Aaron Masters pulled his Mustang into the parking place and killed the engine. The Mustang's engine chugged hard a few times before it finally died. Aaron knew he needed to take the car in and get it looked at, but between the joke that was his salary and his child support payments, there wasn't much money left over for things like fixing the car. Some months there wasn't much money left over for eating or paying the rent.

Aaron looked down at his watch. He still had twenty minutes before he had to open the store so he lit a cigarette, leaned his seat back and tried to get comfortable for a few more minutes.

A few more minutes before he, Aaron Masters, eight year Marine veteran, Bachelor of Science graduate, had the pleasure of being Aaron Masters, Assistant Manager of Big 5 Sporting Goods. Yippee, he thought.

He shook his head and took another drag on his cigarette. How had things gone so far down the toilet? Oh yeah, he thought, Cecelia. If there was an evil in the universe, he'd managed to marry it, have a kid with it and finally divorce it.

He was saved from another trip down the depressing road of thinking about Cecelia by a car pulling into the Big 5 parking lot. He watched the passenger lean across and kiss the driver on the cheek before getting out. When Aaron saw who it was, he groaned. He'd forgotten Jimmy Martinez was opening with him this morning.

"This day just keeps getting better and better", he thought.

Giving up on any more peace and quiet, Aaron got out of his car and headed towards the store. Jimmy's mom waved at him as she turned her car around to leave. Aaron gave her a plastic smile and a little wave.

"Morning, Aaron. How's it going?" Jimmy asked as Aaron approached.

"Just peachy," Aaron mumbled, taking one last drag on his cigarette before flicking it into the parking lot.

"Hey, Aaron," Jimmy started. Aaron knew what was coming. Some damn speech about how we shouldn't be littering in the parking lot. It was a bad example to set for the customers and ourselves. The kid was way too damn gung-ho for the company, Aaron thought. I don't remember being that gung-ho about McDonald's when I was 16. Of course, that was half my damn lifetime ago.

Aaron was saved from Jimmy's speech by a pair of police cars, lights and sirens screaming, speeding past the store.

"That's like the fifth cop I've seen this morning," Jimmy commented.

Aaron grunted in reply before unlocking the doors to the store. He unlocked the security gate and shoved it up before heading back to deactivate the alarm. He had just started making coffee when he heard someone yell, "Sup, bitches!"

Great, he thought, I have to deal with Jimmy and Eddie; the geeky company kid and the rebel without a clue. Maybe I should have called off.

Aaron walked out of the break room and watched the last of the morning crew walk in. Thank God, he thought. Johanna Alvarez was a quiet, little Mexican girl who did her job and wasn't a pain in Aaron's ass. She was also the only person that could make Eddie shut up and act like a human being. Eddie had a massive crush on her but didn't have he guts to ask her out.

"Alright, people, let's get this place opened," Aaron said. "Jo, you're on register. Eddie, tuck your damn shirt in and pretend to sweep. Jimmy, clean up shoes. It looks like whoever closed last night decided to leave that mess for us."

A half hour later, Eddie was standing up front, not even pretending to sweep any more. "That's the second fire truck and like the fifth cop since we opened. There must be some serious shit going on," he said.

"Eddie, you shouldn't cuss on the floor," Jimmy said.

"Oh shut the fuck up, nerd," Eddie snapped. "There ain't any customers in here and I'll say whatever the fuck I want. Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck, fuckaroo, fuck you."

Jimmy looked towards the manager's office to see if Aaron would say anything. Aaron had heard the entire exchange and nearly choked on his coffee when Eddie started his little chant. Gonna have to remember that one, he thought.

Eddie was still standing at the front doors a few minutes later when a pickup sped into the parking lot and skidded to a stop in front of the store.

"Holy shit, this old dude nearly hit the fucking store!" Eddie yelled.

An older man got out of the pickup and ran towards the doors. He yanked the door open and grabbed Eddie's arm. "I need a gun," he said.

"Uhh… Aaron!" Eddie yelled.

Aaron had heard Eddie yell and was already out of the manager's office and heading for the old man.

"Excuse me, sir; is there something I can help you with?" Aaron asked.

The old man let go of Eddie and turned to Aaron. "I need a gun, goddammit!" He yelled.

"Sir, the first thing you need to do is calm down," Aaron said, putting himself between the old guy and the gun section. "Let's just go over here and sit down, shall we?"

Aaron reached out to take the man's arm, but the old man yanked his arm back. He tried to push past Aaron towards the gun section, but Aaron gave the old man a hard shove, knocking him to the floor.

"Buddy, you need to calm…"

A loud crash from the front of the store cut Aaron off. A woman had run headlong into the front doors. She was clawing at the door, trying desperately to get in.

"Look at her neck," Jo whispered.

