The perfect timing
Chapter 8

After the game yesterday the team, Liam, Aiden, I and some of their friends went afterwards to a diner to eat and celebrate. The atmosphere was great and everybody was having a good time. But after a few hours Aiden and I called it a day, because I had to work the next day, which means today and my best friend offered me to drive me.

We were currently on our way towards Nancy’s bakery and I was excited for my first day. I knew I had to work hard, but with Nancy as my boss it would be fine.

Aiden was still talking excitedly about the game yesterday and how they would beat the other team in the final.

“Slow down there tiger.” I told him with a laugh, as he bragged about their win and amazing skills.

“You barely won the last game and the next team is the current champ.”

“Yes, I know,” he told me shooing me away with one of his hands, like he was sure that his team would win this time.

“We are here by the way,” he then announced, and I looked out of the window to see the old, but lovely bakery.

On the outside it looked just like every other bakery, maybe a bit older and rusty, but still comfy and inviting. There was nothing else but the name of the bakery on the outside and a little sign that told you that the bakery was open.

“Thanks, for driving me Aiden,” I said to my best friend and smiled at him thankfully. “You are the best.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” he answered me cockily, but I knew he was just kidding by the way he was scrunching his nose and because I knew him too well.

“You are sure you don’t need a drive home?” he asked me then, when I was about to get out, my hand already on the handle of the door.

“Nope, I’m fine. My aunt will get me after work and with an hour to spare, I can have quality time with Nancy,” I told him and he smiled at me in understanding.

Aiden was aware of the fact that I saw Nancy as my own grandmother and was happy that I had another person to talk to. He always felt sorry for me having not any other relatives as Lily anymore, even if he never told me in person, I knew about it.

And him having over four uncles, three aunts and over six cousins didn’t know how it was to feel lonely.

“Alright,” he said, and I opened the car door and waved him goodbye when he drove away.

Inside the bakery Nancy was already waiting for me and when she saw me stepping in, she welcomed me with one of her famous smiles, where her laugh lines were showing and made her look even younger.

I immediately felt at home and after we greeted each other properly, Nancy showed me, what I had to do. I was responsible for all the customers and had to take care of their order. I also had to work behind the counter and took care of the cash register.

My job wasn’t too hard, and I had fun working with Nancy. Until now all the customers were friendly, which made my job easy. Most of them were regular customers, Nancy had told me and they all wanted the same. A piece of Nancy’s famous apple pie, which was already sold out after an hour.

And you would know exactly what I was talking about if you ever had the chance to try a piece. They were beyond amazing.

“How is it going?” Nancy asked me after a few hours after I had served an elder lady with a big hat on top of her head. She was even so kind to give me a tip which I took gratefully and with a big smile.

“Just great.” I smiled at Nancy and at the same time walked behind the counter to make a coffee for a young lady.

“Thanks,” the girl who I gave the coffee said and handed me the money for her hot drink.

“You’re welcome, and have a nice day.” I answered with a crack of a smile, satisfied that everything was working so smoothly.

“You too,” she said before she took her coffee from the counter and left. I liked this kind of customer, friendly and uncomplicated.

“I see. You are doing a great job,” Nancy commented, standing next to me with a grin on her face.

“Thanks,” I beamed back.

She then looked at the counter where all the pies were stored and mumbled, “Almost empty.”

Then she added this time louder. “I will go and get some more and please close the shop in half an hour.”

Confused I glanced at the watch. There was still plenty of time to close the bakery. We would not close until an hour. And even more confused me the fact, that she would get more pies, if she wanted to close so soon.

Nancy saw my bewildered look and explained with a laugh. “We will close earlier to celebrate your first successful day. And the cake is for the two of us,” she added with a wink and vanished into the kitchen.

I shook my head in amusement and with a smile, touched at Nancy’s thoughts and about her stubbornness to celebrate just a normal work day for me. It was also clear she wouldn’t take a no as an answer.

After Nancy left only a few customers appeared, and I was about to turn the sign around to “we have closed”, like Nancy had told me, when I heard a shattering sound from behind.

I stopped what I was doing and turned around. The sound just came out of the kitchen where Nancy was preparing the pie. Well, that was what I thought.

“Nancy,” I called unsure what to do. But there was no answer, only silence.

I felt a creepy feeling rising in my belly and walked towards the kitchen.

“Nancy, are you okay?” I called again after her, but there was still no answer.

Then I opened the door and furiously looked around, but there was nothing suspicious. Only a few pies, cooking utensils and...

