The Road to Sam's Gun Shop

The sky was clear. The stone path and surrounding grass were still soaked from the rain. Afew stray branches decorated the yard and sidewalk beyond the gate. Birds were singing in the trees. The world seemed peaceful.

"So, Sam's shop first?" Asked Violet. "Alice'll need time to repair that cut and you have patrol in three days."

"Sounds good." Aiden had almost forgotten about the damage his jacket had taken. Somewhere betweenthe shower and the thoughts of a long dead hunter looking out for him, the tear seemed unimportant. "Expecting she'll have anything new?"

"Don't know. Let's see . . . Today is Friday. She generally gets shipments in on Thursdays." Violet thought. "I'm hoping this one she'll get the part to repair my crossbow soon. Her supplier has been out of stock for ages. It's fun to look anyway."

"I need new gear, whether I decide to stay or leave . . . Or they decide that I don't belong." Aiden admitted. When was the last time he had bought anything new? Most shops that he had been to that accepted Guild credits refused to order anything for Drifters, expecting to be left with gear and the bill. It certainly was making him lean towards staying. Almost everything here was reasonably priced. Then again, Sam had been offering him some new sample garments she'd received since day one. Everyone here had been so welcoming. Even with the Husks, pixies, and whatever cryptids lurked in the woods, Melody Grove was almost Heaven.

"So, you're really considering it?" Asked Violet. She had been hoping for a yes, but the teasing . . . She needed to get something straight. "I wouldn't blame you for deciding not to, but I need to explain something. . ."

"You're either cursed to turn to stone or to fall into a deep sleep for a hundred years if you don't marry by your next birthday?" He half-joked; though rare, those curses still exised. "And everyone is trying to find you a husband to stop it. So, was it an evil fairy or witch?"

"Neither. It's just, alot of the Drifters we've been getting haven't really been looking for a hometown. It comes with the territory of being the former home of a Nosfuratu class." Violet explained thru her giggles. She could just imagine herself stuck in a tower waiting on some random guy to wake her with a kiss. "However, we have had in the past afew to find their soul mates here and that was reason enough to stay. That's how Himiko, Henry, Alice, and Mike ended up permanent. It was even the reason my Dad stayed in town."

"So, that's why everyone has been pairing us to get together." Aiden laughed. He couldn't exactly deny her crystal blue eyes had caught his crimson ones when he first arrived. Briefly he considered asking her to stay with him. Romance her with Christmas on a beach in Hawaii. Summer in Alaska. The deserts in Arizona. The Great lakes up in Michigan. The Outer Banks in North Carolina. Marti Gra in New Orleans. Briefly. It wouldn't be fair to uproot her to fight monsters, even if she knew what they were in for. "Well, if I stay I'll at least take you on a date."

"I'll hold you to that." Violet promised. She touched the light pole. Countless memories of children racing there on their way to the bus stop came flooding at her. Aiden pulled her hand away. "Thanks, but I'm not looking at any white dresses anytime soon."

"So, what memories did you see?" Aiden asked.

"Decades and decades of kids trying to catch the bus." Violet answered. "Some excitement, some frustration, some happy and some with dred. One with great fear and pain."

"What happened?" Asked Aiden.

"Two girls were late getting to the bus stop. It was raining and one jumped in front of a car hoping it would stop. " Violet paused. She kneeled down near what looked like a bush. Aiden watched her pull the leaves and branches away to reveal a small wooden cross. Aiden heard the laughter of a small girl dance around him as an icy chill ran up his spine. A tear ran down Violet's face."Elizabeth always made Dad drop us off here. She used to talk to the girl. I never saw her outside of pictures and Memories."

"So you and your sister are tied to the past?" Aiden asked. Violet nodded.

"It's not all sad. Down the street was the town's first Doctor's office. The night they finished building, three babies were born inside." Violet smiled. She took his hand and dragged him to the end of the block where Sam's Gun shop was.

