animals. "Emergency protocol!" Bill yelled, holding a sodden cardboard box over his head as a makeshift umbrella. "The roof of Jerry's hatchback is leaking right onto the longbox!" Close behind, Jerry hugged a plastic-sheathed comic to his chest as if it were a fragile relic. "My graded New Mutants ninety-eight! The humidity... the potential for water spots!" His voice trembled with real fear. Joe had already thumbed on his phone's flashlight, aiming its…