Things You Need

Trapped in a life of endless travel and empty motel rooms, our protagonist finds himself at the edge of despair, his only comfort a loaded .38. But a strange, late-night encounter at a peculiar pawn shop promises more than just trinkets. "We Have Things You Need," its sign proclaims. Will he find salvation, or a descent into a nightmare far stranger than his own?

Things You Need

Trapped in a life of endless travel and empty motel rooms, our protagonist finds himself at the edge of despair, his only comfort a loaded .38. But a strange, late-night encounter at a peculiar pawn shop promises more than just trinkets. "We Have Things You Need," its sign proclaims. Will he find salvation, or a descent into a nightmare far stranger than his own?

The road stretched endlessly before him, a gray ribbon unspooling beneath the familiar hum of the rental car. Another town, another high school, another spiel about magazine subscriptions. Two decades of this, and the scenery blurred into one monotonous stretch of asphalt and forgotten dreams. He pulled into the parking lot of The Motor Lodge, the familiar sign a beacon of temporary solitude.

Tonight, however, felt different. An itch of unease, a premonition of something unsettling, had settled deep in his gut. After a perfunctory shower, the restlessness persisted, driving him aimlessly through the quiet streets of Clifton Heights. His gaze snagged on a lone, lit storefront: Handy's Pawn and Thrift. Its maroon sign, emblazoned with gold lettering, read: 'We Have Things You Need.'

A snort escaped him. 'Junk,' he thought, but found himself inexplicably drawn. He pushed open the door, stepping into the dim murk of the shop, unaware that this seemingly random detour would unravel the very fabric of his existence.