Page 1 of SNOB

ONE

EMBER

Darkness has a special kind of pull.

Alluring yet repelling.

Seductive yet frightening.

As my eyes meet the cold gaze of the Grim Valley Demon, I’m tempted to do the one thing I’m told not to. Dance with darkness.

‘Stay here, don’t move and please, don’t be stubborn.” Uncle Jake’s words echo in my head, emphasis on “please.” So this wooden door with a sliver of a window is the only thing keeping me from doing just that: being stubborn.

Crash!

A loud sound comes from the main room as my chunky Oxfords press against the door, the platform far from necessary. Despite the mocking from my classmates, my height makes it easy to see through the dusty glass. But what I see is a total disaster.

An older man in a suit worth more than our shop knocks glasses off a weathered wooden shelf. One by one with a flick of his finger. “Jacob Everett,” he says, my uncle’s name coming with as much confidence as his stride. His golden cufflinks on his crisp suit shine under our dim lighting, offsetting our humble shop. “Are you ready to sign?”

My eyes follow the trail of mayhem, my skin sweaty underneath my spray-painted t-shirt. Something tells me this parasite is the same one who took over Josephine’s bakery, Kenya’s hair salon, and Miss Patricia’s restaurant. Valley staples. Uncle Jake hoped this day wouldn’t come, but fate always catches up.

“Yeah I’m not gonna do that,” Uncle Jake responds. The men around him are a contrast to his white tee, stained jeans and afro pick in his twisted coils. He crosses his arms, leaning against the rickety cashier counter. “This is more than a business, Sterling. Thanks to you, it’s one of the only places left in our community. So if you think I’m letting this go, you’re about to be really disappointed.”

While part of me wishes Uncle Jake would let this dust heap go, he’s right. We can’t give this up. It’s ours.

Chimes ring as the door to the shop opens again, my muscles tensing.

My eyes follow the sound and… woah, did the world just slow?

The guy who enters isn’t like the others.

He’s younger than the rest, taller too, his steps as confident as Sterling’s with a dash of carelessness. Like the rest of the men, he wears a blazer over a shirt that shows off a hint of muscle. It compliments that striking jawline as sharp as his appearance. Settling against an unstable bookshelf, he pushes his hands into his sleek black jeans as if he's bored by the chaos around him.

A chill trickles up my spine matching the iciness of his demeanour. He senses me, his eyes flicking to mine as my gaze locks on dark grey eyes. Like the moon. Or iron.

Alluring, seductive.

Frightening.

There’s a sparkle when they catch the light, a single, black fleck dancing in each like trapped coal. The longer I stare, the more I get sucked into their depth. A smirk tickles one side of his full lips. One that makes my cheeks tingle, my thrifted leather skirt no relief to the heat spreading between my legs.

“I hear the plan is for you to move on to better things,” Sterling says, approaching my uncle like prey. I’m way too distracted by the way Iron Eyes holds my gaze. He winks and I swear I see a sparkle. And it hits me right in my gut. “You’re greedy holding onto all this.”

“All this?” Uncle Jake laughs. “We obviously don’t have much, man. Far from what you’re used to. And greedy? You’ve already bought half this town. My family can’t keep up with the rent.”

Crash!

The only thing to pull my gaze from Iron Eyes is the sound of a guitar smashing to pieces. It’s the red one Angelo promised to buy. My teeth clench, my hands turning to fists.

I have to put a stop to this.

When I press my hand against the door, Uncle Jake feels it. He locks his big brown eyes with mine and it’s enough for me to catch the minuscule shake of his head. “You can’t scare us,” Uncle Jake says, bringing his attention back to Sterling. “We’re from Grim Valley, man. We’ve lived through shit you only see on TV.” My palms sweat against the wooden door, my eyes darting from Uncle Jake to Iron Eyes.

He still has his eyes on me, that stare so intense, so deep, it feels like I’m falling into mercury.

What’s his deal?

Why won’t he look away?

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