Creep

By Aaron Abilene

A young man is stalked by a creepy man on his first night shift at a grocery store.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Syphon Creative
• Release date: May 7, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224490127

Book preview

Creep

Aaron Abilene

Published by Syphon Creative, 2024.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

CREEP

First edition. May 7, 2024.

Copyright © 2024 Aaron Abilene.

Written by Aaron Abilene.

Also by Aaron Abilene

505

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Balls

Dead Awake

Before The Dead Awake (Coming Soon)

Carnival Game

Full Moon Howl

Donovan

Shades of Z

Deadeye

Deadeye & Friends

Cowboys Vs Aliens

Ferris

Life in Prescott (Coming Soon)

Afterlife in Love (Coming Soon)

Island

Paradise Island

The Lost Island

The Lost Island 2

The Lost Island 3

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Pandemic

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Prototype

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The Compound

Slacker

Slacker 2

Slacker: Dead Man Walkin'

Texas

Devil Child of Texas

A Vampire in Texas

The Author

Breaking Wind

Yellow Snow

Dragon Snatch

Thomas

Quarantine

Contagion

Eradication

Isolation

Immune

Pathogen

Bloodline (Coming Soon)

Decontaminated (Coming Soon)

Virus

Raising Hell

Zombie Bride

Zombie Bride

Zombie Bride 2

Zombie Bride 3

Standalone

The Victims of Pinocchio

A Christmas Nightmare

Pain

Fat Jesus

A Zombie's Revenge

505

The Headhunter

Crash

Tranq

The Island

Dog

The Quiet Man

Joe Superhero

Feral

Good Guys

Romeo and Juliet and Zombies

The Gamer

Becoming Alpha

Dead West

Small Town Blues

Shades of Z: Redux

The Gift of Death

Killer Claus

Skarred

Home Sweet Home

Alligator Allan

10 Days

Army of The Dumbest Dead

Kid

The Cult of Stupid

9 Time Felon

Slater

Bad Review: Hannah Dies

Me Again

Maurice and Me

The Family Business

Lightning Rider : Better Days

Lazy Boyz

The Sheep

Wild

The Flood

Extinction

Good Intentions

Dark Magic

Sparkles The Vampire Clown

From The Future, Stuck in The Past

Rescue

Knock Knock

Creep

Honest John

She's Psycho (Coming Soon)

Vicious Cycle (Coming Soon)

Romeo and Juliet: True Love Conquers All (Coming Soon)

Hunting Sarah (Coming Soon)

Random Acts of Stupidity (Coming Soon)

Born Killer (Coming Soon)

The Abducted (Coming Soon)

Broken Man (Coming Soon)

Graham Hiney (Coming Soon)

Paper Soldiers (Coming Soon)

Zartan (Coming Soon)

The Firsts in Life (Coming Soon)

Giant Baby (Coming Soon)

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Also By Aaron Abilene

Creep

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Also By Aaron Abilene

Creep

Written by Aaron Abilene

The first breath Caleb Roberts took as he stepped off the bus was filled with the sweet scent of Oakville's summer blossoms. The quaint town, with its rows of charming cottages and the gentle hum of cicadas, seemed a world away from the frenetic pace of his college life. At 19, with a mop of unruly hair and an easygoing smile that belied his apprehension, Caleb found solace in the town’s tranquility, a stark contrast to the restless energy of campus.

However, as the sky faded from twilight to an inky black, there was a subtle shift in the atmosphere. It was not just the absence of sunlight but an intangible change that made the small hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention. With a deep breath to quell his unease, Caleb pushed open the door to the Oakville Grocery Mart for his first overnight shift.

The store, a beacon of fluorescent light amidst the encroaching darkness, buzzed with the sound of outdated pop songs crackling through overhead speakers. A few locals meandered through the aisles, offering polite nods before they ventured back into the night, leaving Caleb alone in the artificial glow.

As the clock ticked towards midnight, Caleb felt the serene exterior of the town peel away, revealing an eerie stillness that clung to the grocery mart. The final customer departed with a chime of the bell above the door, and Caleb turned the lock, sealing himself inside the now-deserted store.

He looked around, taking in the endless aisles stocked with goods that seemed mundane by day but somehow transformed under the watchful eye of the night. The cool air carried the faint smell of overripe produce and floor cleaner. He could hear the distant whirr of the refrigeration units, punctuated by the relentless buzzing of the lights above. They flickered sporadically, casting strange dancing shadows that made the familiar seem foreign.

Caleb shook his head, chuckling to himself for letting the silence get to him. Just a regular night shift, he muttered under his breath, trying to shake off the disquiet that had taken residence in his chest. He pulled out his task list, the paper crisp in his hands, and set about his duties, determined to find comfort in the rhythm of restocking shelves and routine.