Everyone's eyes were drawn to her neck and shoulder. Her shirt had been torn and a ragged wound extended from her shoulder to the top of her neck. Her blouse was completely soaked in her blood.

"Oh fuck, they're here!" The old man yelled, sliding himself back away from the door.

Aaron watched the old man for a second before turning his eyes back to the woman. There's no way she should still be standing, he thought. That much blood loss should have her dead by now.

"Jo, call 911," Aaron said. "Eddie, get away from the door."

"Aaron, she's hurt!" Jo said. "We need to help her."

"Yeah, man. It's like out civic duty or something," Eddie said, nodding to Jo. When she nodded back to him, he felt his heart hammering in his chest. Maybe if he played this right she might look to finally hook up with him.

"Eddie, get away from the door. Now," Aaron said.

Rolling his eyes, Eddie walked over and pushed the door open. The woman leapt through the opening and on top of Eddie.

"Jesus, lady, you're…" Eddie started to say before the woman bit into his hand. He screamed and yanked his hand back, tearing a chunk of his hand off in her mouth. He tried to push the woman off but she grabbed his arm and bit into it.

Aaron sprang forward and grabbed the woman by her hair. He managed to drag her off of Eddie, but could he could barely hold onto her as she fought to get free from him.

Swinging her by her hair, Aaron slammed the woman's head into the glass by the front door. The woman slid to the floor, leaving a smear of blood down the glass. She didn't stay there long though. She shook her head and rose to her feet.

"No fucking way," Aaron whispered.

"Fucking bitch!" Eddie yelled, shoving Aaron out of the way. He kicked the woman in the stomach, screaming, "You fucking bit me!"

The woman was barely fazed by Eddie's kick. She launched herself back at him, sending them both to the floor. She managed to pin Eddie's shoulders down as she lunged forward to take a bite out of his neck.

While Eddie fought against the woman, Aaron grabbed a golf club from a display at the front of the store. He turned back to the two and smashed it against the woman's head. She rolled off of Eddie, but Aaron followed her and hit her again. He kept hitting her until she finally stopped moving.

Aaron stood over the woman, his heart racing. Had he just done that? Had he just beat a woman to death? Oh God, what the hell have I done? He thought.

"Eddie!" Jo yelled, snapping Aaron back to reality.

Aaron turned to Eddie. Blood was already pooling under him as he lay on the floor trying to hold the remains of his neck together. Aaron dropped the golf club and yanked off his shirt. He balled it up and pressed it tight against Eddie's throat.

"Jo, call 911, right now," Aaron said, surprised at how calm he sounded.

Jo picked up the phone and dialed, but all she got was a message saying all circuits were busy. She tried again and got the same message.

"It's not working. I keep getting all circuits busy," she said.

"Keep trying," Aaron said. Meeting Eddie's eyes, he said, "Eddie, I just need you to hold on for a few more minutes. Help's going to be here soon."

Jo kept trying. She must of tried a dozen times before she slammed the phone down and yelled, "It's not fucking working!"

"Don't worry about it," Aaron said, standing up from Eddie's body. His shirt, soaked through with blood, fell away from Eddie's neck, exposing the ragged wound.

"It's too late," Aaron said, staring down at Eddie, unable to pull his eyes away from Eddie's. If only the kid had listened.

Jo began to sob. Aaron turned to say something to her when Eddie's eyes blinked. Aaron thought it was just an involuntary spasm, until Eddie turned his head to face Aaron.

For a moment nothing in the store moved or made a sound. Until Eddie launched himself at Aaron.

Aaron managed to side step Eddie's rush and trip him. Eddie slammed to the floor, but was quickly back on his feet. Aaron grabbed Jo and yanked her away from the register.

"Store room! Now!" He yelled.

The two took off towards the back of the store with Eddie hot on their heels. As they passed the baseball section of the store, the old man sprung from where he had been hiding and nailed Eddie in the chest with a baseball bat.

Aaron clearly heard bones breaking as Eddie crashed to the ground. The old man was on him before he could get up. He swung the bat down onto Eddie's back driving him to the ground. Still Eddie tried to get up. The old man brought the bat down again and again, shattering Eddie's shoulder, crushing his pelvis and, through it all, Eddie still kept trying to get up.

Aaron ran back to the old man. When he brought the bat up again, Aaron stopped him. He pulled the bat out of the man's hands and brought it down on Eddie's skull. With a sickening crunch, Eddie fell to floor and did not try to rise again.

Seeing the remains of Eddie's head, Jo fell to the floor and vomited. She kept heaving, long after she'd emptied her stomach. Finally, the dry heaves stopped. She crawled away from the mess and, curling into a ball on the floor, she began to cry uncontrollably.

Aaron and the old man stood over Eddie's body. Aaron dropped the bat next to Eddie and met the old man's eyes.

"You were saying something about needing a gun?"