Shark Beast by Russ Cooper Read Free Book Online Page A

packet of fake blood.
    YOUNG MAN: (chuckles) This is going to be sweet.
    ~ ~ ~

    Now, we CUT to the back of the bookstore--
    Into the shadows of the hallway, down the splintered steps.
    As Roxy slams open the EMPLOYEES ONLY door (with no particular restraint), stalks across the hall to the bathroom door (with even less), waiting--quite impatiently, what else?--for D. J. to unlock it.
    Roxy: Don't even try to defend him.
    D. J.: (sighing) I'm not defending anybody. No part of any of this was even close to my idea.
    Roxy: Just unlock the bathroom and don't say anything else, because I'm tired of you men taking up for all you other men.
    Shrugging, he unlocks the door.
    D. J.: Look, you brought it up. I'm just saying --
    She SLAMS the door on him.
    D. J.: Fine. Whatever. Who cares. Not me. I hate this job. Buncha cement-head nitwits, soap opera 'Days of Our Lives' bookstore numbskulls...
    He looks over out into the body of the store, as if hearing something. Takes a step into the shadows, takes it in.
    Various shelves and shadows out in the store.
    D. J.: Pretty darn dark out there.
    He heads back to the bathroom door.
    D. J.: (muttering) C'mon, don't take all night.
    Suddenly: a sound, out in the darkness of the store.

    D. J. (grunts a la Scooby-doo) Ruh-roh.
    He considers banging on the bathroom door, but decides against it. He reluctantly takes a look -- peeking around the corner again. Pretty much what he saw earlier. Shelves and shadows.
    He obviously wants to see what's out there -- his curiosity is overwhelming his fear -- but he can't commit. Another SOUND.
    D. J.: This can't be a good idea. Yet, I must investigate ...
    He steps out into the darkness. A moment passes.
    Roxy peeks out of the bathroom -- no D. J.
    Roxy: D. J. ... don't be funny. Where are you?
    Nothing.
    Roxy: I'm going to scream. Truly.
    Nothing.
    Roxy: Very loudly, and very long. Just lettin' you know. Big heads-up, and whatnot.
    Nothing. She acquires an I-told-you-so expression, takes a beep breath, then an even deeper one, and lets out ... a very small:

    Roxy: Eeeep.
    Nothing.
    Roxy: Jerk.
    She disappears back into the bathroom. A moment later, she peeks out again, armed with a big spray can.
    The bathroom door slooowly opens, and after peering both ways, out comes Roxy, armed and ready.
    Roxy: (ominous singing) "Everything is fine, everything is o-kayyy..."
    After a few steps, Roxy peeks her head, hesitantly, around the corner.
    The store is festive with shadows and creaky noises.
    Pointing her spray can defensively, Roxy steps out into the shadows. Looks around, suspiciously, to the left, the right -- then abruptly sneaks behind some shelves--
    --as she gathers her courage, and sprints across an aisle to another hiding place behind some different shelves.
    She peeks around the corner of those shelves.
    More shadows, but nothing specifically scary.
    More courage gathered, our Roxy takes another deep breath, and--zoom!--makes a wild sprint toward the front of the store -- managing a few Peter Sellers style now-you-see-me now-you-don't hiding maneuvers behind various displays on her way.
    Zoom again!--Roxy dives behind the front desk, and peeks over the counter to make sure everything's copacetic. After a moment, she heads over next to the register, opens a drawer and pulls out some spare duplicate keys.
    She pockets the keys, then peers over the top of the front desk.
    Shadows but still nothing specifically frightening.
    It's hard to tell if she's disappointed, or just plain annoyed. Knowing her, it's probably both--but either way, she starts to retreat to the back of the store -- but then, notices something on the floor: an empty black bag.
    Cautiously, as if it might contain some sort of slumbering Roxy-eating beast, she... checks... it.. out, and finds some white gloves, a bottle of fake blood, a spare Halloween mask...
    She immediately glowers up at the ceiling.
    Roxy: Oooh! Bastard!
    She says a few angry things not-quite under her breath. Heads