A bell jingles overhead as you swing the rickety door to enter inside. The air is stale, and you can see dust particles floating in the light seeping from the windows. The shop seems empty and disused, but the local person you asked for directions before definitely pointed to this place. It seems there were no other general stores in the village.
Curious, you look around the shelves at all the items for sale. They’re all mixed together with no apparent order, and there’s no prices showing. With furrowed brows, you pick up a dainty porcelain cup, wanting to take a closer look at its intricate floral paint. However, as you’re turning it in your hands, the handle comes off with a crack! You furtively look right and left, making sure nobody saw you, then hide the pieces behind a large teddy bear on the same shelf.
You quickly reach the counter, eager to be finished with the place. Nobody is there to serve you unfortunately, and you end up staring at the peeling wallpaper in front of you, unsure of what to do. Should you just leave and never look back? Who knew how long it would take to reach the next village, though...
Suddenly, a booming loud noise sounds from behind the wall, then, clangs and thuds, like multiple heavy objects falling on the floor. A door at the corner opens up, and a man emerges wearing a stained lab coat, sheepishly dusting his hair off and approaching the counter whilst holding a plethora of coloured eggs in his arms.
“You! I know you!” He cheerily exclaims, “You’re... Eh- ... Well, never mind your name, I just know that you’re one of my regular clients!”
You try to inform him that he must be mistaken for you’ve never shopped here before, but he loudly keeps talking before you can correct him.
“Here!” He shoves one of the eggs at you, and you can’t do anything but accept it, lest it falls on the floor. “This is a present for being such a loyal customer!”
He keeps smiling throughout like nothing strange is going on, and you’re sure your face must be mirroring the utter confusion you’re feeling at the situation.
One of the eggs in the shop owner’s arms starts vibrating and crackling, causing the man to sigh deeply, “Oh no, not another one...” he mutters under his breath whilst pushing his glasses up his nose.
He promptly turns to hastily walk back to the small door, seemingly eager to return to... Whatever he was doing in the room behind the wall.
He stops just before walking through the threshold, like he just remembered you were still there, “Well, come back any time! There’s plenty of other presents for you, if you come again. Unless...” He worryingly looks at the moving egg in his arms, “...You can take this as well! We really appreciate our customers, and we love making them happy by giving them rewards-!”
You quickly flee the shop before the crazy man ends up piling you with dozens of unwanted eggs. You look down at the one you have already in your hands, curiously feeling its warmth through the shell. You wonder if it will ever hatch?
Can't wait to see more updates.