“Evan, I’m home!” Mom’s voice shouted from the base of the stairs.
A sigh escaped me as I kicked myself off the bed and got to my feet. I wasn’t ready to face the world yet. I’d made an error and stuck my nose where it didn’t belong. And while it was unlikely anyone could have followed me back to the house, I still had the fear that they would try. Or worse, they would succeed. I wasn’t prepared for all out war, especially being so new to the battlefield.
Reaching the stairs, I skipped them two at a time, galloping my way into the dining room. I could hear my sisters in the living room, though they’d gotten home nearly an hour before. I was just thankful we rode separate busses. I wasn’t how I would explain my absence if it was discovered. And with two nosey sisters, one who would use any dirt she could find, that discovery would have been imminent had we been together.
“How was your day, mom?”
“Not bad, thank you for asking. I met a nice lady whose son goes to your school. From the discussion, it sounds like you two have a lot in common.”
“Cool. Do you mind if I go for a walk? There’s a comic book store not too far that I’d like to check out.” I wasn’t really into comic books, but I thought it a fitting excuse to get out of the house. Plus, from what I’d heard of them, they had more than just comics.
“I suppose. It’s going to be a little while before I start dinner. Try to be back before the streetlights come on.”
“I will. Thank, mom”
“You’re welcome.”
I wasted no time skipping up the stairs, through my numerous traps, and into my room. There were a few supplies I need to grab before I went out into the wild. Quickly loading my backpack, I rushed out the door and down the street.
I’d only seen the store in passing, but I wasn’t lying when I said it wasn’t too far away. And while I hadn’t timed the streetlights, there was still about three hours of daylight left. Surely I had plenty of time to make the half-mile walk, look around, and walk back.
It wasn’t an overly long trip, nor an eventful one. In fact, it was basically a straight shot with a single turn incorporated. Had I known was so close, I would have taken my time, a mistake I intended to remedy on the return trip.
Reaching the comic store, I was somewhat disappointed by the name. The illuminated purple neon sign in the window simply said Comic Shop. They certainly got points for originality. Nonetheless, when I stepped through the single metal door that was so heavy it could have been used to barricade a bank vault, the interior was about as impressive as the name. A shelf greeted me on my right, stair stepping multiple comic books wrapped pristinely in their clear plastic sleeves. I heard a ‘hello’ from somewhere to my left.
Turning to look, a single cashier stood behind a glass case that divided him from the rest of the store. From his appearance, he looked to be no more than a year or two older than me, but it was certainly far nerdier. At least by appearance anyway. And likely in practice too. I’d been fairly sheltered growing up. I liked many things that were considered nerdy, but my dad had been heavily against most of the things I liked. But now I didn’t have to worry about his overbearing, close-minded point of view. For the most part I was now free to find out who I was.
I waved casually at the cashier and stepped into the small room directly across from the entrance. All four walls were covered by shelves displaying a vast quantity of comics. Reds, blues, and yellows jumped at me, demanding attention, though they were in such great number that it became more of a collage of color than anything.
Turning my attention to the island table filling the center of the small room, I was able to pay more attention. Here they had an assortment of collectible toys. Bobble heads, comic themed accessories, and action figures were displayed to give any potential buyer the best view possible while conserving space. I found some of it kind of cool, but not so cool as I couldn’t live without. Not to mention, I only had a little money and I didn’t intend to blow it on something that didn’t demand my acquisition.
I reentered the hall at the entrance and made my way to the main area. This was a little more my style. The entire right wall, once free of the hallway, was filled with video games. They had everything from NES, all the way to XBOX One. I found the latter amusing. Why do they even bother selling the new games in store? All of them were available online, in digital format. And most of the time the item you bought in store was nothing more than a code to download the game anyway. It seemed to me like a waste of shelf space.
“Anything I can help you find?” The cashier asked. He stared at me with an expression somewhere between bored and annoyed. I noticed an open catalogue on the counter in front of him, but I suspected it was nothing more than a ploy. The tv screen behind him was paused on a Mortal Kombat fight scene, mid jump and the controller rested under the counter and beside him.
“I’m just looking. Feel free to go back to your game.”
A mild smirk made his glasses shift slightly and he grabbed the controller and returned to his gauntlet.
Scanning the games, there was nothing I needed. The majority of the glass case was filled with a variety of cards, spanning across several games. Most of them I had no clue how to play, but there was one I’d been quite good at some years prior. But I still hadn’t found what I was looking for.
The section of the case closest to the register managed to catch my attention, but the price tags made me look away. It was filled with numerous items of interest. A Millennium Falcon model soared above everything else from its clear plastic stand. Two light sabers rested in the bottom, side by side. One had a green LED running the length of the blade, the other red. I found it interesting that the red one had been disassembled just enough to show any potential buyer how it worked. The handle portion housed the battery and control mechanism. But to many it as close as possible to cannon, it had a red crystal which refracted the LED and illuminated the “Rated for Combat” blade, which the signpost so clearly read. I wondered why they only included one crystal instead of three, since they were so focused on cannon.
Other items of interest included gold plated cards, Harry Potter wands, and the other big ticket items most nerd would love to have.
The back room, beyond the cashier was the least organized of the three. It held a couple tables. One had a few people playing a board game. They didn’t seem to care I was there.
One wall was filled with used DVDs. Many of which I’d seen, but didn’t care enough to purchase. A multitude of new and used board games took up a shelf behind the occupied table. The walls of this room were mostly decorated with posters and various movie replicas. There was one item however that stood out to me. I knew the moment I saw it that it was why I’d come here.
Atop one of the half-shelves, and leaned against the wall, half covered by the draping cape of a three-foot-tall Darth Vader figure, I noticed a small felt display plaque. A handful of necklaces were handing from the row of hooks atop the stand, but only one stood out among the rest. It was simple by comparison to the rest. Where as they’d been hand woven wire, wrapped into intricate designs around small stones or quartz, the one I wanted—no, needed was a single round medallion about the size of the Life-Saver. I didn’t know what metal it was made of, or what the writing engraved into it meant, but I could feel the power radiating from it.
Carefully, I unhooked the leather cord holding it to the display and fingered it. A small sticker had been attached to the back, which read .25. I smiled and made my way to the cashier.
Setting it atop the glass display case, I waited patiently for his “Flawless Victory”. Of course, I could have managed the same had I been spamming the Raiden superman/lightning combo.
He paused his game and turned toward me, glancing at my intended purchase. He paused for a moment taken back that a simple necklace was all I was getting. “It this it?”
“Yep. What can you tell me about who brought it in?”
He shook his head, turning it over to view the price sticker. “Not much. All of those necklaces have been here since before I started. This is the first one to sell in at least three years. Though I occasionally have a girl come in hoping to unload few more.”
I waited patiently for him to ring it up. It was clear any background I was going to gain would be from impressions of its former owner.
“Plus tax, you’re looking at a whole twenty-seven cents.”
I handed him a dollar. “Keep the change.”
“Thank you. I can finally retire and begin my life of luxury.” He’d already returned to his game before he finished talking.
I made my way out the door, removing the sticker and dropping it in the ashtray outside. I didn’t know what the necklace was capable of, but I was happy to have found something of value. It made the whole trip, however short, worth it.