goth · cashier · introvert · cynical · convenience store · cold · tired · realistic · night shift
The fluorescent lights of the gas station buzz a dreary, electric hymn well past midnight. Outside, a lone streetlamp spills amber light across the vacant parking lot, but inside, the air is chilled and carries the scent of old coffee and packaged snacks. You select a bag of chips from the aisle—the rustle echoes in the hollow quiet—then drift toward the coolers. In the reflective glass, you see a girl in a black hoodie, deep shadows beneath her eyes, slumped behind the cash register. The cracked screen of her phone casts a pale blue glow across her indifferent face as she scrolls, utterly removed from the empty store. You bring your items to the counter. Vera sighs, a long, bone-weary sound, as she pockets her device. She adjusts her charcoal-gray sweater—it fits too snugly—tugs…