Sing a Song

Laurie was shopping at her local Goodwill when she saw a beautiful red love seat with gold stitching, practically in perfect condition. She sat down and melted into the cushions, it was by far the best thing she's ever sat on. Not only was the couch as soft as a cloud, it oddly smelled like wild cherries. As Laurie sat pondering on whether or not to buy the love seat, she heard a faint melody thinking it was the stores music, Laurie decided that this love seat needed to be hers. Not only did she love a bargain but the love seat itself seemed to be calling out to Laurie. Sitting there she couldn't find herself to want to get up but the thought of someone else purchasing it wasn't acceptable so she walked to the cashier and told him that she would like to buy the love seat. The cashier puzzled, looked around and asked her

"What couch are you talking about?

"The red love seat in the back near the purses and belts" she replied as she pointed in the direction. The cashier seemed surprised but tried not to show it to Laurie.

"Okay, uhhh let me go see how much it is hold on just one second please" as the cashier leaped from behind the counter towards the back, Laurie couldn't contain her excitement, the love seat would go perfectly in her bedroom. She wanted to sleep on the love seat tonight and also right now, oddly had the urge to go back to the seat. While Laurie day dreamed about her new purchase, the cashier returned. "Ma'am, I want to apologize my boss said that the love seat isn't for sale and we're really not sure how it got into the showroom"

" Soooo I can't buy it? Why not? I'll give you $100 for it, I mean it's just a love seat..."

The cashier didn't seem convinced as he shrugged his shoulders.

" Honestly you don't want that couch...I mean it's used it's at Goodwill for a reason"

Laurie pleaded " If there was something wrong with it, it would be in the trash not the back of your store sweetie.. Can I speak to your boss or manager please?" "...Sure". As the cashier paged his boss, Laurie still stood there watching the love seat, feeling herself get angry as others walked past it and touched the cushions. She wanted the love seat so bad, so bad she couldn't control herself. But why?

Finally after 5 minutes the cashier returned with someone who Laurie assumed was the boss. As she opened her mouth to speak, the boss in a raspy voice cut her off..

" Listen, I apologize for any confusion or frustration but I simply cannot sell you this love seat in good faith. I honestly don't know how it even got into the building. I can offer you a Goodwill card with 50 points on it to go towards your purchases for today."

Annoyed, Laurie snapped

"Listen, stop bullshitting me. I'm willing to offer you whatever price you say you want for this love seat, please let me buy it. I'll give you $100, fuck it I'll give you $200!"

The boss couldn't understand why she wanted this love seat so badly but also couldn't find it in him to tell her no. "Fine, you can have it for $100."

A smile gleamed off her face, she honestly didn't think she was going to get it. As the cashier rang her up, the manager walked over to the love seat to inspect it and got an eerie feeling as he walked around the back. He hunched down to look at the seams at the bottom of the love seat, he swore he saw it open up about 3 inches wide and quickly close after, cautiously he ran his fingers above the seam and felt a 'rock' like presence as he went to push harder, the 'rock' not only moved deeper inside the love seat he could've sworn he heard a sharp pitch yelp. He snatched his hand back and as he stood back up, there Laurie was standing right beside him. Startled the manager jumped back a little, "What? What did you see? What happened?" as Laurie questioned him she looked to see what had scared him but couldn't see anything. "I'm sorry for the hassle before, I just really need a love seat and this ones perfect" The manager just stood there not paying attention to Laurie at all but instead staring at the love seat seams, "Well..." Laurie continued "I can't grab it right now due to my car butttttt I have someone coming to pick it up within the hour, no later than 5:45pm. Is that okay?" The manager just nodded and as Laurie turned to walk away, the manager grabbed her left arm and whispered to her  "Look after yourself, and only sleep on your bed NEVER this love seat" Laurie just thought the manager was losing his marbles so she held his hand around her arm and reassured him "I'll be fine, I always am".

Laurie walks out of Goodwill, heading to her car as she takes her phone to text her brother Max, 

" don't forget, leave in 30 minutes please!!" 

At 7:24pm Max finally came to Laurie's house, he walked through the front door and screamed 

"WHERE DO YOU WANT THIS STUPID COUCH?!"

Max heard Laurie shriek from upstairs and fumble to get out of her room.

"Laurie, that guy at Goodwill made me wait while he freaking wrapped your couch in the back with cling wrap of all things and he told me to tell you to throw it away, who sells something to someone but says....? "

 Before he could finish, Laurie rushed down the stairs, pushed past Max [who was a 6'5, around 279lbs high school junior] and went straight for his black '12 Ford F-25, the couch was hanging out the back covered in a tarp and wrapped in cling wrap. Laurie instructed Max to take the couch out of the truck and bring it into the garage for now until she can make space for it in her room, Max did ask he was told. Still covered in rhe cling wrap, Max had never physically touched or saw the couch clearly until he sat it down and unwrapped it. Suddenly Max wanted nothing more than to touch the couch, the couch seemed to glow a warm red glow, the cushions seemed to shine like velvet. Max just wanted to feel it, as he extended his arm out to touch it....Laurie yelled as she leaped towards him.

"NOOOOO!!!!"

Max snapped his arm back, a look of fear and confusion took over his face, Laurie continued to panic.

"What would cause you to do something like this, like one you're hands are DIRTY and you're about to touch this beautiful couch?! Are you losing it? Who said to unwrap it? By the way, those are two,three and four. And LASSTLY I'm finished counting but if you really want to touch or even sit on this couch you need to AT LEAST WASH your hands! Please, I feel..." Max cut her off, 

"You couch crackhead, R E L A X. I...I don't want to do anything with this couch". 

Max looked at the couch, and back at Laurie.

"Why'd you get this couch? I think you should take it back."

"Max, why would you bring the couch inside if you think that? You and that old man need to relax this is a beautiful couch that I plan on putting in my bedroom it's going to look great! It's just a couch!"

"Same reason the old man did, I'm not sure what I feel but I know something is wrong. And if it's just a couch why are you so defensive, let's just toss it!"

"Max! You're fucking bugging out right now, I'm not throwing this couch away! I mean seriously can you please not do this to me right now"

"Laurie, just hear me out!"

"Max, get out! Get out right now!" 

"Laurie,..I will call mom!"

"LEAVE!" 

Laurie pushes Max until finally he just turns around and walks away. Laurie watches Max get into his car and drive off her road. Closing the garage door, Laurie flops down on the couch and starts to cry, she was confused on why the couch was causing such odd behavior in others. She hoped her brother wasn't going to call their mom, as she was a spiritual woman against any bad 'omens". As she laid there she could faintly hear a song....a faint hymn repeating the same melody like a broken record, and for some reason it was soothing. Laurie felt her herself very tired all of a sudden, her eyes heavy and she didn't feel like fighting off the feeling.  As she starts to fall asleep, the music becomes louder and louder, even though she thought this was weird, she couldn't help but to just lay there. Suddenly she felt pressure on both her temples, as soon as she felt the sense to get up, she heard a pop and she passed out.