I shrieked suddenly, seeing someone lying on the ground unconscious. With big steps I made my way towards the person and crouched down next to her.

Even more shocked I had to ascertain that it was Nancy. What happened with her? Did she have a heart attack or something like that?

“Nancy please wake up,” I tried to wake her and shook her shoulder, but there was no response.

I was about to call an ambulance when suddenly a hand wrapped around my throat and began to cut my breath away. Immediately my own hands wrapped around my throat and I tried to pull the other persons hand away.

But the other person was stronger and when I looked up, Nancy was starring intensively at me. It was also her hand that was wrapped around my throat.

“Nancy, what are you doing?” I tried to chock out, but it was hard, because with every second I got less air.

But the most shocking thing about this situation wasn’t the fact that Nancy was about to strangle me. It were her eyes. They were completely black and you couldn’t make out her pupils. She also looked like in a kind of trance and as I tried to push her hands away her grip only got tighter.

“Please stop.” I pleaded, but she had no mercy for me.

That couldn’t be Nancy in front of me. She wouldn’t do something like that. But what was wrong with her?

Instinctive I tried to kick her away with my feet. I didn’t want to hurt her, but I still wanted to live. First, I had no success, but at the third try I hit her stomach.

Abruptly she let go of me and I coughed uncontrolled and took big gulps of air. But unfortunately she was on her feed again in a few seconds and lunged at me.

With her nails she tried to attack my face, and I blogged her with my bare hands the best I could. Nevertheless she got me and cut my cheek with own of her nails.

It hurt like a bitch and immediately bled. I didn’t understand the world anymore. Why was the woman I always saw as a grandmother, suddenly attacking me?

I badly wanted to protect myself and get back at her for hurting me, but remembered this was still Nancy and I couldn’t hurt her on purpose.

So I tried again to talk with her. “Please stop Nancy. It’s me Celia.” I said with a calm voice, ignoring my hurting throat and pushing the thought away that the woman in front of me was about to kill me.

For a moment I saw a flicker in her eyes, some kind of recognition, but then she grabbed a knife which she normally cut cake with and with a loud cry she jumped at me.

Startled by her attack I didn’t move away in time and she brought us both to the ground. She was then about to stab me with the knife when suddenly her weapon was no longer in her hands.

We both looked at the intruder who just saved my life and got Nancy to cry horrendously like a wild animal.

To my utter surprise Reece was the one, standing now next to us with the knife in his hands, his nostrils bloated and a furious expression on his face.

With one swift movement he pulled Nancy off of me and tossed her to the ground where her head collided with the floor and where she was now lying unconscious. Shocked about his action, I stared at him not able to move.

“Come on,” he then told me offering me his outstretched hand. But I couldn’t take it. The shock about the happenings must have kicked in.

Reece also seemed to notice this and pulled me with his own strength at my wrist to my feet, like I was weighing nothing. I even felt like a bag full of jelly.

Reece then dragged me out of the shop, leaving Nancy unconscious behind. My senses kicked in again as we were a few feet away from the bakery and I struggled against Reece grip.

“Let go of me!” I pressed out, but he wouldn’t let go.

“I will make a scene if you don’t let go,” I threatened and as he saw the look people were giving us, he let go of my wrist and instead grabbed my hand, but more gently this time.

Annoyed that he didn’t let me completely go I asked him questions, which he ignored at first.

“What just happened? What where you doing in the bakery? Did you stalk me? What about Nancy?”

“She will be fine,” he finally answered more than annoyed at my behavior.

“How can you be so sure?”

“I just know it,” was his final answer, and I was about to cross my arms in front of me, but then remembered that he was still holding one of my hands.

Suddenly he stopped and let go of me and I rubbed at my hand, which kind of felt cold without his touch, but I ignored the feeling.

“Listen now,” he started and when he was sure he had my full attention he continued, “The person who just attacked you is superhuman.”

I repeated the word superhuman like a million times in my head and thought intensely if I heard him right. Did he really say superhuman? Someone like me? There are other people like me, I thought shocked, and a bit relieved at the same time. I wasn’t alone with an extraordinary power?

“But Nancy isn’t superhuman,” I protested, because if she really was I would have noticed it. Wouldn’t I?

“I wasn’t talking about Nancy,” Reece explained and the only response to that was me to ask Reece with big eyes, “What do you know about super humans?”

He laughed humorlessly, “I know that you are superhuman too.”

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