FicWad

It was nighttime in California. On the boardwalk, there was something for everyone. Plus, it was summer!

Abigail Watson looked around the boardwalk. She couldn't believe she was really here. In Santa Carla.

She had heard it was called "the murder capitol of the world", and for good reason.

/Hmm. /She wondered if that was true.

Anyway, she saw a video store up ahead. So she walked up to the entrance and stepped over the threshold.

The guy behind the counter looked up and smiled. "My name's Max," he said. He held out his hand, and Abigail took it, smiling.

"I'm Abigail," she replied.

Max then said,

"So, how may I help you this evening? We have it all - the best selection of tapes in Santa Carla."

"Oh, I'm not looking for a tape. What I'm really looking for is-"

"A job?"

"Is a job. Yeah. I look that needy, huh?"

A few minutes later, Abigail was looking over tapes and making sure they were stacked alphabetically. Occasionally she found a few out of place, so she put them back in their right spot.

Then Max poked his head around the corner.

"Hey Abigail."

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Could you put on some different music?"

"Sure. Let me go check my backpack."

She walked up to where her blue backpack sat - only to discover someone was holding it.

He had blue eyes, blonde hair in a mullet, and wore black pants, black shirt, a black trench coat, and black gloves on his hands.

He also wore a smirk.

Abigail's first thought was that he bore an uncanny resemblance to Ace Merrill, who was played by Kiefer Sutherland, in "Stand By Me".

She could not have been more right.

"Um, may I have my backpack back, please?" she asked.

"Oh, sure."

His voice was deep and very soulful. He held out her backpack, and she took it.

"By the way," he said, "your CD collection is one of the best I've ever seen."

"My CD collection? How did you-?"