The building was long in red brick. Black cast iron bars guarded the windows. Violet opened the glass door. A blonde woman in a light blue cameo dress stood at the counter. Her hair was braided into a long snake. She smiled at them. "Violet! Aiden! Great to see you again!"

"Hey, Alice. Is Sam around?" Violet asked. She saw Aiden looking at a box and watched his face turn bright red as he dropped it back on the table. Violet looked down. "Cameo lingerie? Since when do you sell this?"

"Since our supplier got our orders mixed up, AGAIN! Sam's pretty mad over it, but I told her since we're stuck with it anyway we might as well try to sell it in the shop." Alice tried to remain positive. She was obviously annoyed, even with the bright pink painted smile on her face. "I told her we might start a new trend of couples spending their dates camping. If nothing else, I can make some eye catching displays. So, can I interest you in a set? We got some cameo boxers in as well."

"I'll have a better look later. We need to get Aiden's jacket mended." Violet answered. In reality, she was thinking that it was a disaster waiting to happen. She had seen enough in the woods to know that while Jason Voorhees wasn't lurking the creatures they did have made up for it. Still, the last thing Violet wanted was to burst Alice's bubble.

Aiden pulled out the jacket. Alice took it from him and shook her head as her amber eyes spotted the cut. Carefully, she examined it as if she expected a mouse to jump out. "I'm surprised it didn't go all the way thru. I'll do what I can, but let me take your measurements. I'm pretty sure you're due afew new pieces of gear. When was the last time you ordered new clothes from the Guild store?"

Aiden thought a minute. "About three, maybe five years ago."

"Well, you're getting a new wardrobe. You probably have enough credits built up for a walk in closet." Alice answered. She took another look at the jacket. "I can make this work until your order comes back-- thankfully our Guild supplier never gets orders wrong. Aiden, follow me. Violet, Sam is in the back with Jim and Lin."

Aiden nervously followed Alice to a store room. Violet headed to Sam's work shop. Lin was watching intently as Sam was bending the barrel of Jim's rifle. Jim looked exhausted propped against a large wooden crate. She tapped him on the shoulder. He didn't move.

"Rough night in the ER?" Asked Violet. Jim yawned.

"Five car pile up on the edge of town." He answered. "Seven victims. No fatalities, thankfully. Two remain in critical. I spend the night trying to calm a woman down while her son was getting sewn back together."

"Street racing?" Asked Violet. Jim looked up at her.

"That and . . . We might have another swarm of Husks in the woods." He shivered. "Afew of the teens were talking about gray creatures in the road. I already reported it to Chase."

"It's a never-ending battle." Sam looked up from her work bench and handed Jim the rifle. "See if that's any better."

Jim walked over to the shooting range. Carefully, he loaded the weapon. The women each put a pair of earplugs in. Jim took aim and fired into the target. The bullet pierced the center. "Good as new. Great work as always, Sam."

"No problem, Jim." Sam looked over at Violet and shook her head. "Still waiting on those parts. I'm sorry, Vi."

"I don't understand how someone mistakes metal bolts and gears for underwear." Lin commented. "It's too bad we can't order parts thru the Guild network."

"I think they just gave us someone else's shipment." Answered Sam. "And using the Guild network would only solve part of the problem. We're not allowed sell Guild gear to anyone not a Guild member."

"So, why not order the parts from the Guild for Guild member Violet?" Lin asked. Sam laughed and gave her adopted daughter a hug.

"If Violet doesn't mind using her credits, sure. Wish I would have thought of that weeks ago." Sam sighed. She grabbed a thick catalog from the a black metal bookcase and started flipping thru the pages. "Well, give it a week or two and either our supplier gets the parts or the Guild will."

"Well, thanks again, Sam." Jim stretched. "I need to get back to the apartment. Maybe I can call Aiden and . . ."

"Someone say my name?" Aiden answered as he poked his head in the room. Jim jumped and nearly lost his balance. "Alice just got done with my measurements."

"So, what did you order?" Teased Violet.

"Afew jackets, pants and boots." He pulled out a clothing catalog from his grey duffel bag. "Alice insisted I flip thru a book for more stuff. But anyway, what did you need Jim?"

