Fifty Cents

Outside, the sun was shining and beautiful. The sky was blue and Philip was out and about. As soon as he stepped outside, he noticed something. There was a girl scout across the street at a wooden shack, selling something. There seemed to be a girl scout shack at each corner; they were getting good money. Philip was curious and decided to go across the street to the shack. He wasn't planning on buying any lemonade, which was what she was selling, and the pitcher was almost empty. Then the girl picked up the pitcher, spit in it, and the next instant the pitcher was full of lemonade. Philip decided to change his mind, but he was already across the street.

"Hey mister, what's your name?"

"My name's Susan. Would you like some lemonade? It's only 50 cents," she suggests.

Just then, Philip gets a text message from his girlfriend to meet him at the coffee hut. He ordered coffee, but his girlfriend wanted something cooler. She turns around and sees a lemonade stand. They go over to it. Luckily, it's not Susan, with the blue eyes and gold locks, but she still has the same unnaturally wide grin.

"Hey miss, what's your name?"

"Margret."

"My name's Samantha. Would you like some lemonade? It's only 50 cents." Samantha offers in the same tone as Susan.

"Yes, please," says Margret, Philip's girlfriend.

She makes the exchange and Philip watches uneasily as she downs the liquid. She puts the cup down with an 'aahhh' then throws the empty thing in the trash.

"Thanks!" Margret says.

The girl nods and beams. As Margret and Philip walk, Margret asks Philip, "Hey, would you like some lemonade? It's only 50 cents."

"What?!" Philip says, confused.

"I said, did you want to go to the movies?" says Margret.

Philip sighs and shakes his head free of the issue. On the way to the movies, Philip noticed there were still girl scouts out. Every time their names were said, they started with an S; Sarah, Sophie, Stacy, Siri, it was strange. And every time they turned them down, they heard ringing in their ears. After the movies, Philip walked home after he walked Margret home. The night was silent and eerie, yet people were outside, here and there. He got to his house and Susan hailed him before he went inside.

"Mister Philip, would you like to try some lemonade? It's only 50 cents. I'll even make it 25 cents this time."

Then Philip snapped. Philip storms across the street to Susan's stand. He doesn't know why he's angry. Was it because he's annoyed or because he's afraid?

"Listen to me, you freakin' leech! Stop stalking me and my girlfriend and harassing us about your stupid, disgusting, spit lemonade!"

Philip then shoves everything off the shack table. His ears ring violently as tears swell up in Susan's eyes. He goes back to his house, satisfied. Philip wakes up at 3 A. M. and has the urge to go to the bathroom. He noticed the lights were already on, and the closer he got to the bathroom, the more his ears rang. He walked in to see Susan huddled in a ball crying. Philip gasps as her head turns 180 degrees. She had a crazy wild smile and red irises.

"Would you like some lemonade? It's only 50 CENTS."

The door was locked and the only thing in his pocket was 50 cents. He died that morning; his head twisted 270 degrees with a bloody S carved in his forehead. His neighbors heard ringing in their ears as they rush to the scene to see the mangled body, all the lights on, and everything clean and fresh. Lemony fresh.