The hum of the shop's air conditioner mixed with the soft clicking of my phone as I scrolled through social media, my oversized square glasses reflecting the glow from the screen. It had been a painfully slow day—no customers, no action, just the rhythmic tick of the clock on the wall marking time until closing.

"Dax!"

The voice startled me, and I nearly dropped my phone. I glanced up to see Mr. Leery standing in the doorway between our shop and his pawn shop next door. He looked exactly as he always did—crooked glasses perched on his nose, a faded cardigan hanging loose on his thin frame, and a permanent scowl etched across his face.

"Uh, hey, Mr. Leery. Something wrong?" I asked, pocketing my phone.

Leery didn't answer right away. Instead, he shuffled over to the counter, his gait slow and deliberate, like he carried the weight of something I couldn't see. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and gravelly.

"Dax, you ever think about… luck?"

"Luck?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, sure. Who doesn't?"

Leery reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, gold coin. It gleamed even under the fluorescent lights, the intricate engravings on its surface catching my eye. He held it up between two gnarled fingers, letting it spin lazily.

"This here," he said, his voice almost reverent, "isn't your everyday coin. It's got… properties."

I blinked at him, trying to gauge whether he was serious or just bored out of his mind. "Properties? Like what? It's not cursed, is it?"

Leery chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "Not cursed. But not exactly blessed either. This coin, it grants wishes. One per person. But nothing's free, kid. The coin always takes something in return."

"Sounds… fun," I said, leaning back in my chair. "What's the catch?"

Leery's lips curled into a faint grin, and for a moment, he almost looked amused. "The catch is, you don't get to choose what it takes. Sometimes it's small—a bad day, a stubbed toe. Sometimes…" His eyes darkened. "It takes more."

I stared at the coin, a skeptical smile tugging at my lips. "Okay, cool story, Leery. What's this got to do with me?"

Instead of tossing the coin onto the counter, as I'd expected, Leery leaned in close, his eyes narrowing. "Sometimes, the coin doesn't wait for you to want it. Sometimes, it chooses."

Before I could ask what he meant, he slipped the coin into his pocket and shuffled back toward the doorway. "See you around, Dax," he said without looking back.

Weird guy. But hey, working next to a pawn shop wasn't exactly the height of normalcy. I chalked it up to another odd interaction with Leery and went back to killing time on my phone.

---

The hours crawled by until, finally, Big Joe leaned over the counter, stretching his arms.

"Another slow one, huh, Dax? Well, the weekend's hit or miss. We'll make it up on Monday," he said with his usual optimism.

"Yeah, Joe, tomorrow's a fresh start. Hey, you better get going before your wife gets on your ass again. Did you remember the wine?"

Joe laughed, a low, hearty chuckle. "Hell, Dax, I'm guaranteed to catch shit over something. Betsy can find the patience to wait an extra ten minutes. You alright to lock up?"

I held up the single trash bag I'd half-filled with shredded documents. "I don't know, Joe. There's a ton of trash here. Not sure it's a one-man job."

Joe grinned. "Alright, wiseass. Just don't forget to cut off the air conditioning again. The last thing I want is to hear Vern's mouth tomorrow. I don't think that man's brushed his teeth a day in his life."

---

After Joe left, I locked up and headed for the back door, running through my mental checklist.

Phone, wallet, keys, headphones. Check, check, check, and check. Alright. Pizza time!

I'd made it all of ten feet down the alley when I noticed Mr. Leery's back door was wide open.

'Not my problem,' I thought, continuing on, already imagining the crisp, cheesy slice waiting for me.

But the thought of something happening to the old man wouldn't leave me alone.

Sigh. 'Fine. You're lucky my mom raised me with manners, you old fart.'

I turned back and approached the mildly rusted metal door, knocking loudly. "Hey, Mr. Leery! You left your door open again!"

Nothing.

I knocked harder, leaning into the door frame. "HELLO?!"

Still nothing.

I glanced down the alley toward the street, then back into the dark void of the pawn shop's entrance. Shaking my head, I pulled out my phone, turned on the flashlight, and stepped inside.

The shop was a mess. Shelves crammed with relics, old electronics, and tarnished trinkets cast jagged shadows on the walls. Dust hung in the air, illuminated by the beam of my flashlight.

"Leery? You in here?" I called out. My voice sounded small against the overwhelming silence.

The flashlight caught a faint red smear on the floor. I froze.

Blood?

The streak led toward the back room. My stomach dropped. This was supposed to be a simple "check on the neighbor" situation, not something straight out of a crime show.

I tightened my grip on my phone and followed the trail, my shoes barely making a sound on the warped wooden floor. The door to the back room was slightly ajar, the light flickering weakly inside.

"Leery?" I pushed the door open slowly, the hinges groaning like they were warning me to stop.

There he was. Slumped against the wall, blood trickling down his temple, his glasses askew. His hand was gripping the coin, the same one he'd shown me earlier.

"Leery!" I rushed over, crouching by his side. "What happened? Are you alright?"

His eyes fluttered open, unfocused and glassy. "The coin… it chose you," he rasped. His hand trembled as he pushed the coin toward me.

I hesitated, then took it, the strange engravings warm and almost alive against my palm.

"You… used it?" His voice was faint but sharp.

"I didn't use it!" I snapped. "I just took it now!"

Leery let out a weak, raspy chuckle. "The coin doesn't care… what you want. It acts when it's needed. And now…" His voice trailed off, his head lolling to the side.

A loud crash from the shop's front made my head snap up. Heavy footsteps echoed through the space, followed by a gruff voice.

"Leery! You know how this ends. Hand it over!"

My grip on the coin tightened instinctively. I glanced at Leery, who gave me a faint, twisted grin.

"Run," he whispered. "But the coin… stays with you."

I didn't need to be told twice. Scooping the coin into my pocket, I grabbed Leery under the arms and hauled him up. His weight almost pulled me back down, but adrenaline gave me the strength to stagger toward the back door.

Behind me, the footsteps grew louder, closer.

"Find the kid!" the voice bellowed.

I glanced back, my heart racing. "Leery, who are these guys? What do they want with this thing?"

"They want its power… but they don't want to pay the cost," he muttered weakly.

The alley door was just ahead. I reached for the handle when headlights spilled into the alley, blinding me. A black van screeched to a halt, and the side door slid open to reveal a man with a crooked grin.

"You must be the new holder," he said, stepping out. "Hand over the coin, and we'll make this easy."

I tightened my grip on Leery. "What happens if I say no?"

His grin widened. "Then we make it… hard."

Behind me, more footsteps thundered toward us. Trapped.

Leery's voice was faint but clear in my ear. "Use the coin… but be ready to pay."

I pulled the coin from my pocket, feeling its strange warmth against my palm.

"Alright," I said, swallowing hard. "Let's see what this thing can really do."

And I made my wish.