Death Is My BFF (Book 1 Original Series)

The fluorescent lights of the grocery store hummed, a stark contrast to the pounding in my head. I was six, clutching my teddy bear, Mr. Wiggles, as my stomach twisted with a pain that felt too big for my small body. Mom, usually so alert, seemed distant, her eyes glazed as she drove, ignoring my quiet groans. "We're almost at the market," she'd murmured, her voice flat.
The parking lot was eerily empty, the automatic doors sliding open to reveal aisles of vibrant produce. For a moment, the strange feeling in my stomach subsided, replaced by the thrill of being pushed in the shopping cart. "Mommy, push me! But don't let go!" I'd cheered, giggling as she raced me towards the flowers.
But the relief was short-lived. A new, more intense wave of nausea washed over me, coinciding with the impatient cough of the cashier. Her eyes, dark and heavy with makeup, flickered over me. "Uh, your kid looks a little green..." Just as I was about to tell Mom how bad I felt, the automatic doors hissed open again, and male voices roared, shattering the mundane calm. Ski masks and guns. Everything changed.
