The Eldritch Convenience Store Employee Chapter 1: The Actor's Fall

“Mark, get the slushies. We need a refill!”

“Got it, mam!”

I walked into the back and grabbed the refill. Ms. Emily allowed me to work for her and her sister.

Well, more for her. Her sister was quite incompetent.

“Mark, I got more slush-WHOA!”

I caught her, but she dropped the slushie, making another mess.

I sighed.

“Sam, if you weren’t Ms. Emily’s sister, you would have been fired long ago.”

“So mean! Thanks for catching me.”

She stood herself up and continued to run.

Then, as I predicted, she slipped on the spilled slush.

I caught her by the back of her shirt, before pulling her back up.

She was flushed.

“T-thanks.”

“Stop running and grab the mop.”

“Okay.”

Case in point. I was ranked higher than her despite being there for 3 days.

Samela was the most incompetent human I’ve ever met. Then again, I haven’t met too many.

“Got the refill, mam!”

“Good, and please, call me Emily, you call Samela, Sam.”

“Sam is my coworker, you are my boss.”

“I guess.”

“Emmy! The slush is trying to kill me!!!”

“…”

“…”

“She slipped again, didn’t she.”

I nodded.

“How do you mess up something as simple as mopping?”

“I don’t know.”

“How have you not fired her yet? This convenience store would actually be successful if she wasn’t breaking everything.”

“You’ve seen her, do you really believe that she would survive on the streets?”

I sighed.

“I suppose not, but at least duct tape her to a chair so she can’t cause damage.”

“She’s here and I’m providing for her. She may as well help out.”

“Yes… ‘help…’”

She sighed.

“Sam isn’t the most intelligent, but at least she has heart, I’m sure she’ll get it someday.”

“I got the refill!!! OH CRAP.”

Sam fell, a slushie in hand.

I got covered in slushie. I grimaced.

“Let’s hope it’s someday soon.”

Emily stifled a laugh.

“Hopefully.”

How did I even get here?

_

(3 days ago)

*Yawn* [What is it you want, Hunter?]

[Actor, you have sat on that throne long enough, I think we are due for a change in leadership.]

[Do you actually think that you can best me?]

I stood up. Compared to beings like the Hunter, I was quite small, but that did not mean I was weak, as the poor sap was about to figure out.

The Hunter charged me, but I dodged. He was too slow.

[Come on, Hunter~]

I smiled.

[May I have this dance~?]

Then I went full out.

I dashed like as star and kicked him, knocking the prideful beast high in the air. I then was next to him, my power echoing like the ocean.

I grabbed him, flipping him like a piece of spaghetti.

It was laughable.

I threw him back towards the door of my palace.

[Go. I’ll let you live this time.]

[NOW!!!]

I realized a second too late that he was merely a distraction.

Another Elder Lord crushed my spine, causing me to roar in pain.

[Cowards. You cannot best me, so you resort to feeble trickery.]

A knight ran in with a gem.

“LORD! I found the Actor’s core.”

[Well done, Dimskukek. Give it here.]

[Cowards, the whole lot of you! Face me directly.]

The Warden, who stood on top of me smirked in her typical way.

[We are no fools, Actor, we know we wouldn’t win in a face-to-face battle.]

[I do not mind trickery but seeming it as a challenge and then resorting to the tricks is a cowards play. Even if the other lords want me gone, you will not gain respect in besting me this way.]

[The other lords will be made to believe that we bested you face to face.]

Dimskukek then gave a confused look.

“But that is not what ha-“

He was beheaded. Foolish to try and question a lord.

[Clever. Cutting out the errand boy. If I wasn’t on the receiving end, I would love it.]

[I took inspiration from you.]

[May I ask why you want me gone?]

[Quite simply, we don’t like you. You are too extra. You waste resources on palaces.]

[They are my resources; do you presume you two could do better?]

[Yes, yes we could.]

Then they shattered my core…

_

Normally that would kill an elder, but I was too smart for that. I hid another core in the one place no elder would or could go, Earth.

That also meant that I could only reside on Earth now, and without most of my powers.

I hovered as a specter. Then I felt a pull. Following it, I came upon a young human female. Barely 20, if I had my biology correct.

