It began when the sun disappears and moon fills the streets and alleyways with light. The corner store owner Raymond closes the cashier handing the change back to a nightly customer. 

     Raymond - “1.38 is your change fam”

     Customer - “Appreciate it ray ill see you soon’  

Both gave each other a glance and Ray watched his last visible customer exit through the metal framed doors. Raymond sat back as he heard the door close and “click”. A sigh of relief came out from him glancing obediently at the clock on his monitor. 

  Raymond - “Twelve twenty seven am … slowest but the worst time to be out working.”

 Gazing blindly at his monitor the security cameras picked up an Altima, blacked out which wasnt the oddest considering the location of Ray’s shop. Bystanders from outside the shop hover in to browse like usual. Keeping his eyes on the monitor the car’s light shutoff, while feeling uneasy ray stares at his only defense mechanism. A red switch under his cashier to lock his main entrance: He’d never pictured he’ll use it he was cared for by his community. 

A group of men enter the store chattering and simultaneously scanning the inside of the store. Ray noticed the car wasnt theirs, maybe he was just being paranoid. Someone was still in the car waiting on something, while Ray rubbed his finger along the switch without looking portraying how he would flip the switch if he was in need. The men came to ring up there choosings while one of the stayed near the exit. With no other choice out of habit he turns from the monitor and scans their items.

Raymond - “Yall doing alright?’

Customer 1 - “yes sir like normal bro you know” 

 He lets the customer pay with his card and ray doesnt repeat his price to him just lets him while he peeks to his monitor a figure reaching for his door. The man near the exit backs up an shouts.

 Customer 2 - ‘ Woah what the f***”, staring through the glass doors.

Ray reaches for the switch and flips it. The door speaks and its heard “ZZZ” . An emotion of emptiness hit ray knowing the sound was confirmation the door was opened, unable to lock in time. A moment when everyone stared at each other for a fraction of a second felt like eternity.  “Masked , tall , quick with a weapon” was all ray could tell the police after the incident, what he remembered was how fluently the man moved. Controlling the room with  his weapon directing Ray to collect his cash from the night, telling the customers to part aside in a voice so camly. Ray’s customers obeyed and froze watching the store owner. The whole thing left him feeling a way, not sure whether to close up just for tonight or for a while.