[ WP ] You are working the register at a quaint café . A customer tries to pay for their purchase with a human heart .

`` Shit,'' Ashley muttered beside me. I glanced at her, shutting off the expresso machine with one practiced movement. 
 
 `` Huh?'' I asked intelligently. 
 
 `` Bet this guy's a bum,'' she said, nodding at the door. `` I hope he does n't smell up the place.'' 
 
 Snooty bitch. Forcing a smile, I moved toward the register. `` Go take care of the delivery in the back,'' I said. `` I'll deal with him.'' 
 
 Ashley flounced off, and I beamed at the quaint cafe's only customer. 
 
 She did have a point - he was filthy. His clothes were torn and might have fit a man twice, even three times his size. He kept his eyes on the floor as he approached, and I could almost see his bones through his sunken cheeks. 
 
 `` Please,'' he said when he reached me. At least, I think he did. I had to lean over the counter to hear him. `` Please help me.'' 
 
 `` Sir,'' I began, guilt making my face burn. `` I ca n't... the manager wo n't let us give anything away.'' 
 
 He brought his eyes up to meet mine. The desperate plea there made me feel like the kind of guy who tortures kittens. `` Please,'' he said again. `` A roll. Some water. I do n't care if it's stale.'' 
 
 `` We do n't have any stale rolls...'' 
 
 `` I'm starving,'' he said. `` I ca n't keep going without something to eat.'' 
 
 I felt my pockets, hoping I had some change or something, but no luck. `` I'm sorry, sir,'' I said again. `` I do n't even get to eat for free.'' 
 
 If I lost this job, I'd be begging for food soon. 
 
 The guy turned and looked over his shoulder, staring out the window with an almost frightened expression. 
 
 `` Okay, look,'' he rasped, turning back to me. He paused, looked me up and down. I felt like I was being weighed - judged - then he nodded as if he'd made up his mind about something. `` Give me a bagel, or a piece of toast. Maybe a cup of coffee. You take this.'' 
 
 He set a battered red cooler on the counter. The kind of thing you see construction workers carry their lunch in. `` I ca n't...'' 
 
 He held up a hand. `` You ca n't keep it,'' he said. `` It's priceless.'' 
 
 I felt my nose start to wrinkle, and forced myself to maintain my'professional' face. `` I'll get some money,'' he said. `` I'll come back for it.'' 
 
 Curiosity got the better of me. I reached for the cooler. 
 
 `` Do n't let anyone see that,'' he said. `` No one. No matter what they say.'' 
 
 I opened the cooler. Inside, on a bed of ice, was a human heart. 
 
 & nbsp; 
 
 `` What the hell is that?'' I asked. I do n't know why I asked. I knew what it was - I'd seen enough photos in health textbooks to recognize what I was looking at, but why the hell would anyone have a human heart with them. 
 
 `` It's a heart,'' he said. `` Just what it looks like.'' 
 
 I looked over my shoulder. Ashley was still busy in the back. 
 
 `` Look, Mister,'' I said. `` I do n't know what you're involved in, but I ca n't take this. In fact, I think I should call someone. 
 
 He leaned over the counter, grabbing the front of my uniform. It happened so fast, I did n't have time to react. Then his nose was pressed against mine, his breath hot on my face. `` You ca n't do that,'' he hissed. `` Do n't you know what they'll do to her?'' 
 
 He held me there for a moment, then released me. `` I'm sorry,'' he said. `` But you do n't know what's at stake here.'' 
 
 He pulled a well-handled photo from his front pocket and placed it on the counter. A little girl with his same piercing gray eyes smiled up at me. 
 
 I stared at him. Suddenly, he did n't look like a bum. Dark rings around the eyes told of untold horrors. His bedraggled clothes were designer brands - probably very expensive once. His starved frame hinted at a total devotion to his goal. I knew - somehow, I just knew - that this moment was the most important decision of my life. 
 
 I grabbed a few premade sandwiches from the cooler, and poured some coffee into an extra-large cup. `` Here,'' I said, handing it to him. `` Do what you have to do.'' 
 
 He nodded a thanks, scooping up the sandwiches. `` Hide it,'' he said. `` Please.'' 
 
 He was already heading for the door, one sandwich unwrapped and half eaten, as I took the cooler and tucked it under the counter. I hesitated, then moved a package of foam cups in front of it. 
 
 Just in time. Ashley came out of the back. `` Oh my *god*,'' she said. `` I hate delivery days.'' 
 
 I could n't hold back the sharp bark of laughter. She was so *normal*, after what had just happened. `` Did you get rid of the hobo?'' she went on. `` I could practically smell him even in the back.'' 
 
 `` Yeah,'' I said. `` He just bought some sandwiches and left.'' 
 
 She shrugged it off, and we went back to chatting about nothing and waiting for customers. 
 
 & nbsp; 
 
 We got a rush around ten, and it did n't slow down again until near the end of my shift. It was about 2 o'clock, and I was wiping down tables, when the bell jangled and a couple of customers came in. They were dressed like businessmen, and moved like cops. On any other day, I would have taken them for cops, if I even bothered to think about it. Today was n't a normal day, though, and some instinct was screaming at me to run. To get the hell out of there. 
 
 The men were moving toward the register, where my coworker grinned brightly at them. `` Hey, Ashley,'' I called. `` I'm finished here. I'm heading out.'' 
 
 Ashley waved me on, and I moved toward the exit. 
 
 `` Welcome to Mirrors!'' she chirped behind me. `` What can I get for you today?'' 
 
 My heart was thudding hard in my chest. It was hard to breathe. I struggled to stay calm, to walk normally. 
 
 `` We're looking for someone,'' I heard as I slipped out the door. `` A dangerous criminal. Have you seen...'' 
 
 The door closed behind me and I forced myself to walk slowly to the end of the building. Then I broke into a run. I darted around the corner just as I heard the bells jingle. 
 
 I knew I would n't be able to outrun them, so I decided to hide. I ducked into the recessed doorway of one of the other shops, and listened. 
 
 `` Where did he go?'' one of the men asked. 
 
 `` Ca n't be far,'' said the other. 
 
 Their voices were growing louder, moving toward me. 
 
 *Do n't turn the corner, * I prayed. *Please do n't turn the corner. * 
 
 They stopped at the curb and surveyed the traffic beyond. If they turned around now, they'd be sure to see me. I reached behind me for the door handle, and pulled as quietly as I could, ducking into the little boutique and continuing to watch through the window. 
 
 `` Can I help you?'' came a woman's voice behind me. 
 
 Shit. 
 
 `` I think someone's following me,'' I gave the only plausible explanation I could think of. `` Some guy - he looked out of place. I think he might be a mugger.'' 
 
 `` Oh, no,'' she said. `` Should I call the police?'' 
 
 The two men were crossing the street now, moving away from me. 
 
 `` Nah,'' I said. `` He has n't done anything yet.'' 
 
 I turned and flashed her my best smile. `` I might have overreacted,'' I said, sheepishly. `` Or imagined it completely.'' 
 
 She laughed and laid a slender hand on my arm. `` I do that all the time,'' she said. `` Especially at night.'' 
 
 `` I would n't think a big guy like you would be afraid, though,'' she went on. 
 
 Shit, she was flirting with me. Any other time I would have been elated, but I'd just remembered I left the heart in the cafe. 
 
 I glanced back at the window. The men were gone. I made some lame excuse for a goodbye to the boutique hottie and headed back to the cafe to pick up a heart. 
 
 & nbsp; 
 
 ( To be continued, sorry )
