I woke up in the middle of nowhere with a cat on my chest, her eyes glowing like two tiny lanterns in the dark. I had no idea how we got here, or what happened to my truck, but Spot seemed perfectly content to be sitting on me, purring like a motorboat.

  As I sat up, the landscape unfolded before me - brown, with scrub brush poking out here and there giving the area a bit of green. I could see some various mountains, some pointy, some flat, in the distance. Closer to me I saw some shops that were in the process of closing up for the day.

  I rubbed my eyes and realized that I had at some point decided to take a nap on a bench at the Four Corners Monument, specifically in the Colorado quarter. I questioned my sanity for a moment, and then Spot meowed, as if to reassure me. I stroked her soft fur, trying to clear the fog from my head.

  I don’t remember choosing to stop here, but I do appreciate that it was the first time in a long time that I didn’t have nightmares.

  I took a deep breath of high desert air, and coughed, as an acrid scent of gasoline and smoke hit my lungs. I jumped up and looked around, and noticed neither, as the scent cleared I saw a couple locals laughing. I didn’t know if it was about me, or about something else. I also noticed a few others staring at me.

  I looked around and spotted my truck in the New Mexico side of the parking lot and decided it was time to go. I had a little under an hour to drive before I made it to my new temporary home in Grimwood Springs.

  The drive into Colorado was uneventful, but prettier than Four Corners. It was the middle of fall and chilly, clouds loomed and the radio said there was a good chance for an early snow. Spot rowed at me from her carrier that was seat belted in place.

  “I know girl, we’re almost there, “ I replied.

  I wasn't sure about this job. Handyman for a minimall, or stripmall, or whatever it was. My former boss said his cousin really needed someone that knew how to fix stuff, and that he could see that I was itching to leave town. I had told him that I didn’t like to stay in one place for too long. He asked me point blank if I had “the mob” after me, or something. I told him it was “or something” and he made the arrangements.

  I pulled into the Grimwood Plaza’s parking lot and looked around for the office so I didn’t park too far away. I didn’t like the thought of leaving Spot in my truck. The front parking lot itself was mostly empty, except for where the lot was shared with a grocery store.

  I saw an older man fighting with a shopping cart, what some may call a buggy. Wonder what they called them here. As I got out of my truck and closed the door the cart slipped the man's grip and it came veering towards me.

  “Watch out, that thing’s possessed!” the man shouted.

  I deftly caught it, but I could feel a weird energy trying to break my grip. I quickly flipped it on to its back, one of the wheels spun chaotically. I put my gloves on and pulled out my multitool. I grabbed the offending wheel and tightened the bolt until it was back to factory standard . I felt the cart try to jerk away one last as it gave up.

  “Good job! You must be Kit, Jerry was telling me we were getting a new handyman. I’m Ezra.”

  The man grabbed my gloved hand and shook it vigorously.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” I said.

  “You don’t usually see this kind of behavior with something that doesn’t have a motor, or something to drive it. What’s up with that?”

  Ezra had a gleam in his eye. “We’ve got weird magnetic issues. Some people think it’s our proximity to the four corners, which makes no damn sense to me. I say it’s the Black Mountain or maybe Mesa Verde. Maybe you’ll figure it out.”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  He winked at me.

  I smiled, “sounds like an interesting puzzle”, I shrugged.

  I pointed to a hallway in the minimall, “is that the way to Jerry’s office?”

  “It sure is, thanks for your help, I hope to be seeing lots of you! When you’re done with Jerry and situated, come over to the store, we’ve got a care package. Me and Betty want to make sure our new handyman is treated right!”

  He gently patted me on the back.

  “Thanks, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so welcomed. I’ll be over as soon as I can.”

  I smiled and began walking towards Jerry’s office. I hoped Jerry was as friendly as Ezra.

  I knocked on the door of the office, cat carrier in hand, a gruff voice answered “Come in.”

  The manager’s office was a cramped, dimly lit space, its walls adorned with faded motivational posters and a calendar that hadn’t been updated since 2012. A lone desk, cluttered with stacks of paperwork and half-empty coffee mugs dominated the room. A sense of neglect hung in the air, thick as the dust motes dancing in the single beam of sunlight that struggled to get through the blinds.

  I cleared my throat and began, “hi, I’m Kit - “ he cut me off, “Kit Walker,” shaking my hand with a limp grip. He glanced at Spot and said, "We've been expecting you."

  He gestured towards a chair piled high with more paperwork.

  "Have a seat," he said, clearing a small space on his desk with a weary sigh. "Let's go over the details of your... employment."

  I perched on the edge of the chair and sat Spot’s carrier down, I heard the door jiggle a little as she flopped and stretched. Jerry rummaged through the papers on his desk, finally producing a dog-eared contract and a pen.

  “Here’s the standard contract, “ he mumbled, pushing the papers towards me. “Just initial here” he pointed, “and here”, pointed again, “date there and there” more pointing, “and finally sign on the dotted line and you’ll officially be part of the Grimwood Plaza and Stores Inc. family.”

  He gave the smile of a man that had given up on most things in life.

  I scanned the document, my brow furrowing at the vague language and the surprisingly generous salary.

  “You agree to provide emotional support to any tenants experiencing existential crises on Mondays,” one clause read. “Your duties may include: herding stray llamas, reorganizing the strip mall’s inventory of vintage typewriters, and mediating disputes between rival factions of senior citizens.”

  I looked at Jerry, a question forming on my lips. But before I could speak, he let out a long, weary sigh.

  "Look, kid," he said, his voice heavy with resignation.

  "I'm not going to sugarcoat it. This place is a mess. The tenants are... eccentric, to say the least. And things tend to get a little... funny around here."

  He rubbed the stubble around his mouth.

  He paused, his gaze drifting towards the window, where the last bit of sunlight streamed in. "But if you're looking for a quiet place to lay low, to keep to yourself, then this might just be the perfect spot for you."

  He offered a weak smile. "Just don't say I didn't warn you."

  I gulped, signed the contract and wondered what I’d just gotten myself into. Jerry took the contract and for once gave me a genuine smile.

  “Here are the keys, “ he handed them to me.

  “I’m sure you’re tired, stairs to the apartments are right there, “ he pointed to a door in the hallway, “ and on the other side of the office’s,” pointed in the opposite direction.

  “All the apartments are technically empty, but I put you in the one that doesn’t have any plumbing or electrical issues. That’d be 102. There are some stairs that lead down to the video store, it’s closed, so feel free to use that too. I’m going to get this paperwork finished, welcome to the family.”

  He seemed… I don’t know, invigorated. I felt like I should be suspicious, but I was just happy for the attitude change. I grabbed Spot and went up to our new home.

  Spot and I entered the apartment, I immediately noticed the smell. It was dusty, like no one had lived here for a long time. I primarily wanted to get Spot settled, as I’m sure she’d like to eat and probably wanted to explore. Her carrier had a little compartment for her bowls and I had some cat treats.

  I decided to put her in the bathroom. I figured it was the best place since I needed to get her some kitty litter, and it’d be the easiest to clean up. Also, she loved having a faucet to drink out of. I set the faucet to a trickle, locked up, and headed for the grocery store.