Chapter 3 - First Contact?

The weight of disappointment hung heavy in the air as Grandma cleared the dishes. Lam approached her, a question tugging at his conscience."Grandma, is it really necessary for the store to be open at night?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.Grandma paused, wiping her hands on her apron. "No, dear," she replied gently. "It's not necessary at all. I only agreed to this arrangement because your mother was worried about your laziness at home. We thought it would be a good opportunity for you to learn some responsibility."A pang of guilt washed over Lam. He hadn't realized his behavior had forced his family's hand. "I'm sorry, Grandma," he mumbled, feeling a lump form in his throat. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble."Grandma reached out and squeezed his hand, her eyes full of understanding. "It's okay, dear. We all make mistakes. The important thing is that you're willing to learn and grow from them.""Thank you, Grandma," Lam said, his voice filled with sincerity. "I'll do my best to help out here."Grandma gave him a reassuring smile and patted his hand before she went back to doing her tasks. Lam felt guilty and determined at the same time. He thought about how he had been acting in the past and how he had put a burden on his family. He decided to make things right by taking his new job seriously and proving to his family that he was trustworthy.As he left the kitchen, he was surprised to find Linda carefully restocking shelves, her brow furrowed in concentration. Linda had yet to have her lunch. A wave of guilt washed over him for not fulfilling his responsibilities."Sorry, Linda," Lam apologized sincerely, stepping forward to take the stock from her hands. "I'll take over from here."Linda smiled warmly at Lam's earnest apology, a stark contrast to the picture Carla had painted of him. "It's okay, Lam." Linda reassured him, patting him gently on the shoulder. "Why don't you meet me at the counter after restocking? I'll teach you how to use the cashier."Lam nodded eagerly. "Thank you, Linda."Hours passed as Lam learned the ins and outs of operating the cashier, from scanning items to handling transactions. He surprised himself with his quick wit.As the clock struck eight, Lam approached Grandma. "Grandma, why don't you go home with Linda and Emily? I'll handle the store form here," he suggested, a newfound confidence in his voice.Grandma looked at Lam with a mix of surprise and pride. She had never seen him take such initiative before, and she was touched by his willingness to step up to the challenge."Are you sure, Lam?" Grandma asked, concerned about leaving him alone.Lam nodded firmly. "Yes, Grandma. I want to give it a try. I'll make sure everything runs smoothly."With a smile, Grandma agreed to Lam's suggestion. She could see the determination in his eyes, so there was no reason to reject his offer."Thank you, Grandma," Lam said gratefully.As Grandma, Linda, and Emily said goodnight and left the store, Lam took a deep breath and got ready for the night shift. He felt a mix of excitement and nervousness.The transition into the night felt seamless. Lam handled customer transactions with ease, restocked shelves with practiced efficiency, and even managed to tidy up the store in between customers.But as the clock struck ten, the flow of customers dwindled, and soon the store fell into a quiet lull. Lam found himself idly pacing behind the counter, his mind wandering as he waited for the next customer to arrive.The monotony of the night shift began to weigh heavily on him. He scrolled through his phone, but even the glow of the screen couldn't replace the human interaction he craved. With a sigh, Lam glanced around the store, his eyes falling on the empty cigarette box behind the counter. Realizing that he needed to restock, he made his way to the storage room at the back of the store.Upon reaching the storage room door, Lam's eyes caught sight of another door at the end of the corridor. It was the door typically used for throwing out trash, but what caught Lam's attention was the sign on the door that read "Open."Curiosity gnawed at Lam. It was still technically opening hours, and there was no reason for the door to be propped open. With a shrug, he approached the door and hesitated for a moment. A shiver ran down his spine despite the warm summer night. Ignoring the unease, Lam flipped the sign to "Closed."He returned to the storage room, retrieved the cigarette box, and restocked the cigars at the counter. Yet, the silence of the store seemed to amplify the quiet hum of the fluorescent lights, heightening his boredom. Restocking shelves felt like an endless cycle. Lam's mind wandered, yearning for something, anything, to break the monotony.As the minutes ticked by, Lam glanced at the clock, the hands seemingly crawling. He leaned against the counter, fatigue settling on him. Grasping for distraction, he reached for his phone, but even scrolling through social media failed to hold his attention.Suddenly, the piercing sound of the doorbell shattered the silence. Lam's head snapped up, a startled cry escaping his lips. Automatically, he called out a cheery "Welcome!" but when he turned to greet the customer, his blood ran cold.The door remained firmly shut, no one entering the store. Confusion clouded Lam's mind as he scanned the empty store, his heart pounding in his chest. "Was it a ghost?" his thoughts raced, his imagination conjuring up local ghost stories whispered amongst the townsfolk.For a moment, he stood rooted to the spot, his senses on high alert, listening for any signs of movement. But the store remained eerily quiet, the only sound the hum of the fluorescent lights.With a shaky breath, Lam forced himself to calm down. Perhaps it was just a malfunctioning bell, a glitch in the system. Yet, a nagging unease lingered.Just as he tried to rationalize the strange occurrence, faint footsteps echoed from the back where the trash disposal door was located. Lam's eyes widened in disbelief as he strained to listen, the sound growing louder with each passing step."Is someone playing a prank on me?" he thought, his mind searching for a logical explanation. But as the footsteps got closer, he realized this was no joke. A figure emerged from the shadows, and Lam's jaw dropped in astonishment.Clad in what appeared to be medieval armor, complete with a gleaming sword strapped to his hip and a round shield held in his hand, the man looked like he had stepped straight out of a history book. His expression was stoic, his eyes scanning the store with a practiced efficiency.Lam stood speechless, his mind reeling. The man stopped a few feet away from the counter, his gaze locking onto Lam. The silence stretched, thick and heavy, as Lam waited for the man to speak, to explain his bizarre presence.The man stopped a few feet from the counter, his piercing gaze fixed on Lam. The silence in the store was broken only by their ragged breaths."Who are you?" Lam finally managed to stammer, his voice a mere tremor.The armored stranger remained silent, his expression unreadable. Then, with a swift movement, he unsheathed his sword, its polished blade gleaming menacingly.Lam's blood ran cold. The man's gesture and the cold steel in his hand left no room for doubt - he was searching for something.