But as the night wore on, it became increasingly difficult for Caleb to ignore the feeling that Oakville's calm veneer might conceal something much darker, and that within the walls of the grocery mart, that darkness was drawing near.

Caleb pushed through the swinging doors that led to the backroom of the grocery mart, the clamor of friendly banter and clanking cans welcoming him. He found himself in the midst of the daytime crew, who were winding down their shifts with a casual ease that Caleb envied.

Hey, you must be the new night guy! boomed a voice from behind a towering stack of cereal boxes. A burly man with a nametag that read 'Frank' emerged, wiping his hands on his apron as he approached with an outstretched hand. Name's Frank. We're just about done here, but if you need anything, holler before we head out.

Thanks, Frank, Caleb replied, matching the man's firm handshake. He glanced around at the others—a young woman restocking shelves with precision, a middle-aged cashier counting her till with the focus of a mathematician—all absorbed in the mundanity of their tasks, yet exuding a warmth that felt like a buffer against the creeping unease that had begun to settle in his bones.

Sarah here is the fastest stocker in Oakville, Frank said with a grin, gesturing toward the woman who paused to wave at Caleb. And that's June by the registers. She knows this place like the back of her hand.

Nice to meet you all, Caleb said, offering a smile that was met by nods and a chorus of welcoming sentiments.

First night on the job? June asked, closing her cash drawer with a final thud.

Yep, Caleb admitted. Just trying to make some extra cash before heading back to college.

Ah, saving up for the fall semester? Sarah chimed in, her curiosity evident.

Exactly, Caleb responded, leaning against a shelf lined with an array of canned vegetables. Textbooks don't buy themselves, and I've got my eye on a used car. Something to get me around campus and maybe back home on weekends.

Sounds like a plan, Frank said, giving Caleb an approving nod. Well, we'll leave you to it. The night shift can be quiet, but it gives you plenty of time to think. Or study, if that's your thing.

Appreciate it, Caleb said as the group began to disperse, each offering a parting word of encouragement.

As the last employee waved goodbye and the back door closed with a definitive click, Caleb turned to face the empty store. The normalcy of small-town pleasantries lingered in the air, a stark contrast to the solitude that now enveloped him. With a deep breath, he stepped out from the familiarity of the backroom into the vastness of the aisles, armed with nothing but his resolve to earn his keep and the hope that the long night ahead would pass without incident.

Caleb flicked the switch, and a row of fluorescent lights stuttered to life above him, casting an artificial glow over the grocery mart. The once welcoming aisles now seemed like cavernous tunnels, stretching endlessly into the quietude of the night. He checked his watch—midnight. The finality of the closing hour echoed through the empty store in a symphony of clicks and whirs as the last of the lights buzzed into operation.

He hoisted a box cutter from his pocket, its blade glinting briefly before diving into cardboard. Cans of soup clanked softly as he nestled them onto the shelf, the sound more pronounced in the stillness. Caleb tried to focus on the task, his hands moving with practiced efficiency, but the silence felt oppressive, thick with anticipation.

As he reached for another box, the air conditioning kicked in with a sudden gust that sent promotional leaflets fluttering to the floor like startled birds. He paused, listening to the distant hum of the unit, wondering if it had always sounded so forlorn, so... alive. Shaking his head, he stooped to gather the scattered paper, convincing himself that the isolation was playing tricks on his mind.

Continuing down the aisle, Caleb restocked packages of rice and pasta, their plastic windows staring back at him like unblinking eyes. The shiver that ran down his spine was swift and unexpected. When a can rolled off the shelf and onto the floor behind him, he jumped, heart hammering against his ribs. He laughed under his breath—a short, nervous sound—muttering about his own jitters.

Get a grip, Roberts, he whispered to himself, replacing the rogue can. But as the night wore on, he couldn't shake the sensation of something amiss. The occasional flicker of a light in his periphery made him turn sharply, only to find nothing amiss upon inspection.

A soft thud came from a few aisles over, subtle yet distinct in the pervasive silence. Caleb froze, straining to hear more, but there was only the constant buzz of the overhead lights. He told himself it was just an item settling, or perhaps a rat scavenging—a mundane explanation for a simple sound. Yet, he couldn't help but quicken his pace, eager to finish his duties and retreat from the growing unease that clung to his skin like a cold sweat.

With each passing moment, the shadows between the aisles seemed to grow denser, and the innocuous sounds of his solitary work hours became a cacophony of whispers hinting at lurking danger. Caleb couldn't deny it any longer; there was something unsettling about the store at night, something that toyed with his senses, urging him to question what might be hidden within the depths of those dark, silent corridors.

Caleb's fingers brushed against the cardboard boxes, aligning them with meticulous care—a distraction from the prickle at the back of his neck. The feeling seeped in, cold and insidious, as if unseen eyes were locked onto him, scrutinizing his every move. He spun around abruptly, a box of cereal clutched like a shield, but the aisle yawned empty behind him.

