This evening was the same as any other evening.

At 8.01 p.m. the store was quiet like a graveyard. Not one customer since half an hour ago. Well, who would come to a convenience store out in the middle of nowhere, especially when it was already dark? Maxim sighed.

Yes, Maxim. That's his name. Given to him by his father who was an English Language high school teacher. Need he say more?

Anyway, this whole working part-time at the convenience store thing was not working out well for him. Only two weeks in and Maxim already wanted to strangle his own neck. It was that boring. Nothing ever happen here. How he wished life could be more exciting. 

Ding-a-ling!!!

Suddenly the bell at the door rang loudly, shocking Maxim out of his self pity. Two women walked into the store like they owned it and headed straight for the drinks section at the back.

Maxim surreptitiously stared at them with wonder. Somehow they were different from other people he had met. They were tall and lean, had long blonde hair, pale skin, nice clothes and shoes, and smelled really good.

Yes, Maxim could smell them from 12 feet away. That was amazing. He wondered what kind of expensive fragrance they used, and how much they sprayed on their bodies to achieve this effect.

"Boy! These are all you have?" one of the called out to him.

"Uh... Yes... Yes, ma'am." Maxim stuttered out.

"Really?" one of the woman turned to him and walked forward slowly.

"Yes, rea... really..." Maxim suddenly felt like a prey. "What kind of drink are you looking for?" he tried to act normal.

"Something red, and fragrant. Like red wine. Hmm, yes. That would be good."

The woman smiled at him sweetly. They were now face to face, with only the cashier counter in between them. This close, the woman's strong fragrance threatened to suffocate him. Maxim gulped nervously.

"That's... We... Don't.. Don't..." Maxim's words trailed off. He couldn't seem to form coherent thoughts.

"Don't what?"

Maxim gasped and swiftly turned around. The other woman was sitting on his high stool not two feet away, intently staring at him with shiny blue eyes. Maxim felt his heart constrict painfully.

"Don't... D... Don't... Uh... "

Somehow his airways was constricted too, and he had problem talking. Slowly, Maxim turned and backed away from them, keeping them in his sight the whole time.

Both of the women leaned forward towards him, like they were really interested to know what he was saying. But their sharp eyes revealed a hunger for more than words. Trapped in his own cashier space, Maxim had nowhere to run to.

Now Maxim wished that this evening was the same as any other evening.