"I'm really tired, do you mind driving back?" Jim yawned. He handed Aiden his keys.

"Sure. Thanks, Violet." Aiden smiled back at her.

"No problem. See you guys later!" Violet said.

"Hold on, Mr. Doyle!" Lin hopped off her stoll, surveyed the shelves and grabbed several books. She handed them to Aiden. His eyes widened. "Here you go. Make sure you order something nice for yourself."

"Lin, be nice." Sam scolded.

"I am. You've seen how he dresses. He worn an almost identical outfit yesterday." Lin pointed out. Aiden didn't want to mention that they were actually the same clothes he had on yesterday. That probably would've resulted in her throwing a couple outfits at him. "It wouldn't kill him to have a little variety."

"Well, we better go before I'm dragging Jim up the stairs." Aiden replied. Jim snickered as they left.

"Don't worry. His birthday is in a couple of months." Violet whispered to Lin. The teen smiled evilly. The gears were turning behind her topaz eyes.

"Violet, don't encourage her, please." Sam said. She handed Lin a piece of paper. "Take that directly to Alice. She's probably already placing Aiden's order now."

"Yes, Mom." Lin skipped over to the office.

"She's a good kid. I just wish I knew where she got the attitude." Sighed Sam. She shook her head.

"I think it's one part Alice with two parts Sam." Violet answered. She looked at the photo on Sam's work desk. It was taken eleven years ago on the day Sam bought Lin to Melody Grove as a foster. Sam laughed. "Well, I have a shift at the Cauldron this morning. See you later. Shaved sirloin sandwich with home fries is the lunch special. "

"Are you sure Lin isn't trying to imitate you?" Sam laughed. She got up and walked over to the younger woman. "She was picking out alot of purple and blue when we went back to school shopping last year. Not to mention she said she wanted a crossbow for her birthday and you're one of the few hunters that still keeps one in our Guild."

"I don't see the connection." Violet answered. "I'm sure her sales techniques come from Alice. I, on the hand, want to promote my best friend's business and . . . hopefully get advice on . . . Aiden."

"He likes you, you like him. One of you just needs to admit it." Sam grumbled. She placed a hand on Violet's shoulder. "Look, I know it's been hard for you to open up since your Old Man passed away-- trust me, if I knew that was going to be Hunter's last mission, I probably would've locked in the trunk of the car myself. And I know, you've been on again off again with that Sheriff's Deputy since you were wearing your hair in pinktails, but maybe just maybe you should consider looking at other men. And Aiden's not bad looking."

"Well, it's not like that. I mean, I want him to stay with us. . . In our Guild, I mean." Clarified Violet. She had a slight blush on her cheeks. Sam held in a laugh. "Besides, Kyle is working night shifts for the department right now."

"Jim told me Kyle's been flirting with a nurse on the third floor of the hospital. Apparently they met right after your latest break up and he injured his arm while on duty." Sam was trying to bring out the green eyed monster she knew was lurking in Violet. It worked as Violet shot her an icy glare. "Hey, don't shoot the messenger."

"It might be for the best." Violet finally answered. "Between Elizabeth's injury, courting a new Guild member, plus the Cauldron and the new class of Junior hunters, there's not much time for dating."

"Violet, honey, you're going to burn yourself out. You're just as bad as Old Hunter." Sam scolded. Violet ignored her. "You know, the last thing he would have wished for you was living the same way he did. Never a minute to yourself, always on the go, always worrying about time and places and a to do list as long as the state. I'm guessing at the end of the day you're stopping by the Blood bank."

"I always donate blood today, to remember Dad." Violet answered solemnly.

"Oh, has it been ten years already?" Sam paused. She hadn't been close to Hunter, but those last few years he had given everything to the Guild. She wanted to save his daughter if she could. He was part of the reason that she had taken in Lin. "I guess I need to go to the Cauldron after all. I down a shot of Jack for him. See you later and try to enjoy your life!"

"Bye, Sam."