KA-BOOM! Comics and Novelties was unusually empty today. That’s no surprise considering that it’s a Geek holiday. Not that it’s packed to the shelves everyday but, the absence of regulars is startling. Just when they thought they’d never be missed…

Dylan never liked being in relatively small places when there were less then ten people around. It made her shy to browse sometimes. She could’ve sworn she could feel eyes on her, heavy as sin, the minute she picked up an item. Usually, she’d be blasé and carry out her business per usual. But, being one of three people around made her feel criminal for some reason.

Especially being a girl in a predominantly male environment. She was convinced every scoff and whisper was aimed directly at her.

The weather today is growing warm and slightly uncomfortable with blaze of paranoia.

Of course, this was not without reason. Though she became an accepted and respected patron of the shop, it was not always that way.

The first time she walked in, she was awe-struck at the space of the tiny place. You wouldn’t have guessed that such a corner store would appear so voluminous and yet, retain the atmosphere of sanctuary.

There was always an aroma of decaying paper, plastic and sweat-soaked cotton. It choked her at first.

Although the place was crammed with knick-knacks and that, it still had enough place to support all the fantasy junkies that had a fix for Babylon 5 and the like.

Posters splashed the walls with brilliant scenes and looked down on the yellowed and scratched comics with permanent expressions of shock, horror, bliss and rapture.

Xena, frozen in time onto cardboard, grimaced fiercely along with Captain Kirk and Wolverine.

Action figures, with tiny eyes and big, white, uniform grins, stared crazily.

It was a fan-boy’s wet dream.

The regulars examined her as brazenly. Stopped right in the middle of what they were doing. Everything rushed to a stop and hushed. Silence whispered to her that she’d done something wrong.

After time sped up again, the eyes returned to their pages. She began to step cautiously.

She’d near the shelves and dig through the crates. With every step, glances rose and fell. The brave lingered. Daring her to return them. She ignored and continued her timid perusals, careful to put everything back the way she found it.

She didn’t mean to but, began reading over the shoulder of one guy. Sensing this, he dry-coughed. She looked up to find eyes upon her. Some glared. She turned heel and left hurriedly.

The next time, she was glared, gawked and watched intently all the same.

This continued on many visits until some jokers thought it entertaining to tease or intimidate her.

Some were overt, like being followed and the “cough” technique. Others were more of the mind-fuck method. Two guys, she named “Skin” and “Skeeter”, often stood near her and spoke in loud whispers on topics ranging from menstruation to the preference of full breasts, to women in prison movies and the “myth” of the female orgasm.

Nevertheless, she continued her visits.

Overtime, her perseverance beat-all and they slowly came around. Some began talking to her, in shy, strained small talk. She was finally tolerated. There were still people against her, of course.

Now, she scanned …And Other Ramblings in semi-comfort. The vice anxiety had on her slacked.

As she walked to the counter to purchase, she courtesy-smiled at the clerk. He was young and scruffy but, his eyes were warm. They exchanged innocent words. If someone were to look into the store, they’d swear they were flirting.

Dylan idly imagined him having sex. She’d been doing that a lot lately to strangers. Its impulse was annoying and it’s suddenness all the more. It was like having some bitched-up version of the Shining.

She paid and was gone as quickly as her “good-bye” evaporated in the air. It was never really “good-bye”. She’d always be back.