Who's there? His voice was a rough whisper swallowed by the vastness of the store. No reply came, save for the hum of the freezers that seemed to mock his rising panic. The sensation of being watched didn't wane; instead, it intensified, wrapping around him like a shroud. Caleb's heart drummed a frantic beat, each throb echoing in his ears.

Get it together, he muttered, but the words fell flat, unconvincing even to himself. He resumed stocking shelves, movements jerky and disjointed, a stark contrast to the earlier rhythm he had found. Shadows clung to the edges of his vision, stretching and contorting as they played tricks on his mind.

Then, in an instant, the shadows coalesced. At the end of the cereal aisle, where the dim light fought a losing battle against the darkness, a tall, slender figure materialized. It stood motionless, its form flickering and distorting as if struggling to maintain a presence in this reality. Caleb's breath hitched in his throat, his gaze transfixed on the apparition that should not exist.

Hello? he called out again, this time louder, his voice betraying the tremor he felt deep in his bones. The figure remained silent, an enigma wrapped in the shroud of Oakville's night. Caleb blinked hard, questioning his sanity, his exhaustion, but when his eyes opened, the figure was still there—ominous, unmoving, and undeniably real.

Caleb's eyes never left the figure, as if by sheer will he could keep it rooted to the spot. But the air around it began to ripple like the surface of a disturbed pond. He watched, his fear metamorphosing into dread, as the being's features melted and warped grotesquely in the dim light. Where once there might have been the visage of a man, there was now a dark canvas stretching tight across sharp bone.

The figure’s head tilted back, an unholy contortion that seemed to defy anatomy, and its face – if one could call it that – split open vertically. The skin peeled away like the petals of some demonic flower, revealing an abyss lined with rows of serrated teeth, a mockery of a mouth that spiraled endlessly inward. Where the eyes should have been, only soulless voids remained, black pits that absorbed the flickering light and exuded an emptiness so profound that Caleb felt himself being drawn into their nothingness.

A sound began to build, emanating from the depths of the abomination's throat—a guttural, vibrating growl that crescendoed into a screech so ungodly that it seemed to vibrate the very shelves around them. Products trembled and danced to the floor in a cacophony of clatters and thuds, but all Caleb could hear was that scream tearing through the air, shredding the silence of the night.

His body refused to obey any command to flee; it was as if his feet had taken root in the polished floor tiles. Caleb's heart pounded mercilessly against his ribcage, each beat a thunderous drum heralding his doom. His breath came in ragged gasps, misting in the cold air before him, as he stood petrified, staring into the maw of horror that threatened to consume not just his body, but his very soul.

With a surge of primal terror, Caleb's paralysis shattered. His limbs, which had seemed frozen only moments ago, now thrummed with adrenaline-fueled power. He spun on his heel, the slickness of his own sweat against the floor tiles giving him a fleeting moment of panic that he might slip and fall prey to the creature behind him. But somehow, his balance held, and he launched himself down the aisle, his sneakers squeaking against the linoleum in a frantic staccato.

The grocery mart, once a sanctuary of fluorescent-lit normalcy, was now a labyrinthine prison. Every shadow seemed to pulsate with unseen dangers, every whisper of air a potential harbinger of death. As he sprinted past rows of products blurred into obscurity by his speed and fear, Caleb's mind raced as wildly as his heart. The need to escape consumed him, the exit sign at the front of the store an oasis beaconing through the haze of dread.

He could feel the presence of the creature looming behind him—a palpable wave of malevolence that seemed to push him forward even as it sought to pull him back. The ghastly screech that had filled the air moments ago had faded into a haunting silence, one that was somehow more terrifying, as if the beast were savoring the hunt.

Caleb rounded the corner at the end of an aisle, nearly colliding with a display of canned goods. He righted himself with an outstretched hand, sending a few cans rolling across the floor. There was no time to apologize to the absent daytime employees who had greeted him with smiles; their friendly faces were worlds away from this nightmare.

The checkout counters loomed ahead, the exit just beyond. Caleb's breath came in ragged bursts, his throat raw from the cold, fear-tinged air he gulped down. He could see the night outside through the automatic sliding doors, the darkness less frightening than what pursued him.

As he neared the doors, he braced for them not to open, for some final cruel trick from the universe to seal his fate. But they slid aside with a compliant whoosh, and he stumbled through, out into the relative safety of Oakville's quiet streets. The cool night air was like a balm on his flushed skin, but it did nothing to soothe the tremors that racked his body or the horror that clung to him like a second skin.

Caleb didn't stop running until he reached the edge of the parking lot, where he finally allowed himself a desperate look back. The grocery mart stood silent and still, its windows dark, a tomb of consumerism hiding the unspeakable within. The thing that had been in there with him was not visible, but Caleb knew it was real—its existence seared into his memory with the heat of a brand.

He swallowed hard, trying to dispel the