[Why have you summoned me?]

It was then I noticed something, her body was the perfect host. It was like someone out there specifically designed it for me.

“Um… my sister owns a convenience store…”

[And?]

“I want to work there, but I’m too clumsy. I don’t want to cause her trouble.”

[You wish to not fall?]

“Um, yeah.”

[Currently, I am unable to grant this wish, but I can grant you something else.]

“What is it?”

[I can guide you. Bring you knowledge.]

“Cool, sure!”

[You don’t even know the terms yet…]

“Oh right, what are they?”

[I will grant you myself as a guide, but you will allow me to use your body as a host when I have need of it.]

“If it will help me help my sister, then sure!”

Kind-heartedness. A fools errand. This would end up worse for her sister once I took control.

But now, I had permission, so I seeped into her.

“What?”

She started to panic, but the deal was already struck. I leapt into her body and dominated it.

“Well, I was correct, this is the absolute best body I could have ever found.”

‘Why thank you.’

…

“WHAT?!”

‘WHAT? WHAT’S HAPPENING?!’

“How are you intact, I should have completely crushed your mind.”

‘I dunno, but why would you do that?’

“Why would you summon an Elder and expect different?”

‘Fair, but could I have my body back?’

“No, we made a deal, I have need of your body, so I can use it.”

‘But, didn’t I say, “If it will help my sister?”’

I froze.

‘I may be kinda dumb, but how is you taking over my body helping her? I would understand if you took some time beforehand helping me help her, but in this case, you just took over. That’s not helping her at all. Wouldn’t that break the deal?”

She blinked.

“Woah, I can talk again.”

[I hate semantics in deals.]

“Well, you shouldn’t have been so mean.”

[I shall go now, but just know, I will eventually have you as my host.]

“Nah. I like my body. And now that I know that you’re just a big meanie, you’re never getting my body.”

Her willpower was incredible, and she managed to grasp the concept of the deal faster than any other human I’d seen. Incompetent she may be, but she certainly had talents. And, with that body, any lord would love to make a grab for her.

I wandered more, then I felt another pull.

I appeared in front of a less suitable male.

“Oh, Great Elder, hear my prayer. Please appear and grant me your power.”

[What do you require, mortal?]

“It actually worked? Oh, right. Oh, Great Elder. My mother has fallen ill. The doctor says that she only has one day to live.”

[And?]

“Please, exchange her life with mine. Give her my remaining years.”

[I will do this under one condition.]

“Anything.”

[Grant me your body. I require a host.]

“Very well. I accept that condition. Please, help her.”

Thus, I took his time and gave it to her.

“Thank you, Great Elder, my mother will live longer thanks to you.”

[Of course, but I don’t know what she will do with an extra hour.]

The man looked up in shock.

“What?”

[Yes, you were to leave your apartment and get run over by a car, killing you instantly. So, your mother got an hour more.]

“But, but…”

[I fulfilled your deal, so now you belong to me.]

I grabbed his body and seeped into it. His dread was delicious. I drank it up and ate his soul, giving me more vigor.

Then I stood up.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and noticed that the boy had no contacts. He likely became a hermit after his mother got sick. Then I saw a text from his mother, granting me his name.

“Mark… thank you for the meal.”

_

I walked around the town, Mark being a hermit was perfect, that meant that no one would notice him missing, or find him acting differently.

Of course, my luck could not have been that good.

“MARK!”

A woman walked up to me.

“I know your mother got sick, but that’s no reason to block my number, come here.”

She grabbed my hand and dragged me into an alley.

“Mark, don’t talk. Listen. I was worried. I know that you I know that you are going through a hard time, and you’re trying to summon the eldritch, but it’s not going to work. They aren’t real.”

Then she hugged me.

“Tell me, I’m here. Just let it out.”

This girl was funny, she brought me to the perfect place for another meal.

Then she stepped up to kiss me.

I kissed her back, then I seeped my essence through her, draining her soul and nutrients.

Her eyes widened, but she couldn’t pull back. I wasn’t letting her.

The last thing she saw was my pure white eyes as she realized that I was quite real.