Capuccino, Two Sugars

I treated him like any customer. Smiling, because good customer service.

He stared at me constantly, staying longer than one cappucino required. Next day, he did the same.

I told my boss.

"So? He's just looking. Not hurting you is it?"

Creep learned my shifts, and stopped coming on my days off. I'd swing it so Mel or Joe served him. He sat and stared anyway.

One day, I couldn't avoid serving him. His eyes lit up.

When it was ready, I got Mel to call his name. He scowled, sloped out, and stood at the window with his cardboard cup. Staring.

If I "gave" him something (acted friendly, or brushed fingers when I handed him his cup) he'd smile, and leave more quickly. If I avoided him, he'd stay for my whole shift with a face like thunder. Even following me when I left.

I spotted him outside college. I've no clue how he knew I went there. It felt like he was always watching. What if he finds out where I live? Maybe he already knows...

One day, I was alone in the cafe. Terrified. Creep overloaded me with anxiety, so even this was enough to send me into an anxious spin.

He came in. I started crying. He watched, surely knowing he was the reason.

"Hey," my customer looked concerned. "What's up?"

"That guy, over there, in the grey jacket..." I tried to explain, shaking violently.

Looking thoughtful, he re-joined his four friends. They talked together. Some left. The others sat and stared at Creep, just as intently as he stared at me. Creep finished his coffee and left in record time. My ally left too, then the others.

I felt light. I went home without being followed. I breathed.

Next day, Creep didn't show up. When my shifted ended, I took the bins out, and- is that blood?

I pictured him, battered, bloody, in a hospital bed. I wondered if his body was in the skip. I threw the rubbish bags in and walked away.

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Word count: 366

(NB. This excludes the title, subtitle, and authors note.)

Submitted on Friday 6th September at 23:57

(Edited to add author's note.)

Author's Note A Year of Stories: I'm writing (and submitting, here) a story every day this year. This one means I have hit the big TWO FIVE OH! 250 daily microfiction stories since 1st January. Please consider lending your support to the other creators on this madcap "a story every day" adventure. They're putting out excellent content every day! Rachel Deeming Gerard DiLeo

The story behind the story: This one took AGES! Hours. And then almost as long to prune it down from nearly 900 words to 366. It was a tough gig. I feel like this one suffers for it, to be honest. I layered lots of little creepy incidents to give a sense of how frightened she is, and how violating the experience, and I think a lot of that has been lost. I should have kept a longer draft for comparison.

Thank you

Especially if you are one of the wonderful people who has been staunchly reading these daily scribbles since the start of the year. I see you, and appreciate you very much indeed!

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